Victorians who love to winter in Arizona will soon be able to find a little bit of Arizona without leaving the Island.
No, we're not talking about dry heat and adobe housing, but the first gated enclave to grace Victoria's West Shore. Nestled inside the Latoria Walk community of mixed family dwellings is a gated niche of 44 patio homes and four exclusive single-family homes.
Developer Michael Volk turns the wheel of his white F-150 Ford truck and heads up the slope to his newest community-in-the-making. The truck bumps and tilts along a chewed-up ridge, the ground a little soft under the wheels. Volk pulls up at the top, swings out of the truck and shows off the forest views.
A lifelong Victorian and long-time realtor, Volk discovered the 20-acre Colwood property through word of mouth. Nestled next to 40-acre Havenwood Park and literally across the street from the Olympic View Golf Club, the property had "location, location, location," written all over it, as far as Volk was concerned. "You just don't find raw land like this every day."
Volk spends a lot of time visiting family in Phoenix, Ariz., an area that inspired him to make part of the Latoria Walk community gated.
"The Americans are way ahead of us in this," says Volk, "and it's not all about security. Arizona isn't exactly a high-crime state, but there are gated communities everywhere."
Many people in Arizona and Vancouver Island divide their time between two homes, he says, following the good weather through the seasons. Such prolonged absences make gated communities more attractive to buyers in that demographic.
Latoria Walk will cater to more than just part-time Islanders, however.
Volk expects the gated district will also appeal to young professional couples looking for an air of exclusivity.
When all five stages are completed, Latoria Walk will form a mixed community of 64 single-family homes, 44 patio homes, 10 attached townhouses, 72 condominium units and a 25,000-square-foot commercial and retail centre. The gated sector will be located in the midst of these.
The architectural style leans toward contemporary Arts and Crafts, although some Cape Cod and D'Castrio West Coast elements are evident in batten-board cedar siding and genuine stone facades.
"See that cultured stone on that house there?" says Volk he drives along a road lined with patio homes in various stages of construction. "I hate it."
Hmm, not exactly what I expected to hear from a developer showing off his project, but Volk's intention becomes obvious in a minute. He points at another house. "That stone there, that's the real thing," he says.
Volk had already started cladding houses in cultured stone when he stumbled upon a local stonecutter equipped to cut rock slender enough to serve as a suitable cladding. Committed to using organic building materials, Volk decided to strip the cultured stone and re-surface the area with genuine stone.
"It's consistent with the natural look of our houses," says Volk. Cedar siding was also milled from trees logged on-site, a move that supports the local workforce and, Volk points out, is eco-friendly, as it reduces fuel use for transportation.
Paving-stone driveways, Asian-inspired courtyards, English wrought-iron fencing, wide roads lined with sidewalks and larger lot sizes all make for a welcoming community.
Builders are practical thinkers, and Volk is no different. Seeing new communities "littered with cars," Volk is building his patio homes and townhouses with double-car and triple-car garages so the architectural style and landscaping will dominate the community, not the latest automobile model out of Detroit.
Volk looks to established neighbourhoods around Victoria as a model, calling Mattick's Farm in Cordova Bay an inspiration. He says the development partners plan to maintain ownership of the commercial centre to ensure the integrity of the community, and because "it's just plain a good investment."
Volk envisions an old European-style cobblestone courtyard bordered by an organic grocer, open-air cafes and shops in the commercial centre, which Volk expects will be built in 2007.
"It's all about walking at Latoria Walk," says Volk. "We're criss-crossing the community with walkways, making it easy for people to stroll down to the cafe, visit their neighbours, or stroll to the golf course. And, of course, there's the 40-acre park next door. It's full of trails. You can spend your whole day here. It has everything you want."
Hungry for more? Check out New Homes in the Times Colonist next week, when we join Latoria Walk's interior designer Karen West of Karen West Design Group as she shows us how a designer puts a personal touch on a patio house built to appeal to a broad market. Watch West notch up the appeal of granite, slate and steel.
- - -
DETAILS
Where: Corner of Veterans Memorial Parkway and Latoria, in Colwood
Project size: 64 single-family homes, 44 patio homes, 10 attached townhouses, 69 condominium units and a 25,000-square-foot commercial and retail centre.
House sizes: From 1,700 to 4,500 square feet
Lot sizes: From 7,500 square feet to 8,500 square feet. Several lots available at 11,000 and 12,000 square feet.
Lot prices start at $220,000
To date, houses range in value from $450,000 to $600,000.
Warranty: National Home Warranty
Sewage prepaid 15 years
Neat stuff: Concrete tile roofing (in some homes), cozy courtyard gardens in patio homes, abundant garage space and plans for organic shops and cafe. Adjacent 40-acre park with walking trails and golf course.
Drive to downtown: 20 minutes
Drive to nearest retail centre and medical offices: 5 minutes
Schools: Wishart Elementary, Dunsmuir Middle School, Belmont High School
Build-out: Five phases expected to be complete in 2007. Phases 2 and 3 currently under construction.
Sales office: #3 - 630 Brookside Terrace
Hours: 1 to 4 p.m., Tuesday to Sunday, closed Mondays.
Information: Call John Daviss at 727-1971 or 384-8124.
Website: www.latoriawalk.com