It’s a busy fall for eQ Homes. It started with the opening of a model home at Embrun Central and launch of a bungalow community called Tapestry by the Rideau in Riverside South, followed by the upcoming release of an enclave of townhomes and semis at Greystone Village in Old Ottawa East and the imminent completion of construction and start of occupancy of The Spencer condo building, also at Greystone.
“It certainly makes our fall exciting, and we’ve been really busy all summer,” says Josh Kardish, vice-president at eQ Homes.
It’s a happy coincidence that all this activity comes as there are small but regular signs of a housing market poised for a revival. For several months, new-home sales have been inching up, with predictions that they will improve even more by early next year.
“I wish we had that foresight and we were that smart,” Kardish laughs. For Tapestry and Forecourt in particular, “the reason for both launches timed the way they are has more to do with when the sites were at the right point in the development process where we can rationally sell them,” he explains.
He’s quick to point out that both the Tapestry and Greystone offerings are rare — the final freehold homes at Greystone and an all-bungalow development.
“Having a bungalow-only community in the city nowadays is unique. Even though it’s just a small enclave, it’s still very, very different than what you see others trying to do,” he says of Tapestry. That could explain why there were lineups on launch day and healthy sales.
Here’s a look at what’s new with eQ.
Tapestry – an all-bungalow enclave
Launched on Oct. 19, Tapestry will see 46 detached bungalows nestled between the Rideau River and River Road in Riverside South.
“It’s a really unique community,” says Tobin Kardish, who is eQ’s director of marketing and product development and Josh’s brother. “I know it’s in the suburbs, but it’s like a true infill, especially given its size.”
For eQ, whose roots are in building bungalows and adult-lifestyle communities, the direction for the development made sense.
“It builds on the success that we had in Manotick at Riverwalk” (a similar enclave of bungalows further south on the Rideau River), says Josh Kardish. “When that community wound down, we had a lot of people (say), ‘We’d really love it, if you’re doing something like that again, to please keep us in mind’ … This (location) was the most logical one to replicate what we did there. It’s close to that community; it lends itself, given its size, to having (that kind of) unique solution.”
While it is all bungalows, Tobin Kardish does not see it being limited to adult-lifestyle living. “It’s become apparent to us that different ages of people are actually looking for bungalows,” he says.
Lots range from 35 to 50 feet wide — with many either backing onto protected greenspace or with views that will see the river when the lack of foliage allows — and the floor plan choices range from about 1,250 to 2,500 square feet, not including loft and finished basement options.
A new floor plan introduced at Tapestry, called the Amelia, is a bungalow that can grow to six bedrooms and 3,300 square feet with the loft added and its finished basement, he notes, adding, “I’m excited for this one.”
He’s heard from buyers who want the ability to personalize their homes with more bedrooms and this is certainly the home to do that, he says, although other bungalow floor plans can accommodate up to four bedrooms without a loft.
The homes, which start at $868,900 (at the time of writing), come with open-concept main living areas, high ceilings, gourmet kitchens, quartz counters throughout, engineered hardwood and lots of space for family gatherings. There is also a launch promotion of design centre bonuses ranging from $15,000 to $30,000, depending on lot size.
Initial occupancy is expected for spring 2026. Note that Tapestry is selling from eQ’s sales centre at eQuinelle in Kemptville, primarily because that’s also where the builder has bungalow models to tour. (back to top)
Forecourt — a special offering at Greystone
The final opportunity to buy a freehold home at popular Greystone Village in Old Ottawa East is almost at hand.
Greystone is a decade-old master-planned infill community on 26 acres between Main Street and the Rideau River surrounding the historic Deschâtelets building, former home to the Oblate Brothers. It is LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and has won multiple awards as a planned community.
Launching Nov. 2, eQ will offer a special collection of townhomes and semi-detached homes designed by Hobin Architecture that will frame the urban park in front of the Deschâtelets building.
