GREYSTONE VILLAGE: NEW PHASE, NEW DESIGNS
New towns and single homes go on sale Oct. 1
The people have spoken. The result: New designs are centre stage at phase two of eQ Homes’ landmark Greystone Village bordering the Rideau River in Old Ottawa East.
Homebuyers got a sneak peek at the 49 new towns and singles in the North Shore phase of Greystone during a recent special event. The homes go on sale to the public starting Oct. 1.
The new designs are all three storeys and sport a contemporary vibe with traditional accents including neighbourly hipped roofs. Balconies and ample glazing link the homes to the street, and most have a den/optional bedroom on the ground floor. There are also a couple of pocket parks in the new phase, upping the project’s already-substantial connection with nature.
Design in a project like Greystone is an “iterative process,” says eQ president David Wallace. “There’s a constant dialogue going on with people who are buying currently, people interested in buying future phases, and with what the site offers, its engagement with the river and typography.”
That dialogue yielded the five new Vista Collection singles designs (the original plan called for all towns in this phase). The singles are two to three bedrooms plus that convertible den and range from 1,988 to 3,117 square feet. Prices go from $875,000 to $1.655 million. Most of the singles have at least a partial view of the river.
The four new Riva Collection towns feature refreshed elevations, some with red brick. They have two bedrooms, and a couple include the main-floor den/optional bedroom. The towns have also been broken into smaller blocks of four to six homes to provide more end units and to reduce the towns’ overall scale in keeping with Greystone’s emphasis on community. The towns are 1,451 to 1,565 square feet, and prices run from $595,000 to $695,000.
Finishes in all the homes include granite or quartz countertops, contemporary faucets, oak hardwood floors, and pot light packages.
Registration for the new phase hit 1,250 by the time of writing, according to eQ marketing manager Tobin Kardish. “I think it will continue to be high because this is a one-of-a-kind development,” he said at the recent event before scooting off to chat with more potential buyers prowling eQ’s handsome presentation centre.
Launched a year ago, the deepgreen Greystone Village will eventually comprise 900 towns, singles and condos on a prime 26-acre site between Main Street and the Rideau River that was the home of the Oblate brothers for more than 155 years.
Greystone was designed by architect Barry J. Hobin and his team and has proven a hit with buyers. About 85 per cent of the singles and towns in phase one have been sold according to Kardish.
Sales in the first condo tower have been slower because of the continuing oversupply of condos in Ottawa.
The new designs continue the project’s existing emphasis on natural textures and materials in the elevations including brick, limestone and wood.
Buyers can vary some of the exterior palette to suit personal preference.
That varied palette integrates with the surrounding community according to Gordon Lorimer, a partner at Barry J. Hobin who played a key role in designing the project.
“The fabric of (Old) Ottawa East is quite eclectic. There’s a mix of infill housing, houses from the 1950s, the ‘20s,” he says. “We’re trying to create a community that’s unique, but also fits into the neighbourhood.”
The entire project, and especially the new designs, also blends privacy and community. With the main living area on the second floor and the large windows, there can be “eyes on the street,” says Lorimer. “You can imagine the kids playing out front, but still being under supervision. At the same time, because the main living space is elevated, it affords privacy from passersby.”
Greystone’s green side includes Energy Star certification for energy efficiency. eQ is also applying for LEED ND (Neighborhood Development), which recognizes sustainable communities rather than just individual dwellings.
There are only 12 projects in Canada registered under the LEED ND pilot, and Greystone is the first in the country to register for it under LEED v4, the latest version of LEED.
The community is also modelled on new urbanism, which arose in the United States in the ‘80s and stresses walkability and bicycling, narrower, lively streets, and rearlane garages. A pathway runs past the new towns and singles, unifying the phase and terminating at the river.
“It’s a whole different feel from conventional developments,” says Lorimer.
The site will also include a grocery store, shops, and the Grande Allée leading from Main Street to a park and the formidable grey-stone Édifice Deschâtelets.
Formerly a residence, the latter will be repurposed in the new project, although for what has not been firmed up.
Occupancy in phase one will begin in 2017. Phase two buyers will start moving in the following year.