Welcome to Divercities
Facilitating Opportunities for Equitable
Access to Commercial Spaces
About Us
Divercities Advisory is a non-profit commercial real estate impact advisory firm focused on working with municipalities, private sector developers, non-profits and quasi-public or private entities to deliver social impact through a business-informed perspective. Divercities is based in Toronto.
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Our Vision - We envision neighbourhoods where the street-level commercial and community spaces reflect the diversity, creativity and optimism of our cities.
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Our Mission - Our mission is to identify, facilitate and catalyze new opportunities for local entrepreneurs, social enterprises and equity-seeking groups to create, sustain and grow businesses in their communities.
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Our Values - Innovation • Inclusion • Impact
Our strength comes from decades of private, public and non-profit sector experience which enables us to find viable solutions to successfully ‘bridge’ between public/community goals & needs and the realities of the business world. We provide solutions through proven economic models and best practices.
What Does Divercities Do?
Divercities helps make your community a more resilient and inclusive.
We understand that the future viability of main streets, retail centres and impact real estate still requires a model that is financially sustainable. We ensure that new build and future planned commercial spaces are conceived, structured, delivered and/or tenanted to better reflect the cultural and socio-economic diversity of residents and users in the communities they serve. We believe the longer-term success of community focused commercial tenants is through curating tenancies that are supported, viable and sustainable.
How Can Divercities Achieve This?
Community Engagement & Needs Assessment
Social Impact Tenant Strategy & Feasibility
Research & Strategy
Community engagement is vital in retail strategy as it fosters a sense of trust and loyalty among customers, creating a more sustainable customer base. By actively participating in the community, Divercities can better understand local preferences and needs, tailoring their offerings to align with community values. This not only enhances the overall commercial experience but also establishes a positive relationship between the community and businesses, driving long-term success in the competitive retail landscape.
Embedding social impact returns into retail strategy and tenanting involves tenanting practices that prioritize equitable access as well as sustainable and socially responsible partnerships.
Divercities seeks to facilitate access for social supports, entrepreneurs and retailers that may not have the covenant strength to enter into leases.
By collaborating with businesses that align with community-impact values, tenants can contribute positively to society, appeal to conscious consumers, and enhance their brand reputation. This approach not only drives a sense of purpose but also positions the supported space as a catalyst for positive change within the broader community.
Research and strategy play a pivotal role in understanding the opportunities and challenges to ensure that tenants are set up to succeed. In-depth research allows Divercities to ensure we are matching tenants with the broader demographics, preferences, and local dynamics of the community, informing a tailored strategy for tenant selection. A thoughtful approach ensures that the mix of businesses aligns with the character of the neighborhood, fostering a vibrant and cohesive retail environment that meets the diverse needs of the community, ultimately contributing to the long-term success and vitality of main streets.
Our Growing Network of Collaborators
Sameer Patel
Sameer is a retail thought leader. Over the course of the past 20 years, Sameer has developed a nationally recognized retail consulting practice focusing on main street tenant strategy, market demand and mixed- use development strategy. Through Divercities Sameer takes this knowledge and applies it to providing retail strategies and policy that advance the needs of the community members.
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Jeanhy Shim
Jeanhy is a strategic community building entrepreneur, changemaker and thought leader. For over 30 years, she has been working in the real estate development industry, providing a full range of advisory services, from land acquisition, strategic master-planning, market research and feasibility analysis, product design and development, to project launch and sales.
Leslie Gash
Leslie has over 30 years’ experience in the non-profit housing and social services sector including planning, development, construction, community revitalization, public private partnerships, property management, community economic development, and programming. Leslie also connects and supports Toronto’s homelessness service providers to meet the needs of people experiencing homelessness and has extensive volunteer experience on the boards of non-profit and supportive housing providers.
Meet The Team
Our team members are at the core of what makes Divercities such an innovative solution.
We have curated a team to include retail, development and community expertise. In addition we are continually building an extended network of experts who share the same passion as we do.