Kinston, Railway Flats, The Capstone, Avenida and Landmark Homes’ North Shore Flats offer a variety of home options

LOVELAND, Colo. (Aug. 10, 2023) – Centerra, a 3,000-acre master-planned community in Loveland, continues to expand the variety of residential offerings, from for rent, for sale, build-to-rent, newly built flats and senior living, making it a desirable place to live for any age or stage of life.

“We are proud to expand our offerings to benefit all ages of our residents,” said Keith Hurand, chief development officer at McWhinney. “We believe that our residents want diversity of housing, especially at different stages of life, and they should also be able to live close to family and loved ones if they choose. The beauty of Centerra is that grown children can live close to aging parents in a truly unique neighborhood environment that has something for everyone, from toddlers to seniors.”  

Kinston, Centerra’s newest residential community on 625 acres east of I-25, offers a wide-range of housing choices, and has already hit the 100 residential units mark after only 12 months from opening. Three builders, Lennar, Dream Finders Homes and Richmond American Homes, are currently selling single-family homes and duplex-style homes. Coming soon with single-family homes are builders Bridgewater Homes and David Weekley Homes; additional builders and new home collections are planning to be available in 2024. VellaTerra, by AHV Communities and McWhinney, will offer build-to-rent paired homes coming in 2024.

Railway Flats recently opened Phase II, with 180 new apartment homes available for lease. They include studio, one, two and three-bedroom apartments that are pet friendly, with amenities such as a bark park and groom room. Residents have access to an expansive clubhouse with an indoor/outdoor swim and soak deck, cabanas, 24/7 fitness and movement studio, a golf simulator and ample spaces to work from home.

The Capstone at Centerra, a senior living community specializing in assisted living, memory care services and respite care, opened this spring. The community is located at 4295 McWhinney Boulevard and offers chef-prepared meals and an abundance of indoor and outdoor amenity areas set in a resort-style atmosphere. Not only does it offer an on-site salon and spa, housekeeping and a 24-hour fitness center, but it also includes a theater and a fully-fenced dog park for residents’ furry friends. 

Avenida at Centerra, a first of its kind new 55+ active adult rental community that offers boutique one and two-bedroom residences, is officially open and welcoming residents and guests. A community crafted with modern conveniences and resort-style amenity spaces to live as you please, Avenida at Centerra is located at 3903 E 15th Street. Residents enjoy a community that encourages wellness and togetherness in well-designed amenities including pickleball courts, a pool with a lap and aerobic zone, fitness center, creative arts studio, pet park, a mountain-view clubroom for gatherings and much more. 

“We’re excited to bring this dynamic new lifestyle to Loveland. Avenida at Centerra provides an opportunity for existing residents to ‘rightsize’ in the community where they raised their families, and it gives someone who has always wanted to live in Loveland—and specifically Centerra—an opportunity to do so,” said Matthew May, project manager at Avenida Partners. “Our residents will have the option to explore nearby restaurants and retail, as well as walk or bike the adjacent miles of trails that directly connect our community to Boyd Lake and the rest of Loveland. We’re honored to have the opportunity to add to the existing fabric of Centerra and provide a much needed and unmatched residential option for the senior we hope to call a resident.”

The newest offering at The Lakes, North Shore Flats at The Lakes at Centerra, is being built steps away from Houts Reservoir. The Flats offer 12-unit buildings with attached garages or 20-unit buildings with some attached and some detached garages. The nine floor plans include one, two and three-bedroom single-level floor plans with prices starting in the mid-$300s.

McWhinney Honored with National Design Awards

DENVER, Colo. (Feb. 6, 2023) – McWhinney has won three platinum awards for its Kinston Hub in the 2022 Best in American Living™ Awards (BALA) by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). The awards were announced on Feb. 1 during the 2023 International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas.

The awards were all platinum in all three categories (the highest level award)

Quote from the judges:

“This is the perfect gathering spot for a community of this size, all the way down to the details. From smart outlets at the bar to raised garden beds outdoors to the incorporation of greenery and color, this facility provides a fun, welcoming spot that residents can utilize day in and day out.”

The Hub, which opened in May 2022, is the welcome center for Kinston, Centerra’s newest residential neighborhood on the east side of I-25 in Loveland. Envisioned as a gathering place for residents and their friends and families, its design suggests an adaptive reuse of two older buildings, an agrarian farmhouse-style structure and a brick, mercantile structure. Knitted together by a glass entryway, these two components create a warm gathering space and a sense of place in a brand-new development, with design choices that reflect the terrain and the origins of the land.

