New Golf Project in Central Washington

A team of Washington investors is slated to break ground on a mixed-use project in Zillah, a small town in the central part of the state. The developers of the 224-acre Zillah Lakes expect to begin construction in early October, In addition to a 16-acre lake and hundreds of homes, the project involves a regulation-length nine-hole golf course and various recreational amenities.

With a course designed by Robert Cupp, Jr., the plan also calls for 653 residential units and commercial/retail components. Home prices are expected to start in mid-$200,000.

Nearly half the residential lots, which range in size from 6,000 to 11,000 square feet, will be lakefront or along the golf course. Also involved are 350 townhomes or common-wall homes. Starting prices for these units are slated to be under $200,000. Every residence will have fiber-to-the-home technology.

The community will be built in various phases and will feature numerous amenities. Besides golf, facilities for kayaking/canoeing and swimming, along with trails for bicycling, jogging and walking, will be built. Zillah Lakes will eventually contain a community center, tennis courts and a swimming pool. The community center will contain some commercial space for wine-related uses, plus a civic plaza for dining and entertainment.

Zillah Prairie, LLC, whose partners include several longtime Yakima and Zillah residents and business owners, is the developer.

Pat Strosahl, co-spokesman for Zillah Lakes and the CEO of United Builders of Washington, said United Builders will be the primary builder of the new homes. Architects are creating plans that will reflect an “indoor-out feel,” incorporating a sense of place that distinguishes the area’s geology, climate and heritage. Nob Hill Realty Inc., located in nearby Yakima, is representing the new development.

Zillah Lakes, at the northwest corner of the city of Zillah, is situated between I-82 and the Yakima Valley Highway, adjacent to Buena Road, in the heart of the Yakima Valley Wine Appellation. The development offers views of Mount Adams, Mount Rainier and the eastern slopes of the Cascade Range.

The area boasts 300-plus days of sunshine and less than 10 inches of annual rainfall. Hiking, fishing, skiing, fly-fishing, white-water rafting, golf and cycling are just a few of the area’s attractions. Drive time from Seattle is about two-and-a-half hours.

More details, including a site map with regularly updated housing inventory, are available at www.zillahlakes.com (currently in development).