Niagara homebuyers flocking to Silvergate Homes' Harbourtown Village in Fort Erie

Fort Erians have the best of both worlds: Quiet, beach town living, yet with superb access to big city amenities. So, it’s no surprise that the town – with its convenient QEW access – is now on the radar for many couples, families and downsizers choosing to escape urban hustle and bustle to set down roots in scenic, relaxed Niagara.

Until now, few knew much about this hidden gem on Niagara’s south coast. But word is getting out. It’s a thriving community of more than 30,000 that, like the rest of the Niagara region, is becoming increasingly attractive to GTA residents.

Thoughtfully curated communities

There may be no better opportunity to make Fort Erie home than Harbourtown Village at Erie Beach, by award-winning Silvergate Homes. One of Niagara’s most accomplished homebuilders with a 40-year track record of quality and service, Silvergate is well known locally for building upscale communities in unique locales. Over the years, the family-owned company has been building quality homes in thoughtfully curated communities throughout Niagara, primarily in St. Catharines, Niagara Falls and Welland (Niagara’s three largest cities).

According to Mike Passero, vice-president of Silvergate Homes, Fort Erie has a small-town feel that resonates with both Silvergate and its homebuyers. “It’s a quiet, tightly knit community,” he says. “Family is important in Fort Erie, and that’s certainly one of the charms of the destination.” Passero’s parents, Vito and Victoria, founded the company in 1984, and have instilled the importance of customer satisfaction in the two generations currently running the business.

Silvergate Homes’ deep knowledge and experience building in the Niagara region gives it an inside track when it comes to identifying superior locations for its communities.

That’s why Harbourtown Village is poised to be the jewel in the Silvergate Homes’ portfolio of luxury developments. The community comprises a limited collection of single-family homes and townhomes, in a secluded area along Lakeshore Road, between Historic Fort Erie and popular Waverly Beach (just one of many beaches that dot the Lake Erie shoreline – Fort Erie has more waterfront than any other municipality in Niagara.)

The property itself is reclaimed land from what was once a famous hot spot, the Erie Beach Amusement Park, which 100 years ago attracted steamship ferries, “Roarin’ Twenties” band orchestras and hundreds of thousands of visitors. At a nearby hotel, W.E.B. Dubois launched a key chapter in the civil rights movement, hosting the Niagara Movement, the precursor to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

Exceptional location

But beyond the lasting legacy, the location is exceptional, and Silvergate expects considerable homebuyer interest when sales activity opens later in 2022. The homebuilder’s nearby Amuse by the Lake community sold out in a matter of weeks in 2017. “Our homebuyers were absolutely thrilled to move to such a unique location,” says Passero. “With Harbourtown Village, we’re excited to recreate such an opportunity all over again and welcome people to this awesome beachfront community.”

A short jaunt to the waterfront, where Lake Erie begins its flow into the mighty Niagara River, the community’s exceptional location combines the tranquility of Niagara’s south coast with the convenience of amenity-rich living.

Fort Erie is home to dozens of major retail, restaurant and banking chains, making every day errands easy and convenient. If you need something more specialized, Niagara Falls and St. Catharines are only 20 and 30 minutes away, respectively, with big box stores and major shopping malls including the Outlet Collection at Niagara, the Pen Centre and Canada One Outlets.

Fort Erie’s growth in recent years was a key factor in the siting of the new South Niagara Hospital, with groundbreaking targeted for later this year. The state-of-art-facility – to be the biggest in Niagara by square footage – will be built about five minutes away from Fort Erie’s boundaries and about 15 minutes from the Harbourtown community.

A thing that sets Fort Erie apart from almost every other small Ontario community is its proximity to a major U.S. city. Buffalo is just a hop, skip and jump away. With the Peace Bridge now reopened after a long pandemic-driven shutdown, Fort Erians are eagerly returning to their cross-border traditions. Buffalo offers a whole new world of entertainment, professional sports, skiing, arts and culture, shopping – and, of course, chicken wings.
When you live in Fort Erie, you’ll definitely appreciate the convenience and cost-effectiveness of flying out of Buffalo International Airport, whether to sunny Florida, the bright lights of New York City or a myriad of other destinations. It’s a smaller and much more easily manageable airport than Pearson International, but still offers an excellent variety of flights.

Surrounded by nature

While Harbourtown Village is just minutes away from the Peace Bridge, it’s still secluded and surrounded by nature. It’s merely steps away from the 24-kilometre Friendship Trail – linking Port Colborne to Fort Erie – which in turn connects to the lake-to-lake Niagara River Recreational Trail. Churchill called this stretch “the prettiest Sunday drive in the world.”

With such enjoyable local amenities, it’s definitely easy to stay active in Fort Erie. And if you’re a water enthusiast, look no further because the community is a paradise for boaters either docking at the Niagara Parks Marina or set to water from one of many public boat launches. Fishing aficionados too are regularly seen casting their lines from a number of spots along the river’s shore.

Silvergate Homes brings Harbourtown Village to life – an upscale lakeview neighbourhood with a perfect synergy of modern design and small-town charm. Passionately designed, Silvergate fuses striking exteriors, unique lines and exceptional spaces. The homes at Harbourtown Village are a testament to superior craftsmanship and true luxury living.

A winner of more than 30 awards for homebuilding excellence, design, marketing and environmental stewardship, Silvergate Homes is a Tarion Warranty builder and RenoMark contractor. Its one-on-one philosophy ensures that no item on a homebuyer’s “wish list” goes unexplored. This customer-focused approach to custom homebuilding has resulted in hundreds of dream homes in Niagara, built with materials of the finest quality, to the highest standards of construction.

Pushing the envelope

Among Silvergate’s many awards, Passero is particularly proud of being honoured with the Niagara Home Builders’ Association’s very first Excellence in Green Construction/Renovation Award. “We were the first Niagara builder to adopt Energy Star standards, and continue to push the envelope in adopting new materials and construction techniques that promote sustainability and energy savings,” he says, explaining that homebuilders must be stewards in preserving Niagara’s beautiful landscapes and Fort Erie’s natural charms.

Sales at Harbourtown Village are expected to begin later this year, but Silvergate Homes is welcoming registrations to keep interested homebuyers updated in the months ahead.

Visit silvergatehomes.com for more details.