Developer Lesson 4: Express your inner Sherlock – Research Your Property’s History

Every site has a past – and not all are good.

One of the tricks to good due diligence is to get an early handle on the historic uses of the site. There are many past uses that can present hidden liability. For example, was there a dry cleaner on-site or even in the neighbourhood? Was a nearby historic gas station remediated to “numeric standards”? What does a neighbouring property’s Certificate of Compliance really say and really mean? There are many questions like these that may need to be answered, and often go unasked.

Have questions about possible hidden costs associated with your site development? Contact Richard Bereti (rbereti@harpergrey.com) or Una Radoja (uradoja@harpergrey.com).