Ascaya to break ground on $25-million clubhouse — PHOTOS

Henderson luxury community Ascaya has announced it will break ground on its $25-million, 20,000-square-foot clubhouse Tuesday.

"With increase in activity and the level of interest we have had from clients, the developers felt confident moving forward with the clubhouse," said Darin Marques, sales manager for the community. Marques is with Shapiro & Sher Group of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, Nevada Properties.

He said the facility, which will feature resort-style pool and fitness center, is expected to be completed in 16 to 18 months.

The clubhouse is in the same styling as some of Ascaya developer's other iconic developments — The Carlyle in New York City, Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas and the Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills, Marques said.

The 313-lot development atop the McCullough Range, about 1,000 feet above the valley floor, is privately held by the family of Dr. Henry Cheng, which controls Hong Kong-based New World Development Co. Limited, a global developer with projects in Hong Kong, mainland China, Europe and the U.S.

"This building is more than architecture," said John E. Sather, who led the Arizona-based Swaback Partners' design team to create the clubhouse.

The graduate of the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture called the resort facility and the community it will bring together "forward-thinking" and a "celebration of the kind of energy that the raw desert gives you."

He said he has seen no other community in the U.S. like Ascaya.

"The building is bold and beautifully inspired by the boldness of not only the mountain but the sheer artistry of the stone retaining walls that snake throughout the property. That is in a way monumental. Nothing like that in the U.S."

Marques said seven lots were sold in Ascaya in 2015: Two for a record-breaking prices, $2.6 million and $2.4 million. He projected this year the community will net 18 to 24 more sales.

Meanwhile, a group of architects, including Marmol Radziner, Richard Meier and Partners, and SB Architects, have entered the community to build "inspirational homes" to showcase the community's architectural and design standards. Two homes are under construction with another two to begin in 30 days. This year all seven inspirational homes will be under construction, Marques said.

"The Ascaya developers believe in architecture with a capital A," Sather said. "This whole community I truly believe is creating great architecture at all levels."