Estates West Magazine

ESTATES WEST

Luxury Living - Rock Star

 

At Coeur d'Alene's newest golf community, there is life - and loads of luxury - even beyond the world-class links.

 

Last night, The Club at Black Rock in Coeur d'Alene was a tad more Texan than Idahoan, as its residents donned boots, boogied to Western music and chowed down on country-barbeque eats. In the GemState's newest private golf development, sore feet and a stuffed belly simply come with the turf. And in a close-knit community where such get-togethers take place regularly, we doubt the folks who call Black Rock home minded.

 

Though the development is now in its fourth year of construction, the story of Black Rock began when the master-planned community's owner, Marshall Chesrown, was a lad. "I was born and raised 20 miles from the lake," the North-westerner says. "This is home." Since the early 1980’s, Chesrown had kept a house on Lake Coeur d'Alene; and even though he now resides part-time in Newport Beach, Calif., when "the snow flies" in Idaho, his heart is never far from his homeland. As Black Rock moves into its second construction phase, Chesrown is excited to share the natural wonders of LakeCoeur d'Alene with new residents.

 

Measuring 26 miles long and with thermometer readings in the mid-70's (in late June), the pristine lake is the true darling of the land. National Geographic ranks LakeCoeur d'Alene one of the five loveliest lakes in the world; however, Chesrown begs to differ. "I think it is the most beautiful lake in the world," he says. "You can use the lake and not just look at it. There are hundreds of wave runners and people water-skiing right now."

 

Black Rock residents wanting to give their land legs a rest have plenty of options - ranging from boating at the 130-slip marina at

Rockford Bay Road

, to kayaking and parasailing, to even windsurfing and whitewater rafting on the lake. And Chesrown is quick to point out that water's most infamous fellows aren't present at Black Rock:  "We don’t have mosquitoes or humidity."

 

The northern nook does have plenty of trees, though, proving that more than spuds are sprouting in Idaho. "It is very green because of all the great evergreens," Chesrown says. "It is unique because there is a wilderness, mountain-y feel, but you aren't in a high altitude." The woodsy landscape lends well to warm-weather activities like hiking, biking and hunting. However, if residents are in the mood for altitude, they can hit the slopes at nearby SilverMountain, LookoutPass, SchweitzerMountain or MountSpokane, and take in powdered peaks nearly five months out of the year.

 

Be warned, though. There may be no need to step, ski, hiking boot or snowshoe outside of the Black Rock community what with all the amenities The Club has to offer, which are growing exponentially thanks to the recent launch of Phase II construction. The 1,100-acre development will welcome a Tom Weiskopf-designed golf course to complement the pre-existing Jim Engh 18-holer. "The styles couldn’t be more different," Chesrown says. The same can be said of the duo clubhouses. The present club, built of timber and stone, exudes a traditional cabin feel, whereas the new outpost takes a more casual, relaxed and airy turn. While the entire second phase is slated for completion in mid-2009, the greens should be good to go a bit sooner.

 

The newest stage of Black Rock will also welcome an EquestrianCenter with numerous stables and miles of riding trails - a component Chesrown is especially giddy about. "I am not a golfer," he says. "My passion is horses." In addition, the Kootenai Camp will make for days of fun and frolic for kids and teens alike. Apart from tennis and basketball courts, a pool, a fishing lake, a rock climbing wall and a sand volleyball court, the tyke-friendly hub will also house a zip line and waterslides. "When [the kids] get out of bed, they [won't be able to] wait to get to the cabin," Chesrown says.

 

With enough leisurely pursuits to fill every waking moment, Black Rock dwellers need the perfect place to kick up their feet and regroup. Luckily, there are several styles of residential retreats to choose from - all as varied as the snowflakes that blanket the ground in the winter. Using native materials, residents can build their dream dwellings atop one of the Black Rock home sites (up to four acres large); or, if a turnkey lifestyle is preferred, there are member cabins, golf cottages and village homes. The latter three abodes are fully furnished and feature rustic-inspired elements, like plank hardwood floors and knotty alder cabinets, and high-tech goodies, including wine coolers and flat-screen televisions.

 

Regardless of which address you call home, Chesrown says it is the journey to Black Rock that makes it stand out against other luxury golf communities. "There are beautiful clubs in beautiful places," he says, "but they are very hard to get to." The Club's proximity to Spokane, Wash.'s International airport and Interstate 90 makes accessing the development a breeze." [It shouldn't take] all day to get to your second home," he says. "If you can't get to it, you don’t use it."

 

Though the area is undoubtedly teeming with happy campers who use and love their Black Rock retreat, one couple in particular is enjoying taking in the links and the lake at their new summer home. "Of all the places we looked, [Black Rock] was head and shoulders above the rest," says Bud Stanley, who along with his wife Judy, also resides part time in Las Vegas and Scottsdale, Ariz. And while it's true you won't find mosquitoes buzzing about Black Rock, the Stanleys say you will find something else:  a swarm of houseguests. "The hotel is booked," Bud jokes. "It is not difficult getting people here."