Plans in the works for two Sunday River residential developments

Courtesy / Rob Bramhall Architects/Sunday River Resort The Dream Maker Lodge development calls for construction of 22 condominium units.

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By Laurie Schreiber

Sunday River Resort unveiled plans today for two new residential developments on its slopes.

The Merrill Hill development calls for a first-phase subdivision of 89 acres into 24 lots for single-family homes. Lot prices will range from $400,000 to approximately $1 million, according to a news release. Site construction will include new trails and chairlift-service to connect the development to existing Sunday River infrastructure. The site is located atop a mountain between Sunday River’s South Ridge and Aurora Peak. Construction is expected to run from May to October 2021.

The Dream Maker Lodge development calls for construction of 22 condominium units in a single building. Units range from two to four bedrooms and from 1,050 square feet to 2,080 square feet. Prices will range from $580,000 to $1.4 million. The site is on the resort’s Dream Maker Trail on North Peak and just above the resort’s central hub, South Ridge. The building is designed by Andover, Mass., architect Rob Bramhall. Amenities include high-end finishes, optional furnishing package, and access to storage and ski lockers, sauna, outdoor hot tub and common "hearth room." Construction is expected to begin May 2021 and finish March 2022.

The lots and condos will go on the market in September.

The real estate initiatives are part of Sunday River 2030, a decade-long plan for sustainable growth and investments launched in February 2020.

“Our 10-year vision in Sunday River 2030 combines real estate expansion with resort infrastructure and amenity upgrades, arguably setting us up to become the best four-season destination in the Northeast,” Dana Bullen, president of Sunday River, said in the release.

Merrill Hill

Both developments have been in the pipeline for a long time, Bullen told Mainebiz.

Bullen declined to say how much is being invested in the projects.

The Merrill Hill development stems from the resort’s purchase of a 440-acre parcel from Florida developers Bob and Katie Meador. The couple had planned to develop the property themselves, Bullen said.

“They were passionate about Sunday River,” he said.

The Meadors had obtained the necessary permits for a single-family subdivision, but the project sat idle for a number of years, he said. When Bob Meador died a couple of years ago, Katie Meador sold the land to Sunday River.

“But the vision was Bob and Katie’s," Bullen said. "We’re just finishing up and putting our own touch on it. We’re staying in close contact with Katie about this.”

Courtesy / Sunday River Resort

The Merrill Hill development calls for a first-phase subdivision of 89 acres into 24 lots for single-family homes. Prices will range from $400,000 to approximately $1 million.

Geographically, the site lies almost in the center in the resort.

“It’s a mountain almost unto itself,” he continued.

The development will be “ski in and ski out,” he added. Financing will be provided through a construction loan with Androscoggin Bank, he said. A contractor hasn’t yet been selected. Buyers of the lots will hire their own architects and build their own homes.

Dream Maker

The Dream Maker will be a single large building containing condos and penthouses on a six-acre lot, he said.

Condos have been in high demand at Sunday River recently, he said. The concept will include management services through Sunday River, he added.

Courtesy / Sunday River Resort

Seen here is the lot for the Dream Maker Lodge condo development.

“Some of these folks look for a place where they can escape on the weekend and the plowing and mowing and landscaping is taken care of for them,” he said.

The site has a high-speed lift out front.

Long-time commitment

The return on investment will not just be real estate sales, Bullen said.

“The minute you sell one of these houses or condos, what you’re really doing is setting yourself up with a guest who‘s committed to the resort for generations,” he said.

The expected buyer pool for Merrill Hill will likely include existing condo owners, he said.

“Some of the folks in The Glades” — a nearby Sunday River subdivision previously developed with the same concept in mind— “have an interest in going up to Merrill Hill because it has 360-degree views from some of the lots,” he said.

In addition, he explained, the pandemic has changed the area’s residential nature this summer.

“There are a number of families who have second homes in Maine who have turned them into primary homes,” he said.

Anecdotally, Bullen said he’s seen perhaps a 10-fold increase of residents in the area this summer. And Sunday River’s existing condos, which might have some of their residents living in them for short periods at this time of year, now have residents living in them full-time, he added.

“They can now work remotely, and we’ve had a number of families who have moved up to do that,” he continued. “So I’d say there’s a pretty good chance we’ll have some of those folks, who are looking to escape to Maine, who will be interested in these as well.”

In recent years, ski resorts have repositioned themselves for year-round activity. Sunday River and Sugarloaf Mountain and Ski Resort, both owned by Boyne Resorts, have golf courses and activities like chairlift rides, hiking and paddling. The resorts offer restaurants, live music and other events

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