An industrial space that delivers high-efficiency features and big tenant appeal.
A new warehouse under construction in Burnside Business Park, in Dartmouth, N.S., is redefining what industrial space can offer, combining a prime location with sustainability features that help tenants lower their environmental impact, improve energy performance, and support their ESG goals.
“This was one of the quicker projects we’ve ever moved on,” says Steve Morrison, Senior Advisor at Brunswick Brokers, Commercial Properties’ sales and leasing company, who is representing the rental listing. “It was a prime corner lot with easy access. We saw it as a piece that was enticing and wanted to do something proper with it.”
That “something proper” is a state-of-the-art, 33,000-square-foot precast warehouse designed to meet the Zero Carbon Building Standard from the Canada Green Building Council, a first for Commercial Properties. Construction began in spring 2025, with occupancy expected by year’s end.
“The decision to go with carbon-neutral was made early on,” says Carl Blanchard, a longtime OSCO Construction Group executive who came out of retirement to help oversee the project for Commercial Properties. “There’s a solar array on the roof, in-floor heating, and other features to reduce the building’s carbon footprint.”
The solar photovoltaic system is designed to power the building’s heating and supplement general electrical use, reducing reliance on the grid and supporting more stable operating costs for tenants. The building also uses Strescon’s precast wall panels, engineered with enhanced insulation and reduced thermal bridging for improved energy performance.
For Karine Petrosyan, CPL’s new Director of Engineering and Development, the project represents a forward-looking shift. “There’s definitely a big demand for buildings that are more conscious and climate-focused,” she says. “This project is part of that switch in how we use the space, how we design, how we manage.” As sustainability becomes a bigger part of how businesses operate, the demand for buildings like this is expected to grow.
“We’re seeing more tenants who want good data about their environmental impact,” Steve adds. “The building’s sustainability features aren’t just about doing the right thing; they’re becoming a real market advantage.”
OSCO Team-Member Contributions to Cutler Avenue Development
Rebar: OSCO Rebar supplied and installed 501 tons of rebar and 265 sheets of mesh. Work started in late April, with estimated completion in December of 2025.
Ready-Mix: OSCO Concrete supplied 840 cubic meters of ready-mix—all of which was pumped. Work was completed between April and September.
Structural Steel: Ocean Steel supplied 52 tons of structural steel, 134 joists, 44 tons, and 34,500ft2 of deck.
Precast: Strescon supplied and installed 71 insulated precast concrete panels and 2 solid interior precast panels. The panels had a 1% Dark Buff pigment, with a light sandblast finish.
Production started on March 14th and finished April 14th. Installation took a total of 7 days.
Read more about our next level construction projects in our newsmagazine Connections: Fall 2025.
Flexwall’s Role in Supermax’s Architectural Vision
On May 9th, 2024, PreCon’s technical sales representative, Joseph Albanese, met with architect Henry Chiu of Henry W Chiu Architect Limited to explore precast solutions for the proposed Supermax Healthcare Canada Facility at 329 Stirling Crescent, Bradford, ON. Following multiple discussions over several months, Henry Chiu concluded that the optimal choice was clear: Flexwall sandwich precast panels would best meet all the project’s building envelope requirements.
Henry Chiu recommended PreCon Precast to Supermax Healthcare as the preferred producer, highlighting that PreCon’s proprietary Flexwall precast sandwich precast offers appealing architectural aesthetics, cost-effective solutions with minimal structural steel, superior thermal performance, full compliance with OBC SB-10 requirements, and a streamlined construction schedule.
PreCon’s support throughout the project’s development and tender process ultimately led to a purchase order being issued by Innovative Structures Limited, the selected general contractor, on March 5th, 2025. The building’s design originally called for panels reaching 47 feet (10.325 meters) in height. The Flexwall prestressed system offered a significant advantage by eliminating the need for horizontal wind girts, thereby reducing the quantity of construction materials required.
True to its name, Flexwall once again proved its worth as the flexible material of choice when accommodating the atypical panel configurations at the building’s three curved corners. To emphasize the curvature at these corners, PreCon’s design—led by Anar Parikh P.Eng—incorporated segmented panels of non-standard widths, rather than the modular 2.4-metre Flexwall width. This approach enhanced and better defined the 10.750-metre radius at each of the three curved building corners. The facade further features horizontal strip lighting, surface-mounted directly onto the Flexwall panels, adding a sleek, modern accent to the building’s appearance.
