A community of bungalow condos geared for those 40 years and older saw its groundbreaking event take place Saturday in University Heights.
The location of The Estates at Ridgewood Landing is at 2425 Rowe St., which sits at a peak high enough to enjoy the view of the mountains in the distance and surrounding trees.
This isn't Newrock Developments first rodeo, said Kaleb Motz, marketing director for the building company that specializes in multifamily, custom homes and renovations. They've built these kinds of turnkey, maintenance-free communities successfully all over western Canada.
"It's ideal for anyone looking to downsize, without the downgrade or to simplify their lives by stepping into maintenance-free living," Motz explained. "It's good for people looking to travel a lot and perfect for those who fall into the Snowbird category. It's a really great way to kick off your early retirement and it's the right way to throttle back a little bit."
Construction is underway right now and a show home will be open next summer.
"Phase One is already sold out, and Phase Two will be bigger and will be going up for sale in the next week or two," Motz said.
Throughout Ridgewood Landing there are eight floor plans to choose from featuring two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a two-car garage and a full basement.
"The reception we've received in Prince George has been awesome so far," Motz said.
Cam Ens, an owner of Newrock Developments, said the company has been working closely with the owner of the land to get this project rolling.
"It's taken a while but we're really excited and happy with how things are turning out," Ens said. "It's been great to be in the city of Prince George. The housing market has been really strong and as an Alberta company, we're really happy to be in Prince George."
Ens knows the bungalow-style home is hard to find and said that's one of the many reasons for the success of Phase One and the anticipated success of the whole complex is because there's a minimum of stairs, which is ideal for the aging population in the city.
As the golden spades were picked up, members of the Newrock Developments company were on hand as well as city councillor Terri McConnachie as acting mayor for the official groundbreaking ceremony.
"This type of development offers a diverse housing option, which is key to the success of our growing city," McConnachie said.
"People have been asking for this type of development - turnkey, adult because folks are retiring earlier now and they have the opportunity to travel and they want less maintenance and this company has brought the solutions to the city and we are grateful to them for investing in Prince George."
