[Langford + Highlands] Bear Mountain | 5,000 homes | U/C

[LJ]

Originally Posted by MarkoJ

The rumour on the street is that Len Barrie's old home is being used in the production of Bachelorette Canada.

It is Bachelor Canada, and the big reveal of who it is is tomorrow. There are 24 hour security guards at the entrance to Compass Pointe and you have to be "on the list" to get in.

15 of the "girls" will be living in the house, filming starts in May.

Fortunately I have access, watch for my photos on TMZ.

[PulpVictor]

Perfect. A tacky show filmed in a bankrupts house. LHM.

[sebberry]

Meh. The eye candy is good, offsets the lack of content.

[JohnN]

Interesting to see the extreme landscape "modification" with this Bear Mountain development, as it looks like a bit more extreme version of some of the Westhills development at south-west shore of Langford Lake, but both with the same goal of getting much more dense development packed into small lots:

Image of land mods is visible in massive retaining wall - but the actual foundation of the row of densely-packed houses is another 30-foot high rock wall not visible - and with even-more massive mods just outside of right-hand frame of image): http://www.panoramio.com/photo/71855044

[LJ]

Originally Posted by VicHockeyFan

What's that sidewalk arrangement? Is the gravel section a car-parking area? You pull your car 2/3 up onto that surface?

It is for a grass boulevard.

[LJ]

Originally Posted by Mike K.

Forum member LJ wrote in a different thread that a power line has been brought up to the construction site of The Highlander, a 14-storey tower that stalled in 2009(?) several floors above ground.

This may or may not indicate a return to activity and there is no word on what the final design of the building will be now that the appetite for as large of a building with as many units as had been planned may no longer exist.

The big white crane that had been there since the building stopped has been taken down and sold for $1M. A smaller crane is in place and current plan is to build 4-6 stories on top of the existing structure. The existing structure was intended as parking garage so I don't know if they could reno some of that space that is above ground into condo units or not. Maybe there will just be lots of parking/storage available to the new owners.

[Mike K.]

Thanks for the update, LJ. Any word on who the architect is and/or who is developing that project?

[LJ]

Originally Posted by Mike K.

Thanks for the update, LJ. Any word on who the architect is and/or who is developing that project?

No, I don't know if it is imminent or not. The smaller crane is now down but still on site. They are currently prepping the single family lots opposite this building and then they will move on to ripping up the 10th hole and 9th green and putting in infastructure for SFH on those areas then move on to the old Highlander project.

The site below Compass Pointe is moving along fairly quickly and the lots are now for sale. http://nicklausridgeatbearmountain.ca/

[Mike K.]

Thanks, LJ!

[Sparky]

^^ Funny story. Mrs. Sparky and I were guests for dinner last night for the first time at a friend's new place on the 17th green.

I was starting to tell him about the removal of the taller crane. He couldn't believe what I was telling him......he said "No the crane is still there......I just saw it recently"....

Then I looked at Mrs. Sparky and winked at her and said "The good folks at Vibrant Victoria have told me different today"

He ran to his deck and said "Geezus, you're right....it's gone!!"

Once again....VV is on the cutting edge. Thanks for that LJ. That information was worth the price of admission.

[Holden West]

^Great story!

Is Fraser McColl still entangled in Highlander? If so, could work on downtown's Jukebox condo finally begin now that things appear to be wrapping up on BM?

[Sparky]

Originally Posted by LJ

then they will move on to ripping up the 10th hole and 9th green

I can't wait to share that news.

[mysage]

Since we bought a condo at Bear Mountain a little while ago for our daughter we have really been spending more and more time up there and love it.

Regardless of all Mr. Barries shenanigans he really did have a marvellous vision and everyone we have met up there are super positive about their homes. Everyone seems to be quite excited that things are beginning to happen there again and I was talking to some people yesterday who made an interesting point. They said that there has been no new condominium development sold at Bear Mountain since 2005 (Finlyason Reach). Everything has been excess suites left after the 2008 crash or resales Thats seven years ago so maybe the banks revitalization of The Highlander is well timed.

[Mike K.]

Newest phase announced: Hedgestone Lane

Set alongside the coveted 18th fairway of the Mountain Course, these 12 exclusive golf course lots are thoughtfully positioned to take full advantage of the natural terrain's rugged beauty.

Build your dream home on one of the sites at Hedgestone Lane and enjoy the relaxing view of the Mountain Course from your back yard!

Priced from $325,000, this exclusive selection of lots won't last long.

There was no URL provided for more info on this latest phase.

[Danma]

Originally Posted by mysage

Regardless of all Mr. Barries shenanigans he really did have a marvellous vision and everyone we have met up there are super positive about their homes. Everyone seems to be quite excited that things are beginning to happen there again ...

I live down the hill and although I have some issues with the development (car dependent, not many amenities nearby, only one route in and out...) since it's already there, I think that it should be completed. There's quite a few businesses up there that can't be having an easy go without the promised population. Not that most of the people need it, but there isn't even transit service and while that doesn't affect most of the wealthy folks, it must affect the servers, hotel staff, etc...

[mysage]

I agree but in part only. Public transportation is definitely needed as one is car dependant but I phoned BC Transit about this and they said it was on the agenda but not until more people were living up there. Certainly a chicken/egg situation so we decided to be a very small part of that scenario.

As far as one road in and one road out that is only temporary. We hiked up the roughed in portion of Bear Mountain Parkway and it goes quite some distance and one can easily see where it hooks up to the interchange so when that is complete there will be two ways in and out.