Flexwall was also incorporated as a dado wall application at the “saw-tooth” loading dock, enabling seamless integration among the warehouse facility, the office, and the main entrances—once again showcasing the versatility of the Flexwall sandwich panel. During post-award meetings, PreCon’s engineering team deserves commendation for hosting several virtual sessions to ensure full coordination between the structural steel and the Flexwall precast façade.
In total, the project comprises approximately: 160 Flexwall precast units with pattern #4, covering 25,000 square feet of wall area, with a production duration of 24 days. Installation completed in 6 days.
Strategy: Smart Planning for Limited Access on the East Elevation
The east elevation, recognized as the building’s narrowest façade, presented a unique challenge due to a limited setback, an existing retaining wall, a drop in elevation to the existing Bell Easement, and a further drop on the east side of the retaining wall relative to street level. Under the leadership of Paul Davis, PreCon’s erection team developed a strategic plan involving the placement of a 220-ton crane in both the northeast and southeast corners of the property—effectively bypassing the restricted zone.
Timeline Summary
Start of erection: November 19th
Total Flexwall units installed: 160
Duration of installation: 6 days
Read more about our next level construction projects in our newsmagazine Connections: Fall 2025.
Total precast construction is a streamlined approach with the potential to fast-track one of the Saint John Region’s most anticipated new residential developments on King St.. Inside Strescon Limited, a member of OSCO Construction Group in Saint John, concrete components are constantly in production – poured, cured, and prepared for installation well before construction crews need them on site.
Total precast concrete systems are not new. New Brunswick has seen their benefits for over 50 years, beginning when Strescon first built using the product and process. The method has been a construction staple in Europe for even longer. However, in Canada’s residential sector, its use is accelerating as developers seek solutions that combine speed, strength, and sustainability without compromising on design.
With precast, multiple phases of construction can happen simultaneously. While a foundation is being prepared on-site, structural elements are fabricated off-site, ready for delivery and installation as soon as the site is ready. In Canada’s climate – a constant challenge for the construction industry – a total precast build offers a key advantage: it allows projects to be enclosed and protected from the elements in months rather than years. That efficiency is a game-changer for urban development in the Saint John Region.
Strescon, a regional powerhouse with national and international reach, has partnered with Architects Inc. and Ostan Engineering to bring the 99 King project to life.
99 King – a 15-level, 152-unit, total precast mixed-use residential tower featuring two large floors of commercial retail and underground parking – is set to rise in the heart of uptown. Led by local developer Percy Wilbur, this transformative project is reimagining a key corner of the city’s core, promising much-needed housing while making a bold statement on the uptown skyline.
The building will include more than 2,000 individual precast components, such as prestressed hollow core slabs, stairs, interior panels, and architectural panels featuring embedded red brick at the lower levels of the structure to align with the look and feel of uptown Saint John.
From the early stages of planning, it became clear that embracing a total precast approach offered a path forward that balanced financial predictability, design ambition, and construction efficiency.
“The concept itself, especially with the windows (Kohltech) being in as you build, and it kind of almost being a finished product as you’re going up the superstructure, was very appealing,” says Wilbur. “And the cost is the cost – so you know that level going into it, which is really good, having that security.”
Precast’s speed and cost aren’t its only advantages. It also supports more sustainable construction practices, including reduced waste, fewer deliveries, less heavy machinery, and a smaller construction site footprint. That means less disruption for surrounding neighbourhoods while adding momentum to the project.
At 99 King, the total precast approach is expected to keep the project timeline on track, despite industry-wide challenges, helping ensure housing delivery remains on schedule.
“The 99 King Street project represents a bold step forward in urban revitalization for Saint John,” says Rebecca Patterson, District Manager of Strescon. “This 15-level development showcases the power of precast to transform a long-vacant site into a vibrant residential hub, with architectural finishes that respect the heritage of the uptown district while embracing modern design.”
From Saint John to projects across Canada and beyond, Strescon is setting the pace for modern construction. The work on 99 King underscores the power of precast concrete – not only for faster, smarter building, but also as a showcase of the Saint John Region’s strength in construction and manufacturing.
