Neighborhood of the week: The Circuit @ Seltice

If you've driven down Seltice Way recently, you can't help but notice all of the changes. With new interchanges, parks, bike trails, and neighborhoods, the once sleepy "back way" into Post Falls is undergoing an amazing transformation. And ActiveWest Builders is a part of that growth with its new development, The Circuit @ Seltice.

The Circuit @ Seltice is a gated community located minutes from I-90 and downtown Coeur d'Alene offering modern, fresh designs. It honors Chief Andrew Seltice, a historical leader of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe, with street names that reflect the area's Native American roots.

"ActiveWest's philosophy of Preserving the Past and Planning for the Future is important," said Sharon Cunningham, director of sales and marketing for ActiveWest Builders. "So when we named the two streets in The Circuit, I decided to honor Chief Andrew Seltice, for which Seltice Way was named. I chose his wife's middle name, Rosalia. For the next street, I used the name of Chief Seattle's first wife, LaDalia, who died after bearing a daughter."

ActiveWest Builders wanted to create a neighborhood of low-maintenance homes with easy access to shopping, recreational activities, and medical services using the concept of urban infill: building a new development on undeveloped land within an existing urban area.

Where does the name come from? Well, it refers to the journey that we make in our day-to-day lives, moving from home to work to play and back home again. It refers to the "connectivity" of a community. Even the streets in The Circuit are - well, circular. Being so close to the Centennial Trail and the network of trails that crisscross our area, it also harkens to the circuit of a bike route.

Residents of The Circuit @ Seltice will access the Centennial Trail through a private gate at the rear of the development. Planning is in place for a new trail network that will connect the Atlas and Centennial Trails and the new Greenbelt Trail, which will run along the Spokane River.

Access to this trail system will be dramatically improved when the Atlas and Seltice interchange is signaled, which is currently being designed. It's one of the reasons they selected the site, said Dennis Cunningham, president of ActiveWest Builders. They wanted to be close to the river, and have access with the new intersection.

"It supports why Dennis picks the properties he does," Sharon said. "To be able to create an actual neighborhood that's in that part of Coeur d'Alene that's so close to the river, the Centennial Trail, Riverstone, etc., that's the thing we're finding that people are wanting. It's a little diamond in the rough."

The home designs are "super fresh" for Coeur d'Alene, said Dalton Cunningham, a Realtor with Windermere Real Estate and member of Team ActiveWest. "These designs are usually found in bigger homes."

ActiveWest designs and builds award-winning homes in Idaho and Washington that are third-party verified and certified under the demanding guidelines of USGBC LEED for homes and stringent Energy Star performance standards. They have been lauded for raising the bar for planning, designing and building high-performance, healthy communities.

"We're sort of the new kid on the block, so our actions will make their own momentum," Dennis said.

The Circuit consists of 39 lots. Floor plans range from 1,100-1,400-square-foot 2 bedroom 2 bath homes with a 2-car garage (with a galvanized opaque contemporary door with metal trim framing) from $200,000, up to 1,500-2,100-square-foot homes from $249,900. One-story ranchers can add a loft for extra space; two-bedroom floor plans have a front flex room that can be used however the homeowner sees fit.

These are semi-custom houses designed for main floor living; buyers meet with the builder to discuss their vision for their new home before it's built. The homes are constructed to functional universal design standards with wide doorways and hallways, no thresholds on doors, and no lip or door on the shower.

ActiveWest understands the house as a "system," and builds with the latest and best building science techniques. Their homes are designed with a wide range of high-quality standard features that are unique in this area. Radiant floor heat in the slab, advanced framing practices, beyond code insulation, quartz countertops, exclusive designer Huntwood cabinetry, vaulted ceilings, Energy Star certified stainless steel appliances and lighting technology, high performance window packages, fresh air exchange systems and highly durable HardiPlank siding; you really have to stop by their model homes to appreciate the many features that they offer.

ActiveWest Builders has won a number of awards, including the Idaho Smart Growth & Green Building Award. They built the area's first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum Certified home - the highest rating - as well as close to 78+ more LEED Homes, primarily Platinum certified.

In January, The Circuit received two awards from the National Association of Home Builders at the International Builders Show: A top Gold award for Best for Sale and a Silver award for Best Detached Home in the "On The Boards" category.

They've planted espalier apple orchards and community gardens with raised beds for the residents. Homeowners can landscape their back patio areas, if they choose; front yards are landscaped as part of the package.

HOA fees are only $75/month, and cover maintenance of the front yards and snow removal. It also covers maintenance of the community pavilion, orchards and other common areas. Which is perfect for snowbirds; you can lock the door and walk away, and not worry about your home looking neglected.

"We maintain everything," Dalton said. "The front yard landscaping, as well as snow removal on the driveway, sidewalk and street."

There's already been a great deal of interest in The Circuit @ Seltice, Dalton said. From couples looking to downsize to single adults attracted by the idea of a low-maintenance home, not to mention the proximity to services.

The Cunninghams believe that the roots of everything are important, and try to remember and honor what used to be.

"Again, we always try to honor the history of the area," Sharon said. "It goes into our motto, which is preserving the past and planning for the future. We try to honor the historical roots of the area and create cutting-edge homes that plan for the future."

So, if you'd like to be a part of the exciting growth on the Seltice corridor and own a single family, low-maintenance home near the river, call Dalton Cunningham at (208) 659-7653 to learn more about life in The Circuit @ Seltice. And watch for the grand opening celebration, coming soon!

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