The facility is 5,750 square feet and sits on a 1.82-acre lot. It features a family-owned craft brewery and coffee shop called Mountain Cowboy, coworking spaces, a gathering room for community events, outdoor social spaces, indoor and outdoor art, five fireplaces, a community/demonstration garden and water-wise native landscaping. To take advantage of mountain views, the team elevated the building site by 8 feet.

“The Hub is an unparalleled community facility, featuring premier architectural and interior design that creates a warm and welcoming sense of place for residents of a brand-new, master-planned community,” said Abby Kirkbride, general manager of Centerra. “Its unique style/design includes cattle brands in the floorboards, a local artist’s Colorado wildflower mural and framed photos from the McWhinney family’s original homestead. The Hub isn’t just for Kinston residents – its doors are open to everyone.”

Kinston is located on 625 acres on the east side of the award-winning Centerra master-planned community. There are plans for approximately 2,900 homes at full build-out, and Kinston is working with four different home builders so far, offering single-family, built-for-rent and paired homes from the high $400s.

The Hub was designed by RHA (Robert Hidey Architects) and developed by McWhinney. The interior was designed by Creative License International. The land planner was McWhinney, and the landscape architect was DTJ Design.

Now in its 39th year, BALA recognizes outstanding achievement by builders and design professionals in all sectors of the residential housing industry including single-family production, custom, multifamily, affordable, remodeling, community and interiors. BALA is built on the principle that all great homes start with great design, no matter cost or size.

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About McWhinney

McWhinney is passionate about creating great places and providing awe-inspiring experiences. Since 1991, McWhinney has planned and developed more than 6,000 acres of innovative and sustainable master-planned communities and more than 12 million square feet of vertical commercial and mixed-use properties throughout the Rocky Mountain region and the West Coast. Over the years, McWhinney has been recognized for significant real estate development contributions, including being named Colorado’s “Developer of the Year” by the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP), multi-winner of the Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) Global Awards for Excellence, The Denver Business Journal (DBJ) Real Estate Champions – Catalyst Award for Denver Union Station and the Development Deal of the Year for Denver Union Station by NAIOP. McWhinney has been ranked 11 and 13 on the list of the Best Small and Medium-Sized Companies to work for in America. 

About Centerra

Centerra, an award‐winning 3,000‐acre master‐planned community located in Loveland at the heart of northern Colorado, is a McWhinney development that was built on the belief that nature provides the perfect balance to urban planning. As a community designed to enhance all aspects of life, Centerra integrates neighborhoods with recreation, art, shopping and dining, business opportunities and medical services. Centerra and its businesses offer more than 8,500 part-time and full-time jobs. This unique community is home to Northern Colorado’s first lifestyle center, The Promenade Shops at Centerra; UCHealth–Medical Center of The Rockies, a state‐of‐the‐art 187 bed LEED gold‐certified regional hospital; and The Marketplace at Centerra, one of Northern Colorado’s largest contiguous shopping centers. Centerra is also home to High Plains Environmental Center, which manages 483 acres of wetlands, open space and reservoirs within Centerra, and Chapungu Sculpture Park, a 26-acre park with more than 80 stone sculptures throughout. In 2018, Centerra became the first certified National Wildlife Federation (NWF) Community Wildlife Habitat in Colorado. In 2022, Centerra was designated the state’s first Sustainable Landscape Community by the Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado, a designation recognizing the community’s commitment to water conservation and sustainability. Named Development of the Year by the National Association of Industrial & Office Properties’ (NAIOP) Colorado Chapter, Centerra embodies McWhinney’s purpose of creating great places and fabled experiences for people. For additional information, visit www.centerra.com.

McWhinney and AHV Communities (AHV) announced they will be co-developing Built-for-Rent® homes at McWhinney’s 1,100-acre Baseline community in Broomfield, and at Kinston, within its 3,000-acre Centerra master-planned community in Loveland. McWhinney and AHV Communities solidified their Built-for-Rent® partnership this month and expect to break ground on 240 homes within Centerra’s Kinston community this year and have plans to deliver 242 homes at Baseline.


“In Colorado’s extremely competitive home-buying market, built-for-rent homes are a great option for those who aren’t ready to buy or need something larger than an apartment home,” said Ray Pittman, President & CEO at McWhinney. “We’re excited to partner and develop these new home offerings with AHV Communities. They have a strong track record of creating quality rental homes across numerous states, and together we will provide new options for future residents interested in our highly sought-after Baseline and Centerra master-planned communities.”

Baseline plans to offer the Finley rental townhome in Parkside West located east of Sheridan Boulevard. The Finley floor plan averages just under 1,400 square feet and is anticipated to open in early 2023. A second built-to-rent home option, the Grayson floor plan, averaging 1,800 square feet is anticipated to be available late 2023.

