July 5, 2008
Time to Tee Off
"If you could live anywhere, why live anywhere else?" So says the website introductory message for The Club at Black Rock on the shores of
Indeed.
The exclusive, gated golf community sits on 728.4 hectares of pristine land that will eventually be developed to include 726 very special homesites, two36-hole golf courses, one now under construction and the other already award-winning; a 30,000-square-foot clubhouse—again, one of two that will make up the whole—and a Kootenai Camp for the kids.
"But make no mistake," says
The first course, designed by
"My philosophy is to hire a golf course designer and have him plan the golf course first, where others usually have an engineer and land planner put in houses and roads first, then they plan the golf course to fit," says Chesrown.
By doing it the other way around, homes are not visible from the golf course, and the course has been planned to be the ultimate golf experience, he says.
But since the course was started in 2003 when the average age of the buyer was 60, things have changed. "The average age is now 45, so the whole way the place is used is different. We have now created a kids' camp for the children."
That facility, the Kootenai Camp, opened recently with everything from a pond stocked with fish and a zip line overhead, to tennis courts, a pool with two huge waterslides, sand volleyball, and a clubhouse.
An Olympic-sized swimming pool, spa, exercise facilities, restaurant and more are in the golf clubhouse, and homeowners have their own marina with 130 boat slips and boat rentals, including jet skis, just a short drive away.
There’s also Chesrown’s own 1,821-hectare ranch - with300 cutting horses, horses that homeowners can ride, and boarding for homeowners' horses. Every amenity is at homeowners' fingertips, including security guards at the gates to protect privacy, 24-hour concierge services, and caddies for golfers.
"It has an out-of-the-way sex appeal," says Chesrown. "The number-one thing being that nobody is here, so their anonymity is protected."
Many of the owners are sports celebrities, wealthy entrepreneurs, and other personalities who want to get away from the glittering lights and public eye.
"The difference with our club and others is that for six or seven years previously, the developments of this nature have been clubs of investors, and those buyers never intended to stay, so they couldn’t create a sense of community.
"Here, people who buy are choosing it as a second home - and that’s sustainable."
While most buyers have been from areas such as
And with the high-end market that The Club at Black Rock caters to, the sub-prime mortgage crisis isn't a factor.
"People are more conservative today, and buyers want to know how the club is structured. They're more knowledgeable - but in this market, the high side of 40 percent of the buyers finance; the rest pay cash."
With lots as high as$3 million US (at Hole 4 on the new course), it's all about the quality of the development and the sustainability of the lifestyle choices the people are making.
"This is not a cigar-smoking, scotch-drinking country club. All the amenities are to support the quality of the golf."
Homesites are available, as are a number of built homes in various enclaves, from those hugging the golf course, to ones developed around what will be an18-hole putting course - as well as four master-bedroom, fully furnished homes with high-end features and finishes.
While some lots are in the $120,000 US range, most of the homes are above$1 million.
The Club at Black Rock is located just outside
Although Black Rock was the first development for the former car dealership owner, Chesrown has spread his wings in many other directions since.
Some of the other projects by Black Rock include:
· The Ridge at Sun-Up Bay - These oversized estate parcels have lake views and lake frontage with each homesite with its own private slip. Owners have the option to apply for membership to The Club at Black Rock.
· Bellerive - Located in Riverstone Development in
Large single-family homes of more than 2,800 square feet are priced at about $1.5 million and up, and include private boat slips and high-end finishes and features.
A boardwalk runs along the whole area. Twelve boardwalk homes were in the first phase, and just one remains. Four more will be built this summer. Fourteen townhouses, all sold, were also included in the project.
The site has a contemporary loft apartment of 44 units, and 13 are still available at prices from $395,000 US. A penthouse unit is $1.725 million.
"Albertans have been coming to see the development," says
"They all want waterfront, and with the Canadian dollar at parity, it’s pretty enticing."
· Rivers Edge - Not far away from Bellerive, a gated community of just 22 waterfront homes on
Homes are in the range of $2 million US.
· Legacy Ridge - This gated community sits atop the foothills overlooking
· The Ridge at Cougar Bay - Again, sitting on a hillside just minutes from downtown
·
Located in the heart of downtown
"It will be the largest open development in the
The land will have one million square feet of retail and 2,600 residential units by completion, all running along 2.4 kilometres of riverfront, says Chesrown.
"It is on reclaimed land that was cleaned up by Black Rock with the requirements almost doubled," says Allendorf. "It's already won awards."
The first phases will be "vertical," she says (high rise condos and retail), with development slated to start by year end.
For information on all of Black Rock Developments, check the website at www.magnificentplaces.com.