Most people looking for urban living look to trendy areas in Calgary’s downtown, such as Mission and Marda Loop.

Developments 2 Inc., having now dared to let buyers live their Dream in Marda Loop and fulfill their Destiny in Mission, is taking its expertise in chic, inner-city condo living to the satellite town of Okotoks. Only 15 minutes from Calgary’s south end, Okotoks is a community of 18,000 that has retained that know-your-neighbour feel.

At the same time, Okotoks’ commercial sector has taken off, with a number of mainstream restaurant chains and big-box stores moving into the town over the past five years. But like the trendy Calgary living spots, Okotoks also has those unique local businesses for people looking to mix up their eating and shopping experiences.

In the midst of it all is Willow, a 50-unit condo building that will be surrounded by all of the creature comforts, steps from home. “We are truly in the heart of Okotoks,” says Development 2 Inc. owner (and Okotoks resident) Kelly Rogers. “We are in the dead set middle of the boutiques, fine dining restaurants and shops.”

Old Town Okotoks is one block to the north and is a haven for independent businesses that peddle everything from con-temporary country décor to delectable chef-inspired cuisine.

Willow is located near Okotoks’ main street, Northridge Drive, on a quiet cul-de-sac in the Sheep River valley. The town’s river cuts from east to west, is flanked by kilometres of pathways which are shaded by mature trees and connects to other paths that lead to grocery stores and department stores in the south.

“People don’t want to get in their car to get a quart of milk,” Rogers says. “It’s a lifestyle that is not new to how people are living now.

The site is already home to a credit union, drycleaner and several other small businesses.

Developments 2 will be adding to the ambience, constructing boutique-style businesses below the condo development and another stand-alone 8,000-square-foot commercial building. Over half of the commercial space has already been leased out to national and regional tenants that Rogers says will make life very easy for residents who want to pick up a cup of coffee and take a stroll along the river banks.

No matter what small errand takes Willow residents out and about, they are sure to feel at home in the smaller centre. “There is a sense of community,” Rogers says. “There is that sense that you want to belong.”

Many people are looking to get out of the hustle and bustle of the city and connect with neighbours, Rogers explains. Others, like empty nesters, want to move closer to family living in the city, but don’t want the fast pace. And condo living appeals to anyone who doesn’t want the yard work and maintenance that comes with owning your own home.

No matter what stage in life, Willow has a place for every­-one. A quarter of the apartment-style condominiums are 715-square-foot one-bedroom units, which start at $224,900.

The remaining apartments are 950- to 1,134-square-foot two-bedroom/two-bath units, priced affordably from $271,000 to $336,000.

Views from the scores of windows in each apartment-style condo take in the Rocky Mountains as well as the river valley. And when the sun goes down, Willow residents can bask in the elegant styling of their home.

“Our interior décor is a step above,” Rogers says. “We have a mosaic backsplash, European-style ceiling-high cabinets, the faucets are upgraded, (as well as) nine-foot ceilings, tile, high quality carpet—all the little extras.”

For a limited time, buyers can have an added incentive. Developments 2 Inc. is offering six full months of free groceries or gas, or a free upgrade to a high-end stainless steel appliance package featuring a Fisher and Paykel high-efficiency refrigerator.