The Skinny on Edmonton’s New Housing Venture

Developers are accustomed to the idea of building up and out. So are the clients that buy those homes. But what happens when you subdivide a 50-foot lot into two spaces leaving you with twin parcels 25 feet wide? You build back. That’s exactly what’s going on in some of Edmonton’s more mature neighborhoods. Instead of putting a duplex on the twin lots, developers are creating houses that are taller, longer and skinnier.

A typical skinny home measures 17 feet wide, has 1,750 square feet shared by two floors. Add to this a finished basement and you have 2,400 square feet of house. The design, including a compact porch, is almost an optical illusion. When you step inside the home it looks much bigger than its 17-foot wide façade implies. Even better, the architects have designed the properties to fit in with the more established homes in the area. That was one of the most important issues when building in one of Edmonton’s more established neighborhoods.

Granted, this is an experiment in Edmonton, and a new one at that. City council didn’t give the OK for the zoning law change until 2012. But potential homeowners seem to like the idea that they are purchasing a single-family, detached home even though the neighbors are on the close side. They are buying a structure that is totally their own, not one that shares a wall with a neighbor.

Average cost is expected to be around the $600,000 mark, at least that’s what they are being listed for. The price could go up or down based on location and the amenities added to the home. Despite the skinny size these homes are designed to have comfortable living spaces with available options like fireplaces and upgraded kitchens and bathroom fixtures.

 The first homes went up in King Edward Park and are just going on the market. Other areas are targeted including Bonnie Doon, Westmount, Inglewood and Ritchie. These are mature neighborhoods that have a host of amenities including established schools, shops, services and parks. So far the skinny homes are only allowed in neighborhoods zoned RF3. They are meant to replace old bungalows or homes that are beyond salvaging, or to allow owners to revamp their properties without resorting to multi-unit structures. Not all residents are sure this sort of scenario will work. As long as the developers make the effort to have these properties fit in with existing homes, this new wave in housing should work well.

Many cities across Canada have had skinny homes up and running for quite a while, including Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto. As more people move in heavily populated areas it makes sense to create a better way to use available land. Vancouver, for example, has some of the most expensive real estate in Canada and the city is still growing. This city has skinny homes that are even “skinnier.” Calgary is another locale that is seeing a surge in its population, thanks to Alberta’s healthy economy. Edmonton, you could say, is just catching up.

via:http://edmontonrealestateinfo.com/skinny/