Stratford's new historic neighbourhood.
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The Builders Block
The Builders Block
Located at 93 Trinity Street in Stratford, Ontario, The Builders Block is a residential development by the BMI Group, transforming the historic former Krug Furniture factory into a vibrant new community. The development will feature residential rentals and future condominiums, complemented by thoughtfully designed amenities and spaces that encourage connection.
Just a short distance from Stratford’s renowned downtown, The Builders Block will offer young professionals, small families, and downsizers an opportunity to enjoy contemporary living within a distinctive, amenity-rich neighbourhood that celebrates the site's industrial heritage.
Conserving a Legacy
Conserving a Legacy
An iconic Stratford property where workers thrived and prospered, where national pride met national output, and where a foundation of hard work laid the groundwork for the here and now.
- 1901 Building opens as the McLagan Furniture Factory, an iconic Stratford property.
- 1941-1942 Serves as WWII barracks for the Dutch infantry.
- 1951 Resumes its manufacturing role under the Imperial Furniture Company where Jan Kuypers made his mark on Canadian modern design.
- 1980 Purchased by the Krug Furniture company and immediately begins to manufacture Krug’s new traditional desk line—a key factor in Krug’s global success.
- 2023 The BMI Group acquires the historic factory, setting the stage for its transformation into The Builders Block.
Building Community
Building Community
The Builders Block is being shaped with the Stratford community in mind. Through conversations with local residents, heritage organizations, and community stakeholders, we've gathered valuable perspectives that have helped inform the vision for this historic property.
With a mix of residential rentals and future ownership opportunities, The Builders Block aims to meet a range of housing needs and stages of life. Thoughtfully designed shared amenities and gathering spaces will encourage connection, creating a welcoming neighbourhood that brings new life to a significant piece of Stratford's heritage.
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FAQ
Studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom rental residences will be available, with a variety of floor plans and layouts to suit different needs and lifestyles. The Builders Block will also include future condominium ownership opportunities, offering housing choices for individuals, couples, families, and downsizers.
Yes, The Builders Block will include accessible, barrier-free residences. Accessibility will also be considered throughout the development, with thoughtfully designed pathways, entrances, and shared spaces to support ease of movement and inclusive community living.
The current plan for The Builders Block includes dividing the existing historic factory building into two sections and adding two new apartment buildings arranged around a central courtyard.
The proposed buildings on the site will range from four to six storeys in height.
The Builders Block is currently in the planning, development, and permitting stage. Register to receive updates as more information becomes available.
Reuse of Existing Structures: SThrough the adaptive reuse of the existing Krug Furniture factory, The Builders Block is contributing to conserving Stratford's history while significantly reducing the resource footprint associated with constructing new homes.
Diversifying housing: The Builders Block is planned to offer a range of residential options, with varied layouts and a mix of rental and future ownership opportunities. This development aims to contribute to a broader spectrum of housing types within the community, addressing different needs and preferences.
Green Space: Thoughtful attention is being given to landscaping and green space throughout the development, with plans to enhance Stratford's tree canopy, minimize heat effects, and integrate with the area's natural flora and fauna.
Local Sourcing: We aim to source materials and hire trades locally whenever possible, supporting the community we're building in.
The shadow profile has been carefully considered and, like a sundial, will pass through a seasonal procession that lengthens during winter mornings and evenings and shortens in the summer, ensuring that no areas are in continual coverage.
The Builders Block development has been engineered to manage stormwater drainage through a combination of extensive landscaped areas and advanced drainage solutions.
The significant number of green spaces and open space between buildings are designed for stormwater management and absorption. The project will additionally undergo Site Plan Approval with the City of Stratford, ensuring that stormwater management systems meet standard requirements.
Infrastructure upgrades at Builders Block are managed by the development team (BMI) in collaboration with the City of Stratford. BMI is responsible for infrastructure construction and upgrades necessary to serve the development. Given its recent past life as the Krug Factory, the site is already reliably served with water and sanitary lines. We have prepared a Functional Servicing Report as part of our Zoning By-law Amendment (ZBA) application where options for enhanced servicing have been discussed with City staff. The City of Stratford may contribute to infrastructure improvements as part of any city mandated maintenance programs.
Coordination with the city guarantees that the infrastructure supports the community’s long-term growth and sustainability.
The Builders Block property received its Record of Site Condition (RSC) for Residential, Parkland and Institutional Use in 2020.
An RSC is a Ministry of the Environment and Parks acknowledged summary of the environmental condition of a property, based on the completion of environmental site assessments (ESAs) that are conducted by a Qualified Person.
There’s a reason most developers wanted to demolish the Krug buildings: it’s cheaper, and easier. Bringing a building up to code, converting its industrial layout to residential use, and making major infrastructure upgrades all require significant capital investment. Conserving historical structures and reintegrating them back into a neigboorhood requires more capital and consideration for the community you’re contributing to.
Principles of gentle density go a long way to making these types of projects desirable. While not necessarily the most profitable in the short term, the benefits of preserving historical and community character while accommodating needed housing make it a slow but stable long-term investment.
The BMI Group is an award-winning transformative real estate development company focused on reimagining, remediating, and redeveloping legacy properties.
Based in Tillsonburg, Ontario, and led by CEO and Stratford resident Paul Veldman, The BMI Group got its start at the St. Jacobs Farmers Market with a truck, two wheelbarrows, and three brothers growing and selling potted plants. This small 2001 enterprise evolved into Courtland Professional Property Management, now one of Southwestern Ontario's largest property management companies.
First registered in their teens as Brother's Marketing Inc., the acronym BMI has since evolved to stand for Betterment, Mobilization, and Impact, the three defining pillars of its transformative real estate development platform.
In 2019, Heritage Stratford presented BMI with the James Anderson Award for our work on the Bradshaw Lofts. In 2023, we received the National Brownfield Rehabilitation Award for our work in Thorold, Ontario, in the "Development at the Community Scale" category, given to organizations transforming underutilized properties across Canada (brownfields) into thriving community assets.
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