staff, utahvalley360.com
Norm and June Jorgensen managed just fine raising a family of six in their 1960s ranch home in Orem. Afterall, with their basement finished, they had five bedrooms and two bathrooms in all.
However, as the family grew older and Norm’s orthodontic clinic became more stable, the Jorgensens’ housing needs began to change. No longer was it necessary to have bedrooms near the master suite for young children; in fact, Norm and June would prefer their teen-age children (with their accompanying loud music and late-night habits) occupy bedrooms far away from their master suite. Also, with grandchildren on the way — well, it was inevitable that a new house was in the Jorgensens’ future.
But where? Norm always enjoyed being within 10 minutes of his orthodontic clinic and favorite golf course, and June preferred being close to shopping and schools. It was decided the Jorgensens would sell their home and move approximately one-half mile away to the Riverbottoms section of Orem.
While it’s getting a little tougher to find lots in the Riverbottoms in 2000, several new neighborhoods have sprung up throughout the valley offering most everything a home owner could want. From proximity to schools and shopping to hiking trails to spectacular views — those looking for a great neighborhood will likely find what they’re looking for in this guide. While it is true there are many great neighborhoods, Utah Valley Magazine has handpicked 12 to highlight.
Alpine Chateaus
This community is a 27-lot subdivision nestled in the north foothills of Alpine. It is designed with landscaped open space, and each lot has spectacular views of both north and east mountain ranges and Utah Lake.
Alpine Chateaus is made up primarily of homes typically found in the European countryside — not Utah suburbia. The authentic and elegant old world-designed homes feature stone and stucco exteriors with appointments that are unique but adapted to practical and pampered living. These landscaped and fully-maintained homes appeal to families or empty nesters who have busy, active lifestyles and who appreciate the beautiful mountain setting in Alpine. Homeowners will be able to step outside their doors and have access to the foothills and mountains.
The lot sizes in Alpine Chateaus average 3/4 acres. While most buyers will purchase homes and lots together, a minimal number of lots will be sold to individuals in the low $100,000s. Homes in the Chateaus will average between $500,000 to $700,000 depending on the design and will have, on average, between 3,000 and 4,000 square feet above ground.
The Alpine Cottages are high-end single-family dwellings designed specifically for empty-nesters who maintain active lifestyles; Cottages average between 1,710 square feet and 2,300 square feet.
The sales price for these French country classic-designed units averages $350,000. They are situated on 1/4 acre lots. Four home designs (two one-story, two two-story) are available.
Call Teri Jerman of Pine Valley Realty (801) 372-9035 or Lissa Buchi of ReMax (801) 558-4764 for more information.
Canberra Heights
In 1994, development of Lindon’s Canberra neighborhood first broke ground. Today, this part of Lindon occupies 350 acres and has more than 150 custom-built homes making it the largest single-family home community in Utah County.
And now, Canberra Development L.C., the developer of the project, is developing a new section: Canberra Heights.
This section of Canberra represents some of the last remaining eastbench residential properties available in the Mount Timpanogos foothills.
Executive homesites, complete with all the protective covenants Canberra has come to represent, are available in lots sizes of 1/2 acre to 1 1/2 acres. These lots run from $120,000 to $275,000.
Estate homes in the area run from $350,000 to $2 million. Every home promises to have spectacular views of Timpanogos and Utah Lake and outstanding access to trail systems including a planned trail system for multi-use in conjunction with the U.S. Forest Service.
And while Canberra Heights has the feel of being in a rural area, it is actually quite close to Orem and Provo businesses, education and shopping districts. The neighborhood also has easy access to I-15 at entrance #276.
In addition to Canberra Heights, the developers have constructed Canberra Court. This one-street area has 22 townhomes available. These townhomes offer main-level living, perfect for empty-nesters.
These units begin at $265,000.
Call Stephen Tanner at (801) 860-6986 or visit www.canberradev.com for more information.
Canterwood
This south-valley neighborhood, located in Payson, is L&T Design and Construction’s latest venture. Perhaps the best part of buying a new home in this community is the reassurance of quality and the outstanding reputation that comes from working with L&T.
Having seen many of L&T’s homes in home shows over the past 20 years, many would-be buyers have come to understand that L&T is both creative and practical in their home designs and in the neighborhoods in which they plan.
