Zillah Lakes celebrates grand opening
http://www.reviewindependent.com/articles/713/1/Zillah-Lakes-celebrates-grand-opening/Page1.html
Richard Burger
By Richard Burger
Published on 09/24/2008
Pictured: Despite rain and chilly temperatures, visitors continued to arrive throughout the day at the Zillah Lakes grand opening event on Saturday in Zillah. Here a family is seen entering one of the many model homes available. Staff photo
Pictured: Despite rain and chilly temperatures, visitors continued to arrive throughout the day at the Zillah Lakes grand opening event on Saturday in Zillah. Here a family is seen entering one of the many model homes available. Staff photo
Permit issued, golf course coming soon
ZILLAH — The Grand Opening of the Zillah Lakes development Sept. 20 and 21 brought some good news for the developers, despite a bit of soggy weather.
Pat Strosahl, Vice President and CEO of United Builders of Washington, said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had finally issued the long-awaited permit that will allow construction to begin on the Zillah Lakes Golf Course.
Strosahl said the course had been held up for two years while the Corps of Engineers made a decision about a small stream on the property.
“There’s been a cloud over (the golf course) for two years,” said Strosahl. He said the permit was issued Sept. 19.
Construction of the golf course is expected to begin next spring, Strosahl said, and in the interim, arrangements have been made with Mt. Adams Golf Course until the Zillah Lakes course is completed.
The nine-hole, par-36 course is expected to take about a year to build.
The clearing of the permit hurdle made the grand opening of the development a bit more upbeat, even with the intermittent drizzle during the first day of the grand opening.
Visitors were invited to register for wine baskets featuring local vintages, and complimentary tickets were handed out for a piano jazz concert in Yakima later in the evening.
Miz Dee’s barbecue was also on hand for those who worked up an appetite during their tour of the units on display.
Strosahl said the shift in the mortgage market will have some effect on the pace of building in the development, but he remained optimistic about its prospects.
He said he anticipates a five-to-seven year build out for the 649 homes planned there.
“Pace is the main issue,” Strosahl said.
He said the ratio of out-of-town to local buyers is now about 65-35, and buyers are a mixture of retirees buying a second home and owner occupants.
He characterized local buyers as those on the east side of the Cascades.
“Wine country has dressed up this area,” said Strosahl, and he said he believes that has increased the appeal of the Zillah Lakes development.
He said there are currently a dozen pre-sold homes to be built.
Units in the development start at about $189,000 for a town home, and he said there is one home being built for $400,000.
Lakeside lots currently command a premium of about $20,000, Strosahl said.
Units are “move-in ready,” according to Strosahl.
He characterized the units as “a right-on-target product.”
Pat Strosahl, Vice President and CEO of United Builders of Washington, said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had finally issued the long-awaited permit that will allow construction to begin on the Zillah Lakes Golf Course.
Strosahl said the course had been held up for two years while the Corps of Engineers made a decision about a small stream on the property.
“There’s been a cloud over (the golf course) for two years,” said Strosahl. He said the permit was issued Sept. 19.
Construction of the golf course is expected to begin next spring, Strosahl said, and in the interim, arrangements have been made with Mt. Adams Golf Course until the Zillah Lakes course is completed.
The nine-hole, par-36 course is expected to take about a year to build.
The clearing of the permit hurdle made the grand opening of the development a bit more upbeat, even with the intermittent drizzle during the first day of the grand opening.
Visitors were invited to register for wine baskets featuring local vintages, and complimentary tickets were handed out for a piano jazz concert in Yakima later in the evening.
Miz Dee’s barbecue was also on hand for those who worked up an appetite during their tour of the units on display.
Strosahl said the shift in the mortgage market will have some effect on the pace of building in the development, but he remained optimistic about its prospects.
He said he anticipates a five-to-seven year build out for the 649 homes planned there.
“Pace is the main issue,” Strosahl said.
He said the ratio of out-of-town to local buyers is now about 65-35, and buyers are a mixture of retirees buying a second home and owner occupants.
He characterized local buyers as those on the east side of the Cascades.
“Wine country has dressed up this area,” said Strosahl, and he said he believes that has increased the appeal of the Zillah Lakes development.
He said there are currently a dozen pre-sold homes to be built.
Units in the development start at about $189,000 for a town home, and he said there is one home being built for $400,000.
Lakeside lots currently command a premium of about $20,000, Strosahl said.
Units are “move-in ready,” according to Strosahl.
He characterized the units as “a right-on-target product.”