A SENSE OF PLACE
Sophia Living townhomes meld traditional and modern in Port Moody’s heritage district
Sunny Singh says his family-owned company has a golden rule when it comes to building homes for people: “We build homes that we would want to live in.”
The company, Paulsun Holdings, started by his father 30 years ago, also considers places where the members of the extended family would like to be located, and Port Moody qualifies as just such a location. Sophia Living, which carries on the tradition of being named after his granddaughters, is nestled in an area of Port Moody that the city has designated as heritage zoning. That is why the boutique-style development of 30 two- and three-bedroom townhomes has a traditional design with Craftsman-style features.
The homes, single-level two-bedroom and den units at ground level, with two- and three-level townhomes stacked on top, are in four buildings with an attractive courtyard in the middle. The one-level units have doors on the outside streets and face the courtyard; the upper-level homes have doors on the courtyard. The site, a corner of which is at Clark and Spring, is laid out to provide higher density levels, which allows Paulsun to offer them at more affordable prices, he said.
Why Port Moody? The company has built all over Metro Vancouver but has always been impressed with the Vancouver suburb situated at the eastern end of Burrard Inlet, Singh said.
“We’ve built there in the past, and we have always liked that area. Port Moody is a unique kind of city, right in the middle of everything, but not very many people know about it. Once people go there, they are quite impressed. It is now becoming one of the most popular destinations for people to take their kids, including the great Rocky Point Park.
“When we looked at the site for the first time, we felt like this was a place where we would want to live.”
Singh says the homes are close to the West Coast Express and SkyTrain station but not so close that the noise of the trains is an issue. Also nearby are small stores along St. John whose heritage features are protected by zoning.
The two-bedroom-plus-den units range from 1,250 to 1,350 square feet and the three-bedroom units are 1,350 to 1,431 sq. ft. While the exteriors of the homes will be heritage styled when completed, the interiors of the 30 homes are completely modern.
The open-style floor plans are practical and efficient and come in two designer colours.
All main levels have ninefoot ceilings and a full fire-sprinkler system with smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors. Every home has a full-size stacked washer and dryer and wood closet organizers to maximize storage.
Kitchens come with a premium stainless steel appliance package. It includes an Energy Star-rated 36-inch KitchenAid counter-depth French-door fridge with bottom freezer, water dispenser, and automatic ice maker, and a 30-inch KitchenAid electric range with self-cleaning convection oven.
Also included are an Energy
Star-rated KitchenAid ultraquiet dishwasher with hidden controls and multiple wash options, a built-in Panasonic microwave with stainless steel trim kit and an under-cabinet Broan hood fan.
The cabinetry is custom-made solid plywood cabinetry with a soft-close feature and brilliant satin or black hardware, with engineered quartz countertops.
Most kitchens have islands with a breakfast bar for entertaining. There is an energy-efficient hot water system as well.
Singh says that Paulsun uses a number of green building techniques, including low-VOC paints, a recycling program during construction, and solid building practices to ensure the homes are Green Gold and EnerGuide 82 certified. Every resident parking stall in the underground parking is pre-wired for electric car charging.