Benny Marotta

Benny Marotta, Solmar Development Corp Owner and CEO, on Housing Development Trends for 2022

Entrepreneur and real estate developer Benny Marotta explains top tips for housing developer designs in 2022.

GREATER TORONTO AREA, ONTARIO, January 23, 2022 -- With his recent success in the Greater Toronto Area, Benny Marotta spent time explaining the trends he sees occurring in 2022. His most recent project with his company Solmar Development included the sale of over 500 homes in eight days for the Village of Erin project. This small community will include around 1,400 townhouses when all is said and done. With a cutting-edge virtual showroom, the three developer companies showed more than 1,200 people through the planned Village and home layouts. Over 44,000 registrants signed over the course of 44 days.

Part of what drove the success of the project was how the development companies understood the current demand. According to Benny Marotta, Solmar Development Corp as identified five top trends crucial for 2022.

Designing for the Sector

Choosing a specific target group can help market the project in a stronger way. Village of Erin was aimed largely at family life. However, Benny Marotta says some other key sectors could include young professionals, senior communities, student life and more. By choosing a target audience, he says it is easier to design in a personalized way that best fits the group instead of a one-size-fits-all approach.

Utilizing Technological Advancements

Working around hardships with the use of technology is a crucial factor for a modern developer, Benny Marotta says. Allowing virtual walk-throughs is just one example of how a developer can open up the project for people who might not normally participate in the initial interest groups.

Addressing Environmental Issues

Designing with the Earth in mind is a big trend that has been growing over the past few years, says Marotta. People find it important to mitigate climate change and be responsible where they can. This mindset has led to requiring companies, businesses and developers to act in the same fashion.

Building with reusable, recycled and sustainable materials is one way that developers can appeal to the majority of buyers. Incorporating energy-efficient systems is another way developers can create a building that is attractive to buyers.

Planning for Community

In the wake of the pandemic, Benny Marotta says Solmar Development Corp saw the growing importance of community. Village of Erin was designed around community spaces and a picturesque downtown. He says development projects going forward should take careful consideration to incorporate social spaces that bring community members together.

He says this might include nature trails, public parks, outdoor eating spaces, public event areas and more. Pools, gyms or yoga rooms could offer even more intimate spaces for high-end amenities.

Creating a Peaceful Space

Whether building workspaces or homes, Benny Marotta says people want to feel calm in most spaces. He encourages developers to go after soft neutrals and utilize comfortable, natural materials for accents. Wood, stone, brick, cotton, wool and other natural fibers are considered comforting and high-quality by many people. He says using these elements within a space can offer a development project that looks modern and inviting.

For Benny Marotta, Climate and Unique Varietals Make Niagara the Ideal Region for Winemaking

For acclaimed business leader and award-winning vineyard owner Benny Marotta, nothing beats wines from the Niagara region.

The cool weather, lake effect snows, and unique soils in Niagara make for some of the world’s best wines.

Benny Marotta owns Two Sisters Vineyards, which encompasses four different sites in the region. The vineyards are located in Niagara-on-the-Lake and near Lake Ontario and the Niagara River. Benny Marotta’s daughters, Angela Marotta and Melissa Marotta-Paolicelli, run Two Sisters.

The winery has won an extensive array of awards for its varietals. It was named the 2018 Small Winery of the Year by WineAlign’s National Wine Awards of Canada.

What makes Niagara wines stand out? Here are four reasons.

1. Unique Climate Conditions

The Niagara region is a geographical marvel. It features warm summers and cool, snow-filled winters. The region’s proximity to the Great Lakes avoids the extreme temperatures present in other winemaking areas.

The region sits on a limestone ridge, a notable characteristic of the area’s terroir. The Niagara Escarpment is a long cliff running from Ontario through the United States and to the shore of Lake Michigan. The escarpment has carved away the ancient seabed and helped shape the region’s soils and weather.

Lake Ontario helps to moderate those temperatures, and the escarpment keeps that moderate air trapped over the region. Those effects lead to fruit-friendly weather.

In the winter, the lake keeps air warmer, leading to major snowstorms that bring moisture used year-round. The days are warm and the nights are cool. The weather leads to balanced wines with a perfect blend of acidity and ripeness.

2.Benny Marotta Says Bring on the Ice Wines

According to Marotta, ice wines are one of the Niagara region’s specialties. Canada is one of the world’s largest producers of ice wines.

Ice wine production allows grapes that ripened in the summer to freeze on the vine during the winter. This process creates a concentration of juice in the grapes. Once the grapes freeze, they are picked quickly and pressed immediately. The juice from these wines is high in sugar content, resulting in a sweet, intensely flavorful wine.

3. New Kids on the Block

Areas like Napa can boast winemaking that goes back to the 1850s. While grapes were grown in Niagara back in the 1800s, the winemaking tradition is relatively new.

Today, there are about 100 wineries active in the region, producing about 50 different varietals. Popular white wines include Riesling, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc. Pinot Noir, Gamay Noir, and Baco Noir are popular red wine varietals, according to Marotta.

Wineries like Two Sisters understand the importance of place and practice sustainable agriculture. The owner and his family believe they are merely custodians of the land. That commitment means small-batch production and premium products.

4. The Food and Wine and Event Experience

At Two Sisters, food and wine go together. Its Kitchen76 restaurant and corporate, private, and wedding event services are unmatched in the region. From tastings to tours, the region offers exceptional vineyards, beautiful surroundings, and experiences that will be unforgettable.

For Benny Marotta, Niagara winemaking is special and unique and he is doing his part to keep it that way.