In my last post I told you about the new Village at Sunriver. As is typical when you have public opinion and changes there are always people that are in agreement and those that do not agree with a change. The memories that have been created at the old Village Mall are shared by many; I remember ice skating, miniature golf, the Annual Chili Cook-off, the wine tasting and so much more. The Village Mall has been a part of my memories since I was a child.
As an adult, a REALTOR® that works in Sunriver and a local that cares about the area and the people of the area I think this project is long over due. I have watched business struggle to keep their doors open, businesses make due with substandard amenities and with technology moving so quickly, the wiring and phone lines are hard pressed to keep up.
The current plans that I have seen, heard about and read about are exciting. I truly believe we will all have new memories to add to the ones of the past. Although it will be sad to watch some of what we have known to be change, it will add to the community of Sunriver and the businesses of Sunriver.
Other resorts have been developed in Oregon over the last several years and there are more slated to come in the next couple years. The Medford area is looking to add 2 “Sunriver like” resorts soon. If we want Sunriver to retain the value it has we have to keep our eyes on the future.
Many of the Sunriver home owners I have worked with over the last several years have voiced concern over the occupancy rates for the mall. The lack of stability of business and the maintenance of the boardwalk that covers a large majority of the mall, they know that the visitors that rent their homes visit the mall. The mall needs to be a place of attraction and not embarrassment.
The changes that are scheduled for the Village will be a great addition to the community. The condos, I am sure will be of a high quality and be a highly desirable product. Having residential and business in the same area will create natural foot traffic and will increase sales for the businesses.
Over the last couple of years Sunriver has been seeing a few changes, this one is a big one. However, is we look at the success of Fremont Crossing condos, and the Maverick we can see that change is good for all of us in Sunriver.
The Maverick’s addition of a flow rider will bring business that you can only understand if you have had the opportunity to ride a flow rider. Last September, my family sailed on the cruise ship Freedom of the Seas the biggest attraction was a flow rider. People will travel from near and far to visit Sunriver just for that alone. With the Village upgrading I believe we will see more activity and a larger number of visitors.
Sounds like a great change for Sunriver’s future.
Sounds like they are moving forward. Being on the Saline Chamber for 6 years, I know how hard it is to attract business.
Change is hard for so many people. It does sound like a great addition for Sunriver.
Wow–Sunriver is in for many exciting changes in the near future!
Well, let’s hope it all works out, it would be an asset to your community.
Sometimes progress is tough, but it is usually worth while. We had an old mall in Breckenridge that was a landmark and everyone hated to see it go, but the new area has been a huge improvement and has added a lot of value to the town.
I guess as a Sunriver homeowner who first visited Sunriver on our honeymoon just over 27 years ago I must ask “how will Sunriver benefit from the Village at Sunriver addition?”
While an upgrade to the mall would be beneficial adding 550+ condos to what is now a commercial area would change the very essence of Sunriver – that is a community with very strict CC&Rs that protect the natural state and open spaces that we all paid a premium for. What has not been mentioned, and not mentioned anywhere that I noted in the blog, is that not only is the development going to be high-density it is also going to be high-rise. The proposal calls for such a high-density high-rise development that an entirely new zoning code has to be written into the Deschutes County code. Certainly there should be a way to redevelop the mall with existing codes. As noted in the blog there are several new developments taking place without need of a new zoning designation – and I will guess they will do fine.
The other item not noted is that the zoning proposal calls for the actual reduction of retail from the currently available 150,000 square feet down to 85,000 square feet. This is not a mall redevelopment to help revitalize the retail shops, it is a residential development that has minimal retail as the developers focus – and where they will make their money -is with residences.
Please review all of the actual changes being requested, and exemptions from current codes being requested, in the zoning proposal before making a judgment.
Thank you for your concern about Sunriver and its future.
Don; I completely understand your concerns and I too have concerns. I do believe that we can benefit from this project. Yes there will be highrise buildings a new thing to our entire county, there will also be underground parking another new concept to our county.
I have seen the plans just as you apparently have, and I am sitting back watching also to see what the final plan becomes.
I know first hand a lot of the upgrades that need to be made to the buildings in the mall and although I am concerned over adding so many residential properties I do believe it will be over time.
Don – please continue to come back with any information you find. I truly am an open minded person who is willing to use this forum to provide information on all sides of the issue.
Feel free to email or call me.
We visit Sunriver 2-3 times a year. We have been coming for vacations since 1984. We have considered retiring there in about three years. We love Sunriver!
I’m all for updating the Village Mall. I hate to go visit and see all the empty buildings (remembering how it once was; booming with businesses). I heard complaints from business owners that the lease was very high and made it impossible to keep a business running there. Most of my favorite shops disappeard.
So what is a “flow rider”? Will all these changes completely change the atmosphere of Sunriver and the village mall as we know and love it now? Frankly, I’d like to see all the shops filled and surviving before any big changes happen. It’s not as much fun as it used to be to shop at the mall, as there’s hardly anything there anymore.