Canterwood is close to Payson area schools and churches and comes with a very affordable price tag. Lot sizes vary from 10,275 square feet to 21,668 square feet and run from $41,900 to $51,900.
Canterwood representatives label this neighborhood as a “moderately-priced upscale community.”
Canterwood is one community that is meeting an ever-increasing demand for new homes in the south valley, an area that has seen explosive growth over the past 10 years.
Buyers can rest assured that Canterwood comes with all of the neighborhood covenants, conditions and restrictions that will ensure each home holds its value.
Call (801) 226-0080 for more information.
Canyon Heights
Nestled at the base of Mahogany Canyon in Cedar Hills, Canyon Heights offers spectacular views of Utah Valley, as well as increasingly rare open space.
The views from Canyon Heights are among the best in Utah Valley. To the east, homeowners have an unobstructed view of the Wasatch Range. Toward the valley, residents have a view of Utah Lake from an angle that cuts out the unsightly industrial areas of town.
“The views from Canyon Heights are really breathtaking,” says Eric Swensen, sales and marketing, All American Development and Construction. “The panoramic is just spectacular.”
Canyon Heights has deeded open space to the city of Cedar Hills. The unobstructed areas will help maintain a healthy wildlife environment. Developers of Canyon Heights want their subdivision to avoid feeling dense.
Swensen believes the No. 1 feature of Canyon Heights is the versatility. The lots at Canyon Heights vary in shape and size. The developer also allows buyers to use their own builder.
In addition, Canyon Heights offers a viable home choice for both empty-nesters and young professionals. “The Cottages” offer an affordable alternative for those who either can’t afford or don’t want a larger home. Nothing is lost in the exterior, however, as the Cottages, which are single dwellings, appear larger than they are.
“From the outside, the Cottages look just like upscale homes,” Swensen says.
Canyon Heights comes with all the covenants, conditions and restrictions you would expect from an upscale community. Three model homes are available for would-be home-buyers to tour. Call (801) 785-3528 or visit www.allamericandev.com for more information.
Hunter’s Valley
Hunters Valley is a place that combines nature, convenience, seclusion, beauty, luxury and quality.
This family neighborhood comes with mountain and valley views at a price that makes sense. What’s more, the beautiful homes at Hunters Valley offer custom features as standards, such as a gas fireplace, Corian countertops, hardwood floors, central air, two-tone paint, crown moldings, custom knotty alder cabinets, and brick, stucco and stone exteriors. The homes start at $206,900.
Nestled at the mouth of Hobble Creek Canyon in Springville, Hunters Valley is close to fishing and camping and is only five minutes from Hobble Creek Golf Course. The neighborhood is also close to south Provo shopping and businesses.
The homes at Hunters Valley are built by NorthStar Construction. NorthStar Construction offers services through specialized departments including flooring, custom cabinets and professional in-house real estate agents to meet potential buyers’ needs.
NorthStar homes are both inviting and livable. Each home offers a unique design with details on the exterior and interior creating a custom-look throughout.
From high roof pitches, porches, columns and shutters on the exterior to open entries, vaulted ceilings, large family areas and well thought out workspaces in the kitchen on the interior, these homes are a must-see.
Call Kellie Little of NorthStar Real-Estate Associates at (801) 420-2280 for more information.
with its
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and elegantly lighted streets.
Canyon Cove Estates
A great location, large lots and a style all its own make this neighborhood one of a kind. Located between Orem’s Cascade Golf Course and Provo Canyon, Canyon Cove Estates will lure in buyers with its beautifully tree-lined and elegantly lighted streets. And with no through-streets cutting across the neighborhood, a quiet and secluded environment will make residents forget they live so close to “city life.” This neighborhood has the feel of a gated community — without the gate.
Canyon Cove Estates, which boasts fantastic views of Cascade Golf Course and the valley, is near the Provo River Parkway hiking and biking trails, Sundance, The Shops at Riverwoods, Deer Creek Reservoir and a new elementary school.
Covenants established by the Architectural Control Committee will maintain the enduring value of home owners’ investments and create aesthetic integrity within the neighborhood.
Joe Herrick, of Canyon Cove Estates, says this neighborhood is for anyone who would like a spacious lot on some of the best property left in Orem where they may build a custom home.
Lots vary in size from 2/5 acre to well over one acre lots, ranging in price from $125,000 to $310,000.
