As Bradley Commons launches, it’s hard to imagine that a busy stretch of Hazeldean Road along the border between Kanata and Stittsville used to be so quiet you could hear the cricketsm or the pace of life so much slower that a horse and wagon turning down the Bradley farm lane would cause a commotion.
Such was rural living when the landmark red barn on the Bradley property was built more than 140 years ago. It stood the test of time as the city gradually crept up around it and, although somewhat battered in recent years, the history that the barn represented, along with the stone farmhouse beside it, resulted in a heritage designation to protect them from the advances of development.
Now that development has arrived – the farm was sold to builder Richcraft a decade ago and several big box retailers have taken up residence across the street – both the barn and the house will be incorporated into the community that Richcraft and fellow builder Urbandale Construction launched earlier this month.
The Bradley connection
Called Bradley Commons in a nod to the area’s roots (there have been Bradleys living in Goulbourn Township since the 1820s), Richcraft and Urbandale will build some 800 homes on the 125 acres of farmland that stretch from Hazeldean south to the Trans Canada Trail just past what will become an extension of Stittsville’s Abbott Street.
Fronting the development will be commercial space that includes the barn and farmhouse. While city council had approved a request to dismantle and move the barn to nearby Saunders Farm, doing so would cost as much as renovating the barn where it is, says Shawn Bellman, Richcraft’s marketing manager.
“We’re looking at keeping the barn there and having it as a community asset,” he says, possibly an open market, community garden or even a micro brewery.
Mixing old and new
The feel of the community will reflect both the history of the farm and modern design, with a mix of contemporary and Craftsman influences. Think coach lights combined with the tastes of Ottawa architect Jason Flynn, who’s known more for his contemporary infill projects. Flynn joined forces with Richcraft to create a collection of homes being introduced at several of the builder’s developments.
Urbandale, meanwhile, is releasing new contemporary plans at Bradley Commons, with some so new they have not yet been finalized. That meant Urbandale had only townhomes ready to release at the June 10 launch.
Although it was a soft launch – meaning the builders reached out only to those on their registration lists – both say demand was strong, with more than 50 homes reserved and lineups of people waiting for the sales centres to open.
Caught by surprise as Bradley Commons launches
“We were surprised by the amount of people that were interested,” says Bellman.
Both builders are selling to the public, but neither plans to actively promote the project until they are on site. For now, Richcraft is selling out of its nearby Fernbank Crossing development and Urbandale is selling from its Bridlewood sales centre. They expect to be on site by the fall.
Homes in the development are all Energy Star, with a mix of contemporary towns, bungalows and two-storey singles on lots ranging from 30 to 44 feet wide.
New designs
The townhome lineup released by Urbandale replaces its Horizon Series and consists of six designs with two to four bedrooms and “featuring unique details typically exclusive to custom homes,” says marketing communications manager Melissa Boudreau. Nine-foot ceilings, separate mudrooms and a finished basement family room are just some of the features. Prices start at $349,900.
Richcraft has released lots for all housing types, which include both its existing lineup and the new Flynn designs. Five new model homes that Richcraft has just opened at Fernbank Crossing are among the floor plans also being offered at Bradley Commons. Features include nine-foot ceilings and main-floor hardwood and prices start at $344,900.
Bradley Commons stretches from Hazeldean Road to the Trans Canada Trail.
Long and linear in its layout, the community is almost equally divided in two by a community park and space for an elementary school. Single-family homes on either side give way to townhomes, followed by commercial space on the Hazeldean Road end and, at the other end, a district park and the Trans Canada Trail. The project is to be sold in four phases starting at the back and working out toward Hazeldean Road.
Initial occupancy is expected in the summer or fall of 2018.
