FINDING VALUE IN CRANSTON
Origins complex offers buyers quality without need for a long list of upgrades
A lot has changed since Dylan Myles moved to Vancouver from Calgary 13 years ago.
The last time he called Calgary home, it was only early days for a number of master-planned communities now covering the city’s southeast quadrant.
Now that he’s back from the West Coast, this bustling part of the city is where Myles has picked to buy his first home. The Calgary Transit operator is moving to a condo at Origins at Cranston.
Shovels turned for the final phase of the complex, by award-winning builder Streetside Developments, last June. It includes 68 apartment-style condos in one-, twoand three-bedroom floor plans.
Streetside also has projects in various stages of sales and development in Redstone, Killarney, Silverado and 8A Avenue S.W.
Now staying with family who live in Cranston, Myles has become well acquainted with the upside to the community and life on this end of Calgary.
“I like the area,” says Myles. “You’ve got Stoney Trail and you’ve got Deerfoot Trail. So depending where you’re going, you just hop on either one of them.”
One benefit to Cranston’s connectivity is the short drive to Okotoks, Myles says. He calls the Costco in Okotoks “the best kept secret,” adding that it and the town’s other big box stores are “a lot less busy, it’s unreal.” Within Calgary city limits, he’s fond of the range of stores and restaurants on 130th Avenue S.E. and the new South Health Campus hospital.
“Origins is located on a quiet residential street with a bike path to Fish Creek (Provincial Park) running right past the front of the building,” says area manager Darcey Robertson.
Prices were another consideration for Myles and Origins fell into the range he was looking for. Units start from the $170,000s, before tax.
“As a first-time homebuyer, you don’t want to be mortgage poor,” Myles adds.
Value has been key to early interest at the development, Robertson says, adding buyers can get quality without needing a long list of upgrades.
“Undeniably the standard specifications at Origins in Cranston are very high,” says Robertson.
“Purchasers are delighted that they do not have to spend more money to get the personalized condo of their choice.”
Origins’ condos have airy ninefoot ceilings and are decked out in the buyers’ choice of two designer colour palettes.
Kitchens boast Frigidaire stainless steel appliances, a full-height tile backsplash and a large island with an extended eating bar.
There’s vinyl plank and porcelain tile flooring.
Other standard specifications include chrome Moen plumbing fixtures, window coverings and a designer lighting package.
When Myles decided to go with upgrades, he called the pricing “reasonable.”
His picks include cabinets to the ceiling and a fridge with French doors.
“For what you got, I was kind of like, ‘ Wow, really?’ ” Myles says.
The floor plan section includes the 620-square-foot Cypress and the 623-square-foot Aspen, which are one-bedroom arrangements. Then there’s the 1,263-squarefoot Elm with three bedrooms and the two-bedroom Birch, offered in three versions that range from 919 to 928 square feet. Myles picked the Aspen. “The floor plans themselves were very open,” Myles says. He liked the layout of the cooking space.
“I didn’t want the fridge, the stove, the dishwasher all in one corner. It was more spread out.”
Myles liked that the kitchen allows him to stay connected with guests.
“When you’re at the sink, the kitchen looks out toward the windows of the living area. If you have friends over while you’re doing stuff, you can still talk to them,” Myles adds.
“In some places the sink is towards the back of the kitchen so you’re facing the wall.”
A pantry was also on Myles’ wish list. But in the size of condo he was looking at, finding one wasn’t an easy task.
“Not many places for a one bedroom would offer a pantry in the kitchen. In fact, I could not find one,” Myles says. “That’s a selling point I really liked.”