Original King
Ben E. King - Stand by me
King's Mill Construction: Regal Pride You Can Trust
THERE IS great historical prestige associated with King's Mill Construction. The story begins in the Kingsway, a neighbourhood of Etobicoke on the banks of the Humber River. It is located north of Bloor Street and west of the Humber River. This also happens to be where King's Mill Construction's CEO David Haslam calls home.
Historically, the original King's Mill Reserve was a hunting and fishing area for First Nations before European exploration of the area, and subsequent settlement. By 1720, the French had established a small fortified settlement for trading with native bands by 1720, called Magasin Royale, near the present site of the Old Mill. Less than fifty years later, the first English settlement in the area was around the King's Mill, used to cut lumber for the first homes in York, Upper Canada, now known as Toronto.
The character of this neighbourhood is primarily single-family detached homes, built before and after the Second World War. The culture is additionally preserved with the Old Mill Inn and Spa, located in the beautiful setting of the Humber Valley. At this point in the conversation it becomes apparent just how good a story teller David is. "I always give my customer the straight goods," he says in between periods of his Son's hockey game. "I understand how to implement the detail of what the architect is relaying. I also know the historical significance of the designs." David doesn't pretend to know everything but he has no problem contacting his architects or interior designer for clarification "I let the experts take care of the design and I implement it. I have great working relationships with both entry level architects and high-profile ones."
Peter Marzynski at PhD Architects (www.phddesign.ca) definitely tops this list. Along with a specialization in residential design, Ph.D. Design has extensive experience with commercial design and the ‘face-lifting' of buildings.
John Willmott Architect Inc (www.jwarchitect.com) is another professional that David trusts. Their services range from schematic design through to the preparation of construction documents and contract administration. 7 Orchard Crescent is a project that David recalls fondly working on with JW. Murray Fern from Khalmur Building Productions also scores high in David's book.
At one point David admits he was dissatisfied with his career as a plumbing contractor. "I started working right after highschool for a residential plumbing company," he recalls. "I then started my own company, Presidential Plumbing. For two consecutive years it made Profit Magazine's list of fasted growing companies." This was around the time that David bought out his partner, reemerging as H20 Plumbing with new partners.
David's first official building project was accomplished with these partners. "It was seven years ago at an old church in Etobicoke. We tore it down to make way for five new houses, which I describe as an upgraded sub-division product."
Since then David in his wisdom found that the best partner is himself, eliminating the need for compromise.
The permit process went smoothly since churches are already zoned as residential buildings. For David, it was simply a matter of contacting the Committee of Adjustment and demonstrating the viability of the project and that it was in the best interest of the community.
The Committee of Adjustment is consulted when a property manager wishes to separate or ‘convey' land, or build a larger structure upon it. Often some kind of special consideration is needed outside of the current bylaw.
David warns that it's not a home-owner friendly process, nor is ideal for an amateur home builder. "If an application is denied, the builder can take it up with the Ontario Municipal Board, although we have never needed to take such measures." have never needed to take such measures."
The OMB is one of the province's longest-standing adjudicative tribunals. Originally named the Ontario Railway and Municipal Board (ORMB), the Board was created by the Ontario government to oversee municipalities' accounts and to supervise the then rapidly growing rail transportation system.
Before then, provincial regulations of municipal matters were dealt with at the legislative level and the courts. The ORMB was renamed the Ontario Municipal Board in 1932.
David takes great pride in capturing the market in his own neighbourhood. It sure must be an easy commute. On his way into work he admires the Tudor and Arts and Crafts style houses he himself replicates."I certainly cater to that old English style, with brick and natural stone."
The neighbourhood was first developed by Etobicoke Lawyer Robert Home Smith who purchased the King's Mill and reopened it as the Old Mill, a high-end restaurant. The Kingsway emerged out of Home Smith's vision of the ideal community and was mostly inspired by the Garden City principles, which were originally conceived in parts of England and the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Indeed, Smith was a big fan of everything English, and this inclination inspired his ideas for the neighbourhood. By the 1920s, those ideas culminated into the development, which he named Kingsway Park.
King's Mill Construction continues to reflect these qualities. There products have been described as "tastefully appointed" traditional homes sited on well-treed and winding streets, to create an air of a wooded retreat.
David has yet to experiment with geothermal ground source heating but he has a wealth of experience installing radiant floors. He's intrigued that with the prospect of bypassing natural gas but unfortunately a densely populated area like Toronto leaves little room. "Radiant floors in my world are still considered a luxury feature, he explains, "most commonly electric pads in the kitchen or bathroom."
David has an astute eye for the potential value of a property. "Location, location, location is still rule number one," he says. "We look for the diamonds in the rough – those old bungalows that have gone unrenovated."
James Skwarek is David's labour guy and has been a valuable colleague. David also works with interior designers and other like-minded people. He wishes to thank his real estate agent Walter Mills of HomeLife/ Response Realty Inc., Brokerage.
About the Author
Andrew Hornby, a Modern Writer, writers articles on:
History
Architecture and Interior Designs
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