UPSIZING IN CARLETON PLACE
Enclave of bungalows and two-storeys offers flexible family living
There’s a new option for families looking to move up to a larger home without the larger price tag.
Jackson Ridge is an enclave of 28 single-family homes in Carleton Place that’s within walking distance of the Mississippi River and downtown.
Launched in February by Longwood Building Corp., the mix of two-storeys and bungalows sits amid both established neighbourhoods and new homes just west of the town’s main street. Lots are an average of 50 feet wide, with a few even wider to accommodate the option of a three-car garage.
The two-storeys all come with four bedrooms, mud rooms with built-in storage, open concepts and pantries.
“These homes are all meant for families, they’re family-sized homes with large garages, large lots,” says Darice Green, Longwood’s sales manager. “This would be an upsizing for people. They can buy a larger home on a larger lot and get what they want for a lot less money than living in Stittsville and Kanata.”
And with Carleton Place now such an easy commute to the city – thanks to the four-lane Highway 7 – as well as plenty of big-box shopping and other amenities, the town is proving to be a popular draw.
“It’s such a beautiful community,” says Green, who adds that with the enclave so centrally located, “the beauty of it is you walk to the river, you walk to downtown, everything’s within a kilometre walk.”
Longwood is introducing all-new floor plans at Jackson Ridge. They include five two-storey singles and one bungalow.
The two-storeys range from 1,965 to 2,897 square feet and all offer four bedrooms for growing families. And there are some pleasant surprises, including a dining room open to the second floor, vaulted ceilings, those handy mud rooms, second-floor laundry rooms with vanity and sink and separate pantries off the kitchen.
The plans focus on big great rooms, an open-concept layout and large eating bars, says Green, because “that’s how people live today … everything is centralized.”
The bungalow plan, meanwhile, offers an unexpected three bedrooms on the main level, partly to meet customer demand and partly because the larger lot sizes mean there’s room for a third bedroom. Longwood is also looking at bringing in a smaller bungalow at a lower price point.
Right now, prices for the twostoreys start at $396,900 and the
bungalow starts at $464,900.
Features that come without having to upgrade include quartz or granite counters in the kitchen, hardwood on the main floor and nine-foot main-floor ceilings. But Longwood is also flexible when it comes to adding custom touches to the plans, as long as they don’t interfere with structural issues and work within the plan’s footprint.
“Everybody wants to add their own touch and we’re open to that,” says Green.
The Craftsman-style exteriors are a mix of either brick or stone with accents of vinyl siding and cedar-style shakes.
Two models are expected to open this summer and occupancy can be as early as August.
As a growing town of roughly 10,000 people, Carleton Place has attracted numerous amenities, from big-box stores such as Walmart, Canadian Tire and Home Depot to the smaller boutique and artisan shops along Bridge Street. The town boasts its own hospital, both elementary and secondary schools, an arena, micro-breweries and plenty of services.
Nature abounds with the Mississippi River, several nature trails, proximity to Mississippi Lake, and many parks, including Carleton Junction and a new park being developed in the core of Carleton Place alongside the Ottawa Valley Recreational Trail that will include a skate board park, train-themed play structure, outdoor rink and more.
“It’s family living, a short drive, and you pay a lot less money,” says Green.