In 2011, when Sean McAdam took possession of 107 acres of farmland, rezoned residential, he never imagined that he’d be fighting zoning by-laws to return some of that land to agricultural use, nor that his project would come to an abrupt, 2-year stop due to water and sewer issues. But both of these things happened to the Hendrick Farm development, just to the west of highway 5 near Old Chelsea.
Now, however, things are moving quickly. Single-family homes sprout like corn from the fields and McAdam recently opened sales on a set of townhouses. He’s sold 14 in the last 10 days. There’s rarely one factor that ultimately persuades a buyer to sign “X” on the line to buy a house not yet built, but in this case, “It may be because we are turning the conventional approach to planning and real estate sales on its head. At Hendrick Farm, we are offering the least expensive house with the best views out over the organic farm,” explains McAdam. “The White model makes views of the farm the most affordable.”
He’s done plenty of other strange things over the last five years, too, in his quest to build a conservation community. The first was to plant seven acres of market garden right in the middle of his land. “I wanted an organic farm to be the focus of this community,” he explains. “The land was zoned residential-commercial and therefore we’ve had to prove that it has been farmed continuously, without interruption, in order for us to continue to do so.” Now, the farm produces flower bouquets, provides vegetables to local restaurants such as Les Fougères, fulfills orders for 65 CSA baskets chosen from more than 70 different vegetable varieties, which customers pick up weekly or bi-weekly, and is open for farm gate sales. “I joke that people come to buy garlic and end up buying a house. That has, in fact, happened twice.”
Hendrick Farm features smaller houses on smaller lots, with plenty of light and space within.
McAdam has also chosen to leave 50% of the property undeveloped by designing a mixed-use commercial and residential project with clustered buildings and high density for easy walkability. This leaves plenty of green space for walking trails which connect directly to the Gatineau Park and local golf course, parks and a community gathering “green” – just like a traditional English village green.
Before he launched the Hendrick Farm project, McAdam and his former business partner, Carrie Wallace, travelled extensively through North America looking at other planned communities. They discovered that there was an appetite for smaller houses on small lots, with plenty of green space and shopping close by so that residents did not have to rely on their cars. “I strongly believe that North American zoning is a nonsense idea that forces people to segregate their lives and use their cars,” he says. “Here at Hendrick Farm they won’t need to do that. They’ll be able to walk to stores, walk to the coffee shop and restaurants of Old Chelsea.”
This is a huge part of the appeal for Terry Kharyati, a former school principal, his wife, and three daughters aged 6, 4 and 2, who moved in on October 28th. “We haven’t used our car on the weekend,” he says. “ I love the fact that we can go for a walk in the woods, scooter ride on the street and have a picnic on our front porch. I love the sunsets and the sunrise. I love the fact that the school bus picks my daughter up right outside the front door. I also love the quality of the home.”
Kharyti and his family moved from a century-old home in Hull. It was beautiful, historic, and expensive to maintain. This is the first new home he’s lived in and is pleasantly surprised by his experience. “Unlike most new homes, the beauty is in the details. There’s plenty of space, the light is fantastic, I love the deep windowsills and everything you see – wooden kitchen cabinets, hardwood floors and granite countertops – is standard,” explains Kharyati.
McAdam has found that his homes appeal to buyers across the spectrum, from downsizers to retirees, those with young families and millennials. “The surprising thing is that millennials and downsizers have similar tastes,” he explains, “they want high quality homes with a smaller footprint and limited outdoor maintenance.”
There are many things that set the Hendrick development apart from other new housing projects, including its rural location, but what McAdam really hopes you’ll notice is the quality of the houses, built by one of Canada’s oldest building firms, local contractor Ed Brunet. “I hope you can feel the quality when you walk in. We use real materials,” he says simply. “Our hardwood floors are an actual piece of hardwood. All the trim is equally, real wood. The windows are wood; granite countertops and wooden kitchen cabinets are standard. These houses are built as houses were built 100 years ago, but with modern energy savings and comforts.”
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Homes: Hendrick Farm
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Homes: Hendrick Farm
For Andrew Slavin, his wife and two boys, the move to the farm six weeks ago has been the end of an odyssey that has taken them from Vancouver to Wakefield, to Chelsea and back to Wakefield. “Sean sold us on this vision, the whole idea of the farm,” says Slavin, “and there are many attractions. We know nothing about housing and they’ve taken care of everything. The fact that the bus picks my boys up at the end of the drive, that biking is there right outside the door and that once you’re over the bridge it takes just 10 minutes to get home from the office in Ottawa, these are all good things. I also love the light that comes in from all angles at all times of day.”
Come spring, landscaping will begin and McAdam aspires to create the utopia suggested in plans created by Florida-based DPZ Partners, the number one urban planning company working in this sector. Over the next 10 years, Hendrick Farm will grow to incorporate retail, restaurants and smaller residences such as Mews houses and apartments. “I live in Chelsea,” says McAdam. “I’ll be doing this for a long time.”
What: Hendrick Farm, Old Chelsea
Builder: Sean McAdam and Carrie Wallace
Prices: Townhomes from $458,000. Single family homes from $595,000.
Extras: Support for Hendrick Farm Foundation. A percentage of all sales goes towards the organic farm and the preservation and maintenance of shared green space and trails.
Sales Centre: Hendrick Farm, 3, ch. Chelbrook. Old Chelsea, Quebec.
Information: (613) 907-0130, www.hendrickfarm.ca