May 3, 2013

Lookout at Chelan to start this summer

The developers behind a new 85-acre master-planned community in Chelan say they want the new neighborhood to be walkable.

The Lookout at Chelan is set to break ground this summer. It will have about 300 single-family houses along with several parks, pedestrian paths and a town square. About one-third of the land will be preserved for parks and open space.

Ted Schroth, an urban infill developer on Capitol Hill in Seattle, and a group of investors bought the site in 2011 for $2 million. Casey Roloff, owner of the 80-acre Seabrook development on the Washington coast, is a partner in the Chelan project.

The site is off West Manson Highway, a mile northwest of downtown Chelan, and has about 700 feet of waterfront along Lake Chelan.

Houses at the Lookout will be built in phases. Construction will be concentrated in “robust pockets of activity” to foster community, the developers said in a statement.

Construction on houses won't begin until there's a purchase and sale agreement.

Buyers are expected to be a mix of full-time residents and people who want vacation homes. Floor plans begin at 800 square feet.

The 49-lot first phase will be on a hilltop site and include a pool, clubhouse, central park and several smaller pocket parks.

The second phase is expected to begin in 2014 and include 30 to 40 houses on a hillside overlooking Lake Chelan. This phase will also include construction of a 70-slip marina, beach pavilion, swimming pool, non-motorized watercraft rentals and other amenities.

A water taxi will ferry owners and guests between the Lookout and downtown Chelan.

The developers are also working with Vin du Lac, a next-door winery, to build a town square modeled after downtown Sonoma.

Seabrook Land Co., the homebuilding company owned by Roloff, will oversee design of the homes and the community planning. Harkey Construction of Chelan is the contractor, and GCH of Seattle is the landscape architect.

The civil engineers are Parametrix and John Torrence. Grette Associates is the environmental consultant.

Other project team members include Hank Lewis, entitlements; Guy Evans, site and sales manager; Deep Roots Landscapes; All Star Pool & Spa; and KRCI, grading and utility contractor.