Baseline serves as Colorado’s first Pollinator District™ and is prominently located at the junction of I-25, Northwest Parkway (E-470) and Highway 7/Baseline Road in Broomfield. Baseline is quickly evolving as a new economic mixed-use community that completes the Denver/Boulder triangle. McWhinney’s development plans call for approximately 9,200 home options and up to 8 million square feet of commercial at full build out.

Kinston has plans to launch the VellaTerra paired-home floor plan offering approximately 1,345 square feet of space and is anticipated to be available early 2023. Kinston is McWhinney’s newest residential village located on the east side of the award-winning, Centerra master-planned community in Loveland. At full buildout, Kinston plans to deliver 2,800 estimated home sites to help meet the growing demand for northern Colorado residents and will become a part of Centerra’s Certified National Wildlife community.

“Our team is excited to co-develop these new communities along the Front Range with McWhinney,” said Mark Wolf, founder and CEO of AHV Communities. “Not only will these two new communities help address heightened demand for quality rentals in the region, but they also mark our company’s entrance and expansion into the Colorado market, as well as highlight the heightened activity within our current $1.2 billion pipeline, which encompasses 15 communities and 3,000 units across numerous states.” The Finley and Grayson at Baseline and VellaTerra at Centerra Built-for-Rent® home communities will be AHV‘s first in Colorado. Like all AHV Communities, the rental homes will be managed and maintained onsite to ensure top customer service to prospective and current residents. Additionally, each community will be outfitted with an enviable suite of onsite, exclusive amenities including a pool, fitness center and a community center to gather. Additional amenities spread across the communities are planned to include outdoor spaces and game courts, barbeque and picnic areas, spa jacuzzies, bike rooms and conference rooms.

Looking for the perfect place to live can be overwhelming and the stress of finding the ideal home can be a bit much. However, Northern Colorado’s newest multi-family apartment homes at Railway Flats are an easy choice. From the latest designs in apartment living to the best community amenities in the region, you are sure to find a perfect home at Railway Flats in Centerra.

Located at 2105 Hopper Lane, Loveland, Colo., just across the street from the picturesque Chapungu Sculpture Park and the bustling Promenade Shops at Centerra, Railway Flats is the ideal location for your next home. Described as upscale living with Colorado comforts, this McWHINNEY development has 240 units complete with contemporary interior designs and high-end amenities.

“I’ve been in this business for seven years now and I’m so proud of this property,” says Rachael Davis, Railway Flats community manager. “We bring a sense of community, involvement and engagement.”

According to Davis, Railways Flats feels more like a neighborhood than an apartment community. Residents can enter their first-floor units through private direct access patio doors, which makes the community feel even more like home. Even the units on the second and third floors have entry access from breezeways as opposed to dimly-lit hallways.

With refined studios, and one, two or three-bedroom apartments, Railway Flats is designed with comfort in mind for all residents. Sleek kitchens come with stainless steel appliances and quartz countertops. The living rooms provide space for families to relax together; large windows and wood-style floors offer a light and airy feel. With 9-foot to 11-foot ceilings, there is also plenty of headspace. Walk-in closets and washer-dryer sets make storage and cleaning easy. Slip outside on a patio or balcony for some fresh Colorado air and finish a long day with a warm bath in your soaking tub.

Railway Flats really has it all, including an array of amenities such as covered parking, a resort-style indoor-and-outdoor pool and a 24-hour fitness facility. Want to hit the links? Railway Flats has a realistic golf simulator that allows residents to hit the virtual golf course and crush a few balls. The facility also has a clubhouse for members, which offers a gaming area, a meeting space and an outdoor courtyard patio which is perfect for enjoying a refreshment while relaxing outside with friends and family. When appropriate, Railway Flats even hosts fun engagement events for residents. From yoga classes in the yoga studio to golf tournaments and cooking classes at their demonstration kitchen, this property is a great place to call home.

Got pets? That works great considering Railway Flats is a pet-friendly community complete with a bark park and paw spa. Take Fido for a walk and meet neighbors at the same time. It’s a win-win! Who doesn’t love their furry family members?

“We know everyone by name, and we even know every dog by name too,” says Davis, who notes it’s the little things that set Railway Flats apart from other apartment complexes.

When it comes to real estate, it’s all about location, location, location and Railway Flats is the perfect location. Situated in Centerra, the epicenter of Northern Colorado, the community is designed to enhance all aspects of life and integrates neighborhoods with recreation, art, shopping, dining, business opportunities and medical services.