“We’re in a unique position to put an iconic building on an iconic piece of property,” says Wilbur. “I think we’ve achieved that working with Strescon – to design a building that fits in our community and meets the needs of our community.”
In today’s competitive construction landscape, stakeholders recognize that every minute and dollar counts. Balancing aggressive project schedules with strict budgets is a constant challenge, especially when there’s also a need to deliver buildings that are both functional and visually impressive. Fortunately, solutions like advanced precast systems are proving that smarter, stronger, and faster warehouses can be built without compromising design or quality.
PreCon recently collaborated with Cambria Design Build on the 275 Addison Hall project in Aurora, Ontario, a prime example of how efficiency and aesthetic appeal can go hand in hand. This project highlights the versatility and speed of PreCon’s precast panels, which are now synonymous with quality and innovation in the construction sector. The project was completed with exceptional speed and accuracy, requiring only seven days to erect all panels. This remarkable efficiency reflects the streamlined installation process and robust engineering behind the Flexwall panel system.
207 Precast Panels Erected in 7 Days
Project Specifications:
Panel Type: Standard Flexwall with an exterior white concrete finish and interior grey form finish
Total Panels: 207
Total Wall Area: 63,915 sq. ft.
Erection Duration: 7 days with a single mobilization
Architect: Ware Malcomb
Engineer: Gravity Engineering
Clients have conveyed high levels of satisfaction with the outcome, specifically noting the Flexwall panels’ visual appeal and structural reliability. This positive reception underscores PreCon’s dedication to providing superior solutions that consistently meet and surpass client expectations.
Addison Hall Circle is emerging as a showcase for Flexwall panels, with multiple buildings in the area featuring this innovative product. The increasing adoption of Flexwall panels demonstrates their strength, dependability, and popularity in contemporary warehouse construction. PreCon’s accomplishment at 275 Addison Hall exemplifies their commitment to excellence and their drive to partner with industry leaders. The company is eager to continue transforming spaces and setting new standards for performance and design with its Flexwall panels. When performance matters most, PreCon delivers.
OSCO companies respond to record demand for new residential units.
The Canadian housing market is hot, and the Maritimes are feeling the heat as population growth and demographic shifts increase demand for new residential units across the region.
Brunswick Brokers’ 2024 report on Saint John, N.B.’s housing market notes a vacancy rate of 2.3%. While this is a minor increase over 2023, the “overall rate remains extremely low as the increase was less than 1%.”
In May, in Saint John, 852 units were under construction, a 21% annual increase, with more than 400 units expected to be completed in 2024. As Saint John grows, so grows the region, with record-high construction in recent years to meet current needs and projected demands. As the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) noted in its 2024 Annual Rental Market Report, “It will take time before enough supply is added to improve rental market affordability.”
Across the OSCO Construction Group, companies are working hard to address the shortfall and deliver high quality housing more efficiently. This push isn’t limited to major cities like Moncton, N.B. or Halifax, N.S. The pressure is on in smaller municipalities, too.
St. Croix – Total Precast Multi-Residential in Windsor Nova Scotia
TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE Andrew LeVatte, Business Development Manager for Strescon, understands the imperative to build quickly without sacrificing quality. In Windsor, N.S., his team put up the town’s inaugural apartment building using precast concrete, The St. Croix. “It was 138,000 square feet that we’ve turned over in four months,” he says. “That’s a pretty significant achievement.”
Andrew estimates that choosing precast, with its modular panels for the exterior, core, and floors, shaved half a year off the project timeline. “That’s six months less of financing, six months faster to revenue.” He compares it to other construction methods, such as cast-in-place. “Ten years ago, they could do a floor a week,” he says. “Now you’re lucky to do one every three weeks.”
In a new twist, Strescon worked on the Windsor project with a cast-in-place contractor, who laid the foundation before the precast crew moved in to install.
“That’s usually unheard of,” Andrew says. “They build for themselves. But it gives them time to go after other projects. The more we partner, the more buildings they can do.”
The company is also finding new ways to increase project efficiency, such as manufacturing architectural concrete wall panels with windows installed, a unique approach which saves times and money on site for the developer.
Strescon is a member of The Altus Group, an international collaboration of precast concrete companies working to develop the next generation window, as well as exploring other advances, such as low-carbon, high-performance insulated concrete wall panels.
