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Sechelt - Dead Ducks, Non-fliers & Snake Oil
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06-11-2013, 09:14 AM,
(This post was last modified: 06-12-2013, 07:11 AM by Skook.)
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RE: Sechelt - Dead Ducks, Non-fliers & Snake Oil
Part 2:
EcoVillage Business Park (images below): This nearly 30 acre site on Field Road in the Wilson Creek area of the District of Sechelt (DOS) was purchased by Vancouver native, Hugh Sutherland (founder of the Mohawk Oil Co. in 1960 and part-time SC resident). He and his son, Rob, formed W. C. Holdings Ltd., to develop the land and at some point Sechelt developer, Doug Spani, joined the company as its third director. According to its old website, the decision to develop a ‘multi-use village’ based on LEED standards (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) was made and the project was christened ‘eco village’. That old website which went live in 2005 (that pivotal year, again) had pages of text it but almost nil in concrete detail (must have been written by a politician turned website designer). It was only by visiting the websites of two architectural firms involved in the project both based on the SC and wading through a DOS 2011 Consolidate Zoning document that I found drawings, the site plan, descriptions outlining the project’s aim and vision, and the projected number of onsite buildings. From Teryl Mullock Architecture Ltd: Quote:Eco-Village Business Park From Mobius Architecture: Quote:Field Road Business Park From the DOS 2011 Consolidated Zoning document: Quote:The intent of the CD-22 zone is to provide a mixed use development of 93 residential dwelling units and commercial retail units on…and specifically for: I walked by this site in the summer of 2006 when it was being cleared and I thought how ironic that a development billing itself as an ‘EcoVillage’ was cutting down every tree on site. However, given its plans for geothermal heating and cooling, storm water collection and on site septic treatment, cutting down and clearing the site was a unavoidable. I like this development and the concepts behind it. So what happened? First, the 80-year old Hugh Beswetherick Sutherland unexpectedly died on November 14, 2007 and, perhaps, he alone bankrolled the project; and, secondly, the economic events soon to unfold. What is truly a mystery, though, is how little has been written up about this development. You would think a unique project like this involving a well-known SC developer would have produced lots of ink; however, a search at the Coast Reporter website (coastreporter.net) using every conceivable search term (and doing the same on Google) brings up next to nothing - zoning applications: zilch; public information meetings: zilch; its demise: zilch. You have to wonder why. EcoVillage appears to have had no beginning, no middle and no end; it was just there and then faded away. Seaview Villa Estates (images above): Back on March 13, 2013, Observer at Vancouver Price Drop included a little green house at 4507 Cedarcrest Ave , North Van, in his list of properties. We learned from comments that it had just sold for $876,100 as a foreclosure. Everyone had a bit of laugh at the pricing and then moved on. On April 29, 2013, again at Vancouver Price Drop, Observer included at Sunshine Coast property in his list - 5520 McCourt Rd, Sechelt. It just so happened I had been researching the property that very morning for a possible VanPeak forum post and knew it was land earmarked for Phases 2, 3 and 4 of a small development project that was now on the market. I was interested in this project which I thought attractive and well-planned because its developer was a woman - one of the few in BC. I am not going to go into great detail about the project because anything you could possible want to know and then some is on its website which is still active. Again, I believe this project was a victim of circumstances far beyond the developer’s control and had it been initiated only a few years early I think it would likely have succeeded. Due to my research, I had actually thought she had managed to sell in 2011 and therefore avoid complete financial disaster. It was not so. At the time of that April VPD post, the property was listed with Prudential Sussex Realty on the SC and I thought maybe its new owner lived on the coast and, obviously, with these price drops it had to be in foreclosure so I kept searching for more details. Well, what I discovered stunned me because that little green house in North Van and the McCourt Rd development were connected and I posted my findings in the Comments on VPD on May 2, 2013. I think in desperation the developer had the project redesigned perhaps as early as 2009 and that would have cost money and she re-mortgaged her house to cover costs, although that could have occurred earlier. Well, the bank called in that mortgage and in March, 2013 her home was gone. McCourt Rd, also under foreclosure, is still listed. I have included this development here because I think it aptly illustrates how the Real Estate roller coaster ride has far reaching consequences that impact not only the buyer and the developer, but communities as well. Hold on tight, the 2013 ride down has only just begun. To be continued... |
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Messages In This Thread |
Sechelt - Dead Ducks, Non-fliers & Snake Oil - by Skook - 06-10-2013, 01:20 PM
RE: Sechelt - Dead Ducks, Non-fliers & Snake Oil - by Skook - 06-11-2013, 09:14 AM
RE: Sechelt - Dead Ducks, Non-fliers & Snake Oil - by Skook - 06-12-2013, 06:35 PM
Sechelt - Dead Ducks, Non-fliers & Snake Oil - by ant - 06-17-2013, 06:42 PM
RE: Sechelt - Dead Ducks, Non-fliers & Snake Oil - by Skook - 06-17-2013, 07:45 PM
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