There is actually just about anything a person needs in the Costco/Millstream Village area just below the the mountain itself as you would know. We bought out there because it was somewhat secluded and I would bet that most others did as well. We had no interest in buying in a densely populated area despite those areas being a little more convenient. We think that Bear Mountain is greatly undervalued both in its lifestyle and its pricing. Each to their own I guess!

[Mike K.]

BM's main access road (the one yet to be built at a distance of 4 kilometers) is required for the project to continue adding density. I don't know the exact percentage of full build out, but they must be nearing the density cap.

I don't know where BM will get the money to pay for its share of the $35-million interchange, let alone pave and landscape a 4km stretch of mountain road.

[mysage]

Originally Posted by Mike K.

BM's main access road (the one yet to be built at a distance of 4 kilometers) is required for the project to continue adding density. I don't know the exact percentage of full build out, but they must be nearing the density cap.

I don't know where BM will get the money to pay for its share of the $35-million interchange, let alone pave and landscape a 4km stretch of mountain road.

Money is not a problem for Bear Mountain. The problem is that the banks (who own Bear Mountain now) are banks and not developers. They don't want to spend any money or take any risks (as is there common way of doing business) and so everything is at a halt. There is lots of money if there is the will to spend it.

[LJ]

If the lots that the bank has brought online sell fairly quickly they will be more inclined to spend money to develop the roadway access in order to facilitate a sale of the entire property. There are hundreds of undeveloped lots that can be brought online over a period of time to make the development profitable for the "owners".

There is still a rumour persisting that there is a local investment group that is buying the development in a "segmented" deal, whereby certain things have to be done prior to the completion of the sale.

I noticed that there was a crew working on cleaning the never occupied marketplace building today.

[Holden West]

I hope they make 15" lawnmowers because I don't think an 18" will fit around those houses.

[LJ]

Originally Posted by Danma

I live down the hill and although I have some issues with the development (car dependent, not many amenities nearby, only one route in and out...) since it's already there, I think that it should be completed. There's quite a few businesses up there that can't be having an easy go without the promised population. Not that most of the people need it, but there isn't even transit service and while that doesn't affect most of the wealthy folks, it must affect the servers, hotel staff, etc...

There was the "trolly" but it only ran through the summer months, it used to run year round but it was never highly used that I saw.

Regular transit with a community bus is certainly a desirable service.

I think perhaps when Nicklaus Drive gets completed bus service could become a reality with the bus going up to the "town centre" via Bear Mountain Parkway then returning by going up Nicklaus Drive through to Players Drive returning to BMP to complete the trip. That would cover 90% of the residents with stops at the entrance to phase I and Echo Valley.

[mysage]

Originally Posted by LJ

If the lots that the bank has brought online sell fairly quickly they will be more inclined to spend money to develop the roadway access in order to facilitate a sale of the entire property. There are hundreds of undeveloped lots that can be brought online over a period of time to make the development profitable for the "owners".

There is still a rumour persisting that there is a local investment group that is buying the development in a "segmented" deal, whereby certain things have to be done prior to the completion of the sale.

I noticed that there was a crew working on cleaning the never occupied marketplace building today.

I some how doubt that the bank will sell those lots fairly quickly. If one does some simple math the end cost with lots around those prices means a a cost in to a builder or homeowner of around $750,000 +/-. I just don't see it in this market.

I doubt if any development group wants to take on the highway interchange funding so that would be an interesting hurdle in the negotiation process.

Maybe a food market is going in where the food market was originally to go. I know our daughter would love that as it would be close to home for her. The banks never spend money unless there is a return so I guess we will wait and see.

[Mike K.]

How much is Bear Mountain's share of the $35-million interchange? The feds ponied up $5-million and with Bear Mountain being the largest beneficiary I'd wager $10-million as Bear Mountain's share of the remaining $30-million. That is, of course, if the costs haven't risen due to the (two year?) delay in construction.

[mysage]

Have no idea what Bear Mountains share might be but think that it is far less than people imagine. Remember that Bear Mountain is not the "largest beneficiary" of the interchange on the north eastern side of the highway . When we investigated up there we discovered that the stalled "South Skirt Mountain" group owned land through which the Bear Mountain Parkway had to travel to hook up with the interchange . They however could not come up with monies to build the extension of this Parkway through their lands nor monies to contribute to the interchange and thus Bear Mountain road stopped far short of the bridge. Their development , if I remember right, proposed well over 2500 homes.

This is one of the reason that we bought at Bear Mountain. We feel that this group will eventually come up with their money (otherwise their land sits vacant) and combining this with all levels of government plus Bear Mountains monies will be enough to have it completed. Then Bear Mountain would have two entrances and their development "cap" would be taken off and building will start anew.

Bit of a gamble on our part but our daughter loves living there and we love golfing there so no real downside for us.

[Mike K.]

I found the following info from The Goldstream Gazette. It looks like the project cost has fallen considerably (likely due to a change in scope) and the feds have now committed $4MM.

The overpass stretching over the Trans-Canada Highway was completed in the summer of 2009 but has sat idle since -- hence the “bridge to nowhere.” The state of the economy caused the delay, as the $25 million project is being paid for primarily by five private developers on Bear Mountain and South Skirt Mountain. The province is also chipping in $4 million while the municipality is not putting any cash into the project. Link

It's amazing how the price dropped from $35-million to $25-million. Now if the City of Victoria could only employ the same number magic with the JSB...

Btw, new official name for the project is "Leigh Road Interchange."