Springbank Development Corp offers new townhomes in an established Vancouver neighbourhood at Walk to Main ›› p.4
Moving
Upward
September 9, 2010
Local builder and renovator Michael Upward opens the door of his Metro Vancouver home, built new to suit his family’s specific needs. Martin Knowles photo
Walk to Main offers new Vancouver townhomes to homebuyers.
Green is big at Walk to Main project
visit – extended family and other guests, was important. They purchased a Metro Vancouver property, demolished the old house, and built a new house to suit their specific tastes. Upward, principal of North Shore-based Upward Construction and Renovation Ltd., was born in New Zealand. He fell in love with Canada after a trip, and has lived here ever since.
It seems over-reaching to refer to a townhouse development as a social experiment but that is just what Springbank Development Corp., along with partner Forrester Development Corp., was involved in when they built 24 two- and three-bedroom townhouses in the East 300 block of 33 Avenue in Vancouver, a project entitled Walk to Main. This community, one of the most established in Vancouver, is made up of mostly single-family homes with a few condo buildings. But younger families that had grown up in the area and wanted to stay close to family and friends had no stepping stone from a condo unit to a single-family home. Springbank Development saw the opportunity to build townhouses that would provide the missing link and help keep young families in the community they love. However, the area was not zoned for townhouses. “This project was built under what is known as the ‘Neighbourhood Housing Demonstration Project Program’ with the City of Vancouver,” says Springbank’s John Richie.
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Upsizing: movin’ on up A larger home can mean more space for family, friends, guests MAGGIE CALLOWAY Many homeowners reach a time in their lives when they must consider downsizing, or moving to a smaller space because the family home becomes a large, empty ‘nest.’ But that’s not how it has to be for all homeowners.
There are those who choose to move “up” rather than “down” – from a small condo or townhome into a larger home for varied reasons: to have more space; for the children who are planned or on the way; for aging family members; for a home-based business; or for visiting relatives. For local builder and renovator Michael Upward and his family, having a new Metro Vancouver home that was large enough to house their family – including elderly parents who live elsewhere but who will
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