Within walking distance is some of the region’s most notable art, shops, restaurant dining, entertainment and outdoor activities. Residents are never bored with some of the best entertainment in Northern Colorado just across the street. From going out for date night with dinner and a movie, to enjoying a shopping spree with the kids, The Promenade Shops at Centerra has a little bit of everything for everyone.

Nature lovers will be right at home here too. Part of the Centerra master-planned community that is known as Colorado’s first and only Certified Community Wildlife Habitat, Railway Flats offers easy access to miles of trails, open space and natural habitat for residents to enjoy. And just to the west is Rocky Mountain National Park, one of the country’s pristine wilderness areas full of hiking, fishing, camping and wildlife watching.

If you are interested in checking out the property for yourself, take a virtual tour today! For more information check out Mcwhinney.com/portfolio/railway-flats/.

Railway Flats also offers a special Preferred Employer three percent monthly rent discount and no move-in deposit for Loveland police officers, firefighters, Thompson School District educators and active duty and retired military. To apply for the special discount visit Railwayflatsapartments.com or call 970-669-2389.

 

Wendy and Vicki are from a small town in South Dakota, the type of place where everyone knows your business. It’s also a town that holds a lot of great memories for the Thompsons: it’s where they first met over cotton candy and mini donuts at Art in the Park, it’s where their family is. But it was also not the type of town where they wanted to build their life. They needed a fresh start. Wendy and Vicki are true believers that you can guide your destiny, so they started looking for a new place to call home. They never expected to end up in Northern Colorado, but after Vicki visited Fort Collins for a psychology club trip, they decided it was the perfect place for their family. It was bigger, had more job opportunities and more importantly, it was new. They started sending their resumes and a few months later they were in Fort Collins.

Moving to Fort Collins was a huge adjustment for Wendy, Vicki and their two children Cassie and Jacob who were 12 and 10 at the time. They had no family or friends in the area and it was entirely different from what they were used to in South Dakota. In some ways, different was great; they loved the diversity of people, the accepting culture and the freedom to be who they are. But in a way, they also missed the small-town feel and the sense of community. Then they found Centerra.

When the Thompsons found Centerra, development of the first residential community, High Plains Village, was just beginning. McWhinney had built a few homes and they were looking for people to rent them. Wendy and Vicki went on a tour of the homes before they were even finished, after touring the corner-lot house they immediately saw the potential. They never intended to stay long-term, they weren’t even looking to buy a home, but after three years they had fallen in love with the house and the community, so they took the plunge. They bought the house and now it’s their forever home.

Wendy and Vicki have been part of Centerra since the beginning. It’s been fun for them to watch as houses were built around them and their neighbors moved in. Vicki is a self-proclaimed “banana bread woman,” she loves taking a loaf of bread to her new neighbors and getting to know everyone. Their social connection with the neighbors is one of their favorite things about the community. Everyone in their neighborhood is very close. It’s the type of community where you look out for each other and actually care about people. Wendy and Vicki had never lived in the kind of a neighborhood where people make sure you get home safely in a storm, help dig your car out of the snow or watch your house when you’re out-of-town. It’s that type of incredible community that made them fall in love with Centerra.

In addition to watching their immediate neighborhood grow, they’ve also enjoyed watching as Centerra has grown. Being there for the start of so many businesses, restaurants, coffee shops and more has connected them to Centerra. They were new to the neighborhood, so they took the opportunity to try new things as they opened. Many of which they still visit today for Friday night date nights. They especially like going to dinner at Mimi’s Café then catching a movie at the Metropolitan MetroLux theater. They also enjoy going to Movies on the Main on Friday nights in the summer. Even though they mostly show children’s movies, Wendy and Vicki were sold when they heard there would be free popcorn and cotton candy. They do love cotton candy after all.

Wendy and Vicki love that everything they need is right in Centerra. They don’t find a need to leave very often, except when it comes to one of their favorite things to do together: concerts. One year Wendy and Vicki went to 20 concerts! Now they try to keep it around five or six shows per year and the accessibility to Denver, Boulder and Red Rocks is perfect. Their favorite artist? Melissa Etheridge. Wendy and Vicki are huge fans, you might even call them groupies. One year they went on a week-long Melissa Etheridge travel tour to New Hampshire and Massachusetts with 31 other fans. For their 23rd anniversary, they went on a Melissa Etheridge cruise. When they got married in San Diego, they even tacked on a Melissa Etheridge concert.