“We took our time over the past few years to figure out how we could do something on this site that clearly met the design intent, that framed that park and hid the garages — just as we’ve done throughout Greystone, where the garage is not the prominent feature — but was a more conventional type of home that would appeal to a broader audience in Ottawa,” Josh Kardish says.
The result is 30 three-storey homes, a mix of towns and semis, ranging from 1,340 to 2,090 sq. ft. and two to four bedrooms. All feature ground-level dens with a powder room — perfect for home businesses or those who work from home — open-concept main living areas on the second floor and balconies and/or terraces. They also come with hardwood floors, oversized windows, hard-surface countertops throughout, high-end kitchens and smart home technology.
“Everything you can truly think of that would be in a high-end townhome is what is inside these houses,” says Tobin Kardish.
Pricing is still being finalized and initial occupancy is expected to be winter 2026. (back to top)
The Spencer — Greystone’s final condo building
Launched four years ago, The Spencer is the last condo building that eQ will build at Greystone Village.
The nine-storey building is nearing completion, with first residents now moving in and construction expected to end early in the new year.
“We really appointed The Spencer very uniquely,” Josh Kardish says of the building’s design and finishes. “Maybe we went a bit overboard, but we were really trying to close out the condominium offerings at Greystone in a very special way.”
To top it off, eQ partnered with Tanner Vine Interiors — the interior designer behind this year’s Minto dream home in the CHEO Dream of a Lifetime lottery — to design the building’s remaining penthouses, each with a unique design to appeal to a variety of buyers.
“These are turnkey opportunities,” he says.
There are about three dozen units still available in the building, offering a range of sizes. Prices at the time of writing were starting in the high $500,000s.
When The Spencer and Forecourt are complete, eQ and its parent company, The Regional Group, will have just one more piece of the community that they control left to build. That will be high-end rentals behind the Deschâtelets building, with construction to start in January, says Josh Kardish. (back to top)
MORE: The Spencer launches at Greystone
Embrun Central — a new model home
eQ has once again teamed up with the design firm West of Main to present its latest model home, the two-storey Elliot at Embrun Central.
The four-bedroom single-family home comes with 2,788 sq. ft. — or 3,503 sq. ft. with the finished basement, which the model showcases. It includes a main-floor den and an open-concept main living area that feels like the kitchen, dining room and living room are nonetheless separate, which speaks to what buyers have been asking for, says Tobin Kardish.
“People still like the idea of an open concept, but they want private spaces.”
Open since Aug. 17, the model was chosen because “it really did speak to the type of buyers who were coming in prior to us building the house,” particularly families moving up from a townhome who wanted to stay in the east end and chose Embrun for its more affordable pricing, he says.
The interior design is inspired by its location, “a historical township encircled by picturesque agricultural land,” says West of Main senior designer and design manager Josée Sigouin. “Inspired by classic countryside homes, the kitchen specifically embodies this vision through a focus on traditional detailing such as a mix of painted and stained cabinets, glass inserts to display dinnerware, oil-rubbed bronze fixtures and the hammered metal pendants and stools.
“The assortment of rich wood tones and paint colours, mixed metals, leather, linen and playful wallpapers give the home personality and style.”
The home includes fun features such as the cranberry-coloured den-turned-music-room, soothing smoke blue cabinets in the kitchen paired with an unexpected scalloped backsplash, and a basement rec room that foregoes the typical sectional and TV in favour of an extended table for games or crafting and a workout space.
Praising the work of both West of Main and the home’s architect, RJH Architecture + Planning, Tobin Kardish says the house tells a story.
“The ground level is truly meant for a family that wants to be together and spend time. And then upstairs really does have its private spaces. So, when it’s time to disconnect and enjoy a little private time, all the bedrooms are spacious, with their own bathroom or access to a bathroom. You can go up and have your own area, which is lovely.”
The model can be toured Saturday to Wednesday at various times (closed Thursday and Friday).
Check our development summaries for more on Tapestry, Greystone Village and Embrun Central. (back to top)
