Community Comes First

We work to understand the wants and needs of each neighborhood like we are neighbors ourselves

Annie Sawatzky - @anniesdrawingz

The Foundation for Community

“I have roots which are deeply planted in the Kitchener-Waterloo area, inspiring my interest in property development and conservation of the city’s heritage resources. My family has been active in the hospitality business and involved in community development in this area for over 200 years.

I try to incorporate the values and ideas, as well as the technical skills, fostered by my own family’s background into the approach of RFB Development—creating a company which is focused on cultural-driven redevelopment in underutilized community spaces. We enlist the help and expertise of local architects, investors, artists, and residents in order to integrate a variety of perspectives into a community-driven process of development.”

— Ron Brohman, Founder

This Is How We Put Community First

  • Our commitment is that at least 25% of our projects are designated for the whole community to use and benefit from, whether that’s an art studio, co-working space, community centre…you name it.

  • We build and maintain strong relationships with the communities in which we build before, during, and after development in order to understand their wants and needs and meet those first.

  • When we start the building process, we don’t want neighbours to feel like outsiders to the vision. That’s why we take part in community events, explaining the project’s vision so that everyone feels connected to it.

Low-Impact, High-Value Builds

  • Sustainable Building

    Adaptive reuse is simply more sustainable and eco-friendly than developing from scratch. Our projects reduce waste while saving resources as we seek to use as much of the existing building as possible.

  • Economical Approach

    With less building materials and shorter timelines needed to achieve a beautiful end result, occupancy prices can be more affordable, and we’re more equipped to focus on the vision for the space.

  • Design Expertise

    Our team is made up of skilled architects and designers with expertise in adaptive reuse. We update our spaces to modern, functional standards without sacrificing any of their heritage charm.

See our properties

Better Together

Our developments and commitment to sustainability change lives and improve communities, but only with your help. Invest in a deeper-purpose development.