Image Credit: Image Credit: Colliers International

A huge swath of Vernon land is now on the market, for the first time in more than 150 years.

The O'Keefe Range Lands, a 2,310-acre site owned by the descendants of the O'Keefe family and founded in 1867, is now listed for sale for $28.8 million.

The plot sits largely on the plateau above Bella Vista Road and continues north-east to Blue Jay Road offering expansive views of Okanagan Lake and the City of Vernon. Around 10 per cent of the land sits within the Agricultural Land Commission, while the remaining 2,100 acres is ripe for development, with about 300 of those acres already designated in the Official Community Plan for multi and single-family residential homes.

"This is a little bit unusual," Colliers International realtor Mark Lester told iNFOnews.ca. "It's not typical to get a chunk of land that is that big within any city limits."

As for the price and a prospective buyer, Lester said it's next to impossible to say who would buy the property, but it's likely to be someone with a connection to Vernon.

"Ultimately it's somebody who's going to be a visionary, it's someone who is strategically going to plan for the future and have a significant portion of future development potential for Vernon," Lester said.

The O'Keefe Range Lands is comprised of 20 separate land titles and has been in the O'Keefe family for over 150 years. The O'Keefe Range was one of the earliest and most prominent ranches in the province and was used for grazing cattle. Lester said the site features varying topography and includes several small lakes along with spectacular views.

While the site shares the O'Keefe name, the land is separate from the Historic O'Keefe Ranch museum, which is owned by the City of Vernon and run by a not-for-profit organization.

To the west and south of the Range Lands Kelowna winery owner and tech entrepreneur Markus Frind has recently purchased 900 acres of land and is transforming the site by planting vineyards. Frind says he wants to turn Vernon into a world-class wine destination.

Lester said he couldn't say whether the site would be suitable for a vineyard or not.

With close proximity to Vernon and spectacular views, the site offers huge development potential, although there is one downside. The realtor's ad states the property may contain unexploded ordinances.

Image Credit: Image Credit: Colliers International

To see the realtor listing go here.

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