Slated to open in July, 2008, Bella Vida will have a total of 120 two and three bedroom units.  Floor plans range from 1,360 sq. ft. to 1,564 sq. ft.; prices start at $252,900 (two bedrooms) and top out at $399,900 (three bedrooms).   The location on a floor and the floor itself also determine unit prices; those with sweeping views of the valley and mountains are priced higher.  

These condos are designed with safety and ease-of-living in mind.  Each one is on one-level and has elevator access from the parking garage as well as non-slip floor surfaces, easy open windows, easy to use door handles, double vanities in master bath, ovens with automatic shutoff, comfort height toilets and conveniently located light switches.  Other features include a balcony or patio, high-speed internet, walk-in closets, a fireplace, stone kitchen countertops and designer cabinetry.  Call 801.936.5000 for more information.

Bella Vida is a smaller retirement development, but it has a good selection of amenities, including a clubhouse with an exercise facility, a swimming pool, a hot tub, an arts and crafts studio, a putting green, a day spa and salon, a kitchen, a theater room, a wellness clinic, a library and group activities such as movie nights and social gatherings.    Massage therapy, group exercise and continuing education classes are also available, and there will be day trips and other off-site activities; a "lifestyle director" is on staff to organize weekly classes and events.    HOA fees, which include access to all of the amenities, are $270 per month (for owners of two bedroom units) or $318 per month (for owners of three bedroom units).   And pets (small ones of the cat, dog or bird variety) are allowed.

One of the primary perks of retirement at Bella Vida is the concierge service ("lifestyle service").  Rather than trying to find a handyman or search for assistance with moving a large piece of furniture, residents just place one phone call to the front desk, and pre-screened help is on the way, making life much more convenient for many retirees.   Services include assistance with bill paying, meal preparation, shopping, traveling to appointments, housekeeping, furniture moving, repairs, picture hanging, computers and email and more.  Home health services (nursing, medication assistance, occupational therapy and more), home meal delivery, pet services (grooming, walking, transportation to the vet), interior decorating and transportation to shopping and medical appointments are also available.  These services are not included in the HOA fees and are paid for on an a la carte basis.  

Reservations for a Bella Vida condo are being taken now.  During the pre-sales phase those interested in a condominium are required to make a fully refundable deposit of $1,000.  Potential buyers will be given notification, per priority, when units are made available to the public and then they will have fourteen days in which to tender a contract, make a $20,000 deposit and submit a pre-qualification letter from a bank to secure a unit.  

The town of North Salt Lake is situated in the northeast corner of the stunning Salt Lake Valley and is surrounded by the Wasatch Mountains, the Oquirrh Mountains and the Great Salt Lake, which covers 1,700 square miles.  The lake's shallow, warm waters cause heavy lake-effect snows that bring up to 14 inches of snow a month from November to March.  Morning humidity averages 65% but drops significantly during the afternoons.   Summer temperatures are in the 70s and 80s; winter temperatures are in the 20s and 30s.  The sun shines 40% to 50% of the time during winter and nearly 90% of the time during summer.