(Connect has named its first Canadian Transactions of the Year Award recipients. This article profiles Hub City Founder Martin, who brokered the lease of a chronically vacant duplex in Moncton, N.B., representing the landlord. (Read about all of the award winners.)

Martin Mei, with Hub City Property Management in Moncton, successfully leased two units of a chronically vacant duplex at 150 High St./422 St. George St. in the downtown area.

The property’s challenges included proximity to a well-known homeless shelter and community kitchen. The property experienced frequent break-ins, causing frustration and financial strain for the owner because the units remained perpetually empty.

The owner approached Hub City Property Management, and upon assessment, the asset was repositioned as a viable community asset. One unit was used for the homeless shelter’s reintegration program, while the other was leased at market-rate rent to a newcomer family from Algeria.

The deal transformed a chronically vacant and vulnerable property into stable housing that benefits both the owner and the surrounding community.

These are some of the reasons why Martin Mei was honoured with Connect Canada’s Transactions of the Year Award for his work on the downtown Moncton vacant duplex. The award highlights deals and closings impacting Canada’s commercial real estate sector.

Read about all of the award winners.