Spacious townhomes close to nature and U.S. border
? SHAWN CONNER
The Vancouver Sun
Project name: The Crossing
Project location: 288 171 Street, South Surrey
Project size: 67 townhomes, two, three and four bedrooms
Residence size: 1,301 — 1,948 square feet
Price: from $489,900
Developer: Gramercy
Architectural design: Barnett Dembek Architects
Interior design: The Mill
Website: gramercy.ca/thecrossing
Sales centre: 288 171 Street, South Surrey
Hours: Saturday — Thursday, noon — 5 p.m.
Phone: 604-542-2883
Completion date: late spring/early summer 2017
The first hint that you’re approaching somewhat unspoiled territory is a shaded country road. The South Surrey road leads into a neighbourhood that includes a golf course, park land, single-family homes and a new townhome project called The Crossing.
A development of 67 townhomes, The Crossing comprises two-, three- and four-bedroom floor plans that include a bevy of the kind of features that many homebuyers demand today. But for some, it’s the location that is a chief selling point.
“The minute we came down here, we just fell in love with it instantly,” says Linda, who asked that her last name not be used. A 51-year-old buyer, she and her boyfriend Brian have watched the project come to fruition from their rental across the street. Originally from North Vancouver, Linda was living in Clayton Heights before moving to Pacific Douglas.
“We’re a 10-minute walk down to the Peace Portal border crossing and the beach, we have a dog and it’s a great neighbourhood for walking. You can hear wildlife, bird and owls, and all the trees remind me of North Van. It’s sort of a hidden gem, you could say.”
The developer has completed two and nearly a third of five phases, with the others expected to finish this fall and early next year. There are 23 four-beds, 15 three-bed + dens, and 29 two-bed + dens.
Downsizers have been gravitating to the four-bedrooms, says Fifth Avenue Real Estate Marketing sales manager Mary Kotyakova.
“We thought downsizers would like smaller floor plans, but they still like the feeling of space.”
An attraction of the four-bedroom is the lower-floor bedroom, which comes with its own ensuite, she says.
The other three bedrooms, including a master with a walk-in closet and ensuite, are on the third floor. The main floor, which has nine-foot-high ceilings is taken up by a powder room, a great room and an extra-large kitchen with an island, as well as an area off the kitchen that can be used as a dining room or lounge area.
The three-bedrooms have a den on the lower floor, with living, dining and kitchen on the main and the three bedrooms on the third. The master includes a walk-in closet along with the ensuite.
The two-bedroom floor plans include a den and powder room on the lower floor. Most homes have arched entryways between living, dining and kitchen areas. These break up what Kotyakova calls a “tunnel-y feel” of the two-bedroom’s main floor.
The kitchen includes a pantry and broom closet. An island is offered as an optional upgrade.
All homes come with decks off the main floor, with a gas hook-up for barbecuing. Transoms above the sliding doors to the decks bring in added natural light. Master bedroom are all large enough to fit a king-sized bed.
Kitchen features include a tile backsplash (beveled porcelain “subway” in some homes, depending on the colour scheme; there are two), solid quartz countertops, wall-mounted oven and five-burner gas cooktop, shaker panel soft-close cabinetry, Samsung double-door fridge, and stainless steel KitchenAid appliance packages.
Other features include pot lights and wide-plank laminate flooring throughout the main floor. Bathrooms include oversized porcelain tile flooring, oversized walk-in showers in ensuites and, in some ensuites, a deep soaker tub.
Homes include a garage (one- or two-car, depending on the home) as well as a carport.
Linda says that she is looking forward to enjoying features like the wall-oven and potlighting, as well as the extra storage afforded by the pantry and the carport.
“They (Gramercy) seem to have actually considered what the needs of people are,” she said. “Like the carport — being able to have a parking spot is something we noticed right away. The garage is filled with Brian’s tools, so there won’t be any car in there!”
The development is designed for extra visitor parking and with community walkways that encourage visitors and residents to enjoy the property. The exteriors are an East Coast-inspired combination of cedar shake and Hardi-board, complemented by wood shutters and arched entries.
When complete, there will also be a small common room for neighbourly gatherings.
Besides downsizing empty nesters, young families and first-time homebuyers are making their way to The Crossing.
“A lot of people are coming in from places like North Van, Deep Cove,” Kotyakova said. There’s even one couple from Kitsilano.
Buyers like the fact that the area is “a little more tucked away,” she says. “They can walk down to Peace Arch Provincial Park and Semiahmoo Bay.”
The location is a short distance from shopping meccas Morgan Crossing and Grandview Corners, not to mention the U.S. border.
But for some, greenery is the more enticing element. Sunnyside Acres Urban Forest, Blackie Spit Park, Crescent Beach, and Dufferin Park are all nearby, as is the Peace Portal Golf Club. “You feel like you’re away from it all here for sure,” Linda says.
And the development backs on to a city-owned green belt, which was recently declared park land. The park land, she says, was “the selling feature for us. We don’t want to feel like there are people on top of us. We back literally on to a lot that has apple trees. I don’t believe there’s any plan to develop that area. We’re hoping not.”
She’s hoping that the area in general doesn’t become overdeveloped.
“People don’t even know it exists, which is the way people down here like it,” she said. “Don’t tell too many people!”
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