In this individual assignment, you choose a site of land currently for sale or underutilized in Greater Toronto, make decisions about the structure that you would develop and do some preliminary analysis.

Step 1 - Find a site

You must find a vacant lot of land or a building that is for sale or underutilized in the Greater Toronto area. You might use online resources like MLS.ca, CB Richard Ellis or Royal Lepage to locate it.  I would also recommend that you look for sites for sale while moving about the city. You might also call a broker who specializes in land and ask for help. Please identify yourself as a student and recognize that the person may not be able to take the time to help you. Don’t harass people!

Notes regarding the site

• You must be able to obtain the following information about the land:  exact location, asking price and market value, existing zoning, the dimensions of the lot (provide a map), and traffic count at the intersection. No exceptions.

• The site must be vacant or have a worthless building that will be demolished on it.  You may not renovate an existing building – you must build from scratch. No exceptions.

• The lot must be suitable for one of the types on the Property Type List (see box below).

• You must ensure that your site is suitable for the type of property you choose. Do this by visiting the site and evaluating the size, location, and character of the neighboring structures.  Take photos and outline the boundaries of the property. (You absolutely must visit the site).

• Analyze the required information and explain clearly

• Justify and explain all your choices.

Step 2 – Choose the property type andthe target occupants and evaluate the zoning

Show your results to evaluate whether you have appropriately linked the site and the property type. You also need to characterize the type of firm or household that you will be targeting as the occupants. Justify and explain all your choices.  Discuss the current zoning and explain whether your building conforms or whether you need to apply for re-zoning.

Step 3 – Determine the size of the structure

Demonstrate a procedure to estimate the total property size you expect to build.  Describe the number of stories and the number of units planned (if appropriate for your property type). Decide on the construction quality level (high, medium or low) and discuss why to link this choice to your targeted occupants. Justify and explain all your choices.

Step 4 – Assemble the document

I like crisp writing, perfect grammar, professional-quality presentation and proper citation using major citation styles (i.e., MLA, APA, and Chicago).  Assemble a document to hand in that includes (1) a site description (your written description, sales listing, asking price, dimensions, zoning, maps, plan of the site, your photos, and other relevant notes) and (2) all the materials from steps 2 to 4.  Include an intro- duction (which starts by telling me where your property is and what you are planning to build) and a conclusion (which summarizes everything in the document).  Your conclusion should also include your recommendation about whether this is a promising idea or not (and why).

Notes

This assignment is due on Sep.  25th at 2:00 PMthrough the D2L. Late submissions will not be accepted. I will not accept assignments by email. As a broad guideline, I would say the length should be about 2,000 to 3,000 words plus figures and photos, but longer or shorter papers can also be good. You are not graded based on the projected profit – you are evaluated based on completeness, the quality of your analysis, explanations, and justifications.