The Ruby condos sales center is scheduled to open the 3rd week of 2009. Pricing has not been firmed up yet but is expected to start at around $279,000 and top out in the mid $400,000's. The 52 open one bedroom and one bedroom homes will range from 620 square feet to 930 square feet.
When asked about the noise coming from the Ship Canal Bridge, Sales manager, Tanya Foster offered that the developer has worked closely with acoustic engineers in the construction process to reduce the noise coming from the highway. Ruby is set up in such a way that the corridor is on the east side of the building, closer to the bridge. Most homes are facing the lake (with the exception of the homes on the north side) and the corridor adds as an additional shield from the noise. WSDOT has received funding to study the highway traffic noise and will be evaluating different methods to reduce traffic noise. This will probably help in further reduction of traffic noise further down the road.
(Two color schemes available in Ruby)
Ruby is targeted at first time home buyers and the project is hoping to be FHA approved. There is no reservation process for this project; home buyers interested will go straight into purchase and sale when the sale center opens. There is no talk of the project becoming an apartment though it may not be difficult to take that route if conditions require since the developer has been involved in several other apartment projects.
The developer understands it is a slow market but they believe with sensible pricing, the location, lake views, and high quality finishes, the condo will appeal to home buyers. Seems like a reasonable argument to me.
I'll be taking a hard hat tour soon and will let you know my impressions afterwards.
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