OPUS 30th by Business in Calgary

2013 Consumers Choice Award Winner – General Contractor – Nonresidential

Changing the Face of Commercial Real Estate: OPUS celebrates 30 Years

he year 2013 marks the 30th anniversary of OPUS: a company that has developed and built over 25 million square feet of attractive and functional commercial real estate across Western Canada. OPUS has earned a reputation for excellence, developing a number of award-winning buildings in their history. The company was originally founded by a group of shareholders whom all brought a wealth of commercial real estate experience to the business. Thirty years later and under new ownership and direction, OPUS remains a privately-held company.

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Up until recently, the majority of OPUS’s work was undertaken purely as a developer and builder for its own projects, but during 2009 when the recession brought many businesses to its knees, OPUS believed it was a prime time for change. Leading this new phase is Hannes Kovac, president and CEO. Instead of just developing their own property, Hannes saw an opportunity to provide a service to ‘third-party’ clients – where they offer a fully-integrated process for commercial construction and development projects from inception to completion for clients. Most developers work on their own projects: they buy, develop, build and sell properties utilizing their expertise. OPUS offers this service to their clients, which is really unique. The expertise it takes to complete these complex real estate projects is usually kept within the developer’s walls, however there are many who wish to invest in real estate and need the help of a developer – from purchasing a piece of land to completion of a building for either investment or to house their own company. In an ever-changing industry and now more than ever, OPUS has redefined the way they do business. They have

created new opportunities by broadening their scope of services and their clients benefit from this collective knowledge and in-house expertise. Since 2009, OPUS has doubled their business due to their ability to diversify and make significant gains in market share. “As a real estate provider, developer and builder, it forced us to be competitive, in every segment of the market which ultimately has made us a better company,” Hannes says.

Change: A Necessity of Growth

Successful entrepreneurs see opportunities that are often lost through the eyes of others and when the economy slows to a crawl, companies downsize to ‘weather the storm.’ But not all business owners share this philosophy and such is the case with OPUS – they opted to build for the future. As Hannes has observed, change creates opportunity. “Some people embrace change and get excited, but most people resist it. We will find something positive in every

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An Extraordinary Leader

Hannes Kovac forayed into the commercial real estate sector in 1997 when he joined OPUS as an employee. In 2006, Hannes was appointed to the position of president and CEO, and in 2009, he became the sole owner of OPUS Corporation. Since that time, he has been instrumental in expanding OPUS’s market share and vision. His passion for growth and success is bound only by his imagination and one need only spend a few minutes with the OPUS team to understand how his passion motivates almost everyone he meets. “As a leader, Hannes has vision, creativity and drive,” says Debbie Harlos, controller. “If something doesn’t work the first time, our team will try again. We never give up and Hannes has a very positive attitude. His leadership drives the organization.” Hannes Kovac Photo courtesy of OPUS

negative situation and gradually people will start to buy in,” he adds. In addition to offering third-party services, OPUS also made changes internally by improving operating procedures and enhancing technology to better integrate all the divisions of the company. “There are a lot of things that need to happen in order to take a project from the initial meeting through to the grand opening. When more interdisciplinary information is exchanged more efficiently, the project becomes more

integrated and ultimately you can control the outcome more effectively,” asserts Brian Harford, vice president, construction. Brian has a 17-year history with OPUS and has been involved either directly or indirectly with building and developing much of the 25 million square feet OPUS has completed in their 30-year history. He has also seen the company evolve through ownership changes and witnessed OPUS survive Calgary’s boom-bust economic climate.

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CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR PARTNER, OPUS, ON 30 SUCCESSFUL YEARS! OPUS | 30th Anniversary | 3

The team at OPUS.

Photo by Light on Paper Photography.

“We have a different dynamic in the office today. We are more versatile and we have expanded our services to undertake different projects now,” adds Brian. “The atmosphere is more vibrant and aggressive – we have a younger, more energetic and dynamic team today.” As Brian indicates, OPUS now offers services and solutions that draw upon the expertise of the entire team.

“With our collective knowledge and experience, we know when potential problems may arise – from development, construction and to leasing – and often we’re able to anticipate solutions before the client has questions,” he says. “We have an honest and transparent approach to business. We provide quality and value, we do it well and we do it over and over again.”

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Norton Rose congratulates OPUS Corporation on 30 successful years. We are proud to be working with a leader in commercial development in Western Canada and we wish OPUS all the best in the future.

