The developer behind several mixed-use projects in Bethlehem and Northeast Pennsylvania is bringing a $150 million, 105-unit private residence club to Tannersville that will overlook Camelback Mountain.
Sérénité is a 105-unit private residence club under construction in Tannersville that will overlook Camelback Mountain. (Submitted) –
The project, Sérénité at Camelback Mountain, will offer ski and mountain views for owners of mountainside residences modeled after western resorts in places such as Aspen, Colorado, and Deer Valley, Utah.
Developer Charles Jefferson, partner of Jefferson-Werner LLC, said the first home should be finished in early spring.
Construction on the units began a few weeks ago and the sales center recently opened on Camelback Road, he said.
He plans to construct 15 buildings, with seven homes in each. In addition to those 105 units, he also plans to build 40 single-family homes. Construction is expected to start within the next month.
MLP Builders of Radnor is the construction firm for the project.
Clive Daniel Hospitality, based in Naples, Florida, is the designer for the resort, which will feature one, two and three-bedroom homes. The resort also includes a clubhouse with a fitness center, yoga, men’s and women’s locker rooms, heated outdoor pool and spa, game room, arcade, common lounge area, club room with a wraparound deck and outdoor seating and fire pits.
Jefferson said he took on this project based on the growth he’s seen in the Poconos and the need for more luxury vacation homes.
“I’ve been spending a great deal of time in Bethlehem and Northeast Pennsylvania,” he said. “That allows me to drive through [Route] 380 and spend a lot of time in the Poconos and places in between. I think the area is ripe for a new product on a larger scale.”
Many of the Poconos developments, particularly vacation homes, are at least 30 years old.
With the rise of tourism to the Poconos, the growth of resort destinations, and a location at Camelback that’s between the New York City and Philadelphia markets, Jefferson said the timing is right.
In addition, the popularity of youth sports and parents juggling busy schedules has contributed to a pent-up demand for high-end vacation homes that are closer to home and have given rise to the mini-vacation.
“We are tapping into that same market,” said Todd Cannon, head of strategic planning at Sérénité. “We really want them to have the availability for quick getaways, mini-vacations. This is the solution for that.”
Depending upon the vacation time and unit size, prices range from $19,995 to $37,995 per week.
“We’ve gotten some pretty good interest,” Jefferson said.
Often, parents don’t have the opportunity to take a full week off with their children because of conflicting schedules, Cannon added.
Since Sérénité is a private club that’s not open to the public, there’s some flexibility, Cannon said. Buyers have the option of staying for a few days or a week.
In addition, as a private club, Sérénité offers stays at national and international sites.
Through Sérénité’s premier affiliation with Interval International, a division of Marriott Hotels, homeowners can stay in more than 3,000 luxury resorts at destinations around the world, including Lake Tahoe, California, and Vail, Colorado as well as Austria and Switzerland. In addition, homeowners can stay at warm-weather resorts in Hawaii, the Cayman Islands and others.
Part of Sérénité’s concierge service allows homeowners to request dates and sites to visit after paying a $199 exchange fee to Interval, Cannon said.
