An Olson Kundig–Designed Neighborhood Is Taking Over an Old Lumberyard in Sonoma County

Located at the epicenter of four major wine-producing regions—the Russian River Valley, Dry Creek Valley, Chalk Hill, and Alexander Valley—the town of Healdsburg, California, has long been a favorite getaway for city dwellers looking for a diverse wine list and the serenity of the Sonoma Valley. 

But on a sunny Friday afternoon last May, a long line of cyclists pedaled through the outskirts of town, eschewing Healdsburg's historic downtown plaza for a grittier destination: a retired industrial site. One by one, the riders disappeared through an unmarked door at the back of an old kiln building, snaking past enormous fans to emerge in what will soon be Healdsburg’s newest—and perhaps most attractive—neighborhood: the Mill District.

The site doesn’t look like much from the outside. Its post-industrial vibe is authentic, not contrived, and you can almost feel the grit of sawdust in your teeth from its 170-year history as a lumberyard. For decades, the 10-acre plot had a Willy Wonka-esque aura; despite being less than a quarter-mile from downtown Healdsburg, very few people knew what went on behind its gates. But when lumber company Nu Forest Products quietly announced its intention to relocate to a larger site in 2015, Vancouver-based developer Replay Destinations snapped up the entire parcel, seeing the vast potential despite the machinery sheds and heavy equipment that dominated the space.