Development Challenge

The NAIOP Greater Toronto Chapter’s annual Development Challenge is Toronto’s leading opportunity to gain experience in development outside of the workplace.

Teams create comprehensive development concepts for a site that is selected annually. This case competition allows rising stars in commercial real estate to demonstrate their talents and skills to senior industry members through written and live oral presentations.

The Development Challenge is a fantastic opportunity to work with and learn from industry peers. Participants will earn industry-wide recognition and showcase their creativity and knowledge in a fun and competitive atmosphere.

By expanding Developing Leaders’ and students’ skill sets and networks, we help ensure a strong future for our industry.

2025 Development Challenge

The 14th Annual NAIOP GTA Development Challenge is underway!

NAIOP GTA is pleased to announce The South Hangars, developed by Northcrest and Hines, as the Lead Site Sponsor of our 2025 Development Challenge.

The South Hangars are located in the Hangar District—the first district of the Northcrest-led YZD, the 370-acre former Downsview Airport lands.

Read the project brief, here.

This marquee NAIOP GTA event will include a Live Finals Event in the fall, where finalists will present live to a panel of judges with colleagues and mentors in attendance, for a chance to win cash prizes for first, second and third-place team placements!

Witness Bold Ideas and Big Potential! Join us on October 29th, 5:00 pm, at the Second City Toronto for the Finals event – Registration is OPEN!

Secure your spot and spread the word for an event you don’t want to miss!

Interested in being a sponsor of this year’s NAIOP Development Challenge? Please email events@torontonaiop.org.

Check out some photos from the 2024 finals:

Development Challenge Winners

Congratulations to the 2024 Development Challenge Winners: Team Schuligans

FIRST PLACE: Team Schuligans
Amir Rantisi, MREI, Gaurav Dhaliwal, MREI, Joshua Culmone, MREI, Mahdi Bashash, MREI, Mary Liberto, MREI

RUNNER UP: Team QRIA

Joshua Cheung, Rhys Caplan, Robbie Tamblyn, Zoya Salass

RUNNER UP: Team CSQOne Group
Alex He, Camellia Yang, Garvey Knapp, Grant McDougall, Jane McGrath

The three Finalist Teams competed during the live judging event on October 1st at The Second City Toronto at One York Street.

From May to October, teams of Developing Leaders and students representing local universities created comprehensive development concepts for the year’s site subject: the West Phase III of the Square One District in Mississauga.

Thank you to our Finals Event Judges:

Sherif Masood – Senior Vice President, Head of Development and Asset Management, Canada, Oxford Properties Group
Veronica Maggisano, P.Eng., MBA – Vice President, Development, Oxford Properties Group
Tony Medeiros – Senior Vice President, Development, Dream Unlimited
Laurie Payne – Chief Operating Officer & Executive Vice President, Osmington Gerofsky Development Corp.

Thank you to Square One District, managed by Oxford Properties Group the Lead Sponsor, as well as Blakes and CBRE for their support of the 2024 NAIOP Development Challenge.

And finally, thank you to Menkes Development Inc., HOOPP (Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan) and BGO, the venue sponsors for this finals event.

Congratulations to the 2023 Development Challenge Winners: Silverhill Capital

FIRST PLACE: Silverhill Capital
Jared Benjamin, Hannah Brown, Usman Randhawa, Rachel Sarsan, Clarice Zeon

RUNNER UP: Blue Wave Developments
Caitlyn Baillie, Tanner Firth, Steven Orzel, Veer Shete, Benjamin Tse

RUNNER UP: Crossing Heights
Ben Galiegue, Imran Husain, Bo (William) Zhao, Parsa Sahebi

The three Finalist Teams competed during the live judging event on October 5th at The Second City Toronto at One York Street.

From July to September, teams of Developing Leaders and students representing local universities created comprehensive development concepts for the year’s site subject: the Rail Deck District – East Block.

