“People really like open spaces,” says Darice Greene, sales manager for the mid-sized company that was launched 24 years ago by Ottawa native Guy Whissel.
The Thornhill, a two-bedroom affair with hardwood floors and a finished lower level, has been a popular design in Longwood’s portfolio. In years past, a wall divided the living and dining room from the generous kitchen and attached breakfast bar, says Greene during a recent tour of the brick bungalow.
“We decided to take down the wall, to open up the spaces. There is a cathedral ceiling in the living and dining room and now it’s also a standard feature to have a cathedral ceiling in the kitchen and breakfast area. It opens up the whole house and makes it feel very large and very bright.”
In fact, there are 1,579 square feet of living space on the main level and another 898 square feet on the lower level, including a large family room, a bedroom and bathroom. The open design appeals to buyers wanting to downsize from larger, family homes, says Greene. “Our buyers are 50 plus, who are attracted to the area because it is close to the airport, yet the homes are not on a flight path, so there are no worries about noisy jets flying overhead.”
The Neighbourhoods of Hunt Club is a compact site, sitting behind Hunt Club Road near Paul Anka Drive. “You can be downtown in a few minutes. It is very central.”
Back inside the model, the kitchen has been designed for entertaining, boasting large helpings of granite counters and cupboards. The washer and dryer is tucked off the kitchen, ensuring laundry chores are a simple affair.
A front room can be a second bedroom or a cosy den.
The master bedroom has two large corner windows, ensuring lots of sunshine, while the ensuite bathroom was rejigged for convenience. Architect Douglas Hardie dropped the corner bathtub in earlier versions of the bungalow, substituting an oversized shower with chunky glass walls and convenient cupboards for towels and bed linens.
“Nobody really used the tubs, so we did some redesigning,” says Greene.
The formula for easy living, including a low-maintenance exterior, is working: Half of the 22 bungalows have already sold. Longwood is putting the finishing touches on four inventory homes, with August occupancy, says Greene. There are five wide lots with novel designs featuring rear garages.
The remaining homes will be ready by spring.
There are four different plans, starting with the Thornhill, which is the smallest, and going up to the Meadow, the largest, with 1,787 square feet and priced at $469,900. The base price of the Thornhill is $441,900, which includes hardwood flooring in the living and dining room, ceramic in the entrance and bathrooms and granite counters.
Longwood, which is also building condos, has a history of building adult-lifestyle communities, starting with bungalows near Baseline and Merivale roads and a blend of bungalows and two-storey homes a block west of this neighbourhood site.
There are also plans to build an adult-lifestyle community in Richmond. “It is a concept people like and are looking for,” says Greene, who follows her own advice, buying a Longwood bungalow townhome seven years ago. More information about the program is available on the web site at www.aulaundry.com.
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