Parade Picks

The Parade of Homes^SM is the best way to shop for a new home in the Twin Cities. Twice a year, homebuilders showcase their latest creations for homeowners to consider. Home types run the gamut from condos to luxury single-family homes. But with 1,111 homes from which to choose, how do you make the most of the Parade of Homes^SM?Do you want a high-end loft with skyline views? Or a cozy retreat overlooking wilderness? Mpls.St.Paul Magazine has chosen five homes on the Parade that reflect the best the tour has to offer.

Tenth and Nicollet LLC
88 S. 10th Street, Minneapolis (sales center)
$295,00 to $3.7 million
Home # 652

Combining the energy of the downtown lifestyle with sumptuous amenities and a view like no other, The Nicollet offers premier homes for anyone who appreciates the finer things in life.

Offering 350 condominiums which range from 800 to more than 6,000 square feet, this fifty-six-story tower will sit in the heart of downtown. Once it’s completed in 2009, residents can enjoy the myriad of restaurants, culture, and nightlife options in one of the liveliest parts of Minneapolis just by walking down the street.

Nicollet homeowners can also take in the city simply by staying at home. With huge glass windows in the tallest residential complex west of the Mississippi, residents have unparalleled views of Minneapolis and beyond. Combined with luxurious, customizable interiors with many floor plans to fit your style and budget, The Nicollet makes staying in a treat.

The complex also offers a signature amenities area, Nicollet Commons, encompassing 24,000 square feet on the tenth through twelfth floors. Exercise in the state-of-the-art fitness center, complete with lap pool, spa, sauna, weight training equipment, and areas for dance, yoga, and Pilates. For more laid-back times, relax in the solarium or outdoor terrace, or meet friends in the club room, by the firepit, or at the wet bar. The secure building also features a full concierge service, heated indoor parking, a business center, commercial space for stores on the first four floors, and a balcony or terrace with every unit.

All units include a host of standard features—such as granite countertops and stainless-steel appliances—which buyers can then customize and upgrade. Each condo is pre-wired for surround sound, Internet access, and an online restaurant search engine, among other conveniences. Stop by The Nicollet’s sales center for a sample view of the 30th floor and see why The Nicollet is ideal for everyone from young professionals to empty nesters. Ryland Homes
15420 Plumstone Dr., Eden Prairie
$710,917
Home # 672

Move over, curb appeal. From its spacious master suite to its top-of-the-line appliances and sound system, Ryland Homes has crafted a home that will last long past its impressive first impression.

The master suite shows how well this home uses its 3,454 square feet. Opening off of French doors, the master bedroom features a vaulted ceiling and an expansive master bath. The adjacent walk-in closet has room for an optional dressing island as well.

In addition to the other four bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths, this house has enough special spots for every member of the family. The four-season sun porch is perfect for reading anytime during the year. Family gatherings can be cozy next to the family room’s gas fireplace or competitive in the fourteen-by-twenty-six-foot recreation room. And the home theater is wired by Best Buy for music and surround sound so you can get the most out of your entertainment.

This house tops off those larger features with attention to detail. The laundry facilities are conveniently located on the second floor, making the chore a little more tolerable. The gourmet kitchen boasts GE Monogram stainless steel appliances, pendant lights over the center island, and Silestone countertops, while elements such as six-panel maple doors, a three-inch maple hardwood floor, Andersen windows, recessed lighting, and a knockdown ceiling carry through the entire home.

All this is just steps away from miles of walking paths, views of the nearby river valley, and seventy acres of dedicated open space. It only takes minutes to reach a thriving commercial center and nearby Eden Prairie schools. Come see why Money Magazine named Eden Prairie one of the Top 10 Places to Live in 2006. Cates Fine Homes
915 Inspiration Parkway, Bayport
$674,900
Home # 292

Be eco-friendly in comfort and style with this new 2,350-square-foot home from Cates Fine Homes. Premier appliances and amenities intertwine with reclaimed materials in a prairie landscape to exude a naturally elegant quality.

Conservation takes center stage in this home, perhaps most evidently with the spectacular Douglas fir hardwood floors, which are reclaimed from Montgomery Ward shelving. The laundry room countertop, made of a compressed paper-based composite material, is also environmentally friendly. In-floor heating, powered by a high-efficiency boiler that uses less energy, offers a more cost-effective way to heat the house.

