S14 F R I D AY, M AY 8 , 2 0 1 5 C A L G A R Y H E R A L D S A M A W A R D S

Q To what do you attribute your SAM Awards win?A The big thing is that the set-ting, the location and the ameni-ties of Watermark are what really attract people to this area. It sits at the edge of the city (west of Twelve Mile Coulee Road), with great proximity to the Rocky Mountains, yet also is close to downtown and the airport. We have 17 cascading ponds inter-connecting in a community lined by five kilometres of three-metre-wide paved walking trails. Our central plaza has a fire pit, outdoor kitchen and barbecues, a 1,000-square-foot pavilion, and

we have a sports field, NBA-sized basketball court, playgrounds and water features.

Q What does this win say about your company and its approach to building communities?A With Watermark, it was a bit of a Field of Dreams approach: if you build it, they will come. Not just rendering and models, we wanted to show Calgary we were serious about amenities and installing them. They were installed and completed before the first residents moved in … other communities often wait till the end to put in amenities. We

put them up front and said, “This is the beautiful space we want to share with you.”

Q Why is this award important to you as a builder and to con-sumers?A I think it reinforces the confidence people have in this community. The residents feel they have value in their homes, and sustained value is an attri-bute they want to have in estate homes. And the builders we have in this community share in this award, too — Albi Homes, Astoria Custom Homes, Trickle Creek Custom Homes, and Wolf

Custom Homes. It’s been a group effort.

Q Where do you see consumer-purchasing trends heading in the year ahead?A I think the No. 1 thing families look for, and even more when looking discerningly in various stages of the market, (is) a sense of community, what the makeup of the community looks like, what amenities there are, because this is the home their kids will live in. I think families want to be in areas that are very special for their kids and the whole family.

Q How will the industry respond to these trends?A I think we need to take maybe a newer approach on developing communities where it is fam-ily first and it is about looking to what those families want in an area, (such as by) getting involved, getting feedback and input from people a bit more to find out what they’re looking for and design around that.Alex Frazer-Harrison

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Q What did your company do that you believe helped you win this SAM award?A The setting (for Villas at Watermark) is on a wonder-ful sloping hillside that lets us maximize the view of the spec-tacular Rocky Mountains from every tier (of the development). Our roadway is a single-loaded roadway, (which means there’s) only one set of villas on each road, so you go up to the next tier and there’s another row of villas. Every tier looks over the one below, with the same southwestern exposure towards the majestic Rockies. The sec-ond is the architectural style by renowned architect Ray Letk-man, in what we coined as “prai-rie redefined,” which blends in well, with plenty of landscaping between the villas.

Q Why is this award important to homebuyers?A I think because we’ve thought

of a lot of things that are very special to our buyers, like the amenities building with a full fitness facility and banquet area where people can host larger parties that they might have been accustomed to in a larger home. The Villas are geared towards right-sizers or smart-sizers …

people who want to lock and leave, (to have) a true home base. With four different floor plans from 2,000 to 2,600 square feet, there are a lot of options for folks to find the right fit. And the views are the best in Calgary — I like to say it’s a million-dollar view you’re getting at your villa, free.

Q What do you see happening over the coming year in the Calgary or area market?A I think based on the popular-ity of the Villas, a large segment of the market doesn’t have a villa alternative in Calgary … it’s not all single families in Calgary, it’s people that want to stay around

and be in a lock-and-leave com-munity.

Q In this economy, what will make a builder stand out?A The real truth is, in any mar-ket, real estate always moves; if it’s the right value, the right fit, the right real estate moves. It might slow down a bit, but you still see these types of projects sell. In the estate home market … (buyers) see value and are still looking to right-size their lifestyle.

Q What’s next for your com-pany?A: We will be releasing more lots in the single-family area (of Watermark at Bearspaw) in the coming months and will open up a new show home parade in Phase 3. The Villas are quickly selling out; we’re down to the final phase and are 85 per cent sold.Alex Frazer-Harrison

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The following are the results of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association-Calgary Region SAM (Sales and Marketing) Awards in the multi-family divisions. They were presented at a gala event at Telus Convention Centre on April 18. Enjoy photo galleries of award-winning homes at cal-garyherald.com/tag/sam-awards.

Please note that finalists are listed in placement order, and the price of homes does not include land. The winners’ names are capitalized (and appear first); finalists are listed in order of placement.

M U LT I - FA M I LY C O M M U N I T Y AWA R D S

Best Multi-Family Community ■ MACDONALD DEVELOPMENT CORP.: Villas at Watermark, Wa-termark at Bearspaw, Rocky View County

■ Homes by Avi Group of Companies — Avi Urban: The Block, 17th Ave/Lower Mount Royal

■ Sabal by Hopewell, a division of Hopewell Residential Management LP: Chalet No. 4, Copperfield

■ Homes by Avi Group of Companies — Avi Urban: Prospect Rise, Kincora

■ Jayman Modus, a division of Jayman BUILT: Homes That Work, Concept, Sunset Ridge

M U LT I - FA M I LY D E S I G N

Best New Design — Apartment Style Condo up to 899 sq. ft.

