WELCOMING SEASONS
Ledingham McAllister project a stylish low-rise addition to an expanding Burnaby neighbourhood
The burgeoning Brentwood neighbourhood is set to welcome another new residential development to the area. However, Ledingham McAllister’s four-storey Seasons development provides an alternative to the many residential towers rising in Burnaby’s ever-changing skyline.
Designed by Integra Architecture, Seasons, situated at 5460 Broadway, has a West Coast contemporary esthetic with wood accents and varied roof lines.
The 101-home development appeals to people who want an urban address and lifestyle, but prefer the character that comes with a lowrise development, says Manuela Mirecki, Ledingham McAllister’s senior vice-president of marketing and design.
“For those people, this location is ideal. Seasons is just one SkyTrain stop away from Brentwood where the redevelopment of that area will bring many new amenities — that’s good, but not everyone wants to live in the middle of a development of that scale. Seasons gives you the advantage of proximity to that infrastructure without actually living in it,” she says.
Seasons is close to Holdom Sky- Train station on the Millennium Line, Brentwood Mall, the new Whole Foods on Lougheed Highway and the nearby Save- On-Foods in Madison Centre, also home to a Winners store. Elementary and high schools are close by and BCIT and Simon Fraser University are a short drive away.
Seasons has several amenities, including a fully equipped 1,000-square-foot fitness centre, a children’s play area and an outdoor terrace for residents’ use.
The development also takes advantage of the many bike trails in the area and each home purchased at Seasons comes with one urban commuter bicycle, with 10 additional bikes for common use. Homeowners can ride to nearby destinations or explore the bike trails, including the 24-kilometre Central Valley Greenway that connects Burnaby, Vancouver and New Westminster.
Bike storage lockers are provided for each home, along with a parking stall. The parkade, accessed from Broadway, includes 10 visitor parking bays and a car-wash station.
Homes in the development range in size from one bedroom and den with one bathroom at 642 square feet, to two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a den at 1,056 square feet.
The 88 condominiums and 13 townhomes have laminate wood-finish flooring in the living areas and carpet in the bedrooms. Stairways are also carpeted, as are the second levels of all townhomes. There are two colour palettes: the warm and stylish Honey or the bright and modern Cream.
In the display suite at the sales centre on Gilmore Avenue in Burnaby, quartz countertops — white with grey accents — add to the airy ambience created by the nine-foothigh ceilings. Upper cabinets are a light-coloured wood finish, while the lowers are white with softclose drawer systems and stylish handles. The undermount kitchen sink is part of the Kohler package that also specifies the brand’s faucets in the kitchen and bathroom.
Kitchen Aid appliances include a five-element ceramic-glass cooktop and oven, a 30-inch refrigerator with temperature-controlled drawers, wine rack and icemaker; and a dishwasher. A Panasonic microwave and Venmar hood fan compete the appliance package in the kitchen. To maximize space, the front-loading, energy-efficient washers and dryers by Whirlpool are stacked.
In the display suite bathroom, the grey 12-by-24-inch grey tiles, large, clean-edged vanity mirror and soaker tub showcase a contemporary esthetic.
All homes have energy-efficient double-glazing on windows and exterior doors; conveniently located cable and data outlets; a USB outlet in the kitchen and are pre-wired for Internet and digital cable access.
Mirecki expects a range of buyers will choose to live at Seasons. “I think it’s more about the homes that people want rather than a demographic-like age,” she says.
The condos and townhomes at Seasons are attractive for singles, young couples or people downsizing.
“There are a lot of people who love living in North Burnaby and want to stay in the area, but no longer need a single-family house. They want to be convenient to city amenities, have an open-concept home with contemporary finishes and don’t want to be in a tower. This cross section of buyers contributes to the organic development of the community,” she says.
The buildings that comprise Seasons nestle comfortably into the natural surroundings, and enhancing the low-rise’s connection to the topography is a focus on the landscaping that will surround the community. Mirecki says Ledingham McAllister pays particular attention to landscaping because it is a way to establish a new community and more quickly make it part of the neighbourhood. “The plants add texture and colour and attract birds,” she says.
The landscape plan includes 200 trees, 3,000 plants and more than 1,300 ground coverings and plantings that will reflect the changing seasons, Mirecki adds. The California lilacs with their purple flowers will be at their best in spring; Kousa Dogwoods and vine maples attract small birds in spring and summer and present dramatic fall colours; the yellow flowers on the Oregon grape plants transform into purple berries in summer; and the 37 cedar trees provide dense green foliage through all four seasons.
But some of the most spectacular plants in the landscape will be the 85 rhododendrons. The rhododendron was named Burnaby’s official flower in 1966 and the city established a rhododendron display garden at nearby Deer Lake Park. Every year, the municipality and the Burnaby Rhododendron & Gardens Society hold a festival to celebrate the shrubs that are planted extensively throughout the city.
The Seasons sales centre at 1710 Gilmore Avenue is open from noon to 5 p.m. every day but Friday.