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Building a new home or modernizing and expanding an existing home in a well-established, desirable neighbourhood can be challenging. But it’s the kind of challenge we relish at Novera Homes, and we’re thrilled to have two of these projects we undertook featured in the Ottawa Citizen – Soper Place and Mariposa Ave.

Located in Ottawa’s coveted Rockcliffe Park neighbourhood, the Soper Place project was an ambitious one – not simply by virtue of its magnitude – but also because it was a renovation that neighbours cared deeply about. They wanted to make sure we built something that complemented the community and adhered to strict heritage rules, and we very much wanted to deliver on that. So, we worked closely with both the Rockcliffe Park Residents’ Association and the City of Ottawa’s Built Heritage planning staff to ensure we hit all the marks.

Soper Place began as a 1990s-era home in a neighbourhood with roots that date back to 1864. We saw this as a unique opportunity to create something compelling and modern that complemented its rich, heritage-laden backdrop. The end result, after ample community consultation, was a breath-taking, 5500 square foot renovation, inside and out. We removed the third floor, built a new addition and created an airy, open concept interior. As well, it features a dramatic 2-storey entryway and top-of-the-line finishes throughout.

While thoroughly modern in its appeal, it also succeeds in feeling like it truly belongs in this heritage conservation district.

The new home on Mariposa Ave (also known as the “House in the Park”) was a calculated risk, but well mitigated by conducting proper due diligence and preliminary discussions with the City. We purchased the piece of Rockcliffe real estate after feeling confident that we could move ahead building what we wanted to. Once again, we were consciously considerate of the community’s heritage expectations. We consulted with the Heritage Committee of the Rockcliffe Park Residents Association and obtained a heritage permit through the City of Ottawa.

Environmental characteristics were the main heritage-related concern because of the mature, majestic trees on the property. Work continues at Mariposa and we expect construction to be completed by the summer. You can download the feature sheet on this project which is currently available for sale.

To learn more about these projects, visit http://ottawacitizen.com/life/homes/buying-big-taking-a-gamble-with-rockcliffe-park-real-estate