The development will be made up of traditional homes: Victorian and Tudor style. Ramblers must be a minimum of 2,400 square feet above ground and two-story homes must be a minimum of 3,000 square feet.
Lots are for sale and once purchased the owner may choose his or her own builder.
Canyon Cove is currently taking reservations for lots. Approximately 25 percent of the lots had been reserved at the end of July. Lots are being sold on a first come, first served basis.
Call (801) 222-9190 or visit www.canyoncoveestates.com for more information.
Mahogany Ridge
Cornerstone Group Investments Inc., developers of this Pleasant Grove east bench community, say the closest comparison they can think of to the Mahogany Ridge community would be Provo’s Rock Canyon because of the U.S. Forest Trailhead Park and City Nature Park being developed in the mouth of Grovecreek Canyon just paces away from the Mahogany Ridge community.
The neighborhood has panoramic views of the valley and is located at the 5,100-foot elevation level. The Bonneville Shoreline Trail traverses through the middle of the community and parks. Recently 25 mountain bighorn sheep were reintroduced to the Grovecreek Canyon area, which has Mount Timpanogos access.
The Mahogany Ridge Homeowner’s Association requires all homes to be earth-toned to fit into the natural landscape, according to M. Joe Smith, project developer.
“It’s one of the higher-end developments in Utah County. It was master-planned by Swaner Design, the West’s premier open-space advocate. Highlights of the community include beautiful landscaped entrances, waterscapes and boulevard streets with flowering trees.
“This is a special community. If people are looking for a final destination point — this is it,” Smith says.
Call (801) 785-1724 or visit www.mahoganyridge.com for more information.
Monta Vista
This Mapleton subdivision is an animal lover’s dream. Each lot is at least one acre, and the entire neighborhood enjoys animal rights.
Lots range in price from $89,900 to $149,900 and have impressive views from a south valley perspective.
Rambler style homes must be at least 1,900 square feet on the main floor with at least a two-car garage. Two-story homes must be at least 1,600 square feet on the main floor, 800 on the second floor, with at least a two-car garage.
The exterior of homes must be brick, stone or stucco with architectural shingles or better.
Monta Vista is perfect for horse owners who are looking for a south valley community.
Call Kurt Gappmayer at (801) 898-7296 or visit www.dbrealestate.com.
The Ranches
The biggest feature of The Ranches, located west of Lehi, is the lifestyle. “People buy how they will feel when they live here, and oh, by the way — you get a home with it, too!” says Scot Hazard, director of sales and marketing for The Ranches.
Hazard says the nature of new home communities in Utah has consisted of what he calls “pocket” neighborhoods.
“A builder will find five to 25 acres tucked between a 1955 gas station, a tract of homes built in the 1970s, and a turn of the century farm house where he will build homes that don’t fit with anything else located nearby,” Hazard says.
At The Ranches, everything around residents was planned from square one. Home sites (in varying price ranges), schools, shopping, parks, trails, golf course, recreation areas — have all been planned before home buyers move in.
I-15 is a mere seven miles east of The Ranches, so it is easily accessible but not an overly dominant presence in the area.
The Ranches also boasts more than 30 miles of trails. Some are bridle paths, while most are five to 10 feet wide asphalted jogging, biking and roller-blading paths. The paths interconnect throughout the entire 4,000 acre community.
The Ranches overlooks and has great views of Utah Lake and the Wasatch Front. The Ranches is located on the saddle overlooking the Utah and Cedar Valleys. Many lots look out over the Cedar Valley and the Oquirrh Mountain range to the west.
The architectural covenants of The Ranches are unique in that they accommodate most tastes, styles, and price ranges. The intent of the covenants is to create continuity of theme and style while allowing homeowners to express their own uniqueness in design.
Lots range from 4,500 square feet up to five acres, with most sizes in between. Prices for lots range from the mid $30,000s up to a few hundred thousand dollars for estate lots on the golf course, with a typical 1/4 or 1/3 acre lot running from the high $40s to the low $50s.
Call (801) 768-0900 or visit www.theranches.com for more information.
Saratoga Springs
Developers planned Saratoga Springs, which is situated along the north and west shore of Utah Lake, with long-term livability in mind. Nearly everything a home owner would want is centrally located.
Saratoga Springs has a wide variety of features, including hot springs-heated pools, a private marina with boat ramp and boat docks and slips, parks, jogging paths and a golf course. The community has also restored an historic pavilion.
