Memories inspire homes

COOPER’S CROSSING

Memories of drives through Mount Royal helped inspire a new collection in Cooper’s Crossing, says its developer.

Paul Gerla of Westmark Holdings remembers touring the historic Calgary community, admiring its grand estate homes.

As manager of the company, he’s hoping to create something similar in the classic estate collection within Cooper’s Crossing in Airdrie.

“You drive to the areas that you’re attracted to and for me, it was these old neighbourhoods in the inner-city with the tremendous old estate homes,” says Gerla.

“My hope is in 10 years, people go to this area on a Sunday afternoon just to look at the wonderful homes and dream about ‘When I’m ready to buy a house like that, that’s where I’m going to look.’”

This collection includes 27 lots that range from 42- to 50-feet wide. The homes on these lots will start at about 2,200 square feet and offer rear garages in a fully-custom area, says Gerla.

Prices in this collection start in the $700,000s, including lot and GST. “There is no new neighbourhood that offers this kind of house,” he says.

Homes in historic innercity neighbourhoods often included a rear carriage house, says Gerla. “We have special permission in our subdivision to emulate that carriage house, so if homeowners chose, they can develop the loft space in the garage in the back.”

This space cannot be offered as a separate suite, but can be used as extra living space for the homeowner, he says.

This space is ideal for a multi-generational family where grown children attending university can have personal space, says Gerla.

The classic estate collection will appeal to people eyeing an inner-city home who are discouraged by the cost, he says. “We can more or less duplicate that appearance and type of house for $700,000, all in, here in Airdrie.”

Gerla says residents in the collection will have “virtually all the same amenities” as an inner-city home because restaurants and shopping amenities are within walking distance.

Preferred builders in the classic estate collection include Artigiano Developments, Canterra Custom Homes and McKee Homes.

Cooper’s Crossing also has an estate collection featuring front garages. In this area, the preferred builders include Crystal Creek Homes, Canterra Custom Homes and Harder Homes.

Cooper’s Crossing contains about 130 hectares and is halfway through its development. Upon build-out, it will include about 2,000 residences.

Visit cooperscrossing.ca