Big news in the Verde Communities for 2013 was the sale of the Vista Verde subdivision. Over the past year the sale proposals went from on to off and back on again.

The residents of Rio Verde and Tonto Verde will be watching with great interest as the new owners of Vista Verde gradually roll out their plans for that community.

Some excavation had already begun by the end of the year at the site for a temporary clubhouse, but much more physical activity is expected by mid-2014.

TerraWest Communities, which is the principal entity overseeing the development of the property, has already applied to Maricopa County for amendments to the site’s overall master plan.

Some zoning adjustments are being proposed to the parcels that have not yet been platted with lots. The master plan amendments are expected to take around six months working with Maricopa County officials, with platting individual parcels to follow that.

The proposed overall density for the project is 1.7 dwelling units per acre, which compares closely with the 1.5 units per acre at Rio Verde.

Homes are expected to range from $400,000 or $500,000 to around $1 million, according to the company.

A new entry will be constructed that will include a guard house and gates, which initially will not be manned. There is also a planned name change.

The entry improvements will also include a landscaped median and changes surrounding the entry feature.

The temporary clubhouse facility will house a golf shop, snack bar and marketing information.

The community will be marketed as “age targeted.” While not age restricted like Rio Verde and Tonto Verde, the developer does expect to attract empty nesters and retirees very much like the Verdes, including a significant number of secondary homeowners.

One of the first projects for the new developer will be the construction of an amenity center. This will be about 15,000 square feet and will include the golf shop, dining or grill area, fitness facility, pool and flexible social area.

The site for this construction will be near the golf driving range and first tee areas. There is no specific timetable for this project.

The developer is not planning a second golf course, as was the plan of the original developers. However, they will be investing significantly in improvements to the existing golf course over the next couple of years.

Work is to be done in finishing areas around the tee boxes and greens and cart paths.

OB Sports has taken over the management of the golf course and current staff was invited to stay on to work with OB Sports.

The golf course will not go private. It will be a high end public daily fee course similar to Troon. However, the company said it will pay special attention to community residents when it comes to the golf.