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Bluestone Luncheon Recognizes Tenants

For most of us, a letter from a landlord requesting a meeting would not be something to get excited about. More likely, it would be met with a quiet, uncertain sense of dread.

But for some of the tenants of BlueStone Properties, that natural response has been changed forever by a letter that came this past December. For them, correspondence from the landlord will now be greeted with warm thoughts of goodwill and fond memories of a pleasant surprise. On December 17th, 2008, 20-year residents of BlueStone Properties were invited to a luncheon hosted by their landlord, Bernie Bierbaum.

Beryl Roberts has lived in a BlueStone residence at Oakland Avenue for 21 years. For a short time she moved away, but missed the convenience and moved back within a year. She speaks affectionately about Bernie Bierbaum and BlueStone.

“It was very nice of him to take us out for lunch and to give us such a generous gift. I had a wonderful time. Other landlords I’ve had wouldn’t have done this.” The gift she refers to was a cheque for $750 from BlueStone Properties and according to Beryl, “it came in a very nice card.”

When asked why she has stayed in the same apartment for 21 years, she was just as enthusiastic.

“I love it here,” says Beryl. “Nobody bothers me and I am close to everything. It is very convenient to live here. I missed that when I moved away. Even if there is something I need that is not close by, I can just step out the door and catch a bus to where I need to go.”

While Bierbaum wanted to show his longtime tenants how much he appreciated them, he also used the opportunity to convey his plans for where they live.

“He spoke to us about what would be happening in the near future: renovations, new facilities and things like that,” says Luisa Chambers. Luisa and her husband Nick moved from Montreal into a spacious BlueStone apartment at Platts Lane 22 years ago.

“It is so nice that someone would do this. This was the first time a landlord did something like this for us”, she says. “I knew Bernie Bierbaum’s father but I didn’t know him. It was great to meet him in person.”

When asked what motivated him to do something to recognize longstanding Bluestone tenants, Bierbaum says, “I realize that without tenants I would not be in this business. And to be honest I was really interested in meeting them and hearing their stories.” 

As a Londoner, who for 30 years, has helped build this city – both figuratively and literally – Bernie is well known for appreciating the value of a spirit of community. His understanding that people are at the heart of business influences everything he does. He has even won a national Ethics in Action Award in recognition of good corporate citizenship.

To hear Bluestone tenants talk about where the places they live in and the man who built them is to really understand how the landlord-tenant relationship is supposed to work. And for those of us who don’t live in a BlueStone residence there is always hope.

Click to view the BlueStone Club 20 Members

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The Acorn DOES fall far from the tree!

At BlueStone Properties, we are looking ahead to our largest, new development and our furthest out from the downtown core. White Oak Business Park will become our premier location for Light Industrial and Business users, looking for the same level of quality and service that our clients in Meadowbrook Business Park and 135 Industrial Park have grown to expect.

Our site is strategically located on White Oak Road at Dingman Drive in south London, just minutes away from Highways 401 and 402. Plans for construction of up to 67 industrial facilities on 145 acres are well underway. Buildings sized from approximately 10,000 sq. ft. up to 100,000 sq. ft. will be built according to client specifications or ready to lease and occupy. A commercial corner and quality landscaped stormwater management facility will provide a convenient service and stunning view to our growing business community. Occupancy is expected in 2010 with build-out over a ten year plan.

The White Oak Business Park logo was recently developed to capture the natural and locational setting, and we hope to develop an environmentally conscience industrial client base fitting of the theme. Watch us grow!

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Halls Flooring Services marks 37 years at 135 Industrial Park

There’s no place like home.

Halls Flooring Services has been calling 135 Industrial Park home for 37 years, underscoring a productive business relationship between the Halls and Bierbaum families that is now in its second generation.

In 1971, Chris Halls was looking for a larger space to house his flooring operation. That space came available in the form of a brand new industrial park that Ewald Bierbaum – a Halls Flooring customer – was building on the outskirts of London.

Thirty-seven years later, Halls Flooring is still located at 135 Industrial Park under the management of Chris’s son, Brad Halls. His landlord? Bernie Bierbaum of BlueStone Properties.

“It’s been a family-to-family relationship for a long time,” Brad Halls says. “My dad dealt with Ewald Bierbaum and now I’m dealing with Ewald’s children. It’s two generations working side-by-side for 37 years, and that says a lot.”

Halls says that 135 Industrial Park’s access to the 401 and 402 highways is a major bonus for his business. He also points to service and management as big reasons why Halls Flooring has stayed where it is for so long.

“The service has always been top notch,” he explains. “For example, we have a corner unit with a docking space that can be difficult for truck drivers to reach if it isn’t plowed properly. It’s always cleaned perfectly so trucks can get in and out. Little things like that make a difference.”

BlueStone president Bernie Bierbaum says his family’s association with Halls Flooring reflects a focus on building lasting relationships.

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