New master planned community Divario breaks ground in St. George
By Nancy Katz
A new era in master planned community living is coming to one of the fastest growing areas of Utah. The Divario master planned community is the first mixed use development in St. George, and its design preserves an outdoor recreation component with the area’s renowned mountain biking trails.
To mark Divario’s introduction and construction, the development team was joined by St. George Mayor Jon Pike and other city officials, business and community leaders, and mountain biking enthusiasts for a ground breaking ceremony at the southern Utah site. A group of local mountain bikers held a community ride on one of trails and finished at the site prior to the program.
Set amid the beauty of natural canyons and slopes and featuring spectacular views, Divario incorporates and preserves the area’s terrain and beloved and highly regarded mountain biking and hiking trails. The 730-acre master plan includes more than 200 acres for open space for hiking and biking trails and parks, an events center, and 26 acres for commercial development. Divario will have multiple neighborhoods and residential options that will allow homeowners an escape from the city but with convenient access to commercial retail and services by walking, cycling, or driving.
“I am personally excited to see Divario take shape into a community that embraces the property’s natural beauty and expansive views,” said Mayor Pike. “This property has been a local favorite for mountain biking, climbing and hiking enthusiasts and will remain so through preservation of numerous natural canyons and trails. Even more exciting is the developer’s commitment to continue the mountain biking events and senior games that have been held here every year and the planned dedication of a community park and event center to stage the races and other cultural events.”
Mark Schnippel is the managing partner of the Divario development group and has assembled and is leading the development team which includes Mark Teepen and Rod Packer. The trio has more than 60 years of development and real estate experience covering master plan and residential communities and commercial real estate primarily in southern Utah and southern Nevada.
“Upon seeing this property, we knew we had something special and a beautiful canvas on which to develop a great place for primary and second homeowners who will benefit from nearby city services and appreciate the beauty and utility of the land,” said Schnippel. “And learning about the site’s history as a mountain biking mecca complements the lifestyle we want to create. We’ve been fortunate to work with the City of St. George, Bureau of Land Management and the mountain biking community to make Divario a reality and preserve its trails.”
Divario is approved for up to 3,186 homes. More than 800 single and multi-family homes will be built in the first phase. Ence Homes, one of the leading Utah homebuilders, will develop the initial neighborhood called Sentieri Canyon. It will have single family homes that will start in the upper $300,000 range. Other builders will be announced later.
“This is a beautifully unique area of St. George, and we’ve wanted to build here for some time. This site is the perfect setting for Ence Homes, and we are excited to be building in the new master planned community, Divario,” said Troy Ence, owner of Ence Homes.
The Divario site has more than 20 years of mountain biking and racing history and has become iconic throughout the world for its tough terrain, texture and views. The signature trail on the race course is called Key Hole Wash, which the Divario team has preserved in its entirety as a signature feature of its first phase development.
The area, known as Green Valley, was pioneered by Glenn Ames, founder of Red Rock Bicycle Co., in the late 1990s as a place to hold the American Mountain Bike Challenge National Finals. The BLM formally adopted the trails in 2002 as the Red Bluff Competitive Area. Its reputation has continued to grow, and it is now home to four major mountain biking events: The True Grit Epic, Red Rock Rampage, The Huntsman World Senior Games, and theNational Interscholastic Cycling Association High School Championship.
“We’re so appreciative that the Divario team recognized the property’s mountain biking value and history, and it’s been great working with them and the BLM and City of St. George,” said Cimarron Chacon, who organizes several of the mountain biking events. “Needless to say, it was of great concern to our community to maintain access to such a rich recreational resource for both locals and visitors alike. It has been thrilling to be at the table helping to shape this new community that will include access to all the traditional trails and climbing routes via new and exciting single-track trails that will pass through and around each section of the community. To know that our racing history will not be lost to development, but instead embraced and even enhanced is the most exciting part of this partnership.”
Chacon said that all the local event organizers have been involved in shaping the plan so that three to four events can be staged, and the True Grit Epic can pass through with only minor adjusts to the actual route. There may even be a possibility for creating a NICA-approved course.
Set against the backdrop of the Pine Valley Mountains and Snow Canyon State Park, Divario is located in southwest St. George near Sunbrook Drive and Plantations Drive.
For information, visit divarioliving.com, email info@divarioliving.com, or call (435) 414-6627.
For land sales, contact Rod Packer at (435) 680-2562 or pack@sginet.com.
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