The community offers quick access to both Bangerter and I-15, being only 15 minutes away.
The homes, which range in price from the $140,000s to more than $1,000,000, offer exceptional views of the lake and the mountains. Lots vary from .25 acres to 1 acre, ranging in price from $59,000 to $220,000.
The community consists of condos, townhomes, production homes and a gated community with luxury homes.
Watt Homes, Liberty Homes, Russell Packard, Larry Price Construction and other custom home builders are available for would-be home buyers to choose from.
Call (801) 568-5250 or visit www.saratogacity.com for more information.
Stone Gate
Of all the neighborhoods featured in this article, Stone Gate, a very low-density community with generous open space, located in the River Bottoms neighborhood of north Provo, offers perhaps the most impressive luxury-housing opportunity for buyers in Utah Valley.
The community boasts estate lots, villa lots (cluster homes), and manor homes for the most discriminating homebuyer. Homes will be interspersed among open space, water features and the Provo River; other amenities include two tennis courts, a swimming pool, and a spa all within a gated community with private streets.
A 24-hour staffed gatehouse provides privacy for the residents, and generous open space creates a garden-like setting with spectacular views of the surrounding Wasatch Front including views of Mount Timpanogos.
In addition to the open space, all residents have direct access to the Provo River. While other luxury developments in Provo limit access to the river to just the
river lots, most of the homes in Stone Gate will be on a riverside lot or adjacent to one of two onsite water features.
Stone Gate is located just three blocks south from upscale shopping at The Shops at Riverwoods, which include Talbots, Ann Taylor, Eddie Bauer, Banana Republic, The Gap, Williams Sonoma, Border’s Books, Abercrombie & Fitch, Copeland’s Sporting Goods, The Limited, JMR, and Victoria’s Secrets. Sundance, Robert Redford’s exclusive mountain resort, is only a 15-minute drive away from Stone Gate.
There are several distinctive lifestyles available in Stone Gate depending on the type of lot selected. The choices range from maintenance-free manor homes and villas to single family detached lots starting at one-quarter acre and increasing in size to more than two acres.
There will be several floor plans providing first-floor-living. These homes will appeal to residents who prefer a main-floor master bedroom with a second floor for additional bedrooms or guest quarters.
Buyers have a number of choices in both location and price. Lot sizes vary from 1/4 acre to more than 2 acres, at prices ranging from $180,000 to more than $1,000,000. Residents can also expect superior landscaping and exquisite detail in the common areas. In all, Stone Gate is a private 52-acre planned development including over 15 acres of open space available to all homeowners.
Cottonwood Partners, a large, full-service real estate investment and development company with primary offices in Salt Lake City and Dallas, is developing Stone Gate.
“Stone Gate is a residential community that fits perfectly with our portfolio of superior properties,” says John West, managing director of Cottonwood. “We are committed to making this the most desirable residential neighborhood in Utah County.”
Call Ron Clarke at (801) 376-5345 or visit www.stonegateonline.com after Sept. 15, 2000, for more information.
Timpanogos Foothills
For those who wanted a home in Providence, an upscale neighborhood located near Orem’s Cascade Golf Course, but waited too long, consider Timpanogos Foothills your second chance.
This neighborhood, developed by Quantum Construction and Development, will offer all the amenities offered at the Providence neighborhood, minus lots that directly front the golf course. That means outstanding valley views and easy access to Provo Canyon, The Shops at Riverwoods and neighborhood tie-ins with the Provo Park Trail.
Lots will range in size from 1/3 acre to 1/2 acre and will cost between $109,000 and $139,000. It is anticipated that about 40 to 45 lots will be available.
The neighborhood has its own set of strict covenants, conditions and restrictions, again, similar to those in the Providence neighborhood. These CCRs will ensure that each home has a professional landscape, including a required number of trees and bushes.
The homes themselves will have to be approved by an architectural review committee before construction begins. These homes will have to pass some strict CCRs, such as the home must have a roof slope not less than a 6:12 pitch and the home colors must be conservative and earth-toned.
Also, any single-story home must be at least 2,200 square feet on the main floor and two-story homes must be at least 1,600 square feet on the main floor, with the second floor being at least 1,000 square feet.
Call (801) 434-9566 or visit www.dbrealestate.com for more information.