Keeping the needs of multi-generational families in mind 

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Minto Communities makes a return to Stittsville with a new development and new homes, including townhomes with six bedrooms and three-storey singles.

Called Abbott’s Run, the 86-hectare site (or about 212.5 acres) launched in September between Hazeldean Road and Abbott Street East along what will become an extension of Robert Grant Avenue that connects the two.

“It’s essentially Minto’s largest land acquisition in its history – at least dollar-wise,” says Anthony Minchella, vice-president of sales and marketing for Minto Communities Ottawa. “(It’s a) big investment on our part, but we saw the potential and the future of that parcel.” Minto’s last project in Stittsville was Potter’s Key, which finished a few years ago.

Over the next six to nine years, Abbott’s Run will see about 1,900 low-rise units of singles and towns and another 1,800 or so mid-rise units that will line either side of Robert Grant.

For the time being, Minto has launched with two-storey townhomes (what it calls its executive towns), three-storey rear-lane townhomes (urban towns with double-car garages), two-storey singles on 36- or 43-foot lots and the introduction of three-storey singles on 28-foot lots.

Virtually all the builder’s homes have seen either minor tweaking or major changes. “All of them are revamped in one way or another… it’s just a fresh start,” says Karen van der Velden, Minto Ottawa’s product development manager. She’s introduced more masonry and new colour palettes on exteriors and floor plan tweaks to squeeze out more square footage or streamline layouts.

One of the biggest changes is the option to include up to six bedrooms in the two-storey towns. “(It’s) basically a game changer,” says Minchella. “To get a six-bedroom house … for a townhouse that’s 2,300 square feet, is something that to my knowledge no builder has brought to the market. We saw a little niche there.”

Although the six-bedroom option is only available on a few corner units, van der Velden has also redesigned layouts to include four-bedroom interior units – another first for Minto – and the option of creating a bedroom and bathroom in part of the basement rather than simply the finished rec room space. That means that both end units and interior units could have up to five bedrooms. (The sixth bedroom in the corner unit comes from converting the main-floor den and powder room into a bedroom suite with three-piece bathroom.)

It adds flexibility for multigenerational families while keeping the townhomes sensitive to price points, she says.

The other big change is the three-storey singles. Inspired by Minto’s urban towns, these singles act as an easier stepping stone for homeowners who want to move up from a townhome to a single, while maintaining a family room on a separate floor and adding the ability for side-by-side parking.

“You’re offsetting where you’re spending your money, from the land to an extra storey,” says van der Velden. “The price per square footage is the best bang for your dollar.”

The three-storey singles feature an oversized garage, with room for side-by-side parking on the driveway, a ground-floor family room, the main living area on the second floor and bedrooms and laundry on the third floor. There are three floor plans available, two with three bedrooms and one with four.

“You have this abundance of open-space living on your second floor with lots of natural light coming from both ends.”

Minto is building two models of the three-storey singles at Quinn’s Pointe in Barrhaven to help buyers better visualize the space. They’re due to open later in October.

With a variety of housing types, Abbott’s Run is likely to appeal to a range of buyers, from first-timers and investors to young families, move-up buyers and multigenerational families.

It’s in an already-developed area with plenty of amenities and services, and benefits from that connectivity, says Minchella. “Hazeldean, future LRT that will come eventually, stores, walkable, very close to all the amenities, including great schools. That’s the biggest thing I would say that makes it special.”

The community will include several parks, a storm pond, provisions for a school, a multi-use pathway and it backs onto both The Great Trail (formerly the Trans Canada Trail) and École secondaire catholique Paul-Desmarais. A future LRT stop is planned for the corner of Hazeldean and Robert Grant and there is plenty of both big box and boutique shopping nearby, as well as the Canadian Tire Centre, Cardelrec Recreation Centre and Walter Baker Park.

Initial occupancy is expected in late 2024.

Abbott’s Run

What: A master-planned development of about 1,900 towns and singles in Stittsville. Another 1,800 or so mid-rise units will follow.

Builder: Minto Communities

Prices: From $644,900

Sales centre: 380 Huntmar Dr.

Hours: Monday to Thursday, noon to 8 p.m.; Friday, noon to 6 p.m.; weekends & holidays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Information: mintoabbottsrun.com; 613-788-2770