Developers’ Den XIV focused on Solutions for Mixed-Use Developments

June 13, 2024

< Back MREI candidates 2024, Kevin Balkaran, Bianca Gornik and Darren Adamah received first place recently at Developers’ Den XIV. The second place team included Gaurav Dhaliwal and Mahdi Bashash, and the third place team consisted of Sonal Bagga, Eric Pong and Jose Velasquez. This year’s competition featured students from Schulich’s Real Assets Area (MBA & MREI) as well as students from Concordia University, competing against each other to solve a challenging, real-world real estate problem. They applied skills and knowledge learnt from Schulich’s world class Real Estate and Infrastructure program. “The Schulich Real Property Alumni Association (SRPAA) tasked us with reimagining QuadReal and RBC’s Dorval Crossing East site in Oakville,” said Adamah. “As a team, we proposed the strategic renovation of 55% of the existing retail area, while delivering mixed-used residential developments across 1.7M buildable SF, anchored by a retail food market and 37k SF of POPS.” The Developers’ Den Alumni Organizing Committee included Anubhav Sharma (MREI ’20), Christian Petersen (MBA ’13), Mohammad Zeidi (MREI ‘21), Severina Lutaj (MBA ’22), and Aaron Herschoff (MBA ’09). “It was wonderful to see the creativity and professionalism from this year’s competitors – they impressed the judges and the real estate community,” said Sharma. This year’s sponsors included: Parkbridge; QuadReal Property Group; Altus Group; Arkfield Capital; The Carlyle Group; Devron Montcrest Asset Management; Dream Harbour Equity;  SmartCentres REIT; Starlight Investments; Canderel Group; Crestpoint Real Estate Investments Ltd; BA Consulting Group Ltd.;  Forum Asset Management Campus Suites; and RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust. Developers’ Den is presented by Schulich’s Real Assets Area and the Schulich Real Property Alumni Association.