The Niangua River is a tributary of the Osage River and stretches 125 miles across Missouri. Although the population along the river is less than 20,000, the state parks that line it are popular tourist destinations, bringing in millions each year for trout fishing.
Cherry Blossom Resort Development, a women-owned development company based in Lebanon, Missouri, sought to take advantage of the "untapped potential of the area" and developed the Coastal Country Resort in Windyville, Missouri.
The development was recognized as the commercial development of the year in the Springfield, Missouri, market as part of the 2023 CoStar Impact Awards, which were judged by a panel of real estate professionals familiar with the market.
According to CoStar data, Cherry Blossom Resort Development bought 302 acres for $3.5 million. After refurbishing existing cabins in the area, the development company struck a deal with Green Magic Homes, a development company that designs and manufactures biophilic construction systems, to build Eco Homes Resort Living Spaces that are more than 70% energy-efficient.
Cherry Blossom plans to add 75 to 100 resort spaces and a water park over the next five years.
About the project: Cherry Blossom spent the past year cleaning up the 302 acres it officially bought in October 2022.
What the judges said: "This bold concept and new typology for its context seem capable of making some good design impacts in the area. The site with the hobbit-formed architectures helps with diversification while tapping into local and regional natural assets. The development needed to overcome some unique challenges including making the build possible in some overlooked areas as well as discovering and building on their untapped potentials," said Sara Khorshidifard, director of community studies for Drury University.
"This development will be valuable to the community through increased tourism and employment opportunities. The size and scope are impressive," said Gerald Zamora, senior adviser for Zamora Real Estate.
They made it happen: Sharra Smith, owner, project developer and designer for Coastal Country; Mitzi Jones, house manager for Coastal Country; and Colin Schockey, operational manager for Coastal Country.