Plans reach high point in Desert Hot Springs

Public Record, The, Aug 24, 2004 by Kleinschmidt, Janice

Harp chords wafting through the air may have seemed incongruous with the sweltering August temperature and rugged surroundings, but it helped establish the impression Roger Snellenberger wanted to make. Joining the harpist under a tent on a hillside overlooking the desert floor, the Indio-based developer talked about the resort community he envisions on 970 acres in the northwest comer of Desert Hot Springs.

"I've discovered a niche in the market that nobody else seems to be hitting - and that's a reasonably priced house on the golf course, Snellenberger said at the Aug. 10 groundbreaking for Highland Falls, a 2,800-home project west of Highway 62 at Pierson Boulevard. In fact, with two 18-hole championship courses, about 2,500 of the homes will have fairway frontage. Those that don't still will have a view that no other Coachella Valley residents can boast: from the Painted Hills across Desert Hot Springs toward the Salton Sea at 227 feet below sea level.

As the name suggests, Highland Falls will take advantage of the topography by incorporating waterfalls and other water features that run naturally downhill. Houses will be built in corridors along golf courses to the north and south of a central "village" that includes a clubhouse, three-story resort restaurant, fitness center, swimming pool and spa.

Grading should begin in about 60 days; 12 model homes should be ready in the first quarter of 2005. Home prices in the walled community are yet to be determined, but could range from the high $200,000s to $400,000s for 1,500 to 3,000 square feet.

"We're starting with 455 finished lots and with over 100 houses under construction and 20 golf holes, the clubhouse and fitness center," Snellenberger said. (Two of the north course holes are in the villa village center area, as are two holes of the south course.) "We think we can sell between 300 and 500 homes a year." Construction will begin with homes in the southeast quadrant and the south golf course.

Snellenberger Development Co. has built about 5,000 homes in Southern California, including Indian Springs Golf and Country Club in Indio, and Bella Vista and Laguna de la Paz in La Quinta.

"I watched La Quinta grow, and it was very exciting," Snellenberger said. "It was good for La Quinta, and it was good for the area. And I watched Indio grow. Now I'm going to watch Desert Hot Springs grow. It is going to be good for Desert Hot Springs, and it is going to be good for the area." He added that his company will bring in 300 employees to work on the project, as well as 500 to 600 subcontractors. "That will help Desert Hot Springs," he said.

Vice Mayor Mary Stevens, referencing the city's recent resolution of bankruptcy and legal matters, addressed Snellenberger publicly, saying, "You have to clean house before you invite over company. ... We have done that. I believe we are ready for your project."

For his part, Snellenberger said it has been a pleasure to work with the city. "What's important is somebody will really work with you," he said. "That's what I had with Indio. If you had a problem, you could go work it out. Desert Hot Springs is doing the same thing with us, and we really appreciate it."

Pegged to design the homes is Barry Berkus, who maintains an architectural firm in Santa Barbara. "It's fun to return home," he said, adding that he had worked for Palm Springs' noted midcentury architect William Cody. He subsequently "started Bill Bone off at Sunrise [Development Corp.]" and worked on Bighorn Golf Club in Palm Desert and The Citrus in La Quinta. He said Highland Falls will have "a strong center of community" and attract other Coachella Valley residents to its golf, dining and conference facilities. The clubhouse tower, viewable from Highway 62, will be "a beacon to come home to," he said.

Noting that while many golf course homes have pools in the back yard, along the fairway, Highland Falls home buyers will have the option of having pools in a private courtyard. "This community will give the ability to spend time by yourself in seclusion or be involved in activities in the community," he said.

To design the golf courses, Snellenberger lined up Dave Stockton Sr., a two-time PGA champion and former Ryders Cup team captain. "It's going to be very accessible to people," Stockton said. He described his philosophy as one that makes a course challenging for good players but still fun for average players. "Too many golf course designers build gold courses for themselves," he said. "I'm from the school of thought that ... a golf course should be fun and should not be punishing."

Also on the Highland Falls team are PGA golfer and La Quinta resident Dave Stockton Jr., Gilroy-based golf course architect David Ginkel and Palm Desert landscape architect Ron Gregory.

About 300 people have already signed up on an interest list. While the first phase should be completed in fall of 2005, Snellenberger says full buildout probably will take between eight and 10 years.

In the pipeline

Part of Snellenberger Development Co.'s task in building Highland Falls will be to bring water and sewer lines five miles up into the hillside. The approximate $4, million cost for extending existing pipelines will be shared between Snellenberger, Mission Springs Water District and possibly a third developer.