An aerial view of Base31
10 positions were eliminated at Base31 last month, including 7 in construction work.
That leaves a scaled-down, in-house team of 20 operational staff with expanded portfolios.
Interim CEO Assaf Weisz, who stepped into position in the wake of the departure of former CEO Tim Jones last summer, has also stepped away from the day-to-day operations at the Base.
Along with Mr. Jones, he is still a partner in PEC Placemaking, a founding member of the development consortium.
A search is underway for a General Manager.
“The departures were definitely not performance related,” said Daniel Winberg, COO at Rockport Group. “The decisions were taken only after months of planning and review. Top of mind was future growth.”
“Saying farewell to those who have worked so hard to establish the Base as a premier arts destination is never easy, perhaps especially for those retained,” said Alexandra De Gasperis, Vice President at DECO Communities.
“These very difficult decisions were taken to ensure the sustainable, long-term success of the overall project.”
“Our number one priority is fulfilling all the promises we made to this community and that means making sure we are here over the long term.”
The decision not to retain a full-time, year-round construction team in-house comes close to a year after the provincial branch of the Labourers International Union of North America applied to the OLRB seeking certification of a bargaining unit at the Base.
After the file was referred back to both parties for more information, the case was adjourned by mutual agreement to allow for more discussion.
“When there is significant home construction, the trades unions are going to be here,” stressed Ms. De Gasperis. “We negotiate collective agreements across our projects. We are in discussions with the unions.”
“But keeping a year-round, in-house construction team, that was just is not sustainable for us,” adds Mr. Winberg. “Our capital expenditures related to in-house construction work have grown exponentially over the past five years.”
“We wanted to lean in to what we are good at,” he continues. “That’s operations, long-term planning and strategy, and homebuilding.”
In addition to ongoing work on the Revitalization District, Base31’s partners are working flat out on the plans for a complete residential neighbourhood.
The first two residential projects, Village A and Apartment Building A —now located in the first residential village rather than next to the Sergeants Mess — are in preparations to break ground. That construction will be undertaken by partner CaraCo under the design leadership of DECO Homes and Rockport Group.
“The hangars and barracks of the former Camp Picton represent an incredible heritage restoration opportunity,” said Mr. Winberg.
“At the same time, some of the buildings are in very rough shape,” notes Ms. De Gasperis. “When we first started, the priority was general construction, just getting some of the buildings functional.
“Now that we have a baseline, the work on the barracks and hangars is going to get more detailed and careful. And some of what we have already done will have to be re-done.”
“We are moving from smaller renovations to larger restorations, which will need specialists in heritage work. The way we renovate — in many cases that requires a rebuilding — we decided we would be better served by contracting the people with the technical expertise that requires.”
“As always, we will contract out and hire locally as much as possible,” she added.
“We have developed strong relationships with local contractors, and we will continue to lean in on those relationships,” adds Mr. Winberg.
“A priority now is retrofitting these heritage buildings, some of which are in pretty rough shape, for long-term tenants. Among other projects, we want to create a medical building suitable for a health team,” says Ms. De Gasperis.
“We know that’s a huge priority in the County and we are committed to delivering the things, like daycare, that this community really needs.”
In the immediate future, things at the Base are getting a facelift.
“This year, this summer, the public is going to see the real beautification of the site. We are enhancing pedestrian pathways and making the whole thing more aesthetically pleasing. It’s finally going to look like more than a construction site — but like the amazing cultural hub that it is,” notes Ms. De Gasperis.
“We cannot wait for the Base to be as vibrant as it deserves to be. We cannot wait for that first apartment building and our first house. We are breaking ground on those projects just as soon as our approvals permit.”
Ed Note: This article has been altered from the print edition to correct an error in the total number of positions eliminated. It has also been corrected to note that Apartment Building A has been relocated to Village A.
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