Neighborhood of the week: The Village at Riverstone

Unless you've been sleeping under a rock for the past century, you're aware of the role logging has played in the history of the Northwest.

And you know that many of the mills have since closed, leaving the question of what to do with the land where they sat. It's amazing to watch as the former mill sites have been transformed from vacant land to neighborhood - or to village, as in the case of Riverstone.

Voted the "best walkable neighborhood" by the readers of the Inlander, Riverstone is a mixed-use development nestled on a former mill site on the Spokane River in Coeur d'Alene, offering a wide range of retail, professional service and residence options. You can live, shop, work, and play, all in the same place.

"I see it as a very fun area for Coeur d'Alene," said Kelly Tuntland, a Realtor with Century 21 Beutler & Associates and a former resident of the Village at Riverstone. And with its location just off I-90, "you're just close to everything."

The Village at Riverstone consists of 132 luxury condos housed in three buildings. Built in 2008, the condos are on the second and third floors, with retail businesses below. "They were built to a higher spec," Tuntland said. Designer touches and contemporary amenities are what you'll find in the condos at the Village. Features include 9-foot ceilings (and vaulted ceilings in select units), expansive picture windows, glass-enclosed showers and soaking tubs, granite countertops, solid wood cabinetry and stainless steel appliances, to name just a few.

Each condo has secured and heated underground storage and parking - one or two stalls, depending on the size of the residence. The buildings are also secured. "You don't have to worry," Tuntland said. Residents have access to a barbecue terrace in each building, providing the perfect spot to entertain friends since cooking isn't permitted on personal balconies.

"There's a mix of really good people there," Tuntland said. "There's a lot of connection in there. You get to know your neighbors." She should know, having lived in the Village for four years. Unlike traditional neighborhoods where you might never meet your neighbors, residents of the Village have created a community.

The condos are the perfect size, offering enough room to live comfortably, but not too much to maintain. One-bedroom condos are 750 square feet and up; two-bedroom condos are 1,200 square feet and up; and three-bedroom condos are up to 1,800 square feet.

Prices for a one-bedroom condo start at $185,000, two-bedroom at $250,000, and three-bedroom around $400,000. HOA dues are based on each unit, ranging between $200-$300/month. "They take care of basically everything," Tuntland said, including maintaining both inside and outside the buildings, washing the windows twice a year, and steam-cleaning the garage. The HOA pays for water, sewer and garbage, as well.

There are currently four condos on the market. There's a high demand for these units; this summer, two sold in 10 days. "Prices are going up," Tuntland pointed out. "We're seeing an uptick in the market."

But living in North Idaho is also about what's around you. "We're about getting out of your home and going to the lake," she said. When you live in the Village at Riverstone, you can step out of your front door and grab a coffee at Starbucks or Pastry and More. Sip a glass of wine at Bardenay Restaurant and Distillery or a beer at the Mill, and you don't have to worry about driving home; it's just a few steps away. In the summer there's the street fair, with lots of great vendors. Or take a picnic down to the park and spend the evening listening to live music in the amphitheater on Riverstone Lake.

Feel like stretching your legs? The Centennial Trail runs through Riverstone. Hop on your bike and ride the 1.5 miles to downtown Coeur d'Alene, with its wide selection of shops and restaurants. "It's cool to walk out your door to the trail," Tuntland said. Or stroll down to the public dock at Bellerive and enjoy everything the Spokane River has to offer.

How about a movie? The 14-screen Regal Cinemas megaplex features comfortable reclining seats, a full service snack bar and an arcade, and shows first-run movies. Residents can walk onto their private terrace and glance down the street at the cinema to see what's playing.

Then there's the shopping. "We're seeing new things popping up all of the time," Tuntland said. You can find everything from boutiques to outdoor gear to the latest in kitchen gadgets in Riverstone, with more retailers moving in regularly.

Hungry? Whether it's a burger, frozen yogurt, Mexican, pizza or casual gourmet, you'll find it at one of the many restaurants scattered in and around Riverstone.

So, if the idea of walking to work, to dinner, or to the river and then home again sounds too good to be true, call Kelly Tuntland at (208) 660-7559 and find out more about life in the luxurious condos at the Village at Riverstone.

"Work, shop and play - you're right here."

If you have a neighborhood you'd like to see featured in this series, contact Beth Hanggeli at (208) 659-8367 or bhanggeli@cdapress.com.