Brooks Resources is a real estate development company headquartered in Bend, Oregon, with significant land holdings in Central Oregon, United States. The company was formed in 1969 as a subsidiary of the Brooks-Scanlon Lumber Company and became an independent corporation in 1979. It develops residential neighborhoods, vacation rental properties, commercial complexes, and mixed-use communities.
History
Brooks-Scanlon Lumber Company
The Brooks-Scanlon Lumber Company was founded in 1901 by Michael J. Scanlon, Anson S. Brooks, Dwight F. Brooks, Lester R. Brooks, and Henry E. Gibson. The company was initially headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with a large milling facility near Cloquet, Minnesota. Beginning in 1906, Brooks-Scanlon began acquiring timber land in Florida, and by 1908 it was purchasing timber land in British Columbia. In 1915, the company purchased 250,000 acres (1,000 km²) of timber land in Central Oregon, and the following year opened a sawmill on the east bank of the Deschutes River on the outskirts of Bend. Within a year, the Brooks-Scanlon sawmill became one of the two largest producers of pine lumber in the world.
Formation and Early Development
In 1969, Brooks-Scanlon created Brooks Resources as a subsidiary to develop its property for uses other than timber production. The company's first project was Black Butte Ranch, begun in 1970, followed by Mount Bachelor Village resort in 1974. When the international oil crisis drove up fuel prices in the mid-1970s, recreational travel became very expensive, and Brooks Resources offered all Mount Bachelor Village purchasers the opportunity to cancel their contracts—every buyer but one accepted.
In 1979, Brooks Resources was officially separated from Brooks-Scanlon. During the 1980s, the company launched Shevlin Center (1981) and Awbrey Butte (1984). However, the company experienced significant financial losses, including $8.7 million in 1982 alone, reducing its equity by approximately one third.
Recovery and Growth
Beginning in the early 1990s, Brooks Resources' equity began growing ten percent per year, aided by projects such as Awbrey Glen golf community (1993), Shevlin RiverFront (1996), and the NorthWest Crossing mixed-use community (1999, a joint venture). In 2004, the company moved its headquarters to a new location in downtown Bend.
The 2008 recession curtailed development at the Yarrow mixed-use community near Madras, Oregon, and the company sold its Yarrow property to the Bean Foundation in 2015. In 2018, Brooks Resources sold its Mount Bachelor Village assets to the Oksenholt Companies.
Business Model
Brooks Resources develops mixed-use communities, resort rental properties, and residential neighborhoods throughout Central Oregon. It also sells homesites and other properties through its Brooks Resources Realty offices. Beginning in 2017, the company began offering real estate development services for private clients. The company is known for working with local governments to plan and control growth while meeting community housing and commercial development needs, and for preserving natural environments as part of its project designs.
Philanthropy and Awards
The Bend Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by Brooks-Scanlon in 1947 to help injured loggers and sawmill workers, continues to receive major contributions from Brooks Resources. The Foundation funds scholarships, public artwork, and community programs. In 1982, Brooks Resources helped establish the High Desert Museum by donating 135 acres (55 ha) of forest land along U.S. Route 97.
Brooks Resources gives a minimum of 3 percent of its pre-tax profits to local charities designated by an employee-led committee. The company has also donated land to the Bend Park and Recreation District, including Compass Park, Rim Rock Natural Area, Archie Briggs Canyon Natural Area, and a 312-acre (126 ha) addition to Shevlin Park. In 2017, the Oregon Recreation and Parks Association recognized Brooks Resources with its Private Sector Partner Award.
Key Development Projects
- Black Butte Ranch resort (1970)
- Mount Bachelor Village resort (1974)
- Shevlin Center commercial area (1981)
- Awbrey Butte homes (1984)
- Awbrey Glen golf community (1993)
- Shevlin RiverFront homes (1996)
- NorthWest Crossing community (1999, joint venture)
- Century Washington Center commercial office park (2000)
- Awbrey Park homes (2003)
- North Rim homes (2004)
- RiverWild homes (2004)
- IronHorse mixed-use community, Prineville (2006)
- Shevlin Health and Wellness Center (2014, joint venture)
- Tree Farm homes (2016)
See Also
- Black Butte Ranch, Oregon
- Real estate development
