Mosaic’s Guildhouse designed with first-time buyers in mind
SIMON BRIAULT
The Vancouver Sun
Guildhouse
Project location: 14975 101A Avenue, Surrey
Project size: 221 apartments and townhomes of between 1 and 4 bedrooms
Residence size: 560 — 1,400 square feet
Price: from the low $200,000 range
Developer: Mosaic Avenue Developments Ltd.
Architect: Ramsay Worden
Interior designer: Insight Design Group
Sales centre: 14975 101A Ave.
Hours: noon — 6 p.m., daily
Telephone: 604-574-1143
Website: http://www.mosaichomes.com/guildhouse
Occupancy: Fall 2018
Geoff Duyker, senior vice-president of marketing at Mosaic Homes, believes the Guildford neighbourhood in Surrey is going to be the next big thing. That’s the first thing he brings up when describing the appeal of Mosaic’s 221-home Guildhouse development at 101A Avenue and 152nd Street.
“We love Guildford and we think it’s one of those neighbourhoods that have yet to be fully realized,” Duyker said. “Details are still to be worked out, but we anticipate that there will be rapid transit running through the area in the near future. Guildford Town Centre Mall will be right across the street from Guildhouse and it has recently completed a $280-million renovation. It’s now a regional mall that draws people from all over and has some of the best shopping, dining and entertainment around.”
Among the 250 outlets at the mall are stores like Hudson’s Bay, Apple and Arizia, and restaurants that include Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria, Chipotle and Milestones. Guildford Heights Park and Hjorth Road Park and outdoor pool are also within walking distance.
“There’s a big trend in locating new housing close to great malls and amenities, whether that’s Brentwood or Metrotown or Oakridge,” added Duyker. “This is a wonderful neighbourhood that’s only going to get better, but until now, there haven’t been many options for people to buy a new home.
The Guildhouse development offers mostly one- and two-bedroom apartments, but there are also plans for three- and four-bedroom townhomes to go on sale later in the summer.
The development will feature Mosaic’s signature Georgian-style architecture and will be constructed around a motor court or sweeping driveway that will define the entry to the property. There will also be a private amenity building, exclusive to residents, with a fitness area and a furnished meeting room.
“These homes have been designed to be incredibly livable, but at very attractive price points so that young, first-time buyers can get into the market, which is not an easy thing to do these days,” said Duyker. “We have homes starting from the low $200,000 range. All homes have 10-foot ceilings, which is really unusual for an apartment building. This means people get taller windows, more light and a bigger, airier feel to the home.”
Paulo Tampos, a first-time buyer who snapped up a plan with one bedroom and a den, was particularly impressed with the design of the homes at Guildhouse.
“When I went to the showroom I found the finishes and the way they set up the whole interior design to be really great,” he said. “The 10-foot ceilings add extra space to the pantry and the cabinets in the kitchen. It doesn’t feel as cramped as some apartments I’ve seen and the windows are nice and big, which I really like. One of my realtors recommended Guildhouse to me and said that Mosaic was one of his favourite developers. So we went there, took a look at the place and I was really impressed.”
The fixtures and finishes at Guildhouse are another of Duyker’s top selling points for the development. These include herringbone floors and matte black hardware and faucets in the kitchens, loop-pile carpeting in the bedrooms and recessed pot lights in select locations throughout the homes.
Many homes feature full-height pantries in the kitchens, which come with Kohler white cast iron single-bowl sinks and under-cabinet LED task lights. The Whirlpool appliance packages include 30-inch stainless steel, 19-cubic-feet refrigerators with bottom freezers (buyers also have the option of upgrading to a Fisher & Paykel, 30-inch stainless steel counter-depth refrigerator with bottom freezer). There are also 30-inch stainless steel electric slide-in ranges, fully integrated dishwashers with hidden controls, stainless steel microwave and hood fan combinations and front-loading washer and dryers.
Bathrooms feature matte grey and white shaker-style cabinetry (plan specific) with chrome pulls, over-sized porcelain tiles on floors and walls, soaker tubs and Acri-tec white, rectangular porcelain sinks. There are also Kohler single-lever faucets in polished chrome, integrated linear lighting above and below floating mirrors and high-efficiency dual-flush toilets.
For Paulo Tampos, who lives only five minutes away from the Guildhouse site and knows the area well, the interior features really sealed the deal when he walked into the showroom. But, as ever with first-time buyers, it’s the thought of having a place of his own that he’s most looking forward to.
“Being in my own space and actually owning a home is going to be a great feeling,” he said. “It’s a good location too, with the mall right there and one of the major bus loops in Guildford less than a 10-minute walk away. The area itself has great potential for development and growth. It’s a good spot.”
Sales for Guildhouse officially opened on June 25. Construction will begin in the fall and buyers are expected to be able to move in from the fall of 2018.
© 2016 Postmedia Network Inc.