The first home has sold, and two more are under contract in the new Silverview community, which will be completed by summer 2016.

First-time homeowners Tomas German-Palacios and his wife, Elvia Hernandez De Dyer, spent last Wednesday moving into their new townhome at 778 Florida Road, which they chose because of its proximity to downtown, the price and contemporary, urban design.

“We fell in love with the whole concept and design. It’s very modern,” German-Palacios said. “It’s a really good value for what you get.”

The duplex homes are 1,450 square feet and are priced at $475,000. Single-family homes are 1,550 square feet and $525,000. The price to live at Silverview is above the in-town median home price, although the new development offers something many multi-family units in Durango lack, which is ground-level living. “What we see a lot of in Durango are three-story-style townhomes, where you walk up to your kitchen,” The Wells Group broker Melissa Mayer said. “The living space in these units is on the main level.”

Both the duplex units and single-family homes have three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, oak hardwood floors, concrete countertops done by a local company, two-car garages and large decks overlooking the mountains. Two bedrooms and a full bathroom are downstairs, while the master bedroom, kitchen, 1.5 bathrooms and living room are on the first floor, which has drawn the interest of those growing up or growing old.

“We wanted to do an infill project with two levels, two sizes and price varieties of homes up there,” said Agave Group co-owner Mark Williamson, who is building the Silverview project with partner Jim Philippon.

“We think there is a growing need for people that are either older or retiring and wanting to downsize because their kids have gone to college and people moving here to enjoy Durango who want a turnkey home that doesn’t require a lot of energy or a headache. They’re fairly efficient.”

The homes require minimal maintenance, and the yards are xeriscaped, which means the landscaping is designed to reduce the necessity of additional watering from irrigation.

Construction of the 14-unit development – including six duplexes and eight single-family homes – on Florida Road just past Chapman Hill began last spring, and the main-level designs are attracting empty-nesters looking to downsize and young families purchasing their first homes.

“Based on other projects over the years, I think it will be first-time homeowners getting started with small families or people from cities like Albuquerque, Denver, Phoenix or in Southern California who just want a simple home near town within biking distance,” Williamson said.

German-Palacios and his spouse are the former, and, having previously lived in a unit also built by Williamson, contacted real estate agents when builders first broke ground on the project.

The development is within walking distance of Chapman Hill, hiking trails, Riverview Elementary and downtown Durango.

“Closeness to town was a huge factor,” said German-Palacios, who works at Southwest Colorado Community College. “I like to bike to work as much as possible.”

Durango is hard-up for developable space, so like many local developers, Williamson makes use of small tracts of land where he can find it. Silverview is his first housing project since Agave Group was founded. He has also developed town homes on 15th Street, Animas View Drive and near Santa Rita Park.