Rymal Industrial Centre, at 90 Glover Rd. in Hamilton, is undergoing an expansion of almost 150,000 square feet by owner Alinea Group Holdings. (Courtesy Alinea)

Family-owned The Paletta Group of Companies has a new name, Alinea Group Holdings Inc., and has honed both its vision and mission under its second-generation leadership.

The rebranded Alinea uses a Latin word meaning “a new train of thought”. This reflects the embrace of fresh approaches to development while honouring the Burlington, Ont.-based company’s founding and early growth, which was led by Pasquale (Pat) Paletta.

The company’s patriarch, Pat Paletta passed away in 2019. He had moved from Italy to Canada in 1949, founding the family business in 1951.

It grew from a single meat processing plant in Hamilton to become one of the largest developers of revenue-producing commercial and industrial properties, as well as residential projects, in the Halton and Hamilton regions.

“Following our father’s passing, my brother Angelo decided to retire from the business and, as a result, my brother Michael and I resolved to assume ownership of the business,” Alinea president Paul Paletta said in an e-mail interview with RENX.

“In doing so, we are taking it in a new direction, one focused on sustainability, impact and a new perspective on relationships and community partnerships.”

Alinea calls itself the largest private-sector land owner in the Burlington area, with more than one million square feet of existing tenanted commercial and retail development and a large inventory of future development sites.

Change in strategy

While much of Alinea’s previous activity revolved around acquiring land, the focus now is on developing it.

“The company has largely operated as a land bank, strategically building out commercial and industrial properties and occasionally partnering with large homebuilders to develop residential subdivisions,” said Paletta.

“Although we will continue to operate as we have in the past, we are also focusing on large multi-use development projects that combine numerous asset classes and public realm investments, and are doing so with strategic partners that share our mission to create sustainable and healthy communities.”

Alinea seeks to be a leader in promoting the sustainable development of the built and natural environments by building “sustainable, innovative and diverse communities where people can live, work, play and flourish in partnership with aligned stakeholders.”

Its primary focus will be on residential and mixed-use developments.

Alinea has been fostering relationships with institutions and organizations in educational, research, ecological and not-for-profit sectors that can add insight and value to its work.

These include Mohawk College, Sheridan College, The Conference Board of Canada, Royal Botanical Gardens and the Hamilton 100 Commonwealth Games Bid Corporation.

“Ultimately, our focus is to be more responsive to community needs in a holistic sense,” said Paletta.

“We want to meet the demands of the region’s growing population, improving both the inventory of housing for homebuyers while working to improve its affordability. And in doing so, we hope to foster positive environmental impacts while creating thriving community ecosystems.”

Current and future Alinea developments

Alinea president Paul Paletta. (Courtesy Alinea, BusinessPortraits.ca)

According to Alinea, Watertown Bay in Hamilton is the largest residential development underway in Canada, covering 405 acres. It’s being developed in phases and the next stage will include a retail plaza.

Greenpark Group and New Horizon Development Group are also involved with the project.

Ancaster Meadows in Hamilton is a 138-acre, multi-phase residential subdivision with a mix of detached and semi-detached homes and townhouses. Rosehaven Homes, the primary builder on the project, is nearing completion of the 10-year development.

Stoney Creek on the Ridge, located near Upper Centennial Parkway and Mud Street in Hamilton, is a 64-acre subdivision featuring detached and semi-detached homes, townhouses and mid-rise apartment buildings.

The first two phases are occupied and construction of the next stage will begin next year. The primary builders include Rosehaven, DeSantis Homes and Chiaravalle Developments Inc.

Alinea is a founding member of the Hamilton Urban Precinct Entertainment Group consortium to redevelop Hamilton’s downtown entertainment assets, including FirstOntario Centre and FirstOntario Concert Hall. The facilities will undergo multi-million-dollar renovations as part of the effort to revitalize the city’s urban core in the coming years.

Alinea is master-planning a 122-acre sustainable mixed-use community at 1200 King Rd. in Burlington, a short walk east of the Aldershot GO Transit/VIA Rail station. It will include residential, educational, employment and commercial spaces, amenities and nature trails.

It’s also a potential site for one or more facilities for the 2030 Commonwealth Games.

Alinea owns a 63,000-square-foot retail plaza on the east side of Appleby Line just south of Highway 407 in Burlington where it plans to add more buildings.

Rymal Industrial Centre at 90 Glover Rd. in Hamilton is undergoing an expansion of almost 150,000 square feet of cold-storage and warehouse space that will effectively double its size.

Eagle Heights, located near the Aldershot GO Transit/VIA Rail station in Burlington, will feature more than 900 single-family homes and townhomes. Almost one-third of the 252-acre site will remain undeveloped and preserved in a natural forested state.

Bronte Creek Meadows is located across the street from Bronte Creek Provincial Park and is the largest parcel of vacant land within the urban boundary of Burlington. While it’s currently being farmed, it has development potential as a future mixed-use community.

“We are always looking at acquisition opportunities when we become aware of them,” said Paletta. “The rest of our time is focused on moving our lands through the development process, working as closely as we can with our municipal partners.”

P&A Paletta Giving Inc.

The Paletta family has a long history of philanthropy in the community and in recent years created P&A Paletta Giving Inc.

It has donated significant funds and made substantial commitments to three donor-advised funds: Hamilton Community Foundation, Charitable Impact and Canada Gives. A $50-million donation to Hamilton Community Foundation was announced on June 22.

Funds have also been disbursed to pandemic relief efforts, Joseph Brant Hospital and other local charities so far.

“This initiative will work to explore and better resource causes and organizations that are dedicated to improving the health and wellness of the communities in which we operate,” said Paletta.