■ QUALEX-LANDMARK WESTERN INC.: MARK A, 90110 Ave. S.W.

■ Bucci Developments: VEN B Plan 1 Bdrm + Den, 2 Bath, 823 5 Ave. N.W.

■ Grosvenor Americas: Avenue Suite B, 1035 5th Ave. S.W.

■ Cardel Lifestyles (Panamount Inc.): Auburn — 1897, Auburn Walk

■ Lake Placid Investment Inc.: The Park G Plan, 1501, 303 13th Ave. S.W.

Best New Design — Apartment Style Condo 900 sq. ft and over

■ JAYMAN MODUS, A DIVISION OF JAYMAN BUILT: Penthouse G, Building J5, 2953 Battleford Ave. S.W.

■ Bucci Developments: Kensington by Bucci — C Plan, 2 Bdrm + 2 Bath + Den, 301 10 St.

■ Qualex-Landmark Western Inc.

MARK L, 901 10th Ave. S.W. ■ Qualex-Landmark Western Inc. MARK M, 901 10th Ave. S.W.

■ The Statesman Group of Compa-nies Ltd.: Sangiovese, 32 Varsity Estate Circle N.W

Best New Design — Villa/Duplex/Townhome up to 1,199 sq. ft.

■ MORRISON HOMES MULTI-FAMILY, A DIVISION OF MORRISON HOMES: The Boulevard, 428 Nolan Hill Dr. N.W.

■ Assured Developments Ltd.: Alex Courtyard Lofts — Uptown Unit 6, 511 30th Ave. S.W.

■ Calbridge 2010 Ltd.: The Aspen, 3 Fireside Gate, Cochrane

■ Homes by Avi Group of Companies — Avi Urban: Willow Iris, 5 Sher-wood Row N.W.

■ Calgary Urban Equities Ltd.: Mis-sion 34 — Elbow, 98 Mission Rd. S.W.

Best New Design: Villa/Duplex/Townhome 1,200 sq. ft and over

■ CALBRIDGE 2010 LTD.: The Brio, 49 Fireside Cove, Cochrane

■ Calbridge 2010 Ltd.: The Columbia, 3 Fireside Gate, Cochrane

■ Homes by Avi Group of Companies-Avi Urban: Willow Carmine, 5 Sherwood Row N.W.

■ Sabal by Hopewell, a division of Hopewell Residential Management: Chalet No5 — D Plan, 192 Copper-pond Villas S.E.

■ Sabal by Hopewell, a division of Hopewell Residential Management: Chalet No5 — G Plan, 192 Copper-pond Villas S.E.

M U LT I - FA M I LY H O M E

Best Town Home — up to $299,999 ■ SABAL BY HOPEWELL, A DIVISION OF HOPEWELL RESIDENTIAL MAN-AGEMENT MP: Chalet No5 — B plan, 650 Copperpond Blvd S.E.

■ Calbridge 2010 Ltd.: The Orion, 725 Evanston Drive NW

■ Calbridge 2010 Ltd.: The Gemini, 727 Evanston Drive NW

■ Homes By Avi Group of Companies - Avi Urban: Edison at Walden — Jasmine D, 56 Walden Walk S.E.

■ Morrison Homes Multi-Family, a Division of Morrison Homes: Smith Residence, Private

Best Town Home — $300,000-$359,000

■ LANDMARK GROUP OF BUILD-ERS: The Lancaster, 211 Fireside Parkway, Cochrane

■ Jayman Modus, a division of Jay-man BUILT: Esprit III in Ebony in Mahogany, Private

■ Jayman Modus, a division of Jay-man BUILT: The Viva in Trinity in Nolan Hill, 60 Nolan Hill Blvd SW, Calgary

■ La Vita Land Inc.: The Satellite Live/Work, 101 Sunset Drive, Cochrane

■ Morrison Homes Multi-Family, a division of Morrison Homes: Thara-kan/Higgs Residence at Sonoma, Private

Best Town Home — $360,000 and over

■ MILLENIUM PLUS HOMES: M 1923, Private

■ Jayman Modus, a division of Jayman BUILT: The Karma, 263 Mahogany Way SE

■ Millenium Plus Homes: M 1306, Private

■ Homes by Avi Group of Companies Avi Urban: The Lance, 9 Marine Drive SE

■ Streetside Development Corp.: Hunter House Townhome, 108 Silverado Plains Park SW

Best Villa/Duplex — up to $374,999

■ CALBRIDGE 2010 LTD.: The Verve, 49 Fireside Cove, Cochrane

■ Beyond Homes: B75 Unit B, Private ■ Beyond Homes: B75 Unit A, Private

WATERMARK AT BEARSPAWCommunity of the Year, Calgary Region

VILLAS AT WATERMARKMulti-Family Community Award

... It was a bit of a

Field of Dreams

approach: if you

build it, they will

come. Not just

rendering and

models, we wanted

to show Calgary we

were serious about

amenities and

installing them.

CONT I NU ED O N F A C I N G P A G E

M U L T I - FA M I LY S A MAWA R D S

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