Besides their love for Melissa Etheridge, honestly, the most important thing to Wendy and Vicki is their family. Their children are now grown and live in South Dakota with their two grandchildren. Wendy and Vicki Face Time with them every Sunday and try to visit every two to three months. Their favorite time of year is when their 8-year-old granddaughter, Gretchen, comes to visit for a week in the summer, and this year their 3-year-old grandson, Micah, will also be old enough to stay with them. Gretchen and Micah think of their summer visit like going to Disney World. They love riding their bikes around the neighborhood, going to the playground every day and Gretchen loves going to the rock park. It’s definitely a week full of fun and Wendy and Vicki soak up every minute of it. They love that their home and the Centerra community are flexible enough to accommodate their everyday life, as well as their life when their grandchildren visit.

Moving to Colorado 18 years ago, was one of the best decisions Wendy and Vicki made. It has allowed them to live the life they always wanted. Like we all do, every once and a while they start to think about making a change, maybe moving closer to family, then 30 seconds later they realize they could never leave Centerra. They could never leave the view of the Rocky Mountains and Boyd Lake, the incredibly supportive community they’ve found at their long-time church, being so close to everything in Centerra and their perfect corner-lot house. Wendy and Vicki love everything about their life at Centerra – except the bunnies that are eating their lawn – but other than the bunnies, everything is just right for them.

Nancy’s first introduction to ballet was at age 3. Her older sister started in the founding time of Colorado Ballet in Denver and used to bring Nancy along to the studio. She immediately fell in love with the art. For Nancy, it was an escape to a magical world. While Nancy had a variety of interests and was very athletic growing up, she kept coming back to ballet. She started training with the Colorado Ballet Academy and Company at age 5 and advanced into the corps-ballet before becoming a soloist. Unfortunately, in her family, being a professional dancer was frowned upon so she went to the University of Northern Colorado to get a “real” degree.

Nancy set aside dance and graduated from college with a degree in elementary education and a minor in physical education. After college, she moved to Phoenix and started substitute teaching, but soon after she knew it just wasn’t for her. Dance was still her one true love. Nancy took her teaching training, merged it with dance and started her life-long work to bring ballet to the lives of students across the country. It was also the start of a very exciting life full of change.

Nancy’s adventure started with moving back to Colorado. Nancy had always wanted to ski, but when she was part of Colorado Ballet she was not able to because of the risk of injury. She opened a studio in Steamboat Springs where she could hit the slopes and teach ballet at the same time. She started working with ski jumpers, figure skaters and gymnasts using ballet as a foundation for training. She even worked with Olympic athletes.

Nancy was young and adventurous so when a friend was moving to the U.S. Virgin Islands, Nancy packed her bags and found a new teaching job in St. Croix. After spending some time on the island, Nancy decided she wanted to work in the film business, and there’s no better place than Los Angeles. For eight years she had an incredible experience working in advertising at 20th Century. While Nancy loved working with some of the world’s most talented people she grew tired of the stressful city life and she wanted to go back to teaching dance.

In the early 90s, Nancy moved back to Denver and started teaching with the Colorado Ballet Academy, where her ballet journey first began. Shortly after moving to Denver she learned there was a lack of art and culture programs in the local schools. Dance was so instrumental in Nancy’s life she wanted to provide children with the same opportunities she had. So, she started her nonprofit DanceOut Academy Productions. With the help of Colorado Ballet, she worked in more than 20 schools to teach school-aged children ballet.

She loved her work, but keeping Nancy in one place for long wasn’t easy. She moved back to California where she opened her own studio, Ballet Allegro Academy in Sonoma County, and directed 12 performances. While in the Bay Area, she taught scholarship students with the San Francisco Ballet Academy and also started an after-school program, similar to the one she started in Denver, at over 30 schools. She spent 16 years in California before Colorado started calling her back. Nancy loved her wanderlust life, but Colorado has always been home. She decided to move back to Colorado and settled in Centerra three years ago where she now plans to stay for good.

Yes, Nancy has lived in some incredible places and has lived an exciting life, but there’s something about Centerra that captured her heart. She loves the diversity of people here, access to nature and the convenience of having everything she needs right in her neighborhood. But what has really captured her is the vibrant small-town arts community. It’s a community where Nancy can do what she does best: teach ballet through her nonprofit DanceOut Academy Productions.

Nancy works with students from age 8 to 78 throughout Loveland. It doesn’t matter age, experience or ability, she loves working with her students and seeing the light in their eyes when they hear the music and start to dance. It’s those special moments that keep her going in her very busy life. Currently, Nancy is teaching two sections of ballet at Loveland Classical School and an adult classical stretch and shape-up program at The Lakes at Centerra clubhouse. She also leads a dance class at Park Regency Loveland Assisted Living and a dance program at Collinwood Assisted Living and Memory Care. But Nancy doesn’t stop there, she also choreographs for adults, and organizes fundraisers for a variety of causes including breast cancer and the Wounded Warrior Project.

