Warren Green established the Hi-Rise Group in 1979 as a fully integrated development and construction firm. Their first project was the construction of 678 apartment suites in North York, which was immediately followed by a 1,110-apartment suite project in Brampton, which comprised four towers, a big leisure centre, and parking for 2,000 automobiles. Since that time, the principals of the firm have planned, funded, marketed, and built hundreds of apartment buildings.
Hi-Rise began as a merchant builder, selling the majority of the projects it created and completed. This allowed them to have an exceptionally fast asset to rapid liability ratio and bond their projects. This bonding capacity enabled Hi-Rise to enter the social housing market, where they constructed substantially for the Ministry of Housing, numerous Co-Op Groups, and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. As a result of this involvement, Hi-Rise got valuable expertise in engaging with government bodies. Hi-Rise was also among the first Canadian firms to construct a “turnkey” hotel/convention centre for the People’s Republic of China.
To date, Hi-Rise has developed, built, and owns a variety of properties, including the Baywood Shopping Center and Medical Arts Building in Ajax, Ontario; and the Industry Canada building in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan; Marie, Ontario; as well as the Ontario Provincial Police Regional Detachment in Primrose, Ontario. Hi-Rise also designed, constructed, funded, and owned the 350,000 sq. ft. building until 2008, when Public Works and Government Services Canada exercised its option to acquire the Federal Office Building in Hamilton, Ontario, for $72 million.
