Product:STAR Date:11-22-2008Desk: NIH-0001-CMYK/19-11-08/16:33:15

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HEATHER GREENWOOD DAVISSPECIAL TO THE STAR

When the DeCotiis family looks atthe Vancouver skyline, they seemore than beautiful architecture.They see their father.

For more than 40 years AmalioDeCotiis and his two brothers ranAmacon Developments, a companythey founded together after emi-grating from Italy in 1959. The com-pany is responsible for more than100 buildings that dot the eye-pop-ping city (the 501, Brava, The Mel-ville and Virtu among them) andtheir name has become synony-mous with stylish west coast archi-tectural design.

Despite arriving in his new homewith only empty pockets and an

idea, DeCotiis went on to create anaward-winning real estate develop-ment company that is respectedand revered on the west coast.

Today the company, which is stillin family hands, is trying to make asimilar impact in Ontario.

DeCotiis, who died three yearsago, only managed to see the begin-ning of his company’s press east-ward but his ideals are living onthrough his five children.

Daughter Lilliana Di Franco, 35, isvice president of marketing andsales for Amacon and son MarcelloDeCotiis, 36, is company president.Together with their three siblings— all of whom are involved in some

B E Y O N D T H E B R I C K S LILLIANA DI FRANCO AND MARCELLO DECOTIIS

RICK EGLINTON/TORONTO STAR

Marcello DeCotiis and his sister, Lilliana Di Franco, are among five siblings managing Vancouver-based Amacon Developments.

Sibling rivalryThe family-rundevelopment firmthat has made aname for itself inVancouver aims toput its stamp onToronto

Parkside Village in Mississauga is designed to be pedestrian friendly.SIBLING continued on CO5

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Product:STAR Date:11-22-2008Desk: NIH-0005-CMYK/19-11-08/16:34:56

JOHN SEWELLSPECIAL TO THE STAR

Q: My aunt brought this decanter overfrom Scotland in the 1920s. I’m quitesure it’s not valuable but I’ve always

loved it. Includingthe lid, it’s about 30centimetres (12inches) tall andthere are no mark-ings. The metalhardware is not sil-ver, but I don’tthink it’s pewter ei-ther. In the 100thanniversary issue ofMcCall’s magazine,which I saw about30 years ago, thefood section fea-

tured a table setting for a Viennese din-ner and an exact replica of this decanterwas on the table.Norma, TorontoA: These are generally known as claret jugsand were originally used to decant and serveclaret, which is a red French Bordeaux wine.Today, they’re used to serve any type of wine— or liquid, for that matter. This particularpiece dates to about 1860 and is either Brit-ish or European. The blown, moulded glassbody is nicely decorated with ferns that havebeen engraved by copper wheels mountedon a lathe, a process known as wheel engrav-ing. The hardware is white metal but itwould have been silver-plated originally.Yours has apparently worn off. The acornfinial is a nice touch and the face on thespout, you’ll be pleased to know, is Bacchus,the god of wine. (Now, I’ll drink to that!) Asfor value, your jug is worth about $250.

Q: This Moorcroft vase was handeddown to us by an aunt. It’s 22 centime-tres (8.5 inches) tall and in perfect condi-tion. We’re very interested in knowinghow much it’s worth.Joyce, OakvilleA: There’s Moorcroft and then there’sMoorcroft. This is one of the best designsand it’s a star performer in the Moorcroft fa-mily. It’s known as Moonlit Blue and it wasfirst introduced in 1922 in England, thenshipped and sold worldwide. The design istypified by the tall, stylized trees, but the de-fining characteristic is the background blue

coloration. William Moorcroft operated hispottery company in England from about1913 to 1945, making all sorts of differentpieces and designs, many of which are ex-tremely valuable today. Generally speaking,the larger pieces bring more money but cer-tain designs, like this one, command seriousmoney, even when they’re not particularlylarge.

This vase, although a modest size, has beau-ty, rarity and the prestigious Moorcroftname going for it, all of which add up to a val-ue of about $2,750.To submit an item to this column, go to the ‘Con-tact John’ page at www.johnsewellantiques.ca.Please measure your piece, say when and how yougot it, what you paid and list any identifying marks.A high-resolution jpeg photo must also be includ-ed. (Only email submissions accepted.) Appraisalvalues are estimates only.

SO, WHAT’S IT WORTH?

Claret jug worthy of anydrink, from wine to water

This rare Moonlit Blue Moorcroft vase wasfirst introduced in 1922 in England.

John Sewell is an antique and fineart appraiser and appears Satur-days in Condos.

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ter.”But that is not to say that they

aren’t competitive. “Marcello was the fourth and I

was the fifth child, so we’ve alwaysbeen connected one way or anoth-er, but I can definitely say the com-petition between us is probably oneof the highest,” Di Franco says. “Idon’t think we try and outdo eachother, but we definitely try andraise the bar with each other and

from our father. We’re involved, Iwould say, almost in every step ofthe company. Each one of us is in-volved in every portfolio.”

