Lakepoint One 1311 Lakepoint Way Langford 46 condos in a six storey building by Westhills Land Corp
Westhills community in Langford expands its offerings
MICHAEL BERNARD
The Vancouver Sun
Project: Lakepoint One
Project location: Langford
Project size: A total of 46 condominiums in a master-planned community on Langford Lake about 20 minutes northwest of Victoria. Studios from 558 square feet; one-bedrooms from 675 to 921 square feet and two-bedrooms from 1,130 to 1,182 square feet
Price: From $199,900 to $469,900
Developer: Westhills Land Corp.
Architect: de Hoog & Kierulf Architects
Interior designer: In house
Sales centre: 115 — 957 Langford Parkway
Hours: noon — 4 p.m., weekdays
Telephone: (250) 474-5899
Website: livinglakepoint.com
Occupancy: Late 2017
When Jim Grant and his wife decided to retire, the last thing they wanted was to end up in a retirement community where everyone was in the same age group. At the same time, they were looking to become a bigger part of their grandchildren’s lives.
When they discovered that Westhills Land Corp. was developing a “multi-generational community” on about 500 acres in Langford, about 30 minutes drive northwest of Victoria, they thought they had hit the jackpot. So they decided to create their very own family enclave.
“There are three generations of our family in this subdivision,” Grant said. “My daughter and her partner are across the street and she is expecting, and my son and his wife, with our grandchild, is around the corner.”
“We’re just overjoyed with the grandchildren coming along. We don’t have to drive anywhere,” he said, adding he ‘’can have an extra glass of wine” and not get into trouble.
“We’re looking to getting involved looking after the grandchildren,” said Grant, who moved from Toronto 18 months ago after selling his electronics manufacturing business there.
“We have the time to give our kids, who have their own professional careers, a break. It also gives us an opportunity to have more exposure to our grandchildren. I see so many people with grandchildren that for geographical reasons, they can only visit once or twice a year.”
Developing such mixed neighbourhoods, where retired people can live alongside young growing families, was exactly what Westhills had in mind when it began building its master-planned development in 2007, says Westhills’ real estate sales and marketing manager Dale Sproule. Plans call for a build-out of up to 5,000 homes.
The developer has already built a mix of housing types, including some 500 single-family houses and townhomes and condos, which Sproule says sell as quickly as they are built. And now, Westhills is adding 46 apartment homes in a six-storey building overlooking Langford Lake. If the market cooperates, he said, they could be followed by a 15-storey residential tower, which would be the tallest structure in the region outside of Victoria.
That may happen sooner than later, if Canada’s last census is any indicator. It found that this community of 30,000 is the fastest growing in B.C. and fifth fastest in Western Canada.
“We are expecting a mix of buyers from people in their late twenties to young families and lots of people who want to stay out here to downsize and retire,” Sproule said.
The condominium building of concrete, metal and wood-frame construction will feature two floors of commercial office space— including Westhills’ own corporate office — with four floors of apartments overhead, ranging from studios to two-bedroom homes. On top of those will be a roof-top landscaped terrace, with a barbecue kitchen, lounging and seating areas — and a view of Langford Lake.
The apartments are designed with open-concept interior floor plans with oversized low-E double-glazed windows overlooking the lake and nearby mountains. Floors are finished in wide-plank laminate in the living areas.
Kitchens come equipped with solid quartz countertops, soft-close cabinet drawers in either contemporary high-gloss or natural grained two-toned finish, and a full-height ceramic backsplash. The kitchen appliances, rated Energy Star, are stainless steel with an electric ceramic range, counter-depth refrigerator, over-the-range microwave, and dishwasher. Homes also have stacking washers and dryers, and some units have built-in pantries or high-profile storage cabinets.
Bathrooms feature ceramic floors, walk-in frameless showers, undermount sinks in quartz counters, and soaker tubs in some plans.
With Langford Lake just steps away, it’s not surprising that Lakepoint One provides homeowners with facilities to store kayaks and paddleboards, plus a bike rack for each unit in a secure section of the building’s underground parking. Also included are an electric car charging facility and a pet-washing station.
Across the street is a new YMCA-YWCA building built by Westhills and jointly operated by the Y and the city of Langford. Sproule noted that having the Y next door, with a wave pool and fitness facilities, negates the need for Lakepoint to duplicate such amenities.
Other amenities, such as shopping, are also within easy walking distance, including 80 boutique-style stores, restaurants, coffee shops, banks and other services.
Lakepoint One’s sales centre opened this past week for buyers to look over the offerings and to ask questions about the development, Sproule said. Homes will then be available for purchase on a “Sales Day,” tentatively planned for mid-September.
Meanwhile Grant and his family have wasted little time in taking advantage of natural environment next door to their homes, venturing on a 90-minute hike up a 350-metre high mountain located in a 123-hectare wilderness park.
“Last Sunday, we walked to the top of Mount Wells,” Grant said proudly. “And that was not even breaking a sweat for an old guy like me.”
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