Building in Pine Meadow picks up pace

Residential and commercial building at Sisters' west end is picking up speed as PMR DEVCO shifts into high gear.

According to Doug Sokol, an active partner in PMR DEVCO, building started 15 months ago and the company has have 42 living units -- seven homes and 35 condominiums -- in one stage of construction or another.

There are four lots left out of the original 50 available in Phase I of the planned development called Pine Meadow Village. Sokol says they have 25 residents living there now and expect singles, couples and families to be attracted to the development.

Housing prices in Pine Meadow reflect Sisters' desirability as a community. Currently, buyers can get into a single family home for $305,000, although Sokol expects prices to increase. The larger, 1,800-square-foot condominiums are selling for close to $300,000 while recently, a 1,200-square-foot condominium sold for $278,000.

Despite the uncertain economy, Sokol expects the pace of sales and construction to increase for a variety of reasons -- including the recent terrorist attacks in New York.

"Now we could grow even faster as people and companies try to escape the big city," he said.

He has noticed that many buyers see Pine Meadow as a way to downsize and simplify rather than as a way to step up.

"They want to sell their million dollar, three-acre houses and buy high quality here, close to town," Sokol said.

PMR DEVCO sets specific design and material standards.

"Our style is traditional 1880's craftsman farmhouse," Sokol said. "We require real wood and don't allow vinyl windows. We also require a certain architectural theme and everything has to go through a review committee."

Construction on community center buildings, a swimming pool and a large pond is very near completion.

"The pond is 1/2 acre, 10 feet deep and eventually will be stocked with fish."

PMR DEVCO property comes from Pine Meadow Ranch, a working ranch west of downtown Sisters, owned by the Sokol family. The ranch sells property to PMR DEVCO as PMR needs it.

According to Sokol, 12 acres of Pine Meadow Ranch property had been rezoned commercial in 1979 but the 50 acres that PMR needed for residential development could only be rezoned when the City of Sisters reached 75 percent build out.

The question of "need" for the development became the focus of months of controversy and legal action.

PMR did a study that was guided, according to Sokol, by the City of Sisters and Deschutes County. The study indicated that the City of Sisters was more than 75 percent built out -- 78 percent to be exact.

The opposition did a study which indicated that Sisters was less than 75 percent built out. PMR's application for rezoning was approved by the city and county planners and contested, eventually winding up in the Oregon State Supreme Court.

The challenge was dismissed for lack of merit.

Sokol was elated at the Supreme Court dismissal.

"We didn't know what we were in for, we could have waited for nine months," he said. "But they dismissed it and 10 days after the hearing it was over."

He keeps the dismissal memo on his bulletin board. The rezoning process took 2-1/2 years in total. Sokol notes that this is one reason developers need large projects -- to cover interest charges and expensive legal fees.

Sokol expects Phase 2 of the development to begin in 2002. He says that, because of economic uncertainty, Phase 2 will be developed more conservatively than Phase 1 -- smaller pieces at a time.

He is currently actively looking for hotels that might be interested in 4.5 acres of Phase 1 commercial property for a small convention and meeting center. He says that Sisters lacks places where there can be "...gatherings, weddings, Christmas parties, company meetings, etc."

Sokol believes that "it would really help the economy of this town because it would go on all winter."

Pine Meadow Village offered developers something rare in terms of scale and opportunity.

"It's a rare privilege for a developer to be able to develop a piece of property in this setting where you have the whole thing -- commercial, high density and single family homes," Sokol said. "It's a city."