She loves her work through DanceOut Academy because it’s a combination of her favorite interests: ballet, teaching and helping the community. Her greatest joy is watching her students blossom into wonderful dancers. Whether it’s a young student at Loveland Classical who struggled with performing but has now become one of Nancy’s top students, or an older student at one of the senior centers who gets the biggest smile on her face when Nancy dances with her. Nancy loves working with her students and helping them become all they can be while providing them with an outlet to increase the quality of their lives. Her motto is, you perform what you practice.

After all the practices and lessons, Nancy’s favorite part is seeing all of her student’s work come together into a spectacular performance. Loveland Classical does two performances a year, and while Nancy has incredible help from the music director and parents, she wears all of the hats to coordinate the show: costumes, makeup, choreography, stage management, scenery, lighting, everything. Nancy loves the challenge. She is a firm believer that you have to challenge yourself because no one is going to do it for you, and challenging yourself is key to the ballet discipline.

Before Nancy’s students go on stage she always says, “let’s go make the magic happen.” And that’s exactly what Nancy does whenever she walks into a studio, classroom or retirement home. She brings the magic of dance to people lives.

 

Seeking something truly different for their family, Lindsay and Casey didn’t want to build a house just anywhere. After living all across the U.S. before starting their family, the couple knew exactly what they wanted. A big town with all the amenities that felt like a small-town and close-knit community—and The Lakes at Centerra was the perfect fit for just that.

Life for the Cooks is always eventful. As parents of two adorable daughters, Aidah, age 5, and Hadley, age 2, the couple also manages full-time careers. When you chat with the couple, you can tell they are true professionals when it comes to the “balancing act” of life. Lindsay has been a teacher for 14 years and currently teaches kindergarten at Coyote Ridge Elementary, and Casey is an IT Systems Architect for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

After living in Fort Collins for five years, they were looking to build a new house. At the top of their wish list they wanted a great school for their girls and a strong community the family could call home for years to come. Family comes first for Lindsay and Casey and they wanted to find a neighborhood where Aidah and Hadley could grow and learn. The Lakes at Centerra has a world-class pre-k through 8th grade innovative school that’s within walking distance of the family’s home. The High Plains School features a unique S.T.E.A.M (science, technology, engineering, art and math) curriculum where students develop critical thinking skills, local and global awareness, as well as character traits such as perseverance, responsibility and citizenship. The school also has a close partnership with High Plains Environmental Center (HPEC), which is located within The Lakes neighborhood. There’s even a trail connecting the school to HPEC and its outdoor classrooms, greenhouses and natural learning environments. Aidah’s class recently visited HPEC to learn about the importance of sustainability and how to take care of the environment.

The Cook family has lived at The Lakes for almost a year, and are settling into their new routine. Casey participates in a neighborhood men’s poker night and plays on the softball team, and the girls can do things like go trick-or-treating in a safe community. To them, neighbors feel more like friends. With so many accessible amenities like a neighborhood pool, a connected trail system, a community clubhouse and more, all within biking distance, it’s easy for the family to connect with other families.

While Lindsay and Casey can build friendships with other parents, Aidah and Hadley have also been able to meet kids their own age. These new relationships have provided great opportunities for the Cook family to get ideas, such as fun local activities or family-friendly vacation spots. One of their neighbors recently went to Hawaii, and from the sounds of it, it’s likely a future destination for this family of four to unwind.

Lindsay and Casey love all of the events and activities available at The Lakes. This past summer, the family attended the second annual Great American Campout. They not only met a lot of other families with kids, but were also able to do one of their favorite things: get outside. The Campout included a barbeque, a nature walk at the High Plains Environmental Center, s’mores, and a camp out behind the clubhouse. After breakfast the next morning, Aidah even won the best PJ contest but when the couple asked her what her favorite part was, she said without hesitation, “the marshmallows!”

Loveland is ideal for this busy family and their kids. They enjoy visiting downtown for events such as the Loveland Fire & Ice Festival, heading to breweries to support local causes, and other kid-friendly events like Halloween Hullabaloo and Kids Days at Centerra. The family also loves the great variety of restaurants within Centerra for a meal on the town. Old Chicago is a favorite for their beer selection and delicious pizza, while Colorado Coffee Company has the best cinnamon rolls for a Saturday morning treat. For more practical matters, a variety of stores both large and small, are nearby and the family can be found at least weekly at Target.

After all the fun out and about, the family loves coming back to their new house. Because they embarked on a new build, Lindsay and Casey were able to choose everything during the design process. Everything from the colors, woodwork, cabinetry, carpeting and flooring, they were able to add their own personal touch. The couple especially likes how their extensive space makes it easy for quiet times. Lindsay and Casey can watch TV while their daughters sleep upstairs without disturbing them. And with all the extra space during the day, the girls can do what kids do best—be kids!