The three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom home carries high-end, high-efficiency appliances. The open kitchen contains a Sub-Zero refrigerator, Wolf range, and Asko dishwasher, as well as Corian countertops. The sleekness of these design elements is echoed throughout the home in the silk-fabric lighting fixtures, oil-rubbed bronze hardware, slate tile, and the plumbing fixtures in the master bathroom with hand-held body spray capabilities.

The entire Inspiration development, in which this home is located, focuses on creating “right-sized” homes that use space efficiently and cause minimal impact on the environment. The open floor plan allows the dining room, living room, and kitchen to flow together around a custom- designed breakfast nook. The heated garage holds enough space for two cars, a workshop area, and upstairs storage. Meanwhile, windows and doors from KML by Andersen blend energy efficiency and style.

Minutes from downtown Stillwater and the St. Croix River, this house steeps itself in nature. With dedicated open spaces surrounding it, this home’s current view of nature will never be filled with a new building. As part of a conservation development, the surrounding area is being restored to native prairies and grasses, which will have a series of walking trails and a nature education center where families can learn more about their environment. Mendota Homes
949 Sibley Memorial Highway, Lilydale
$259,900 to $999,900
Home # 245

Mendota Homes envisions homeowners welcoming nature into their lives on a daily basis with its new One Riverfront View residences. In addition to their breathtaking views, flexible and spacious interiors, and desirable amenities, these condos aim to mirror the natural beauty around them.

Set to begin opening in 2008, this three-wing, ninety-unit development will rest atop riverfront bluffs where it overlooks the scenic Mississippi River valley. The building’s exterior reflects the bends of the river and the limestone bluffs in its arch-barreled roofs and limestone facades. From their balconies and terraces, residents can take in views of the river, downtown St. Paul, and Cathedral Hill.

These balconies and terraces, which range in size from 200 to 800 square feet, are just one of many aspects of One Riverfront View that can be custom tailored to suit owners. Depending on unit selection and personal style, homeowners can customize a multitude of features, including wood trim, carpet and paint color, the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and floor plan. Unit sizes range from 1,173 square feet to 2,501 square feet, not including patio and balcony space. These custom options are in addition to a host of standard features, such as ten-foot ceilings, laundry areas in every unit, heated underground parking, floor-to-ceiling glass windows, sound insulation, a fitness center, an indoor pool, and sauna. A sales office with a model unit is open during the Parade to reflect the style of the condos.

The association will tie in its own preserved green spaces and landscaped grounds with existing walking trails that wind along the river all the way to downtown St. Paul. New rain gardens surrounding the homes fit in with One Riverfront View’s environmentally friendly outlook and its effort to improve stormwater management and minimize ecological impact. Together with its proximity to shopping, dining, and travel options, these homes strive to merge comfort, quality, and nature into a pleasing and affordable package. Eagle Shores Custom Homes
12416 Everton Circle N., Hugo
$1,575,000
Home # 186

Eagle Shores Custom Homes has a great solution for anyone who wants to live in nature without leaving convenience behind. Combining the love of outdoors with efficient and beautiful interiors, this 6,000-square-foot single-family home offers the perfect balance between the simple life and the good life.

Nestled near Bald Eagle Lake with private access and a boat slip, this four-bedroom, five-bathroom house is an outdoor enthusiast’s dream. Along with the other nine houses in the Eagle Shores development, this fully landscaped house shares access to undeveloped area, a pond, and an area at the lake that’s great for picnics. A separate mudroom with shower sits just off the four-car garage for easy cleanup from all the trips to the lake you’re sure to make.

Modern amenities abound in the home. Relax in the 1,500-square-foot master suite, complete with walk-in glass shower, heated floor, and a stone-edged, double-sided fireplace between the master bath and bedroom. With a 600-square-foot closet, large sitting area, and flex room off the master bedroom, you won’t be hurting for space.

The house’s main callout, its innovative geothermal cooling and heating system, makes it 80 percent more efficient than most heating and cooling systems. Combined with spray-foam insulation and discounted dual-fuel electric rates, this cutting-edge system keeps energy costs to a minimum.

Other areas sure to please are the wine cellar, home theater and bar in the lower level, stylized powder room on the main floor, and a screened porch off the rear of the house. Personal touches give the house a cozy feel, such as the stone accents that decorate three fireplaces and the kitchen area, cherry woodwork and ceiling treatments, decorative rope lights on the main floor, and lighted antique glass in the upper cabinets.