And despite what most would as-sume when siblings come to worktogether, Di Franco and DeCotiissay there is little infighting. Theysay working with their siblingsgives them a competitive edge be-cause “decisions get made muchquicker and we move forward fas-

facet of the company — they havewatched the company grow expo-nentially from the three brotherswho started it, to a staff of morethan 40.

All of them are involved, Di Francosays, out of choice.

“Some of us have not always beeninvolved, but I think we have alwayshad an inkling to be,” she says. Theyoungest of the five siblings, shewas the last to join the company 12years ago after finishing a BA in his-tory at Simon Fraser University.

“It was always around us. I guesssome people would say it’s part ofour soul.”

Today Amacon handles every stepof the real estate process from landacquisitions to marketing and sales,development, construction and af-ter service customer care for bothresidential and commercial clients.

The duo says they are intent oncontinuing to develop projects thatimpact not only the people whopurchase them, but also the citiesthey are in.

Projects like The Beasley in Van-couver — a 33-storey condominiumtower in Yaletown built as homageto Vancouver’s former director ofland use planning, Larry Beasley,that includes a 60-foot dog run onthe eighth floor garden terrace —and the 32-storey Eve glass tower inMississauga — with its modern ar-chitectural design and mixed usespaces — are examples of the com-pany’s forward-thinking approach.The newer buildings are a far cry,design-wise, from their dad’s firstproject.

“It was a three-storey, woodframe, square box 16-unit apart-ment building with tiny windows inNorth Vancouver,” DeCotiis says.

The building is still owned by thefamily: a testament to their person-al pride and the connection theyfeel towards the work they do.

“I would say what really sets us ap-art would probably be our hands onapproach,” Di Franco adds. “It’ssomething we probably learned

challenge each other at times.“There’s also the other side to that

which is we are there to help eachother,” she continues. “It’s either aphone call away or a thought away,or a ‘what do you think of this?’We’re just able to reach out to andkind of get each other, regardless ifthere are miles between us.”

DeCotiis agrees noting that hissister brings several strengths tothe company table.

“She can play any position on theteam. There’s a reliability, focus,and determination on her part thatit’s going to get done,” DeCotiissays. “If there’s a wall, she’s going toknock down the wall, or she’ll goover it, through it, around it, makesure it’s not standing by the timeshe’s done with it.”

While Amacon’s home base of op-erations remains in Vancouver,eight years ago Di Franco movedeast to Toronto to stake out newterritory for the company. She’sfound success in Mississauga.

And when the city opted to openup its land to more condominiumdevelopment, Amacon stepped up

to the plate with Parkside Village:12 hectares being developed as amaster-planned community in theheart of the city with an estimated6,000 units coming to market with-in the next 10 to 15 years. Di Francois heading up the project.

“Our vision is to create a true ur-ban village within the downtowncore of Mississauga,” she says. “Weall know that Mississauga is a ‘car isking’ kind of a city. We’re trying tochange that mentality and ask peo-ple to look to alternatives, not onlyin modes of transportation, but justthe way they live.”

The project brings in key mixeduse planning trends like pedestrianfriendly walkways, high density andcommercial and residential spaces.

“Our vision and our sense of Park-side is really an animated, vibrant,and active street life,” Di Francosays.

DeCotiis adds that Amacon’s To-ronto developments, that also in-clude the trendy Elle and Eve con-dominiums, are as much a reflec-tion of Amacon’s commitment tocommunity as the projects in thewest and new projects being devel-oped south of the border.

“What we’re trying to do now is in-corporate more of a mixed use ineach project. I think the city is —not only in Vancouver and Toronto,but in Los Angeles too, for that mat-ter — they’re asking for more thanjust a straight, standard residentialproject where the town is fully oc-cupied by condos, and apartments,and townhouses,” he says. “Theywant to see that integration of ame-nities.”

While the company intends tocontinue to stake new ground athome and abroad , the siblings con-tend that Amacon will always bethat family-centered company thatfocuses on creating communitiesand buildings they are proud of.

“Our tag line says it all, not just forus, but for everybody,” DeCotiissays. “The ‘live well’ tag line meanslive well in all aspects of life. Wewant to carry that through and it isthe thing that we take pride in.”

Family brings winning west coast ideals eastSIBLING from CO1

PARKSIDE VILLAGEBuilder: AmaconLocation: Burnhamthorpe Rd.and Confederation Pkwy.Architect: E.I. Richmond ArchitectsInterior Design: Chapman Design GroupOccupancy: Spring 2012Size: 45 storeysSize range: 560 to 1020 squarefeet; penthouses 1,330 to 1,730square feetPrice range: $199,900 to$390,000; penthouses$400,000 to low $700,000Sales centre: 465 Burnham-thorpe Rd. W., Mississauga,Monday to Thursday, 1 p.m. to 7p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, noonto 5 p.m., 905-273-9333, lifeatparkside.com

DETAILS

RICK EGLINTON/TORONTO STAR

Amacon’s Marcello DeCotiis and his sister, Lilliana Di Franco, are buildingmaster-planned Parkside Village in downtown Mississauga.