While most Colorado natives are proud Rockies fans, something you may not know about Lindsay and Casey is due to their short adventure in D.C. they are now HUGE Washington Nationals fans. Lindsay is originally from the Northern Colorado area, and Casey grew up in Eastern Oregon. The two met in Greeley and lived outside of Washington D.C. when they were first married. So, it’s not surprising to find some Washington Nationals fan gear around their home.

As Lindsay and Casey watch their daughters grow up, they are also eager to watch Centerra continue to expand, and expand in an environmentally sound way. Centerra is a master-planned community combining a school, shopping, businesses and residential living space all designed to reduce the impact to the environment and the area. It is one of the many reasons the family loves their new neighborhood and they are excited to continue building life within this incredible community.

 

In the summer of 2017, AJ and Holly Neely packed up their lives with their three children and embarked on an over 800 miles journey from Arlington, Texas to Loveland, Colo. While AJ’s career as a pastor at Keystone Church brought them to the area, their children were at the forefront of their minds when selecting a neighborhood. At the top of their list of requirements was an incredible school and a place their kids – ages five, three and one – could play in the backyard and ride their bikes with the neighborhood kids. Being close to a Target and Chick-fil-A would be nice too. Then they found The Lakes at Centerra. It checked all of the boxes, plus some.

When you’re moving to a new city, it can be a stressful process to find the right house in the right neighborhood. It’s especially stressful when moving to a new state. To ensure the perfect fit for their family, the Neelys asked a ton of questions about the area before moving here. They talked with friends who live in the area, their realtor and even waiters at local restaurants to gather as much information as possible. They were pointed towards The Lakes at Centerra and immediately fell in love. In fact, they didn’t look around very much they just knew they wanted to live in The Lakes at Centerra and have their children go to High Plains School. So, they jumped in head first.

The most challenging part of their journey to Centerra was building their house remotely, from 800 miles away in Texas. AJ and Holly were up for the challenge though. After living in an older house in Texas and having to do a lot of remodeling work they were looking forward to a home that was fresh and new. While they were able to have a few visits to Loveland to check-in on the progress, unlike many owners of homes in The Lakes at Centerra, they weren’t able to be there for the whole process. Holly picked many of the finishes on FaceTime. Fortunately, they loved all of their choices!

Their favorite part of their new home is the layout and how much thought the builders put into creating a floor plan that works for families. They have spaces just for their kids, such as a game room, spaces just for adults and spaces the whole family can enjoy—like a big kitchen that opens up into their living room allowing everyone to be together. AJ and Holly also love inviting friends and family to their new home, and the layout is fantastic for hosting. They only moved in a few months ago, and they’ve already had family for the holidays, friends for dinner, and a huge Halloween front yard party for the whole neighborhood with everything from a bounce house to a fire pit for making s’mores.

The Neelys wanted a neighborhood where it was easy to meet other families with young children and get involved in the community. The Lakes at Centerra is the perfect place for doing just that. The whole neighborhood has a charming small-town feel. AJ and Holly have found that people are always outside with their families and everyone is friendly and inviting. It’s refreshing to live in a community where people want to be neighborly and take care of each other. That sense of community has allowed the family to get to know a lot of people in their neighborhood. AJ has even already put together a neighborhood softball team to play in Loveland’s recreational league.

Coming from a large city in Texas where there was a Target and a Chick-fil-A on every corner, AJ and Holly wanted to make sure that while they had the small-town feel in their immediate neighborhood, they also had access to big city amenities. Centerra was the perfect fit. The essential family store Target is close by, they have a wide variety of restaurants – although their kids really only like the places that serve pizza, like Old Chicago – AJ found a local coffee shop, Colorado Coffee Company, where he can work without any little interruptions, and they have easy access to parks and walking trails. The best part? They never have to leave Centerra. Everything they need and want is right there, even their children’s school.

The Lakes at Centerra was designed to connect the neighborhood with the school making it easy and safe for students to walk and bike to and from school; the Neelys live only six houses away from the High Plains School. Finding an excellent school for their children was top-priority for AJ and Holly. Their daughter now attends kindergarten at High Plains School, and they all love it. The school has a unique curriculum designed to challenge students to apply their knowledge to real-life situations through problem-based learning. Their daughter’s class was recently challenged to find a solution to people breaking trail rules at surrounding trails. After three field trips to learn about the problem, the class put together a solution and even presented it to local experts. It’s no wonder most families in The Lakes at Centerra send their children to High Plains School!

