The latest episode of the Livabl Launch Podcast with Matthew Slutsky features an exclusive interview with Rob Spanier of Spanier Group.
Rob is a seasoned real estate professional who specializes in mixed-use development and place-making. With two decades of experience, he has brought to life more than 80 legacy projects throughout North America, Europe, and the Caribbean.
Join host Matthew Slutsky as he sits down with Rob to chat all things place-making, upcoming GTA launches and the importance of creating livable, connected communities.
Here are some highlights from the episode:
On being inspired to create functional, livable places:
“My history comes from growing up in Montreal, which I’m very proud of. Montreal is a really European city, and it’s designed around the idea that everything is five to ten minutes away. I grew up in a neighbourhood where I’d walk down to the end of my street and I could get to the bakery, I could get to the fruit store, bank, bus stop, and even the grocery store. And that really had an interesting effect on me of having neighbourhood experiences close by.”
On creating connected communities:
“How do you figure out the 100 things to do in a project? It’s not just about ‘I bought a condo, then I went to get a coffee at Starbucks.’ What are the other 98 things to do in a community?”
“Whether it’s sitting in a park, go to a school, go for a workout, buying some clothes, have a great meal with friends, go to a dog park, do a yoga class – there are so many things that are experiences that we have in our lives. We forget that they’re important in our lives.”
“Over the last 50 years, people have been so disconnected. ‘I’m gonna get in the car to buy a quart of milk, I’m gonna get in the car and drive the kids to school. Oh, now I’ve got to go to Costco. I’ve got to go here, there.’ But if you can create the essence of a place, which is a mix of uses, you actually can have a better overall quality of life.”
On the importance of the ground floor:
“If you rewind the clock, the CN Tower was at its time the iconic architectural installation of choice. The Burj Khalifa then beat it out in terms of height. And people have always been going after that. But really, if you think about the life that we all lead, certainly we live on the ground floor, we walk around on the ground floor, we spend the majority of our time and money on the ground floor. And more and more we’re seeing this – you choose where to live based on what happens on that ground floor.”
For more information on the Livabl Launch podcast, or to listen to previous episodes, visit Livabl Launch on Podbean.
