With three different housing styles in three different price ranges, Royal York Estates is hoping to offer something for everyone with the launch of its 45-unit subdivision in Armstrong.
A small crowd gathered for a ribbon cutting ceremony Wednesday afternoon at the entrance of Armstrong’s first gated community, adjacent to Royal York Golf Club, to celebrate the project’s launch. Armstrong Mayor Chris Pieper did the honours.
“A development like this is really a partnership with the owners, developers, the community and city,” said Pieper. “During the past years, the city has worked with the York family and present-day developers Patrick (Place) and John (Groeneveld) to bring a fantastic community development around our great little golf course.”
Pieper added that, through negotiation with the developers of both Royal York Estates and the Southgate project on Harding Road, the city will build a new water supply that will service the southeast area of Armstrong.
“This loop will give everyone in this area a superior fire flow, as well as a more reliable, single source of city water,” said Pieper.
The Royal York development has also donated one acre and about $55,000 for park development along Meighan Creek.
The Royal York project consists of 45 lots, 15 of which will be offered as custom-build homes. Those lots have a 60-foot road frontage and are 135 feet deep.
There are 15 cottage-style homes with full basements that have been pre-designed for ease of planning, allowing the buyer to hand pick certain design features.
Single-level duplexed townhomes make up the remaining 15 homes. They offer full basements, guest bedrooms, and the interiors and exteriors can also be customized with homebuyer preferences.
Lot prices start at $139,900, and unit prices start at $399,000.
“Three different types of home in three different price ranges. Hopefully there’s something for everybody,” said Place, who noted the look of the subdivision will follow that of the stunning Royal York clubhouse, rebuilt several years ago due to a fire.
“There’s a real desire for the type of housing that we’re building. We do have people moving from other areas who have an expectation for more of an upper-scale home.”
Some of the design features in the development include the timber and masonry work at the front gate and light standards along the estate’s roadway.
“We liked the look of the timberframe and rock work,” said Groeneveld. “We wanted to keep it the same so it all ties together.”
Groeneveld has begun construction of one of the townhouses, and added there are two more scheduled to begin shortly.
Place is awaiting a permit to begin building a showhome.
The land the development sits on used to be an RV park. While Place and Groeneveld were going through the rezoning and development process, they spoke with a number of people who felt a gated community would be a worthy feature as some residents head south every winter.
“It just gives them that piece of security when they’re gone,” said Place. “And it creates a nice entrance. It sets the tone for a certain style.”
And while Royal York Estates isn’t an age-restricted project, Place expects the majority of buyers will be from the baby boomer/snowbird generation.
“It isn’t age restricted, and we’ve got some got some larger lots for family homes.”
