Tag: Subdivision

Construction, New Residence

Phased Subdivision

Construction on the 9000 Hoyt Street Subdivision will happen in three phases. The first phase has multiple roles in the further development of this project. The soon to be completed buildings will test the housing market in this area and act as model homes for the remaining unbuilt houses.

The project developer, Todd Spencer, adopted the phased approach as a reaction to the pandemic. “We were a little nervous with COVID, and thought let’s just do three.” Said Spencer. Phased construction is a safe economic choice, allowing the sale of the first three buildings to help finance the remaining development. 

The three houses in phase-one will be on the market before the end of summer. They should sell quickly based on the current market. Like most new homes, the builder selected all finishes in the house. Buyers looking to style a new home to their tastes could opt for one of the subdivisions unbuilt units instead. Buyers of those units can customized flooring, lighting, bathroom fixtures, countertops, and kitchen cabinetry.

The next phase of construction will add four houses along the top of the retaining wall that runs along NE Irving Street. Those houses will have unobstructed views looking north. The final phase will add the two duplex buildings across the private road from the first three buildings. All the buildings, except for the front-most house, will share similar floor plans.

Every unit has 9-foot ceilings, three-panel doors, and each bedroom is a master bedroom with an ensuite. Outdoor decks are accessed through giant glass sliding doors and have natural gas hookups for grills, avoiding the need for propane tanks. Garages come pre-wired for electric car charging. Recessed-can lighting throughout the home keeps the ceiling line clean and unobstructed. Pendant lights over the kitchen island maintain minimal separation between the open floorplan while defining independent spaces. The kitchens use backsplash windows between the upper and lower cabinets, creating a modern design with natural light.

Hardie board, stucco panels, and vertical cedar work together to form the siding on the houses. Spencer selected mixed cladding and a varied color scheme to make these buildings project the modern design within the building. That design ethic incorporates some tradition with other bold choices. This subdivision’s style offers something different than what is immediately around the area and may attract buyers that generally would look closer to the central city. 

Despite the modern theme, the development retained part of its rustic heritage. At the front of the subdivision is a large tree that pushes into the street space. “the tree was a big deal,” said Spencer. Initially, the tree’s removal was needed to make way for the private road into the subdivision. However, Early in the development, the tree was granted a reprieve. Now the roadway snakes around the tree. That change forced the building fronted on the public-street to be smaller than the other buildings in the project. Bike storage and a community trash enclosure fill the space behind the tree, making the layout change beneficial.

Beyond saving old-growth trees, environmentally conscious rainwater management is a consideration for this site. The subdivision retains all rainwater on the property through a mix of Drywells and Pervious Pavers. The pavers create the private road’s surface. Their design allows rainwater to filter between the pavers and absorb it into the ground below. Four shared drywell will accept runoff from the fifteen homes’ gutters and let the water gradually release into the surrounding soil. Spencer admits that environmental concerns cost more, but he appreciates the value it brings to the community.

Originally this subdivision was not a flat lot. It slopes down to the northwest. A tall retaining wall holds back a mountain of soil used to level off the property. The height created by the wall allows for unique city views for the houses above. The wall’s engineering was substantial and caused many months of construction delays. “If I know what I was getting into, I might not have done it.” Said Spencer about building the wall. Ultimately, it has added another defining element to the subdivision that makes it different than many seen in Montavilla.

Todd Spencer stressed the inclusion of upgrades in building these homes. When choosing material, he opted for higher quality and better-designed finishes. The success of those upgrades will only be known when these houses become available for viewing, but they should be evident in the final product. Soon enough, both Spencer and the public will discover how well Montavilla supports this type of subdivision, and its success could bring more like it to the neighborhood.

Construction, New Residence

Hoyt Street Subdivision Taking Shape

Construction of the first three buildings at the 9000 Hoyt Street subdivision, is underway. Crews are framing the first of 13 structures that will soon provide 15 new homes. The first houses will be visible from all nearby streets and should draw attention from prospective homebuyers.

The large retaining wall has received a fence installed along its top edge. The retaining wall on this project is the largest in the area. A Fence is a welcomed safety measure but may not be enough to denture people walking along the wall’s edge. As the weather improves, work at the sight should increase. Projects like this often have structures built in a rolling progression, as each trades group moves through the subdivision. The first houses could be ready for sale just as the later houses are reaching completion.

Updated – Text and pictures updated from original version posted June 7th.

Construction, Infrastructure, New Residence

9000 Hoyt Street Subdivision

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.