By Gagandeep Ghuman
Published: June 2, 2013
After five years of delays and a long struggle with the district, Michael Goodman is finally getting somewhere on his equestrian development.
The Paradise Trails, now rechristened as Paradise properties, recently came up for sale for $16 million, with zoning for up to 82 estate residential lots.
The properties is a parcel of land of 169.51 acres, rezoned for an ‘exclusive community’ of 82 estate residential lots, and a ‘world class horse training facility’ site of 11 acres.
Half an acre lot would cost $495,000, while a two-acre lot would be available for $890,000.
Along with a home, each residential lot owner can also build a detached secondary suite.
The nucleus of the project is the equestrian centre, an exclusive facility for horse rearing and training.
This will be the British Properties of Squamish, said Andrew Scott, the listing agent.
“We want this to be an international destination for equestrian enthusiasts,” Scott said.
“We want champion horses and champion riders to be born here.”
To create this ‘Olympic quality’ equestrian centre, the proponents are pitching the project to investors all over the world.
The ideal buyer would love horses, of course, but more importantly, have deep pockets.
The $16 million is just the value of the land.
Service and infrastructure cost would add another $22 million, bringing the total cost to $38 million.
The spin-off to Squamish in construction and other jobs is huge, Scott said.
Some of the more contentious issues—fire department, flood mitigation, other infrastructure issues—have been resolved conceptually, Scott said.
Even though the scale of the project seems daunting, Scott said there is precedence for such kind of equestrian-themed community in High Point in Surrey.
In the future, the hillside land component of the land (59 Acres) may be sub-divided to create a stage two development with access from the Sea to Sky Highway, he added.
John Buchanan says
Well here is hoping that the new land owner /developer holds true to the original concepts, and agreements with the group of people that helped get this project to the “first” real estate flip stage.
Tim Travis says
I live in the paradise valley. To make this area exclusive to a few wealthy people and destroy the habitat , is in my opinion sordid, repulsive and disgusting. You should be truly ashamed of yourselves.
Julia says
I live in Paradise Valley and I love it. However, I am hard pressed to imagine people spending half a million dollars for a half acre lot with high voltage power lines running over head, a flood prone river to the west and a busy railway to the east. Recognizing that wealth does not necessarily correlate with intelligence, I have to believe that most folks with that kind if money to invest will see that Paradise Valley is not a good place for that kind of investment.
Mark Kerschbaumer says
Half acre for Half a mil in the sticks???? Good luck with that!
Dave says
Ok so we have the usual nays, so how about the yays?
Actually Goldilocks should be here…All too often we have those who say the lots are too big and will increase the taxes of the neighbourhood, serving the rich etc. and we have those who say the lots are too small ,serving the poor and potentially lowering adjacent property values. Where is the middle?
Oh, those who say the habitat will be hurt: How about the people who live in this area and have cleared land to build, without putting back the trees or suitable green cover?. …a row or two of radishes just don’t cut it! Many of the people who do live there have very large lots; they just were lucky enough to get them cheap several years ago.
If the rich want to live there, let ’em…take their taxes and give some employment to the needed construction workers etc. Anyway, I don’t see a heck of a lot of vulnerable habitat under the power lines or in much of the rock strewn valley. Don’t waste time pondering whether the rich guys are going to waste their money…they probably will, but that’s their businesses, isn’t it?
By the way, Tim: “Sordid, repulsive and disgusting”….how big is your lot?….I hope its not more than half an acre?