Ambleside, an English Village in Boise, holds open house June 20
Food, music, dignitaries to attend events marking neo-traditional development off Fairview Avenue
June 8, 2009
For more information, contact
Ted Mason, 338-0420
Martin Johncox, 658-9100
Facebook: http://groups.to/ambleside and http://groups.to/tedmasonhomes
Twitter: @tedmasonhomes
Web: www.tedmason.com
Fairview Avenue is a great place for shopping, services and food and, increasingly, for upscale developments. Just 1,000 feet away from Fairview, a traditionally-designed, European themed development called Ambleside is now under construction.
“It is a different kind of development, especially for this location, but we have built our reputation on doing things a bit differently than the competition and this will be a very desirable community,” said Ted Mason, owner of Ted Mason Signature Homes. “Because the concept is so new, we thought it would be a good idea to have an event to introduce it.”
The clubhouse, pool and two homes at Ambleside have been finished and furnished for tours. Ambleside is north of Fairview Avenue off Shamrock street, next to the Steelwood Enterprise Center.
Rollout events start at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 20 when the Boise Hawks will be at Ambleside until noon giving away tickets to anyone. Realtors will also be conducting tours of the model townhomes. The Grand Opening Garden Party runs from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. including gourmet catering by Chef Cordel Knight. The five-piece Glory Brass Band will play from 4 to 5 and Randy Coryell, pianist at Grove Hotel, will play from 5:30 to 8. A ribbon-cutting will be held at 5:15 and local dignitaries have been invited. The Garden Party will also feature product giveaways, such as Spa Days, Metro Express Car Washes, limo and dinner, personal trainer, and many others.
Ambleside will create the environment of an English village in Boise. Inspired by the art and architecture of the Georgian period, this sixty-seven townhome development is the result of a commitment to capturing the essence of the most beautiful towns in England, according to Mason. About 130 people are at work on the project and as of this writing, the first townhome building is nearing completion.
“We had a general idea of what we wanted to do at first, but we had trouble finding an architect/planner locally who could pull this off with sensitivity and style,” Mason said. “After some referrals, we met Sherry McKibben of McKibben+Cooper Architects.”
McKibben’s company is very highly regarded for urban planning and sustainable building design and she is an Assistant Professor of Architecture and Director of the University of Idaho’s Urban Research and Design Center in Boise. Mason and McKibben, who have traveled in England and studied its architecture, also took inspiration from the book “The Most Beautiful Country Towns of England” which served as a design guide.
Ambleside has a harmonious design, with townhomes near the entrance smaller, quainter and showing timber. Homes will progress in size and elaborateness as they near the far end, where a “manor house” will serve as the visual anchor. While having a stately appearance, the “manor house” is really a four-townhome building. That’s in keeping with the feel of an English village, but on a smaller scale.
“Having a grand entrance and focal point is a time-honored tradition in urban planning and we are pleased our development will feature it,” Mason said.
Ambleside will have all the modern conveniences, however, including a 2,500-square-foot clubhouse with fully equipped gym and pool. Buildings will have dormers, porches, siding and chimney pots. Rear-loaded garages mean no garage doors face the street. Homes range in size from 1,500 to 1,950 SF and start in the low $220’s. Each home will have a rear-loaded two-car garage, concrete slab storage room, barbecue-ready balcony, landscaped front yard with patio, fireplace, high ceilings, master suite, and more. The homes are Energy Star Certified and have a three-year warranty.
“This is the kind of development you might see in the North End, Southeast Boise or other desirable areas in our fair City,” Mason said. “High-energy Fairview Avenue is a great location for Ambleside and Boise residents appreciate attractive development.”
Mason said he got an unexpected endorsement: Bankers are a pretty conservative group and, like any developer, he has to justify the viability of the project to get funding. While Mason was giving them a tour of the site and explaining the development, one of the bankers said, “Wow, now I want to live here. I believe in this.”
While this might seem an unlikely time to launch a new development, Mason said there are advantages to building in a down economy. With a solid credit rating, financing is less expensive, as are building materials and labor costs.
“From a business perspective, we are building this when costs are low, then enter our sales mode as the economy recovers,” Mason said.
The Ambleside grand opening is part of a larger effort by Treasure Valley builders to encourage sales of new homes, called Home Run. Other developments holding tours on June 20 include Avimor, Strada Bellissima, Brownstone, Alpine Point and Hidden Springs. The developers have come together to pay for radio and television ads and promotions with the Boise Hawks. Met Life Home Loans representatives will at each of the communities June 20 to assist visitors with special financing. For more information, go to www.kivitv.com/homerun (the site will be up Thursday, June 11).