“We need to be forward-thinking,” Andrew says. “If we can come up with ideas to make things stronger, simpler, that’s huge. These are really exciting times.”
Andrew LeVatte, Business Development Manager, StresconFrom left, Mark Chouinard, Dana Retieffe, Josh Fowler and Trevor Taber at the World of Concrete conference in JanuaryCorey Landry, Manager, OSCO Concrete – Moncton
BIGGER, TALLER, FASTER In the past few years, OSCO Construction Group companies have been working on increasingly large, complex, and fast-paced projects. This is nowhere more apparent than in Halifax, where record-breaking housing demand has expanded building footprints while new height restrictions have allowed them to build higher. OSCO Rebar’s Allstar Rebar plant, in Bedford, N.S. has been going full-tilt. Its projects from 2022-2026 will add an estimated 5,000 units, around a third of the Halifax market. The Cunard, a luxury residential on the waterfront, was its first mega-project, kicking off a string of ever -larger structures.
“We’re showing that Allstar can tackle the largest projects that Halifax has to offer, while still servicing all of our other work,” says Project Manager Mark Chouinard. “It takes significant effort to coordinate it all, but we are up to the task.” They’ve expanded their fabricating capacity and refined their processes, collaborating more tightly with Ocean Steel Rebar in Saint John. “We wouldn’t be able to do it without them,”
Mark Chouinard
That shop handles detailing, project coordination, fabrication, and labour. This agility is essential as rebar, the backbone of construction, is an early-stage trade in dynamic projects.
“You’ve got to navigate aggressive schedules, unfinished designs, and multiple projects co-occurring,” says Josh Fowler, Operations Manager at OSCO Rebar’s Ocean Steel Rebar plant. Amid these shifting forces, “managing customer expectations is a huge part of the job,” Mark says. “You’ve got to be a good communicator in this trade.”
This message was echoed across the group, including by Corey Landry, Manager for OSCO Concrete’s Ready-Mix branch in Moncton. “Apartment buildings are just popping up left, right and centre,” he says, including an 11-structure complex his team is working on, with nine six-storey apartments and two commercial buildings. “Having good communication with your contractors and being flexible is key,” he says. “In the past, you could call for concrete in an hour. Now, we have schedules for days and weeks out.” Just as the OSCO Rebar teams collaborate, Corey and his OSCO Concrete colleagues in New Brunswick and across the region help each other out. “We all work together,” he says.
PART OF THE SOLUTION Along with private developments, OSCO companies are also helping to add more affordable housing to the mix. Steepleview Apartments is a mixed-income project in Saint John that will add 56 apartments, half of which will be affordable housing for seniors, women and children, and Indigenous Peoples. And in Cole Harbour, N.S., Allstar is working with Lindsay Construction on a 68-unit apartment building at Millbrook First Nation. It all adds up to a significant contribution to our region’s diverse housing needs.
“I love driving around and looking at what we built and thinking, ‘I had a part in solving this problem,’” says Mark, who marked 20 years with Allstar on Jan. 5. “It’s something I am proud to be part of.”
In celebration of Earth Day, we at OSCO Construction Group are proud to highlight our commitment to sustainability as we seek new ways to decrease the use of manufacturing materials and promote eco-friendly solutions. At Strescon Limited, one of our precast concrete companies, we are thrilled to be working on an exciting project on Cutler Avenue, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. This project utilizes CarbonCast High Performance insulated wall panels, made with C-GRID® carbon fiber grid as a shear connector. This significantly reduces the amount of concrete and materials needed by reducing the required thickness of the panels. CarbonCast High Performance insulated wall panels deliver an exterior wall panel with full composite action and continuous insulation. For example, a panel with 4″ (102mm) of insulation between two 2″ (51mm) concrete wythes will behave structurally as if it were an 8″ (203mm) solid panel.
By reducing the thickness of each panel by two inches, we are able to decrease the overall material usage and production waste, demonstrating our dedication to resource efficiency. In addition, CarbonCast prevents cold spots and thermal bridging, boosting energy efficiency. It keeps a steady internal temperature, reducing the need for extra heating or cooling, thus lowering energy intensity and therefore cost. CarbonCast High Performance Insulated Wall Panels are manufactured at our Strescon and PreCon facilities.
