THE HOUSE, FRONT AND CENTRE
Streetscape Series takes an old-school approach by giving the porch prominent role
Streetscape homes are about to reshape the landscape in Edmonton’s newer subdivisions.
A recent entry into the marketplace, the increasingly popular Streetscape Series is designed to give city streets and neighbourhoods a completely different look and feel.
While suburban homes with front-attached garages have long ruled neighbourhoods, an effort is being made to change that. Instead of the front protruding garage being a home’s prominent exterior feature, the garage has been recessed into the dwelling in the Streetscape Series.
Streetscape homes are built on wider lots, meaning the interior has been reconfigured and can feel more spacious as opposed to long and narrow in a typical new, single-family home. The Streetscape Series puts the focus on the front of the home, making the entryway highly visible (as opposed to being eclipsed by the garage), and there’s a reasonably large front porch that encourages interaction with neighbours.
That made the difference for one Streetscape purchaser.
“The front porch just brings back memories,” said Harvey Agra, who with his fiancee Eve Matito are in the process of purchasing their first home, a Streetscape Series model from Coventry Homes in the new southwest community of The Uplands at Riverview. “I come from an old neighbourhood in Toronto where you see a lot of people hanging out (on the front porch). You get to know your neighbours better. You can say hi to your neighbours. I think it will bring the community together.”
When Agra and Matito decided earlier this year that it was the time for them to buy a home, they had no idea that the Streetscape option existed. A friend brought them to Coventry’s Uplands Streetscape show homes, and when they learned more they liked what they heard.
“A lot of (the decision to purchase) was actually because of the Streetscape (model). It brings character to your house — you’re actually seeing the whole house and not just a garage,” Agra said, adding that they would likely still be looking for a home if they hadn’t discovered the Streetscape Series.
“That’s what we like — it shows the actual character of the house, not the garage,” Agra said. “The Streetscape (model) gives character to a house. It makes the actual house a home. That’s nothing against the (front-protruding ) garage, it’s just my personal preference that when you come to your house, you see your house. I like a nice big garage, but I want it to blend in with the house.”
LIMITED LOCATIONS
Streetscape Series homes can be found in two southwest Edmonton communities, The Uplands at Riverview and Langdale in Windermere, two subdivisions being developed by Qualico Communities.
In addition to Coventry, Daytona Homes, Pacesetter Homes and Sterling Homes are building Streetscape Series homes in The Uplands, while in Langdale, a master-planned community designed with a charming old-English flair, Sterling and Pacesetter offer the Streetscape option.
“If you like the wider lots found in old neighbourhoods but want a new home, this would be a perfect fit,” said Ryan Richardson, area manager for Sterling Homes. “My first impression was that I thought the exterior curb appeal of the Streetscape Series was really beautiful. The front veranda gives the house a sense of community, where people can spend time in the front of their home. It would be great to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee on the front porch.”
Sterling offers Streetscape Series homes in Langdale, ranging from 2,140 to 2,800 square feet. Pricing for these two-storey homes starts at $500,000, including the lot and GST. In The Uplands, Sterling’s pricing and square footage are similar. In Langdale, where the Streetscape Series has been available for a longer period of time, Richardson said buyers find the homes very desirable and sales have been strong.
“They’re selling so well we’re coming out with new elevations (the exterior look of the front of the house) and new floor plans to keep up with the demand,” he said. “Buyers are loving the way the Streetscape Series looks.
“A lot of people love the flush look of the exterior. They love the unique plans, and they love that their house won’t be the same as everyone else that they know.”
Inside, due to the increased width of the homes when compared to the typical single-family home with a front-attached garage, Richardson says, Sterling’s floor plans have inviting entryways.
He adds that these homes have larger ensuites, and because of this more buyers are opting for freestanding bathtubs.
EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW
While the Streetscape Series is one of the latest offerings locally, this type of home has actually been around for a very long time.
“They’re pretty prevalent down east,” said Robin Nasserdeen, director of sales for Coventry Homes.
“From my understanding it was here in the 1970s, but it’s been quite a long time since we’ve seen a full-scale development of the Streetscape homes.”
However, that’s no longer the case, as Qualico has given the Streetscape option a new lease on life in Edmonton.
“Qualico has really taken the lead on the Streetscape product in the city,” Nasserdeen said. “The developer really has taken the forefront on re-introducing this product back into the market.”
Coventry’s Streetscapes in The Uplands start in the mid$400,000s, including the lot and GST. Interestingly, Coventry has used one of its Streetscape show homes in The Uplands to host its latest Edmonton Oilers fan cave package, which gives buyers a leg up on transforming part of their home into an elaborate fan cave.
“The big thing with the (new) Oilers fan cave being in a Streetscape is that it gives you a good perspective of what you can do with the amount of unobstructed open living space,” Nasserdeen said, adding that this fan cave in The Mira model includes a mini-rink where you can play indoor hockey, as well as a plenty of adjacent space for fan cave fun.
“From our perspective, the wide (Streetscape) home allows us to tie the spaces in very well. You have the actual rink, and right next to it you have the fan cave. It is pretty seamless.”
Fan cave or not, prospective Coventry homebuyers seem to like the Streetscape product.
“It’s safe to say the traditional single-family home is the most popular right now, but we are seeing this product starting to pick up some steam,” Nasserdeen said. “It speaks to a buyer who is looking for something a little bit different in a home, letting the front of the home tie into the street. It looks really unique from the front.”
It speaks to a buyer who is looking for something a little bit different in a home ...