Young professionals being drawn to Dwell24 townhomes
Residents of TriCities project will have easy access to rapid transit, bigcity amenities and the great outdoors
When Derek DiMartle, president of Epix Developments, and Tony Russo, president of The Circadian Group, seized the opportunity to purchase undeveloped land at the crossroads of Coquitlam and Port Moody in late 2012, it was to create high-quality Vancouver-style townhouses in an exciting locale, with interiors and finishings unmatched in any other townhouse project in the Tri-Cities.
The outcome is Dwell24, which consists of 24 three- and four-bedroom townhomes featuring wellthought-out open-concept plans with great expanses of naturally lit space, single or double garages, and outdoor space on every level.
The public’s interest in Dwell24, whose homes start at $898,900, is such that only 13 units are still available and may well be snapped up by the time the project is fully completed this fall.
The buzz over Dwell24 is satisfying to DiMartle, but not too surprising. He says: “Back in 2012, it was evident that younger professionals were being priced out of Vancouver and gravitating to outlying areas, and the Coquitlam/Port Moody region is attractive to them because Vancouver is an easy commute, there are big-city services and amenities, and yet the great outdoors is literally minutes away.”
DiMartle adds: “We knew that developing Dwell24 in this particular neighbourhood would be a success, especially if we could offer the degree of quality Vancouverites had become accustomed to in new builds.”
A casual inspection of any Dwell24 townhome (there are five blocks of buildings altogether, three of them are four-plexes and the remaining two are six-plexes) reveals that DiMartle and Russo have achieved their objective in spades. Flow and ease of movement is what the Dwell24 lifestyle is all about, and an example of this is the generous living area by interior designer Samantha Muller: the homes have lots of storage space flow, and the main living area leads directly into a contemporary kitchen and then into a cosy dining area, the equivalent of a modern-day great room.
The clean and sleek esthetic of the kitchen is emphasized by polished quartz countertops in warm white; penny-round tile backsplashes; an oversized island; European-inspired flat-panelled cabinetry (with soft-close hardware), and a state-of-the-art European appliance package consisting of the Fulgor Milano, Blomberg and Panasonic brands.
An element that adds to the unique and refined nature of Dwell24 homes is the glass feature wall separating the kitchen and the staircase. This unique and frequently commented on addition makes the kitchen area feel extra open and spacious.
The spa-inspired ensuites feature polished, European-inspired flat-panelled cabinetry and hisand-hers double vanities. Hexagon ceramic tile flooring is an elegant touch, and a statement Carrara marble backsplash heightens the degree of sophistication. It almost goes without saying, given DiMartle’s and Russo’s aim to deliver Vancouver-style home quality, that the bathrooms also feature soaker tubs with rain-shower heads.
A generous sense of space informs all of Dwell24’s 10 different floor plans (which range in size from 1,323 to 1,638 square feet): all levels have nine-foot ceilings; in the master bedrooms the vaulted ceilings reach 12 feet; and the spaces throughout are enhanced with practical storage that enhances a clutter-free appearance. Equally important is the intense attention to detail in both the light and dark colour schemes offered at Dwell24. These include the engineered hardwood flooring in the kitchens, living rooms, dining rooms, upper hallways and stairs.
DiMartile’s strategy for bringing Vancouver-quality homes into the Tri-Cities region at an attractive price point was relatively simple, but involved a lot of brainstorming. “We collaborated with our builder and partner, The Circadian Group, at the outset of the development process and they guided us towards achieving the things we wanted to in a cost-effective manner,” he explains. “Too often, developers seek the input of builders and engineers when a design is in the advanced stages, only to find out that design specifications are either financially unfeasible or more costly than originally expected. But thanks to Circadian’s input, we fully realized our dream for Dwell24.”
Of course, Dwell 24’s attractiveness is augmented by the benefits of location. The townhomes lie within easy walking distance of Coquitlam Centre and the Suter Brook Village area of Port Moody. Dwell24
offers easy access to the SkyTrain’s Evergreen Line and West Coast Express Station, as well as Highway 1, Barnet Highway and Lougheed Highway, so getting around Metro Vancouver is easy.
A diversity of activity can be easily enjoyed in a single day, from shopping at the sprawling Coquitlam Centre to hiking, biking, swimming or horseback riding at Belcarra Regional Park, and perhaps eating a romantic dinner on the waterfront at The Boathouse.
With construction of homes at Dwell24 completing this fall, townhomes will be move-in ready in just 60 days – a major benefit to many homebuyers. As they look forward to Dwell24’s completion, DiMartle and Russo note that they have been fielding inquiries from prospective homebuyers from all points of the compass. DiMartle says: “Since this summer, the sheer volume of traffic has been overwhelming.
“I understand their enthusiasm. As more and more young professionals relocate to outlying areas, they want a high quality of lifestyle. With Dwell24, they can enjoy incredible surroundings and, quite frankly, homes of a higher standard than you would typically find in townhouse development.”
We knew that developing Dwell24 in this particular neighbourhood would be a success, especially if we could offer the degree of quality Vancouverites had become accustomed to in new builds.