New project near Barrhaven selling fast
New releases on 400-acre project near Barrhaven green space selling fast
The latest project launch by newcomer Caivan Communities has proven so successful that the builder sold out of its first release just a few hours into opening day.
Called The Conservancy in Barrhaven, the 52 single-family homes initially available were snapped up within about four hours of the doors opening Oct. 20.
“It was a very successful launch and the reaction was great by our customers,” says director of sales and marketing Jonathan Wiseman.
“We knew that there was great demand just based on the size of our registrants and interest for Barrhaven … but I don’t think we really expected all of those lots to move so quickly.”
About 2,800 people had registered for information on the community, followed by about 25 groups that began camping out two days before the launch, he says.
“The market in Ottawa is quite hot at the moment, specifically in Barrhaven,” he adds, attributing the successful launch to a combination of demand and a strong product offering.
Cheryl Rice, the Ottawa president of industry analyst PMA Brethour Realty, agrees.
“Demand continues to generate sales at projects where there’s choice and supply,” she says. “There is indeed pent-up demand in Barrhaven right now and having a new option of homes by a new player undoubtedly creates buzz.”
Although Caivan is new to Ottawa buyers, the principals involved have a long track record in the industry. Caivan has been established as a developer for more than a decade in Ottawa, Toronto and Florida and a collaborator with other builders in the region on projects such as the recently sold out Monahan Landing in Kanata.
This is the third community Caivan has launched this year. Its inaugural project, Fox Run in Richmond, launched in April, was followed by Orléans Village on Innes Road in June.
Caivan’s initial release at The Conservancy was followed a month later by the introduction of rearlane townhomes on Nov. 17.
Like the singles before them, the townhomes, which are new to Caivan’s lineup, were also well received, with about half of the 22 lots released selling on the first weekend.
Caivan followed up the townhome unveiling with another release of singles on Nov. 24.
The 400-acre project benefits from its location, tucked along the northern shore of the Jock River between Highway 416 and Greenbank Road. Caivan’s plans include about 120 acres of green space, much of it along the river, with an abundance of walking trails, parks, stormwater ponds and a canoe launch, Wiseman says.
“It will be a destination in Ottawa that will be great for those who live there, but will potentially be an amenity that other people who live in Ottawa will come and visit.”
Homes are a mix of two-storey singles on lots ranging from 35 to 50 feet wide, bungalows and rearlane townhomes with double-car garages. The singles are the same as Caivan’s lineup at Orléans Village, which launched with a similar response as The Conservancy. The townhomes, however, are new.
“We really did want to offer a new and innovative type of attached product that would stand out,” says Wiseman. “(It) allows for the potential of very attractive front elevations.”
He says they were also looking for a townhome solution that had double-car garages, which all five floor plans include. Inside, the townhomes continue Caivan’s OpenPlan philosophy of design, in which bulkheads, bump-outs and columns are virtually eliminated to take the layout a step beyond open concept.
“It’s a very open living space in terms of kitchen, dining and great
room so that the family can be together, or at least nearby at all times,” Wiseman says.
While the townhomes have no backyard, each unit does have a deck off the main living level on the second floor for “an outdoor oasis,” he says.
Other features of the townhomes include larger windows to maximize natural light, finished basements, nine-foot ceilings on the main floor, granite kitchen counters and upgraded stainless-steel appliances. The singles include a one-car garage option, a corner model, a selection of 42- and 50-foot two-storeys and a bungalow or bungalow loft plan.
They range from a 1,468-sq.-ft bungalow with two bedrooms to a two-storey with up to five bedrooms and 3,415 square feet.
Exteriors are a traditional style, with simple lines and a mix of brick or stone accents and upgraded siding, some of it vertical.
Like the towns, standard features include nine-foot, mainfloor ceilings, granite counters in the kitchen and a finished basement rec room. The singles also include hardwood on the main floor.
Initial occupancy is expected in January 2020.