April 10. By Dave Yochum. Veteran real estate developer Jake Palillo says the Lagoona Bay Beach Club in Huntersville will be his last major project before turning the Palillo family business over to his son and son-in-law.

“This development will be my final project, and the crown jewel of properties I have developed across the area—a legacy I hope gives the young families of Huntersville the lifestyle of their dreams,” the Cornelius resident said.

Who said they’re not making any more waterfront property?

As first reported by BusinessToday back in October of 2022, Palillo plans a new-wave resort community with the 40-acre Lagoona Bay Beach Club resort at the center of spaces for recreation, work, wellness, dining, shopping, education and waterfront living.

Next wave development

Palillo said the purpose-built facility will offer residents a “dream opportunity” for year-round beachside living, providing all the conveniences of a membership-based country club in a tropical environment.

“The days of golf-centric country clubs are over. The next generation of families are seeking a healthy balance in a modern lifestyle resort where they can live, work and play,” Palillo said.

The resort’s crown jewel will be a 10-acre freshwater lagoon surrounded by pristine beaches, sun lounges and green spaces. Created with state-of-the-art patented technology licensed from Crystal Lagoons, the resort’s tropical-style lagoon will be sustainable and eco-friendly, using a fraction of the chemicals and energy needed to sustain a conventional swimming pool.

Plans call for 250 custom-built homes, 320 luxury apartments, 200 townhomes and 412 luxury condos as well as a 200-room luxury hotel.

Palillo has hired nationally known Charlotte-based Housing Studio architects and Urban Design Partners, landscape architects.

Construction, subject to rezoning approval by the Town Board, is expected in early 2024. A tentative public hearing is scheduled for June 5.

Background

Palillo is the developer behind Bailey’s Glen, a successful age-restricted community in Cornelius, and Symphony Park, an $80 million project nearing completion in Huntersville.

Palillo, who is 60, will turn over the reins of the family business to his son, Jake Palillo Jr., and son-in-law Brock Hullinger when Lagoona Bay is completed.

Lagoona Bay Beach Club will be a membership-based resort with a joining fee and monthly dues at varied price points, to make beachside living accessible to families of all sizes as well as couples and individuals.