Building a lavish new resort in a location already defined by luxury hotels, high-end fractionals, and up-scale condos involves complex development and marketing decisions, but being first in may pose the greatest challenge.

True finesse may lie in blazing new development ground without destroying the unique community and pristine setting that cry out to be shared in the first place.

Hotelier Dan Behune's latest venture continues his drive to create leading-edge eco-developments while sustaining and strengthening existing communities and natural settings.

Behune has long been attracted to British Columbia's pastoral Saanich Peninsula, just north of the province's capital Victoria, and to the area's rich environmental contrasts. The original challenge was building a five-star resort in an intimate seaside enclave without overshadowing its laid-back elegance in the process.

"The first time I came to Vancouver Island I actually came right here," explained Behune, Managing Director of the Brentwood Bay Lodge & Spa. "There was an old hotel and pub -- I fell in love with the location and I always kept my eye on it." For more on how Behune and his partners acted on opportunity to create the trend-setting Lodge and its thirty-three sophisticated OceanSuites, read PJ's earlier column "Real Estate Resolutions And A Boutique Example.

"Our whole position is that everything we do, in terms of development and construction, needs to enhance the existing environment, not detract from it," explained Behune. "When we built the hotel, we created all the bio-filtration ponds out on the shoreline which would filter all the surface run-off water and create a tidal marine sanctuary...we also invested quite extensively in upgrading all the storm drain run-off systems for the municipality ... . Since we opened the hotel, the Bay is completely transformed back to its original gravel beach -- a pristine, perfect walking beach ... ."

Now, more than four years after launching the internationally-acclaimed oceanfront resort, Behune has taken another adventurous development step. Expanding on his original "green" design mandate, Behune and his partners have combined a small environmental footprint with dramatic living spaces to redefine the condo concept into a unique retreat, fully integrated into its environs.

Recently, the group purchased the waterfront residential property adjacent to the hotel. Since earlier plans to develop land they owned across the street from the then- newly-completed Lodge had not been approved by the development-shy municipality, Behune's team did not have high expectations of approval for the 6-unit condominium on their newly-acquired land: "... but in the last couple of years, Council has really opened their eyes to eco-density and smart development. They have quickly realized that they have no building or housing stock left in the community whatsoever, and the only way they are going to increase their housing stock is to go up and to allow multi and higher-density development."

The new 6-unit structure has less negative impact on the neighbourhood than a mega-home built on the site might have since view corridors, public waterfront access, and other design factors lessened the impact of the building and enhanced community use. A full marine pump-out facility -- the only one on the Inlet -- was added to the marina, which is scheduled for a six-slip expansion.

Behune explains frankly that their policy is not to ask the municipality to compromise its requests when they are good for the area, but he admits improvements like these add substantial cost to a project.

"Not enough to stop [us], but proportionately the measures we added here are huge as a percentage ... our walk way, the boardwalk, the sewage pump-out facility, all of that is going to cost about a quarter of a million dollars -- just for 6 units," said Behune. "But we think it is good -- for the hotel, for the guests, and good for the community. Because this is a high-end development, selling prices are quite high. It helps to amortize some of those expenses, but we certainly gave a higher ratio of give-back to the community than what would be acceptable to most developers."

The six stacked, westcoast-contemporary Ocean Villas, perched in wooded seclusion on the shore of the mountain-ringed Saanich Inlet, are luxurious enough to earn million-dollar plus price tags. Included with each is direct access to a private yacht slip in the resort's marina and to the variety of amenities in the Lodge & Spa. With an international airport and major ferry terminal within easy drive, this is accessible, remote living with up-scale convenience.

Today's savvy developers understand the importance of cultivating community support before facing the formal municipal-approval process for their upscale proposals. Behune takes this a step further: "The other important aspect is to step back and address what the immediate needs of the community are, even though you are going to be targeting people from abroad—Europe and Asia. The most important aspect of the resort is how the local community embraces it and supports it."

One lesson his team learned was not to let "five star" marketing and promotion messages scare off the neighbours: "The media made our property sound much more expensive and unapproachable to the local community than it was, and so, it took a while to ensure the local community that 'A,' we're affordable and 'B,' approachable."

Behune proudly announces that now locals represent eighty percent of the Spa's business and they keep the ocean-side pub hopping all year round. Now, that's sustainability.

Published: August 26, 2008

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Strategist and Futurist is The Catalyst -- intent on "Helping The Best Get Better." An internationally-recognized "new retirement" authority, PJ's research, writing and speaking programs focus on decisions Baby Boomers face to achieve a successful future. Author of 6 books, PJ knows that, since home is headquarters for the "new retirement," professionals and consumers need relevant knowledge and insights, along with solid decision-making skills, to protect and enhance this private oasis. As The Catalyst, PJ provides strategic communication, client appreciation and advanced education services to the financial, tourism, lifestyle and service sectors -- and the clients they serve. A frequently quoted financial and business commentator, PJ is a thought-provoking strategic speaker who offers practical, real-life suggestions on leaving "the box" behind and embracing Forward Thinking -- a talent she regularly demonstrates in this column. For more, visit TheCatalyst.com.