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Unequivocally, OPUS is solutions oriented and one of the questions most frequently asked by the OPUS team is ‘why?’ “We tend to ask our clients ‘why’ a lot when we are working through the details with them,” comments Brian. During the early stages of any project, the OPUS team helps the client to better understand their short- and longterm objectives – by asking questions. “Internally, we’ve been using this process for so long that it’s almost second nature to us. Now that we have expanded our scope of services, the client soon realizes the added benefits of our expertise,” adds Brian. “We are not just a construction company who reads architectural plans and builds according to the plans,” says Angela Hill, manager of leasing and marketing. “We are able to offer our clients the best value when we get involved right at the start of a project. We have been building and leasing our own buildings for 30 years so we know how to take a complex project from start to finish – cost effectively and efficiently – while also making sure the property is marketable.”

An Integrated Service

The leasing and marketing division is another layer of the expertise and service that OPUS extends to their clients and makes for a powerful partnership when combined with the construction and development components. Through the entire process, the leasing and marketing team advises on design, marketability and positioning of the project. Their goal is to ensure the building is leased prior to construction completion or shortly thereafter.

This is often achieved through strong relationships with the brokerage and tenant communities. “We offer our fully-integrated services to tenants and their brokers from initial discussions to the day they move in. Leasing new developments requires more transparency on the part of the developer. We’ve found that consistent communication of timelines and managing expectations simplifies the negotiation. If you can’t provide this clarity, you’ll end up with a very stressful situation,” says Jay Balkwill, vice president, leasing. “Not only is our process transparent with brokers and tenants, it’s very transparent with our development clients – people want to know what’s going on with their money. We work with a client with the same ambition we run our business,” he remarks. “By housing all the development functions within OPUS: design, construction, development, financing and leasing – we have everything at our fingertips,” notes Jay. “Typically, you can get an answer to any development or construction question, simply by walking down the hall. This ability to quickly get a very accurate sense of the whole picture is what sets OPUS apart from its competitors: we are an integrated company. By opening our doors to our clients we make it very easy for them to design, build, lease and even sell a building; we’ll look after the entire process for them.” Likewise, finance is another layer of expertise found within OPUS where Debbie Harlos, controller, and Alex Kovac, treasurer, manage the division. Debbie has been with OPUS for over a decade and Alex joined the company in 2011. Alex came from the banking industry and brings years of experience to the finance

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Congratulations, OPUS, on your 30th Anniversary! OPUS | 30th Anniversary | 5

division. The financing team is acutely aware of the importance of structuring finances and investments and can guide their clients through this aspect of development as well. “We love to solve problems and we offer services with more depth,” says Alex. “It’s a combination of our collective knowledge. The entire OPUS team works efficiently and effectively to meet our clients’ needs and objectives.”

Discerning the Marketplace

When Hannes brokered his first deal, it was not an inside tip. Nothing was handed to him nor discreetly passed under the table. He had been with the company for a few years when he presented an idea to the then owners and partners. Although they did not share his vision, they agreed to let him pursue his vision, but on his own time and using his own capital. Hannes bought the land and re-zoned it, but his vision was never built because he ended up selling

the land – for more than twice what he had bought it for in a short period of time. This transaction and the series of transactions that followed solidified his gut instinct: he knew what to look for when it came to commercial real estate. Young and vibrant, Calgary’s business community has a reputation for being entrepreneurial and maverick-like – just like Hannes – and the statistics suggest that Calgary has entered another period of growth. But for businesses like OPUS that have survived three decades, they understand Calgary’s economy is cyclical and real estate is one of the first sectors to feel an economic shift. As Hannes has observed, the most successful companies understand the importance of diversity – allowing them to grow and flourish for decades. “Rather than being known as just a developer that builds its own projects, you need a variety of products and services in the marketplace. In Calgary, you have to be diversified in order to build a resilient company. Diversity means being able to survive the next downturn and emerge as a stronger entity,” he adds.

Thanks for allowing us to be a part of your continued success. It is our pleasure to do business with Hannes and the OPUS team.

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Congratulations to OPUS Corporation

for celebrating 30 years of excellence as a full service commercial real estate developer in Canada.

Congratulations

Robertson Bright Ltd. is proud to have participated on many OPUS project teams and look forward to the next 30 years together.

to OPUS on their 30th Anniversary!

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Congratulations to OPUS on your 30th Anniversary. Here’s to many more successful years!

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OPUS has re-emerged as a solid corporation because they have built a reputation based on knowledge, quality and value. They have built strong relationships because they watch market activity and advise their clients accordingly – and it’s all part of the OPUS advantage. “If you want to start a business or work with likeminded people who are true entrepreneurs, you will

Opus, Congratulations on

30 successful Years

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find them in Calgary,” notes Hannes. “People respect you for what you have achieved in this city and that mentality is more prevalent in Calgary than any other city in the world.”

