The future is clear in Crystallina Nera
Convenience, green space will call families to north Edmonton
When Daytona Homes’ Paula Rocha looks to the future of the north Edmonton community of Crystallina Nera, she doesn’t need a crystal ball to know she likes what she sees.
“It’s going to be very familyoriented,” Rocha says. “It’s going to have a lot of trees and green space. You’ve got the beautiful lake there; I think it’s going to be a quiet area, yet you’re so close to all of the amenities. It’s very close to the Anthony Henday and Manning Freeway. I think it’s going to be a really great area, and a little bit of everything for everyone. Whatever price range you’re looking at, you can find something there for yourself.”
Crystallina Nera is located between 66th Street and 82nd Street, in the Lake District south of Anthony Henday Drive and north of the Schonsee neighbourhood.
Natalie Semeniuk, project manager with Genstar Development, says the natural beauty of the area — particularly the large urban forest on the west side of the community and the wetlands, both protected by the city — makes Crystallina Nera special.
“The great thing about this is if you buy here, you know that these will always be here,” Semeniuk says. “You don’t have to worry about them being developed — they can’t be touched. There is also the green belt that runs throughout the area.”
In addition to being handy to major commuter routes such as the Henday, Manning and Yellowhead Trail, the neighbourhood is also close to retail shopping and dining at the Namao Centre on 97th Street, and Londonderry Mall on 66th Street. Also within easy reach are the Londonderry and Castle Downs recreation centres, and space is set aside within the neighbourhood for two future schools.
“Access is fantastic,” Semeniuk says. “It’s close to the Henday, and of course 82nd Street will take you right downtown. It’s very close to the base (CFB Edmonton), and very convenient for anyone working in Fort Saskatchewan.”
According to the guide Naming Edmonton: From Ada to Zoie, the name Crystallina Nera is derived from the Greek term for “crystal waters,” so it’s no surprise that water takes centre stage in the development. The first stage of the development revolves around a large, man-made pond, with walkout lots that back onto the water. The pond, ringed by a walking trail, also has a utilitarian purpose — it helps manage snowmelt and stormwater.
Four builders — Daytona Homes, Ironstone Home Builders, Pacesetter Homes and Park Royal Homes — are constructing a variety of homes to suit a wide range of needs, with prices starting in the low $300,000s. The builders follow the architectural themes of the development, which include colonial, craftsman, Prairie and Tudor exteriors.
Daytona Homes has available a mix of product that includes duplexes, bungalows and twostorey homes, ranging from 1,300 to 2,400 square feet.
Rocha says the company prides itself on providing its customers with peace of mind as their house is being built.
“With us, if you want to view your house any time during the construction process, you can come after five o’clock and we’ll give you a key, so you can go look,” she says.
Park Royal also strives to offer a personalized touch.
“We have flexibility in terms of really personalizing the home for the customer,” says sales consultant Zach Amyot. “We have two specification packages to choose from. One gives you landscaping and your deck and a lot of other nice features in the home, like granite in the kitchen, ceramic and hardwood on the main floor and your appliance package. The other is for customers who are looking to get in at a specific price point. We’re able to mix and match what we put in the home so we can get to the price they are looking to achieve.”
Both Park Royal and Daytona have show homes open in nearby Lakeview, with their Crystallina Nera show homes slated to open this summer.
Pacesetter Homes will have three-bedroom, two-storey houses with attached garages available in Crystallina Nera in six designs, ranging from 1,448 to 2,870 sq. ft. The company currently has a show home open in Brintnell, with one in Crystallina Nera slated to open in the summer.
Ironstone will be building two-storey homes with frontattached garages, mostly in the 2,000 sq. ft. to 2,500 sq. ft. range. They will also have a rear-lane product in the 1,300 to 1,700 sq. ft. range.
Ironstone also plans to open a Crystallina Nera show home in midsummer, and currently has one nearby in St. Albert.