'Ivy League' Architecture Inspires Polygon's Prescott Commons

Architect: Rositch Hemphill Architects Interior designer: Polygon Interior Design Ltd.

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Occupancy: Spring 2018 If you take a stroll around Polygon's master-planned Harvard Gardens community, you'd be forgiven for thinking you were in the courtyard of an Ivy League university on the American East Coast. The effect is intentional and proving extremely popular with buyers, according to Goldie Alam, Polygon's senior vice-president of marketing.

"It was all inspired by a trip that our architectural and development teams took to Boston a few years ago," she explained. "So we have buildings that have a lot of red brick and wrought-iron-inspired accents. It's traditional and linear and has very carefully manicured landscaping. The architecture is really quite distinctive and people have been very impressed by it." Polygon has just launched Prescott Commons, the last of four phases of the development in South Surrey. This will be two U-shaped apartment buildings that allow for a landscaped courtyard in the middle featuring a trellised seating area, children's play area and quiet lawn surrounded by trees. The buildings will have wrought-iron-inspired entry canopies and double-height lobbies with stained wood-panelled walls, feature lighting and stone flooring. The four-storey buildings will contain 248 homes in total; Polygon launched the first of them - 122 homes - on June 18.

"Previously, we've had a lot of first-time buyers at Harvard Gardens, but there has been a good mix of downsizers and investors as well," added Alam. "It's just off 32 Avenue and 152 Street so there's great access to Highway 99, from where you can easily get to the border, the airport or Vancouver.

"There's also shopping really close by. You can walk to Save On Foods, The Keg and a Home Sense. The South Point Centre is within walking distance and it's only a short drive to Morgan Crossing." But perhaps the biggest attraction for potential buyers in this community is the 9,000-square-foot clubhouse - The Rowing Club - which opened in the fall of 2015. It includes a gymnasium where residents can play basketball, badminton, floor hockey and indoor soccer. The outdoor pool is open from May to October, and the hot tub is open year round. There's also a fitness studio with universal equipment, free weights, cardio machines and a mirrored aerobics area. In addition, the Rowing Club includes a barbecue terrace, a games room, a great room with a bar area, a billiards table and an outdoor fire pit.

Residents can screen movies and sporting events in the Rowing Club's own HD theatre, featuring built-in surround sound. The building also includes two fully furnished suites for out-of-town guests, a dog wash station complete with both hot and cold water and a ping pong table and crafts room. The amenity is managed by a full-time resident concierge.

"The clubhouse is definitely proving to be a big draw," said Alam. "It really sells the lifestyle. It's like a resort right on your doorstep - the perfect place to host parties and socialize with the neighbours. It's just a beautiful building that is already being well used by the residents who are making new connections and using the great facilities. We've got a range of activities and programs up and running, including yoga and aqua fit." The specifications and finishes at Prescott Commons will be suitably high end to match the grandeur of the architecture. Homes have laminate wood flooring in the entry, living, kitchen and dining areas and nylon carpet in all bedrooms. Buyers can choose from two custom, designer-selected home colour schemes. There are nine-foot-high ceilings and low-E windows throughout to reduce UV damage while improving energy efficiency. All homes have covered sun decks or ground-floor patios.

Kitchens feature engineered stone countertops and breakfast bars, flat-panelled cabinetry highlighted by polished chrome pulls, and cabinet doors and drawers with soft-close hardware. The stainless steel appliance packages include 18-cubic-foot Samsung refrigerators with bottom-mounted freezers and slide-in gas ranges with self-cleaning ovens. There are also Energy Star dishwashers and microwave and hood fan combinations by Whirlpool.

Master ensuite bathrooms have frameless spa-inspired showers complete with integrated bench seats. There are also engineered stone countertops, dual porcelain under-mounted sinks, and polished chrome hardware (in most ensuites). Second bathrooms feature engineered stone countertops and either walk-in shower stalls with glass doors or tubs (in most homes).

Asked for the top reasons buyers should consider Prescott Commons, Alam said: "Apart from the clubhouse, the architecture in the community gives the whole place a really distinctive, warm and rich feeling. People love it. Then there's the South Surrey location in a master-planned community. That's proving to be really popular with buyers.

"The nice thing about Prescott Commons is that people will be moving into a community that is already well established." Homes at Prescott Commons are scheduled to be move-in ready by spring 2018 and prices for two-bedroom, one-bathroom plans start at $299,900.

Prescott Commons: By the Numbers 9: Ceiling height, in feet 122: Number of homes in the first launch on June 18 248: Number of total homes 969: Size of the largest homes, in square feet 9,000: The Rowing Club, in square footage