Mayor Ted Clugston and Enclave Ventures CEO Don Sandford chat Wednesday in front of an excavator at the site of Coulee Ridge, a southwest community where house construction is set to begin this week.--NEWS PHOTO COLLIN GALLANT
Moving the Coulee Ridge land development forward during a pandemic has been a monumental task, says the developer behind the southend community.
And just wait until what it looks like next spring, Don SandFord, CEO of Enclave Ventures, told reporters on Wednesday during a ceremonial first scoop ahead of digging the initial foundation this week.
“We’ve had people tell us they can’t believe that this is out here,” said Sandford, standing on a view lot overlooking the Seven Persons Coulee. “And when people see 20 homes going up here next spring, it will change how people feel about Coulee Ridge.”
The community, located west of Saamis Heights but accessible from S. Boundary Road, was first proposed as a “lake and view” community in the winter of 2018. Heavy work of grading the site for a 44-lot first phase plus major utility connections got underway in late 2019.
Since then however, the project faced potential delay due to COVID concerns and economic uncertainty, but Sandford said a decision in May to move forward rather than press pause was the correct one.
“It hasn’t been without a lot of problem solving and initiative,” said Sandford, stating that his firm’s $30-million investment in developing and servicing the bare land will result eventually in $150 million in construction activity.
Seven lots related to the 2021 Parade of Homes will see work immediately as builders attempt to get foundations in before the worst of cold weather sets in. Another five lots owned by individuals will see work kick off in March, and Sandford expects the remaining 10 lots that are sold to host starts next summer.
“There were those who said it couldn’t be done, but look where we are,” said Mayor Ted Clugston. “I can’t wait to see it finished, but to see it moving so fast, during COVID, is amazing.”
A total of 22 housing starts would beat the entire 2019 construction season in Medicine Hat, which saw unprecedented low levels of activity that year.
Specific to Coulee Ridge it also takes the 44-lot first phase past the halfway point, a place Sandford’s company expected to progress to before the implications of COVID on construction and economic concerns were factored in.
Sandford credited the design of the community, and the response from the marketplace that was brought along by low-interest rate environment.
The 2021 Parade of Homes lots will be developed by seven builders, including Brost Developments, Lacey Homes, Belcore Homes, A-1 Contracting, Trimount, Common Place and Remcon.
Company representatives were present for Wednesday’s ceremony, along with Canadian Homebuilders Association officials and major infrastructure contractor MJG Enterprises of Medicine Hat and planning firm Scheffer Andrew.
