For the first time since before the pandemic, Urbandale Construction has opened new townhome models at its flagship community of Riverside South. At almost the same time, the company has also opened its first-ever models at Kanata Lakes, making it a busy month of unveiling staged homes to tour for the longtime builder.
Showcasing almost its full two-storey townhome lineup between the two developments, there are four models at Kanata Lakes and three more at Riverside South, plus a fourth Riverside South model introducing Urbandale’s new three-storey, back-to-back townhomes.
“We really wanted to give purchasers the opportunity to get a good sense of our complete lineup between the two communities,” says Melissa Boudreau, Urbandale’s director of sales, marketing and product development. “Our goal is that they work together in conjunction and show our lineup, which we’re really proud of.”
The models also illustrate Urbandale’s recent decision to build its two-storey townhomes to a net zero ready standard, meaning all that’s needed to make them net zero homes is the addition of solar panels. The net zero ready standard does not include the builder’s Aspire series, which are Energy Star-certified homes. Urbandale’s singles have been net zero ready for a few years now.
“They’re 80 per cent better than code at net zero ready,” Boudreau says, adding that the Energy Star-certified homes are 20 per cent more efficient than homes built to the building code. Energy efficiency is a cornerstone of Urbandale’s building philosophy.
The Riverside South models join two single-family home models that opened last year, while a single-family home model is expected to open at Kanata Lakes later this year.
MORE: See a summary of the Riverside South models
Urbandale paired once again with Wei Sanchez Design Studio to style the homes. “They did a phenomenal job,” Boudreau says, adding about the three-storey Dorchester in particular: “When I walked into the Dorchester after they staged it, it was one of my favourite reactions that I’ve had to seeing a model completed.”
Wei Sanchez co-founder Candice Wei says the overall design intent for the Dorchester “is bright, airy and contemporary, with a clean and approachable esthetic that appeals broadly to the general public without feeling overly themed or stylistically niche.
“This model was staged with a strong focus on real-life usability and adaptability, emphasizing how families can maximize every square foot of the home. The goal was to reflect how a variety of households would realistically live in and personalize the space.”
For the other models, she says that each has a distinct identity, shows how millwork, finishes and furnishing choices can transform the same base home, and includes a range of upgrade levels.
“A key intention is to show how homes can reflect different life stages, professions and family compositions, helping buyers emotionally connect with spaces that feel personally relevant.”
The homes are aimed at a range of buyers, Boudreau says, with the Dorchester especially appealing to first-timers and the two-storeys drawing move-up buyers and those downsizing. “They really enjoy our (two-storey) townhomes because they don’t feel as much like a townhome; they really give as much as a single.”
MORE: See a summary of the Kanata Lakes models
One model in each community — the Calypso in Riverside South and the Discovery in Kanata Lakes — is upgraded using only the $10,000 design centre bonus that Urbandale is offering to buyers.
“We’re showing what you can do with your design centre bonus, having a couple key upgrades to help guide our purchasers and show how to wisely use it,” which can be key when the budget for upgrades is slim, says Boudreau. Besides, she says, “our standard finishes are phenomenal.”
In the two-storeys, those standard finishes include quartz counters, hardwood flooring on the main floor, nine-foot main-floor ceilings, smooth ceilings, smart thermostat, light switches and video doorbell, a finished basement space and more.
With the opening of the Kanata Lakes models, the sales centre for that community shifts from Riverside South to Kanata.
For more on both communities, see our Riverside South and Kanata Lakes development summaries.
This article ran in the Ottawa Citizen on June 20, 2026.
