Luxor Heights, it's been a long time coming...
The exact dates and details are a bit fuzzy, if you know more about the long history, please reach out.
In the 1960's Art Szabo began developing the Spur Ranch lands, he created the existing Spur Valley subdivision directly south of the Luxor Heights property (DL 9008). In the 1970's (we don't really know exactly when), significant work was put into developing the Luxor Heights property, including building roads, laying out lot locations, placing lot numbers on trees, running water lines, fire hydrants, sewer lines and manholes. However; the development was never completed and the infrastructure never fully operational. After many decades with no maintenance and lost designs, it was determined that most of this infrastructure is not possible to reuse. We are keeping the roads in the same location, but starting with fresh infrastructure and a more rural style of servicing (on site wells and septic).
While the subject property sat unused and undeveloped for many years, nearby the Csokonay family which took over the Spur Valley campground in the early 1980's have been busy transforming the area, including the development of an amazing 9 hole golf course and expansion of the RV resort. Also the existing Spur Valley subdivision has in recent years transited from being mostly small recreational cabins, to now have more and more full time residents and mix of original cabins, newer houses, and renovated houses.
DL 9008 and the Luxor Heights property has changed hands a number of times over the years. In March of 2020 in the very beginning of the scary uncertain times of COVID-19, local REALTOR® Gerry Taft took a big chance and jumped in head first into buying the property, forming a new company Luxor-Spur Developments Ltd. Over the last two years, 10.97 acres on the west side of Hwy 95 were subdivided from the property, and the main Luxor Heights property, consisting of 21 acres on the east side of Hwy 95, have been prepared for development including the drilling of wells, septic percolation testing, tree thinning/fire smarting, subdivision approvals, BC Hydro electrical designs, and road upgrades.
Since the initial plans for development, a lot has changed, the number of lots is lower, the size of lots is bigger, and the style of servicing is much more rural with individual well water and onsite septic servicing; but overall the concept of allowing people to own a little piece of 'paradise' a bit out of town with trees, fresh air, and slower pace of life- remains the same.
Whether it is a to buy and wait, buy and park a RV and use recreationally, build a small cabin, build a dream home- whatever your plans are, these lots represent a rare amount of flexibility and freedom not found in most or any newer developments.
The way land used to be.
Perhaps the way land was meant to be?
The Original PlanA full water system with curb stops, fire hydrants, manholes, a full sewer collection system constructed, roads built, with two cul-de-sacs, paved highway access, a wood sign built with the black letters of "Luxor Heights" written across the wood (since repurposed as the "Spur Valley" sign on the westside of the highway near the entrance to the Spur Valley RV resort. Significant effort and expense was taken to build the original "Luxor Heights".
The timing of the design and construction of "Luxor Heights" is not known- if you know more- reach out please!
There are rumours or stories that the sewer line was run under the highway to the land on the westside of Hwy 95, and that this might have been done without permission. There are stories around bankruptcies and engineers being owed money.
Owners of the land 2006 began discussions to restart developing the land, they provided a drawing to the Regional District of East Kootenay which was reported to be a reproduction of the original development plan.
Here is what is known about the ownership of DL 9008 (the land) over the years, through available land records.
- 1965 DL 5117 & DL 9008 were transferred to "Spur Ranch Ltd." (the company that we believe Art Szabo used for development of the larger area)
- 1984 DL 9008 (except part included in Plan 7637) is registered to "Spur Ranch Ltd." (likely a subdivision of a portion of the original DL 9008), a number liens are noted on title at the time including Bank of Montreal (lien registered 1979) and Stanley Associates Engineering Ltd. (lien registered 1980)
- 1986 land transferred to Chinook Equipment Rentals Inc. (Pincher Creek AB)
- 1987 land transferred to Pincher Creek Credit Union
- 1989 land ownership transferred to a number of corporate owners: Judaco Investment Corp., Banco Investment Corp., and Christie Ridge Enterprises Inc.
- 1998 Alberta number company 765873 ALBERTA INC assumes 1/2 interest with Banco & Christie Ridge remaining as 1/4 owners
- 2008 (mid-February) Numbered company 6869718 CANADA CORP. assumes 1/2 interest of the land with Banco & Christie Ridge remaining as 1/4 owners
- 2008 (later-February) Land was sold to Genesis Land Development Corp.
- 2020 Land sold to Luxor-Spur Developments Ltd. (Gerry's dream of finishing Luxor Heights)
The Land Nearby
In 2007/2008 Genesis Land Development Corp. purchased many hundred of acres including 'Luxor Heights' (DL 9008) but also all of around the property and around the Spur Valley Golf Course (but not the existing golf course).
There were ambitious (perhaps unrealistic) plans of an expanding the golf course and hundreds of units of residential development, even some commercial development. But ultimately this larger scale urban development never actually occurred.
Genesis sold all of their land in the area between 2019 and 2021. The new owner of the land surrounding Luxor Heights extensively logged the property in the spring of 2021, although at first a bit shocking, provides for a large and important break in wildfire fuel near Luxor Heights and the existing Spur Valley subdivision.
In the future there may be some attempt at modest development for the lands around Luxor Heights. However there are significant barriers and issues to development of the neighbouring land, as this land is within the Agricultural Land Reserve (Luxor Heights is not). If there is any future subdivision nearby, it is likely that will be larger lots of 20 acres or more per lot.
The Current Plan
Large lots, on site servicing (well and septic), non-strata, shared roadway ownership with pathway network.
Land like it used to be. Land that is hard to find.
Welcome home!
Here are the current offerings of Lots now available for pre-sale: