Arbutus Properties

4 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 9, ISSUE 10 ARBUTUS PROPERT I ES interested buyers. Arbutus Properties is one such developer that has demonstrated the continued desirability of building sustainable and family-oriented communities in Saskatoon. Jody Minakakis, GM of Arbutus Properties, recounts, “We are a privately- held land developer in Saskatoon. We started with about 400 acres of land and we created a master plan community. We take that bare land, create lots, and sell those lots – with about half the lots going to builders. We keep between 40% to 50% of the land for ourselves and then we develop single family homes and townhomes and bring those to market.” Minakakis points out that they do have land holdings in other areas outside of the Saskatoon region, including Edmonton, Alberta and in the U.S. in both Seattle and Phoenix. Despite the interest that U.S.-based builders have shown in the work Arbutus Properties produces, the attractiveness of the Saskatoon area continues to lure the property company to the areas ripe for development within the capital region of the province. “Saskatoon is really a quality community, a bit of a hidden gem in some respects and it is often referred to as the ‘Paris of the Prairies’. It really is a growing and thriving community,” Murray Totland, Director of Planning with Arbutus Properties, describes. “We decided to strike out and construct the Meadows Development in the southeast corner of the city in the Rosewood neighborhood.” The Rosewood neighborhood is considered to be a prime location for families to buy into and it seemed a logical choice for Arbutus properties to plan out its community. “It is a great location with good access to pretty much anyplace in the city with great natural amenities including wetlands. It is also a great location for schools and I think the aesthetic of the neighborhood is appealing,” Totland adds. Constructed in traditional craftsman architectural style with sizable porches lining the houses, the Meadows development