Last Call for Lower-Maintenance Homes at Lanterns at Rock Creek

Eight homes remaining in Boulder Creek Neighborhoods’ Superior enclave.

With only eight home sites still available for sale, including a couple quick move-ins, Lanterns at Rock Creek from the Louisville-based lifestyle builder Boulder Creek Neighborhoods could be the definition of “lifefullness.”  What’s that?  It’s what the builder likes to call “a life fully lived, a home that sets one’s best intentions free,” explained Jessica Champlin, Boulder Creek Neighborhood’s chief revenue officer. Lined with mature trees and nestled into the beloved community of Rock Creek in Superior, Lanterns epitomizes the best things about a Boulder Creek Neighborhoods home: lower-maintenance conveniences, an intuitive main-floor open design, and with the neighborhood nearing build-out, a dynamic, welcoming community of homeowners.

Final lower-maintenance homes in Lanterns at Rock Creek
As Lanterns at Rock Creek enters its final phase, Boulder Creek is offering two ranch-style floor plan series, Opportunities One, offering up to 4 bedrooms in an impressive 3000 square feet, and Opportunities Two, which preserves the lower-maintenance, main-floor living elements homeowners love about the original series while reigning in the square footage at a slightly lower price point. “Featuring a variety of open-concept floor plans, plenty of storage and the lower-maintenance conveniences that give you the freedom to do what you love with your time, homes at Lanterns at Rock Creek are great for empty nesters, singles, really anyone looking for an easy-to-care-for home,” Champlin noted.

The “easy-to-care for” bit first attracted Abby and Cory Hilliard to Boulder Creek Neighborhoods. “For my husband, the number one sell was not having to do the yardwork,” Abby recalled. “We can go visit our boys and not have to worry a thing about the house, but at the same time, there’s plenty of room for potted flowers.” She added, “We just had landscaping finished in front of our new home, and they did it all. We’re glad to be done with watering and snow removal too.” Their former home, based in Rock Creek, included a substantial yard and pond; the Hilliards are finally enjoying warm weather evenings without lawn care.

Rock Creek opportunity, perfectly sized
Recent empty nesters, with one son out of college and another part way through, Abby and Cory felt ready to downsize from their 4,000-plus square foot home in Rock Creek a couple years ago but were hesitant to leave the neighborhood they adored. “We raised our sons here, we’ve walked the trails with friends and we appreciated the easy access to 36, Denver and Boulder,” Abby said. Thus, even as they seriously considered Boulder Creek’s Calmante neighborhood, which also offered lower-maintenance conveniences, they put themselves on the waitlist for Lanterns at Rock Creek. “Then we got lucky,” she said. “The realtor called and said something had opened up at Rock Creek, and we jumped.”

While this was the Hilliards second time to build a home, “I never imagined it could go this smoothly,” Abby said. “It took only about nine months, and it was by far the easiest and nicest experience we’ve had with home building or buying. I can’t say enough about (Boulder Creek Neighborhoods’ community managers) Donna Lu Gamberg, Brad Workman and Greg Buckout. They went above and beyond with customer service.”

The Hilliards, who work for the University of Colorado, settled on the Equinox floor plan at Lanterns “because it was the largest,” Abby said, at about 3,000 square feet. “We were going from five bedrooms to three, so we had to do a lot of editing of possessions,” she said. The Hilliards sold their home and checked into a hotel when they thought they were a month out from purchasing a home at Calmante. Once they decided to take advantage of the opportunity to remain in Rock Creek and build at Lanterns, they rented a townhome in Superior – only to be displaced by the Marshall Fire due to smoke damage. All the packing and repacking helped Abby and Cory “evaluate what we need and what we really don’t need,” she said. “We found we needed less stuff in general, though it helps that the closets in the Equinox are unbelievable. There are closets everywhere.”

Intuitive floor plans
Along with the storage space, the Hilliards value the Equniox’s light-fused main floor: The primary suite leads directly to the laundry room through the ample walk-in closet, and the kitchen and dining space flow to a great room, back patio and a den or office space (in some floor plans, this can be a second main-floor bedroom). The finished lower level includes two additional bedrooms, one person when they visit, and Abby and Cory installed “an extra deep tub for eventual grandchildren,” she said. They’ve also carved out an exercise corner in the lower level and installed a game table for card nights with family and friends.

Since Abby enjoys cooking and hosting, the Hilliards opted for the gourmet kitchen with a walk-in and butler pantry and a “massive island,” she said. Tall ceilings combined with classic finishes and bianco perlino countertops – creamy white engineered marble stone with light gray veins – create a welcoming and elegant space. Home buyers are paired with a specialist from Saddleback Design in Denver, and “as with most Boulder Creek new builds, the personalization opportunities are endless,” said Gamberg, one of the Boulder Creek community managers at Lanterns. “The selection process was fun and very professional,” Abby said. “They guided us, helping us make our own decisions for what we wanted.”

Local builder, Superior charm
“It was very important to me that the builder was local,” said Abby. “And we wanted to know the home was well-built, efficient and our forever home we could grow old in.” In fact, Boulder Creek Neighborhoods’ commitment to quality and sustainability is evident long before a foundation is poured. “Boulder Creek homes are built from the outset to be low-maintenance, which is reflected in the durability of the materials utilized and benefits the buyer’s wallet as well as the environment,” Gamberg said. Lanterns at Rock Creek homes feature advanced insulation packages, insulated headers above windows and doors and low-e windows with argon gas and foam seals, as well as solar panels and a charging dock in the two-car garage.

Similarly, to ensure a good fit with homeowners for years to come, Lanterns’ homes include raised electrical outlets to reduce bending, zero-step thresholds, 36-inch-wide doorways and spacious bathrooms. “Plus, the main-floor living saves time and energy,” Gamberg said.

Outside the home, the Hilliards continue to relish everything they love about Rock Creek. The neighborhood is encircled by Rock Creek golf courses, dozens of parks, walking paths and open space. The town of Superior is a hidden gem on the Front Range, showcasing an unrivaled location that combines a small-town feel with the amenities of Boulder and Denver a short drive away. Nearby are Flat Irons Crossing shopping mall, art galleries and top-rated restaurants and breweries. Superior’s master-planned, revitalized downtown is delightfully walkable and proximate to medical facilities and unique shopping experiences.

Limited opportunity selling now
“Lanterns at Rock Creek is truly a great, limited opportunity for people looking to ‘right size’ into a low-maintenance, well-built home in a treasured neighborhood,” Gamberg said. Act now to seize one of just two fall move-in opportunities – one fully finished for under $750,000.  Also available –  a very few homes offered that can be personalized – starting in the $900s and expected to finish in early 2023.

To embrace low-maintenance convenience in a treasured location, visit LiveLanterns.com or call Boulder Creek’s online concierge at 303.309.0088. www.LiveBoulderCreek.com.

By Sarah Huber, At Home Colorado. Photos by Timothy Seibert.