In honor of Earth Day, we want to inspire and challenge other construction and manufacturing companies to continuously think about sustainable practices. Let’s all strive to reduce, reuse, and recycle in our processes, ensuring a greener and more sustainable future for generations to come.
Together, we can make a difference. Join us in our commitment to sustainability and celebrate Earth Day by adopting practices that protect our planet.
The QEII Parkade – a Strescon Precast project – is featured in the Winter 2024 edition of Parker Magazine, a national publication by the Canadian Parking Association. The editorial, Redefining Parking: Accessibility, Aesthetics, and Sustainability at the QEII, by Stephanie Nowe-Morris, says that this project is a defining structure in “a new era in health infrastructure.”
“Parking structures are often overlooked in urban planning, especially in healthcare settings where demands are unique and multifaceted,” the editorial states. “The recently opened QEII Health Sciences Centre parkade stands as a testament to Nova Scotia’s commitment to accessibility and sustainable design, providing a new model for modern parking that balance functionality with community needs.”
The article notes that the parkade has an “eco-friendly” focus because of its design and operational features, “such as efficient lighting systems that adjust based on occupancy, locally sourced materials, and an extensive recycling program.”
In addition, it was built “using a modular, demountable precast structure. The parkade minimizes construction waste and has a lower environmental footprint.”
We are proud to have this recognition for our products and the difference they can make building forward.
This editorial explores how QEII Parkade has “transformed into a vibrant landmark, integrated part of Halifax, services patients, visitors, staff and the broader community.”
Please read the full article: Parker Winter 2024: Redefining Parking: Accessibility, Aesthetics, and Sustainability at the QEII, by Stephanie Nowe-Morris.
In total, OSCO raised 1,600 tons of structural steel and 325,000 ft2 of precast plank on this project. On a side-note, this was the single largest hollowcore project ever completed by Strescon, with 3,770 individual pieces.
Built by Engineers Construction Inc. (BBE) has mobilized to site to begin development of a 160,000 sqft manufacturing facility, for industry leading automation solutions provider, Automated Tooling Systems (ATS). The Cambridge, Ontario location, located at 1574 Eagle Street, will add yet another footprint to ATS’s growing portfolio of manufacturing, assembly, and shipping facilities in the greater Kitchener/Waterloo region. With prominent local developer, Eagle Street Industrial GP, working closely with Cambridge based consultant, Built by Engineers, plans for the building’s envelope system required superior aesthetics, durability, and construction economy.
They chose PreCon’s architectural precast & prestressed insulated wall panels. All 210 white sandblast-finished wall panels were produced at PreCon’s Brampton manufacturing facility, accounting for an overall finished wall area of over 50,000 square feet. Utilizing the precast industry’s highest rated R-value insulation, combined with superior thermal resistance carbon fiber shear ties (C-grid), the building will be an energy saving front runner.
Additionally, the interior face of the panels will be painted a brilliant white to enhance aesthetics, while reducing lighting requirements and ongoing costs. PreCon forces moved onto site in October 2024 to erect the 37-footheight wall panels in one mobilization, complete with expansion joints and colour matched caulking.
PreCon is proud to be a player associated with supporting global leader Automated Tooling Systems, a leading company employing over 7,000 people at more than 65 manufacturing facilities and over 85 offices in North America, Europe, Southeast Asia, and Oceania.
A new industrial building in Ontario will be one of only eight in all of Canada to be certified by the Canadian Green Building Council as ‘Zero Carbon Building Design v3’—and CarbonCast High Performance Insulated Wall Panels from AltusGroup member PreCon Precast Limited are contributing.
The Eagle Street Industrial Park in Cambridge will meet the ‘v3’ certification, which demands carbon reduction be 30% below the Ontario average for embedded carbon in building materials. The consortium of owners, however, has gone well beyond the minimum by melting old steel and repurposing it and using recycled concrete in the foundations, for example.
The CarbonCast High Performance Insulated Wall Panels will deliver an R-value of R-30 by using four inches of Kooltherm K20 insulation between two concrete wythes (2-7/8” and 3-1/8” thick) that are connected by C-GRID carbon fiber grid trusses. The negligible thermal transfer of the CFRP grid enables the panels to offer continuous insulation to save energy on heating and cooling.
Read the entire article – which includes details on more carbon reduction initiatives — in Cambridge Today.
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