I’m a lifelong Torontonian, having grown up near Bayview and Lawrence – close to Crescent School – where I went from Grade 5 to 13. After graduating from The University of Western Ontario, I did my first real estate deal, buying a great condo in The Ports in the Summerhill neighbourhood. Along with my partner Jim, we then moved into Cabbagetown, living in an amazing renovated 1870’s era heritage home.
For the last twenty plus years, Jim and I have lived in our dream home in the South Hill area of Toronto, designed by renowned Canadian architects Mathers and Holdenby. An architectural beauty, it was reputedly the recipient of a prestigious Commonwealth design award at the time it was built in 1918. Over the past 20 years we have fulfilled our love of design and building, renovating and updating both its interiors and exterior gardens from top to bottom. In addition to our Toronto home, we have a retreat on 10 acres in the rolling hills of Mulmur – an hour north of Toronto.
I have been lucky to live in some great homes. I’ve also been fortunate that these have been sound real estate investments. I look forward to working with you to achieve that same outcome.
With the opportunity to restore and operate The Carlu, Mark saw the chance to again start and build a new business, marrying his creative interests with the operational excellence of Cadillac Fairview. In 2003 when The Carlu opened, it was considered the highest profile heritage restoration in Canada that year, while also notable for being the only privately restored National Historic Site in the country.
In addition to his corporate activities, Mark has been an active member of the community with involvement at a board level in numerous charitable and cultural organizations, including the Heritage Toronto and Casey House, where he was co-chair for three years for its primary fundraiser: Art with Heart. In addition, Mark was selected to be on the Leadership Team for the creation of Toronto’s Creative City Strategy (“Imagine a Toronto”), which became a guiding document for Toronto’s economic development plan. Over the past 6 years, Mark has been a member of the Board of Governors of OCAD University where he Chairs the PRCA Committee (Physical Resources and Capital Assets), while also sitting on the Audit and Executive Committees.
