When you say Tuscany, people think of rolling hillsides in Italy. And when you clarify that it’s the Tuscany neighborhood on the Eastside that you’re referring to, people still know exactly what you’re talking about. Tuscany evokes myriad images for your average Eastsider.
When you say Tuscany on the Eastside, immediately people think of a lovely neighborhood near Bear Creek that feels a world away but is very convenient to freeways, shops, restaurants, Microsoft, Bear Creek Country Club, and all the amenities you could want. Tuscany is known for big, beautiful, stately homes (most start over 3,000 square feet) built by Buchan and Burnstead—two of the Northwest’s premier builders whose names are synonymous with quality and craftsmanship. These homes are set on generous lots of about half an acre—lots big enough to accommodate the largest summer barbecue yet not so big that you can’t easily connect with your neighbors. One of the most beautiful features is the landscaping: mature, lush, green, and carefully tended. There is a feeling of permanence in Tuscany. This neighborhood has been here since the early to mid-1990s and it’s only gotten better with time.
As for lifestyle, Tuscany is home to joggers and cyclists, horseback riders, playing kids, and parents pushing strollers. There are miles and miles of hiking and equestrian trails that weave throughout the wilderness in and around the neighborhood.
Tuscany residents value community and neighborliness, which is one of many reasons Tuscany is so highly sought after. There are many groups to choose from: playgroups, wine clubs, bunco, and the list goes on and on.
Tuscany residents value fun. Their holiday spirit is unmatched. There is an annual Easter Egg Hunt. Every Labor Day, Tuscany holds an annual picnic that hundreds of neighbors come out to enjoy. Halloween is an opportunity for most every cul de sac to host a party. In winter, residents go all out decorating for the holidays. Some Tuscany residents have even gotten together to rent a cherry picker to put up all their holiday decorations.
The homeowner’s association is fiscally strong and very active…and appropriately concerned with the well-being of the neighborhood. They recently replaced the neighborhood tot lot playground. Tens of thousands of dollars were spent on the new playground and countless residents volunteered their time to erect the new equipment.
If you have children, you will appreciate the fact that Tuscany kids go to Lake Washington School System schools. Wilder Elementary, Evergreen Junior High, and Redmond High Schools are some of the finest schools anywhere, schools known for their high test scores and academic expectations. Parents are involved in these schools and it shows in the kids’ academic performance. If you don’t have children, you will certainly appreciate these schools for what they do to the resale values in Tuscany.
Book Club, anyone? How about Bunco? Clubs and activities abound in Tuscany.
There are miles of hiking and equestrian trails so it's an everyday occurrence to see people riding on horseback…that gives you the feeling you’re in the countryside but downtown Redmond, Microsoft, and the freeways are minutes away.
It’s an old school neighborhood where it’s ok to let your kids go out and play like our parents used to let us do in the old days.
There really is a Dogs of Tuscany calendar. If you’re lucky, your pooch may be featured.
The homeowner’s association is well managed…the neighborhood invested tens of thousands of dollars on a new playground…and everyone pitched in to get it installed…and had fun doing so!
Tuscany is served by top Lake Washington schools: Wilder Elementary, Evergreen Junior High, and Redmond High School.
The residents are serious about the looking out for safety in the neighborhood…pesky magazine vendors and other nuisances don’t stand a chance.
Residents keep an internal recommendation list for who to call and who not to call for just about anything you need (roofers, painters, contractors, you name it).
Tuscany was intended to be an equestrian community so an 11 acre parcel was originally set aside to make this an equestrian stables…it’s nice to have a pocket of undeveloped land.
The lively, fun-loving Tuscany holiday spirit is absolutely unparalleled: people bring in cherry pickers to put up holiday lights, there is an Easter Egg hunt, at Halloween most every cul de sac organizes something special, and hundreds turn out for the Labor Day Picnic.