COLUMBINE VALLEY — A piece of Columbine Valley is going to get a fresh look as a homebuilder is in the process of creating a new neighborhood with mid-century modern houses.
The new — across from Town Hall off of Middlefield Lane — took a while to get going, but the first of 24 houses is now under contract.
“It’s prompted a lot of discussion and interest. That part is healthy for a community like Columbine Valley,” said Gale Christy, mayor of the town of about 1,300 people. “I kind of think it’s exciting and has brought some new interest to the town.”
The development is being built by New Century Modern homebuilders, and four houses are currently under construction. The house under contract sold for just over $1 million and should be ready in a few months.
New Century Modern managing partner Curt Stedron noted the homes will range between 2,000 and 2,400 square feet, not including a finished basement, which most of the homes will include.
The homes will be unique in architecture in the mid-century modern style similar to neighborhoods such as Arapaho Hills, Arapahoe Acres and parts of Harvey Park in Denver. Potential buyers can purchase a home or buy a lot and have a custom home built there. The custom home would have to fit into the style of the neighborhood, but there will be no models as the builder plans to construct 24 distinct homes.
“You shouldn’t have to drive past your house to get to your house,” Stedron said.
The homes will be priced in the $900,000-$1.1 million range, with the open lots available for around $300,000. Lot sizes range from 7,000 to 11,000 square feet. Studio Gunn Architecture will build all of the houses.
This is the first development New Century Modern has built from the ground up. Until now, the builder has worked on scrapes in some of Denver’s neighborhoods such as Washington Park or Platt Park. Stedron noted there is a passionate fan base for this style of home.
“We ultimately wanted a neighborhood where everyone appreciates the homes,” Stedron said.
The proposal was originally met with skepticism by those in the town and it was a slow process to get approval for the project. Originally, the plan for Wilder Lane was for 16 homes, but New Century Modern was able to acquire an adjacent parcel and expand the plan. That allowed for a neighborhood.
“People were a little taken aback by the architecture,” said town planner Phil Sieber. “It’s drastically different than what’s around. But when (people) took a tour of some of the other properties (by the builder), they felt better. It’s a distinctly different style.”
Sieber added that the general feeling in the town is that it is a good project and will be an asset. He also said it was much less controversial than the the property to allow for patio homes to be built.
Stedron noted the appeal of Columbine Valley was that the land was available and there are nearby communities that include this style of home just outside of town. He added that new residents can get a small-town feel while maintaining good access to downtown Littleton and Denver.
“It’s a nice hybrid of a small-town suburban area, but you have easy access to Denver,” Stedron said.
Christy said this development, coupled with Willowcroft, has added about 65 homes to the town. Not a large number, but noticeable when there were only about 500 homes to begin with.
“I think, overall, (the) community is interested to see what happens,” he said. “I’m looking forward to getting those first houses built.”
Joe Vaccarelli: 303-954-2396, jvaccarelli@denverpost.com or @joe_vacc
