Christensondevelopments profile

Christenson Group of Companies: Community Builders

By Nerissa McNaughton

For more than 35 years this company has been changing lives, one community at a time.

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loyd Christenson, founder of Christenson Developments, was a man with a far reaching vision, seeing a future where Edmonton had expertly built custom homes and apartments. Today his legacy lives on through his son, Greg Christenson, and partner, Peter Dirksen.

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A visionary, like his father, Christenson continued to develop custom housing, but when he partnered with Dirksen, they turned their attention to active adult living spaces.

“We are an Edmonton business focused on adult housing and community building,” says Christenson with pride. “We have a long-term perspective and get involved with industry associations, charities and partnerships. Our mission statement mandates that we build lasting relationships.”

“Winning numerous awards through the Canadian Home Builders Association – Alberta and awards for home builder of the year has helped us build our reputation in the industry,” adds Dirksen.

The awards are very well deserved as the energetic company focuses on not just building homes, but building stronger communities by addressing a very prevalent need – senior’s housing.

Christenson explains, “The reality is that the older population is growing and that growth is going to be rampant.

If we, as a society, don’t come up with models to give consumers options, we will create a society that is all about healthcare. Care and services are the way of the future.

Institutions like hospitals are costing taxpayers between

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$2 million - $4 million a bed; but if you give someone the home they want, they are willing pay for those amenities and services. If they don’t have the means, then we must put support in place for them, and then add care. They may not need care now but potentially will in the future. Our model is to have the attractive home they want and have services available when they need them. Using this model, we have also developed not-for-profit seniors housing.

Right now there are simply not enough resources to put everyone in hospitals and nursing homes, so our model is the way of the future.”

Christenson Group’s urban villages sometimes back onto ravines or parks and feature many amenities such as large balconies and movie and exercise rooms. These are not your standard adult bungalows or condos, but villages for likeminded people in a particular demographic to age gracefully while thriving in a healthy, active, social environment.

“Shared resources,” Dirksen points out about how they encourage downsizing without the loss of important amenities. “Two of our developing projects will pilot a shared car program, for example. Shared resources help active adults maintain their independence.”

Of course, that independence can only be enjoyed through good health, and that is something the progressive developers strongly encourage through their wellness principles. “Physical, mental and spiritual needs, along with lifetime learning, are part of the wellness principles built into each community,” says Christenson.

Christenson, Dirksen and their teams are changing and challenging the way Albertans view active adult housing, and their success came through a few challenges of their own. The province-wide recession of the ’80s was a pivotal point for the company’s future.

“When Peter and I formed the partnership in 1989, our careers were both suffering from the recession. We were looking for something more stable and predictable than interest rates and oil pricing,” Christenson admits. “From 1983 to 1990, no rental houses were built because of overbuilding followed by the recession. The impressive fact is, zero is a hard number to deal with, but there was nothing! I remember sitting in my

Greg Christenson and Peter Dirksen, Owners, Christenson Developments.

Photo by EPIC Photography Inc.

office looking at the permits going through, wondering when rental builds would start up again.”

Sometimes life happens to people, and sometimes people happen to life. The latter is the route the two entrepreneurs took. Ignoring the local recession, they knocked on the door of a company established in eastern Canada – and found work.

“We built a 30 unit townhouse project, a 74 unit apartment and a 148 unit apartment between 1990 and 1994,” Dirksen smiles.

Today, Christenson Group has more than 10 full-scale projects in development and a staff of 80. Their developments

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boast 250 care workers. Each department, from administration to field crew to care workers, has employees that value family, a good work ethic and attention to detail. “We are very proud to have a large number of long term employees. Our staff sets our company apart in this industry,” affirms Dirksen.

Christenson nods in agreement. “A wise man once told me there are 1.5 million decisions in development. Peter and I don’t make all those! All day, our staff are making decisions and doing things, knowing that we empower them through a strong work environment and high expectations.”

As the company celebrates more than two decades of hard-won success, they reflect on the values that brought them to this point, and share their advice with other aspiring entrepreneurs.

“Planning is very important,” Dirksen points out. “You have to be sensitive to the market. If you have a plan, the world strives to help you achieve it.”

“Have an agenda. Have a purpose,” Christenson encourages. “It doesn’t matter that you might change it. Take ownership of your agenda and push it into the marketplace. The marketplace is a cruel but effective teacher. Nobody can help you, assist you or buy your product unless you put yourself out there. Measure your results over time.

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people get discouraged with setbacks, but those can really position you for the future.”

Every day, every team member at Christenson Group lives, abides and embodies the company’s mission and value statements. The mission is to build lasting relationships. The values are to do so through trust, respect, communication, accountability, networking, quality of life and sustainability.

“As you get more experienced, you understand all the interactive connections a community has,” says Christenson.

“We have always been community developers, but you must integrate your community onto the larger community. That is the key – building communities at the grass roots level by partnering with charities and post-secondary institutions.

To be successful in business, you have to create successful communities.” This is something Christenson promotes daily through his website, albertacommunitybuilders.com.

The future of active adult housing is changing, and so is Christenson Group. Always agile to the needs of an aging population, the men have a plan for the future of the company. Dirksen is phasing into retirement and has two nephews and a daughter following his legacy in the company.

Christenson will shift his focus to senior care, moving that division forward. As a company, they will continue to branch into other communities, such as Calgary, Rocky Mountain House and Whitecourt.

A company founded on a legacy, 35 years of success and plans to radically and positively change the future of active adult living – it’s been a long and winding road, but a journey both men wouldn’t trade for anything.

“It’s been wonderful,” both men conclude with huge grins. Then the interview wraps up and they leave the room to continue changing the world, one community at a time.

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Congratulations Christenson Developments for the many years in business! We are proud to be part of your team.

We look forward to many more years working together!

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