When the Neelys do leave Centerra, they’re probably on their way to Rocky Mountain National Park. The whole Neely family, even the youngest, loves to hike. The beauty of the outdoors and the accessibility to it are what AJ and Holly like best about living in Colorado. Even when they can’t get up to the Rockies, they have impeccably maintained parks right in their neighborhood and walking trails at High Plains Environmental Center, so they always have a place to be outside. It’s a unique feature of the area that allows them to create fun memories with their kids.

AJ and Holly didn’t leave Texas because they didn’t love living there. Now that they’ve had time to settle in Colorado they love their family’s new life. They love the dramatic Colorado landscape, the ability to enjoy the outdoors with their children and their proximity to everything they need. Best of all, they can enjoy everything while living in a beautiful new house in an incredible community they’re excited to call home.

Meet Ashlyn and Tanner Highfill. They set out to find not only the perfect house, but also the perfect community to raise a future family. Once they found The Lakes at Centerra, they finally felt at home and life began to fall into place. Read on to hear more about their journey to find a forever home.

Living in a small, older home in Loveland, Ashlyn and Tanner knew this wouldn’t be their forever home as they began the exciting discussions about someday starting a family. They knew they needed to make a change. A big change. Beyond just seeking additional space, the couple wanted to find a strong community to raise their future family. After driving through a handful of local neighborhoods and weighing their options they thought, what if we could just build our own dream home from scratch?

In searching online, they came across The Lakes at Centerra. After just one visit, it was impossible not to fall in love with the community. In fact, that’s their favorite part. No other neighborhood Ashlyn and Tanner were looking at could compare. Unlike other neighborhoods, which consisted of predictable streets and simple houses, The Lakes showcased a vibrant, people-centric community. With numerous lakes and trails to explore, a park where kids could play, restaurants and shops nearby,as well as fun year-round activities, it was exactly what they were seeking. It was time to pack up and settle at a new address.

To bring their dream to life, the couple chose to work with William Lyon Homes. For both Ashlyn and Tanner, the reason was simple. William Lyon’s floor plans didn’t just feel like a house, they felt like home. They loved being able to customize their place exactly to their specifications with details down to the finishing touches made just for them. Nestled between two large community parks, their house is within walking distance to High Plains School and adjacent to an expansive trail system. The couple loves exploring the trails with their dogs, Giada, an Italian Greyhound, and Bruce, a European Doberman.

As Colorado natives, the couple is inspired by the beauty of the state with the desire to preserve the environment. Ashlyn is originally from Colorado Springs, but grew up in Fort Collins, and Tanner is from the Fort Collins and Loveland area so staying close to their roots was a big motivator. They love The Lakes’ expansive natural space, which highlights Colorado’s beauty right in their backyard. Additionally, High Plains Environmental Center is a great perk for the couple. Located in the middle of The Lakes at Centerra, the Environmental Center is a living laboratory focused on sustainable living, which really spoke to them and their personal passion for the environment.

Once you get to know the couple, you’ll soon see that sustainability is a big part of who they are. They have a vegan diet, drive an environmentally-friendly Prius from Pedersen Toyota where Tanner works in sales, and Ashlyn has also made health part of her career. As owner of a health and fitness business online called Believe Health, Ashlyn focuses on helping women all over the country lose weight through healthy eating with plants and workout plans. A sustainable and environmentally focused lifestyle is important to Ashlyn and Tanner and is something they want to instill in their children down the road. Having those values embedded in the Centerra community will play an integral part in future parenthood.

While the couple likes to relax at home, they also enjoy the short drive to grab dinner or a movie date. Even with a vegan diet, finding great dining options around Centerra hasn’t been a problem. They particularly enjoy heading to Café Athens for their traditional Greek falafel or to Bent Fork for their crispy tofu tacos with plum and fresh lime sauce, pickled vegetables and spicy cashews. As Centerra has continued to grow, the couple finds new exciting options that fit their vegan lifestyle.

As admitted movie buffs, Ashlyn and Tanner love going to catch a show. Living so close to the Metropolitan MetroLux theater is the perfect fit for them. Everything they like to do is close by and when they do want to go down to Denver they have easy access to I-25. What really sold the couple on The Lakes at Centerra was not only the great life they can build now, but also the exciting life they can create for their future children, and for themselves as they get older. Ashlyn described Centerra life best: it’s like living in a Hallmark Christmas movie, with a cute little neighborhood and a perfect downtown to match, especially when the ice rink is open in the winter!

Considered their forever purchase, to say the Highfill’s are committed to Centerra would be an understatement. They’ve settled in a blossoming community and are ready to embrace all of life’s exciting stages ahead.