Top of the Line
by Julie Shannon

Imagine a home that offers top of the line amenities such as an elevator, space that is specialized to one’s liking and is located in an up-and-coming area with easy access to Philadelphia. Look no further then Echo Ridge Townhomes, a soon to be enclave of 10 exclusive and luxurious townhomes located on Moir Avenue in West Conshohocken, which was voted “Best Small Town To Buy a home In.” Located a few minutes from the Conshohocken Train Station, these four-bedroom three-bath homes are currently under construction and being developed by Borkowski Homes, owned by lifelong Conshohocken resident Chuck Borkowski, whose company concentrates on building homes in Conshohocken and West Conshohocken. Starting at $625,000, the first cluster of homes is slated to be completed by the end of July/early August.

“You can’t beat the location,” realtor Binnie Bianco of Long & Foster Real Estate, who represents Echo Ridge says. “It’s the highest point in West Conshohocken overlooking the Schuylkill River and the Conshohocken skyline at night. It’s a really nice skyline; you can see the [Philadelphia] city lights on a clear night. Although it’s close to everything, it’s set up high and private and will be its own little enclave.”

Borkowski says he’s had plenty of opportunity to build in the city “like everyone is now,” but building homes in Conshohocken is more meaningful for him because he’s a local guy.

“I love the area and the town has very thoughtfully blended in a new scene with some of the classic Conshohocken features which allows for a great lifestyle,” Borkowski says. “We have restaurants, nightlife and easy access to everything.”

“Anyone who lives in Conshohocken is proud to be here and passionate about their town, and you don’t get that too often,” Bianco says. “You can walk anywhere because it’s only one square mile and I think people enjoy that. They are out with their kids, walking their dogs; it’s kind of like going back in time to small town America. You’ll find people who know their neighbors, including the restaurant and shop owners. Most people move here because of its proximity to the city and access to major highways; however, it’s the small town community where everybody knows and cares about each other that keeps them here.”

Borkowski has been building homes catered toward 20 and 30-year-olds the past 10 years, but he is catering to a different market with this project.

“We’re selling these homes to the 30 to 40-year olds, but what we’ve been finding lately with this latest project is that a lot of the parents wanted to come into this town [Conshohocken] to be near their grandchildren.” Borkowski says.

These residents are downsizing in the process, and Borkowski says they want all luxury features with little maintenance, which is exactly what Echo Ridge offers. Some of those features include an elevator in each unit, a backyard deck and options to install saunas, a walkout balcony in the master suite complete with spa-inspired showers and wiring garages to be equipped to charge Tesla cars. Every home also boasts an open layout plan, granite, hardwood and stainless finishes, detailed interior finishes and cabinetry, nine-foot ceilings, a gourmet inspired kitchen and a two-car garage.

“With Echo Ridge, you’re literally getting a home from the ground up,” Borkowski says. “It’s new, high-end construction. It’s just really gone to the luxury end and we’re targeting to more buyers that can appreciate the nicer finishes, such as coffered ceilings, and there’s little maintenance. What we found since we’ve started in this particular community is a lot of people from the Main Line are going from 6,000-8,000 square feet and downsizing because of access to all transportation and the restaurant scene.”

Borkowski says these homes will be between 2,800 and 3,100 square feet, and the space can be specialized. That may be the most unique element to these homes; each townhouse will be catered to the homeowner’s taste and lifestyle.

“What’s great about these homes and this company (Borkowski Homes) is they are really personal builders,” Bianco explains. “There are 10 homes, but you can walk in and he (Borkowski) tends to every buyer. There are four exterior walls, stairs and the elevator that can’t be moved, but everything else can be moved to make it suit your lifestyle. If under agreement before they start framing the house, you can actually create your home. If you are thinking of flipping the living room to back of house and moving the kitchen to front, or if you need a larger closet, he will accommodate; the big name builders don’t let you do that. Chuck wants buyers to have a house they have created along with him that they truly love, not something that’s just his vision.”

That’s one reason why David Fahey didn’t hesitate to purchase an end unit when he saw the location and amenities Echo Ridge townhomes has to offer. The Wayne resident is the first buyer and he and his wife are excited to downsize from their larger home in the Main Line area and be a part of the lively Conshohocken community.

“We are giving up a beautiful house with a phenomenal backyard with amenities, and that’s tough, but it’s a good time to downsize and not have to deal with maintenance, upkeep and all the things it takes to maintain a house,” Fahey says. “We were looking to be in a product that we like and in a location that we like, and I believe Echo Ridge will be both of those. The Conshohocken area is a growing area with a lot of amenities, and the fact that it’s going to be new and done by a very reputable builder, I have a lot of confidence it will be a great place.”

Bianco says a lot of buyers for Borkowski’s properties are based on referrals, one reason being his willingness to be there for each buyer every step of the way as their home is created the exact way they want before their eyes.

“How many builders sit down with each buyer and want to create it for them? Chuck goes over everything with them and they are able to have contact with him through the whole process,” Bianco says. “He’s available, responsible, and he’s right there along with you. He’s not building the house and then leaving, that’s why he builds quality homes that includes construction, finishes and style that people are going to love.”

To inquire about purchasing a townhouse in the Echo Ridge community, call Binnie Bianco at (484) 576-7219, or reach out to Chuck himself at (610) 637-2566.

ECHO RIDGE TOWNHOMES
142 Moir Ave. | West Conshohocken
EchoRidgeCommunity.com

BINNIE BIANCO
Long & Foster Real Estate
126 Fayette St., Suite 100 | Conshohocken
(484) 576-7219
BinnieBiancoTeam.com

BORKOWSKI HOMES
1301 Fayette St. | Conshohocken
(610) 637-2566
BorkowskiHomes.com

Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life Magazine, May, 2017.