Leading the Team

Looking forward, the OPUS team is optimistic the best is yet to come and since Hannes became the sole owner of OPUS they have reached their goals very quickly. The OPUS team continues to seek out new avenues to improve and they continue to demonstrate an unwavering commitment to their clients by delivering the highest standards of excellence. The year 2013 will be exciting for OPUS as they break ground on Britannia Crossing, a new OPUS project in the community of Britannia. With sleek and leading-edge design, Britannia Crossing will bring new services and renewed growth to the community of Britannia – providing a snapshot of what the future holds.

Congratulations to OPUS on their 30th Anniversary! We wish you continued success.

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cmsi GYPSUM DRYWALL (SOUTHERN) LTD.

Congratulations to our longtime friends at

Opus

Congratulations to OPUS on their 30th Anniversary! Proud to be working with you, and we wish you continued success!

on reaching your 30th anniversary! Here’s to your continued success and many more fruitful years working with all of you!

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GYPSUM DRYWALL (SOUTHERN) LTD.

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Our solid reputation and success is based on our clients satisfaction

Since our first job together back in 1987, we’ve been building a great relationship with OPUS. Wishing continued success, and we look forward to more projects together in the future.

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As the OPUS team looks to the horizon, undoubtedly Hannes is leading the way – strategically and passionately. “Passion means many things: it means you give five per cent more than your competitor, it means you create new ideas and it means you don’t give up – you keep trying until you find a solution,” he says.

As OPUS celebrates their 30th anniversary, they would like to extend a sincere thank you to all the business partners, suppliers, employees and customers who have helped them arrive at this milestone – they couldn’t have achieved it without their support. •

Britannia Crossing

Britannia Crossing. Photo courtesy of OPUS

On the south-west corner of Elbow Drive and 50th Avenue SW sits a site under construction. It had been vacant for years and like so many pockets of prime real estate – that’s located just outside the inner city – it’s only a matter of time before it’s developed. In 2009, OPUS started entertaining the idea of developing the parcel and originally, they received the development permit to build a strip mall. At the time, there was a two-storey height restriction for commercial development, but the city knew something that OPUS didn’t: the city had plans to redevelop the community of Britannia, so they encouraged OPUS to think a little bigger. And that was exactly what they did. Originally, the parcel of land had two residential lots and one commercial lot separated by a lane way that provided just over an acre of land. As the strip mall concept was shelved, plans for a new fivestorey building emerged. OPUS had to amalgamate the lots, re-zone the land and reroute the lane – all

with approvals from both the city and the community association. “Britannia Crossing is a typical OPUS project and we have pushed the envelope to get it approved,” asserts Hannes. “It’s a personalization that reflects the vision and strength of the company. Taking a project that many thought was too difficult to get through all the necessary steps to where we are today; under construction and space being leased,” comments Angela. When complete, the main floor will offer just under 13,000 square feet of retail space. Floors two through five will provide over 53,000 square feet of office space, plus two levels of underground parking and short-term surface stalls. Britannia Crossing will also be the future site of OPUS’s new head office. “The whole area is undergoing an area redevelopment plan and Britannia Crossing was the first new building to receive city approval with that plan in mind. It’s a leading-edge project and it’s attracting

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WHAT YOU CAN SEE YOU CAN MANAGE

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Congratulations on your

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like-minded entrepreneurs who want to be in a building leading the crowd,” explains Angela. “Entrepreneurs recognize the potential in opening a business in Britannia Crossing: it’s a well-established community with a lot of disposable income. The area redevelopment plan for the Elbow Drive and 50th Avenue area will include future office and retail space along with multi-family units – akin to the development that has occurred in Marda Loop,” she adds. “Exterior materials and finishes will include balconies and large picture windows flanked by stone façade and wood cladding. Interior design in the lobby, hallways and washrooms will also have modern clean lines with colour to make the spaces pop. We are also going for LEED-Gold Certification, so the building will use a number of green materials and policies. It’s going to reflect an inner-city design with high-end finishes, so it’s a little more cutting edge,” remarks Angela.

Highlights: • Amenities include Starbucks, Sunterra, RBC and Chinook Centre • Retail podium to include a restaurant, coffee shop and other boutique stores • High accessibility of transit service • Walk or bike to work • Community urban design renewal • Ease of access to Macleod Trail and Glenmore Trail • LEED-certified building • High-end finishes inside and out • Showers and lockers for bikers and runners • Patio space for office users • Bike storage space • Bright open office space • High visibility off main commuter route

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Congratulations, OPUS. Wishing you continued success.

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