Carrington Communities' Larch Park development in southwest Edmonton is rapidly approaching completion, with only a handful of homes remaining. The project, which originally was expected to take 12 to 13 years to build out, has been finished in just seven years, according to Christine Pilling, Carrington's sales manager for the project.
Rapid Sellout Exceeds Expectations
“The demand has been absolutely unbelievable,” Pilling said. “This was supposed to take 12 to 13 years (to complete) and the project was finished in seven years.”
Only six units remain in the Emerge townhome development, which started with 19 homes. Thirteen of those have been sold. In the neighbouring Evolve condo building, fewer than a dozen of the 89 units are still available. Combined with the earlier Edge condo buildings (238 units), the entire Larch Park community now totals 346 housing units.
Community-Focused Design
Pilling attributed the rapid sellout to Carrington's thoughtful planning and vision. “They owned this block of land and their thoughtful planning and their vision … they made it incredibly desirable,” she said. The development sits adjacent to the Larch Park ravine, a 59-acre nature reserve, and was designed to foster a sense of community.
“The people living here have actually become friends,” Pilling added. “They’re not just people living in the same buildings. They socialize together, they go out to dinner together.”
Homeowner Enthusiasm
Karie and Ryan Becker, who purchased a three-storey Emerge townhome, are among those who have embraced the community. “I looked at a lot of other different developments or options and quite frankly there was nothing that came close to even matching,” Ryan said.
Karie highlighted the spaciousness and storage, noting that most closets are walk-in. Ryan was impressed by the large attached garage, which accommodates his truck with room to spare—a rare find in Edmonton. “Everything is well thought out,” Ryan said, with Karie adding that the construction quality is excellent.
The Beckers also appreciate the location, amenities, and friendly neighbours. Emerge townhome buyers gain access to Evolve's amenities, which include a chef's kitchen, games room, lounge, fitness centre, and crafts room. “We’ve lived all over the country,” Ryan said, including the Northwest Territories, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. “I don’t know if a lot of people, even in Edmonton — I certainly didn’t understand how pretty Edmonton is until we started living here. It’s a remarkable city, and we don’t even have a yard here (at Emerge) but we feel like we don’t need one.”
The lack of a yard is offset by proximity to the ravine and walking trails, as well as nearby retail along Rabbit Hill Road and 23rd Avenue, and further south near Anthony Henday. “We love everything about this place,” the Beckers said.
