LOCALLY SOURCED
North Delta's Walker House attracts buyers from the area
Walker House, BMG Real Estate's mixed-use development in the Townline development area in North Delta, will unlock a new neighbourhood in the city, says company president Milan Mann.
Townline is one of the areas identified as suitable for higher density housing in the recommendations report from the Mayor's Housing Task Force for Scott Road.
While BMG originally considered a wood-framed building for the land at 9365 120 St., the city's revitalization plans and the Mann family's personal connection to the area — after immigrating to Canada, Milan Mann's father lived two blocks from the site — the concept for the 29-storey concrete tower was initiated.
Mann says the building design, by Focus Architecture, and the interiors by Area3 Design, were inspired by the British pub esthetic he observed during a visit to London, adding that connection also informed the name of the building,
Noticing the frequent use of the word `House' in building names during his visit and his desire for a moniker with “some substance,” Mann said he worked backwards, also taking cues from the architecture of the building, to decide on the Walker House name.
The building comprises 314 homes (studios and one- and two-bedroom units) and includes 17,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor amenities and almost 5,000 sq. ft of commercial space, a large portion of which is allocated for an on-site daycare with the balance earmarked for services and stores that will be well utilized by area residents.
The building will include a range of amenities from the practical — a smart parcel room including refrigerated lockers for grocery deliveries and a table to enable people to unpack their packages and immediately place the cardboard in a recycling bin — to fun facilities like a basketball court.
There will also be a lounge with a dining area and kitchenette to enable residents to host events like birthday parties, a gym, a co-working lounge with semi-private workspaces, a power-connected communal work table and a meeting room plus a rooftop deck with a landscaped garden.
Considering the potential target market of buyers, Mann says, “Delta itself is a very small community. People grow up there, want to live there again. So for parents looking at where their kids are going to live or grow into, [Walker House] is a good first step to keep their children in close proximity.”
He also notes that most of the buyers are from within a 10-kilometre radius of the site, which he attributes to local buyers understanding the dynamics of that area.
“They know Delta's got access to great schools, good community amenities, pools and biking trails. Plus, if they have to commute for work, there's access to major transit and roadways to get them where they need to go,” says Mann.
The homes in Walker House range in size from 472 to 1,959 sq. ft.
“We've designed very livable homes. We haven't tried to cram a bunch of units into the building. We worked backwards by [considering] the most efficient layout if we were to live in [the building],” he says, adding that this approach impacted everything from the kitchen design to the amenity spaces.
Reaching back to the developer's original inspiration and imagining the interior of a British pub, Lisa Hansen, principal at Area3, says Walker House's interior design features rich warm wood colours and jewel tones.
The Area3 team developed two colour options for buyers: a Light and Dark scheme with the main colour differences seen in the cabinetry, flooring and countertops, says Hansen.
The Dark scheme is walnut-inspired, while the second scheme is a light, neutral palette.
“The kitchens are beautiful,” says Hansen. “We have integrated appliances; they're built in and panelled with the cabinetry, so you have a [space] that looks more like millwork as opposed to a kitchen.”
The kitchens include all the functional features such as softclose cabinetry, under cabinet task lighting and an under-counter waste bin along with special touches like the mottled-concrete-look quartz countertops and backsplashes, says Hansen.
“There is no loud pattern,” she says, noting how the quartz contributes to the streamlined and minimal look evident in the interior design.
“What's really nice is the separate components like a wall oven and a cooktop that's dropped into the countertop for a much cleaner, more streamlined look,” she says, adding that there is also a small contrasting open cubby in most of the kitchens that will give residents the opportunity to store cookbooks or display a collection of beautiful coffee mugs.
The major appliances in units are by Fulgor Milano, while the six penthouses will have a Gaggenau appliance package.
In the bathrooms, the 12- by 24inch floor and walls tiles feature grey tones, lighter in the Light scheme and a midtone grey in the Dark scheme. The plumbing fixtures, by Kohler, are black matte for the Dark scheme and vibrant brushed nickel for the Light option.
Construction on Walker House is underway, and Mann anticipates the homes will be complete by early 2027.