15 new homes are coming to Montavilla in a new subdivision. Only one street back from NE Glisan, this new project by 9000 Hoyt Street LLC and Todd Spencer, is in its early stages. Currently just basic infrastructure and a massive retaining wall are being constructed onsite. This stretch of Hoyt is an unimproved gravel road but soon it will be paved to make way for a the traffic heading to these homes.

The subdivision will have 11 single family homes and and two duplexes. Only one house will have its entryway fronted on Hoyt Street. It is also the only one with a distinct layout. Each house will have a single car garage and stand three stories tall.

The subdivision is comprised of two large lots that were combined in the first half of 2016. 9019 NE Hoyt Street contains a 1928 house and has been carved out of the subdivision’s Southeast corner. The Northwest corner of this block dips down along NE 90th Ave and NE Irving Street. The developers have chosen to place a large retaining wall along this corner to level the subdivision. It creates a interesting appearance along NE Irving Street and highlights the difference in terrain, experience in this part of Montavilla.

The frontmost house on the subdivision has its garage in the back of the first floor, with access from the private road. The entrance from NE Hoyt Street will lead into a first floor family room. Up on the second floor, is a great room, kitchen and 3/4 bathroom. The third floor has a standard bedroom, laundry closet, and the master suite. The master has a walk in closet and a 3/4 ensuite. The person in the standard bedroom has to use the bathroom on the 2nd floor.

The ten other single family houses feature a garage at the front of the first floor. There is s long hallway that leads from the front door to a bedroom in the back of the first floor. It has its own full bathroom attached and a exterior entrance to the backyard through a sliding glass door. The second floor features a kitchen at the front with a great room at its center. The back half of the floor has a 10 foot glass wall with double sliding doors leading to a covered balcony. Off the balcony is a large exterior storage closet. Leading from the kitchen is a step up platform that turns 90 degrees to become the stairs up to the third floor. Off the platform in the other direction is a half bathroom. The third floor contains two more bedrooms and a wide laundry closet. Each bedroom in these houses have there own attached full bathroom. The master bedroom is only differentiated by a walk in closet and two separate sinks and countertops.

Dual duplex buildings provide the remain four houses, of the 15 being built in the subdivision. Each has a single car garage in the front. The front door open up to a small entryway with a door to the garage and stairs up to the second floor. Accessed from the back of the garage is a bedroom with its own attached full bathroom and a walk in closet off the bathroom. The bedroom has access to the backyard through a sliding glass door. The second floor features a kitchen along the back wall and a great room in the center. Along the front of the second floor is a covered balcony with sliding glass door. Similar to the other houses, there is a step up platform that leads to the stairs on one side and a half bath on the other side. The third floor has two bedrooms and a wide laundry closet. Again each bedroom in this house has its own bathroom. However the Master bedroom in the duplexes have showers instead of a tub shower combo. Only the bedroom on the first floor has a walkin closet. The master bedroom is 5 feet longer than the other bedroom on the third floor and is placed at the front of the house.

Several design elements will make these desirable houses. The retaining wall and private road will create a small separate community, only accessible off a dead end section of NE Hoyt Street. Being high off the ground provides good views through the windows along the the North and West. Additional, the architecture has modern influences. The balconies push into the house instead of protruding out. The roof of the duplex units are Skillion and lean-to, while the other buildings use a Skillion roof.

The choice to include a bathroom for every bedroom in all the residences, except for one, is intriguing. It is one of those choices that seem unexpected at first but feel like a great idea when experienced. I suspect this could be a building trent to watch in years to come.