Developer Robert Quigg’s plan will help Langford’s economy, mayor says
Carla Wilson, Victoria Times Colonist
Sun
VICTORIA — A Vancouver developer known for building multimillion-dollar homes in “trophy locations” is planning a $1.4-billion luxury project at Bear Mountain in Langford.
More than 1,000 condominium units with mountain and ocean views, large covered decks, a vineyard, private wine vaults, concierge services, an outdoor amphitheatre, spa, fitness centre and pools are planned. The site already has the required zoning.
A “spectacular” restaurant and winery will be cantilevered 20 metres off the hillside, developer Robert Quigg, who heads the Quigg Group, said in Vancouver Tuesday.
The company focuses on orienting its homes to take advantage of a site’s natural attributes to “bring the outdoors in,” and builds in what he called “trophy locations.”
“Often our clientele has two or three homes in different parts of the world, and we like to make ours the centrepiece home.”
The project’s sales office will open in early July at Bear Mountain, and units on the 20-acre site are expected to go up for sale in early fall. Construction will likely start before December, he said. Designs for the two-phase project, with a build-out time of 10 to 12 years, are still being finalized.
Quigg projects include The Properties at Hollyburn Mountain in West Vancouver, with 44 multi-million-dollar residences including a 4,800-square-foot penthouse that sold for $5.9 million.
Last year, Quigg’s own 4,200-square-foot penthouse condominium overlooking Stanley Park made the headlines with a record sale price of around $10 million.
The baby boomer generation is “looking for the cool home for themselves now,” Quigg said. There’s a good chance that retirees planning to relocate will either choose southern Vancouver Island or the southern Okanagan Valley.
Units at Bear Mountain will range from 850 square feet to 5,000 square feet, with the average suite size at 1,650 square feet. Prices will start at about $500,000, but Quigg did not cite a ceiling.
Bear Mountain Resort president Len Barrie said Quigg project residents will represent about a tenth of the total population of the entire site once it is finished. It is estimated that 10,000 people will live on the mountain in 5,000 residences.
“It’s going to drive golf membership sales for us. It’s going to drive revenues at all the other facilities that we have up here,” Barrie said.
“[Quigg’s] marketing machine, and his connections, and his following internationally was what really attracted us.”
Bear Mountain features an arena, golfing, restaurants, hotel rooms, spa, athletic club, and a village is being developed. There are now 600 full-time residences and more than 1,000 owners. Properties for sale include lots, townhomes, condominiums, and homes with fractional ownership.
Langford Mayor Stew Young said the Quigg plan will be an economic driver in the community, bring millions of dollars in new tax revenue and help residents by keeping taxes down. “It is going to give Langford a huge tax boost, probably the largest development to date that we have had.”
Young said he met with Quigg about six months ago and encouraged him to come to Langford. “It’s a great, great thing for Langford, absolutely no question,” Young said. “He is the developer in Canada right now.”
© The Vancouver Sun 2007