The Rail Deck District is a master-planned, mixed-use community that will be created by decking over the rail corridor between Bathurst Street and Blue Jays Way. The LiUNA Pension Fund of Central and Eastern Canada is the lead investor in the Rail Deck District project, and Fengate is managing this investment and development on the Fund’s behalf.

Thank you to the sponsors of the 2023 NAIOP Development Challenge.
Lead Sponsor: Fengate.
Presenting Sponsor: the Bank of Montreal.
Venue sponsors: Menkes, HOOPP and BGO.

Thank you, Awards Event Judges!
Jaime McKenna – Managing Director & Group Head of Real Estate, Fengate Asset Management
Leona Savoie – SVP, Residential, Dorsay Development Corporation
Adidharma Purnomo – SVP, Development, Great Gulf Group
Mike McIntosh – Director, RE IB, BMO Capital Markets

Congratulations to all three Finalist Teams that competed during the live judging event on October 5th. From July to September, teams of Developing Leaders and students representing local universities created comprehensive development proposals for a high-profile Toronto development site: 720 Bay Street, owned by Dream.

FIRST PLACE: Terravert Capital
Samantha Kong, Connor Stanton, Noemi Holczer, Dominic Mandalfino, Madeline Rainer, Lois Anaide

RUNNER UP: Giraffe Group
Keegan Steeper, Samantha Flomen, Steven Roberts, Tommy Guo

RUNNER UP: Hestia Capital
Ahmed Khafagy, Jenny Pao, Saalik Soleja, Sullivan Segbedji, Sydney Gable-Cook

Thank you, Awards Event Judges!

Naram Mansour, President, Carlyle Communities
Josh Mitchell, Managing Director of Real Estate at The University of Toronto
Lucas Manuel, Partner, Slate Asset Management
Tsering Yangki, Head of Real Estate Finance & Development, Dream Unlimited

Team: InVision Group

Emmett Barker, Evin Joseph, Joyce Lau, Cameron Palmer, Tiffany Wong

FIRST PLACE TEAM: Revival Developments

Alejandro Fuentes, Crown Property Management; Jaron Kaller, Dream Unlimited; Justin Leon, Montez Corporation; Matt Urbain, Crown Property Management; Camille Maranan, Rotman School of Business; Dale Nerland, Dream Unlimited

Thank you, Awards Event Judges

Kathy Black, Vice President, Development, Fiera Real Estate; Lindsay Brand, Chief Investment Officer, Dream Unlimited; Andrew Hoffman, Chief Executive Officer, CentreCourt Developments; Jared Menkes, EVP, High-Rise Residential Division, Menkes Developments Ltd.

The Edge

Team

Nikhil Paul, Teva Pharmaceuticals; Soroush Asgarinia, Smith and Anderson; Victor Chan, BGIS; Tony Ju, City of Toronto; Nedal Machou, Hariri Pontarini Architects; Jinny Tran, Oxford Properties Group.

Cadence Square

Team

Umehani Kanga, Schulich / York U; Jordan Trinder, Schulich / York U; Ehsan Naimpour, Architecture / U of T; Alannah Bird, Schulich / York U; Pedram Karimi, Architecture / U of T and Bao Nguyen, Schulich / York U.

The Cove

Team

Tim Zhu, HH Angus; Chong Zhai, BlackRock; Jimmy Wong, 20 Vic Management; Stefano Possamai, HH Angus; Dhruv Soni, HH Angus and Nikhil Dewan, HH Angus.

Dominion Square

Team

Lisa Wu, GWL Realty Advisors; Catherine Truong, GWL Realty Advisors; Jason Ko, Avison Young; Benjamin Lemire, GWL Realty Advisors; Queenie Wong, Zeidler Partnership Architects; Daniel Fama, GWL Realty Advisors.

Park Plaza Hotel

Team

Steven Dejonckheere, Dream Unlimited; Justin Robitaille, Dream Unlimited; Mathieu Fleury, Dream Unlimited; Anh Minh Ngo, Dream Unlimited; and Robert Fiorino (B+H Architects).