Construction could begin this summer on 40 to 50 high-end homes in the Black Rock golf-resort development near Coeur dAlene Lake, developer Marshall Chesrown says.


Although no building permits have been issued for homes at Black Rock, Chesrown is nearly done with the infrastructure work that would allow that to happen, says Rand Wichman, planning director for Kootenai County.


Were very close to issuing building permits, Wichman says.


Chesrown says hes about 95 percent done with the infrastructure work, which includes installing utilities and building roads in the 650-acre development.


Nearly two-thirds of the 300 lots included in Black Rocks first phase have received development approval, Wichman says.


Chesrown says that more than half of the approved lots have been sold, for prices ranging from about $100,000 to $1 million.


Whats more, hes about 70 percent done with the 18-hole golf course thats to be Black Rocks centerpiece, he says.


Crews were to start earlier this week laying sod on the course greens and filling bunkers with sand. After that work is done, sometime in August, the grass and other vegetation on the course will be given time to become established, and the course should open for play early next summer, Chesrown says.


In a separate project, Chesrown says he could begin construction later this year on a housing development near Liberty Lake in Spokane County.


He recently bought about 580 acres of property there, at Holiday Hills, just west of the city of Liberty Lake.


Chesrown says a previous development plan for the property called for construction of 640 homes there, but we think we can do a little better job with a little less density. He envisions it as a series of neighborhoods in which each would be geared toward different price points, he says.


Planning for the project, which has not been named, is under way, and lot sales could begin next spring, he says.