CondoQuest, the annual tour of residential options in Northeast Ohio, might also be called the Many Alternatives to Traditional Single-family Homes Quest. This year's event, running from June 7 to 22, encompasses more than 50 locations representing condominiums, townhouses, cluster homes and detached houses, all of which offer the carefree lifestyle associated with condo communities.
"Diversity has always been what CondoQuest is about," says Bill Martin, president of Barrington Homes and chairman of the 2003 CondoQuest. "It covers all other housing types besides traditional homes on a typical lot." The variety of multifamily construction sites available today and the options they offer illustrate the growing desire for this type of housing, he adds.
Who is attracted to condo-style living? The list is growing, according to Martin. "Aging baby boomers are driving the market," he says. "They have no children to raise. They don't need a family-type neighborhood. And they now want different cultural and shopping experiences." But young professionals, couples with young children, and single or married older people also appreciate the convenience and selection.
To meet the varied needs of this vast population, area developers present multifamily units in a number of price points. "They range from inexpensive — about $100,000 to $200,000 — to limitless," says Martin, adding that the majority of area units cost from $250,000 to $300,000.
Visitors to this year's CondoQuest, presented by the Home Builders Association of Greater Cleveland, will see the many options available within each site. Townhomes, which originally offered few to no options, can now be customized for the individual buyer just like the modern single-family home.
"This is a newer concept," explains Martin. "It isn't a take-it-or-leave-it proposition." Want to alter the layout so the kitchen and family room flow as one large space? Itching to have granite countertops instead of Corian? Prefer to eliminate a formal dining room in favor of a second first-floor bedroom? Martin says most builders are willing to work with consumers to give them exactly what they want.
A spate of new condos and other types of multifamily construction add to the attraction of both suburban and urban areas. A relatively low-key atmosphere and easy access to shopping destinations draw many people to outer-ring suburbs and into parts of Lorain, Geauga, Portage and other neighboring counties.
At the same time, inner-ring suburbs are experiencing renewed interest with the recent opening of several condominium and townhouse developments, including Sussex House in Shaker Heights and The Courtyards of Severance in Cleveland Heights. These "built areas," as inner-ring suburbs are also known, offer a bustling, pedestrian lifestyle with proximity to area arts and entertainment. "It shows the public that this type of housing is available everywhere," says Nate Coffman, executive director of the HBA of Greater Cleveland. Residents of older suburbs don't necessarily have to move farther away from the city to have a low-maintenance, custom-enhanced home.
Perhaps most exciting of all are the numerous multifamily housing options within Cleveland proper. "This year, we will be featuring some urban townhouse products on the East and West sides of Cleveland, areas that are growing in popularity among many demographics, but specifically among young professionals and empty-nesters," says Coffman.
Within the Detroit Shoreway district alone, five new sites — three under construction and two approved by the city of Cleveland — are enhancing the landscape and bringing more people to the area. EcoVillage, which has already sold seven of its first 10 sites, promises to offer elegance and environmentally friendly living along West 58th Street and Madison. EcoCity Cleveland is a nonprofit environmental organization partnered with
the Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization to create an example of green building in an urban environment.
"To our knowledge, this is the first eco-village done in an urban area in the country," says Jeff Ramsey, assistant director of the Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization. Built with wood from certified forests, the townhouses also feature many recycled materials and an energy-efficient heating and cooling system that will cost only about $300 a year to run. Nontoxic paints and carpeting materials and innovative water-runoff solutions to avoid mold reflect a concern for human health issues.
With townhouses ranging from $174,900 to $209,900, Ramsey says EcoVillage proves that beautiful, green building is not cost-prohibitive. And the city of Cleveland offers a $10,000 second-mortgage assistance plan that is deferred for 15 years and a 15-year tax abatement, further enticing potential buyers interested in urban living.
Other upcoming Detroit Shoreway neighborhood developments include Kings Terrace at West 54th Street and Herman, a series of townhouses with rooftop decks; Lake Point Townhouses, with access to the bike tunnel that leads to Edgewater Park; and Painter's Loft, an old warehouse at West 81st Street and Franklin that will be converted into loft-style condominiums. Units at these sites range from about $170,000 to $280,000.
All of the above join existing sites in the neighborhood, each developed by Progressive Urban Real Estate. "When these projects are completed, there will have been 500 housing units built and $61 million invested in the neighborhood over the past 10 years," says Ramsey.
Not far away, in Ohio City, a unique condo/townhouse development is set to open this fall. Neighborhood Progress Inc. of Cleveland is restoring and adding onto the late-1800s Fries and Schuele Building, a once-opulent retail store, to create loft-style condos and multilevel townhouses with decks and terraces overlooking downtown. The units will range from 1,200 to 2,300 square feet and cost between $190,000 and $320,000.
"We found there was lots of pent-up demand in the area for this type of project, and sales have gone exceptionally well," says Jim O'Connor, assistant vice president of real estate development for Neighborhood Progress.
The 78-unit Fries and Schuele project will appeal to those who like to live in the heart of an active urban environment, says O'Connor. "What's different about buying here is that we have a vibrant streetscape with coffee shops and boutiques and the West Side Market."
Other urban areas continue to expand their multifamily housing opportunities. "The city has more unique options, like loft condos and row housing," says Martin. "They don't draw activity away from the suburbs. They represent increased activity [in condo living] and growth in different areas of the region."
The sites participating in this year's CondoQuest will be open 1 to 6 p.m. daily except Fridays. There is no charge to tour the sites. For more information, contact the HBA of Greater Cleveland at (216) 447-8700.
