Nova Scotia island goes on NYC auction block

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Just off the Nova Scotia shore, an undeveloped island with deep forest, six coves and seals bobbing along the shore will soon be up for auction in New York.

With just less than 11 acres of deep forest and a rocky shoreline, Vollebak Island is currently listed for sale by Sotheby’s International Realty Canada (SIRC) with an asking price of $13.49-million.

On June 8, online bidding for the property will open with Sotheby’s Concierge Auctions, then culminate on June 14 with live bidding at Sotheby’s New York auction house.

The strategy, says Scott Bryant, regional director in the Atlantic provinces for SIRC, is to expose the island and the offering to the highest net worth people on the planet.

The successful bidder will possess not only the secluded haven, but plans for an ingenious and sustainable compound created by renowned architect Bjarke Ingels of Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG).

The buyer will own exclusive rights to the design, along with planning permission, for the collaboration between Mr. Ingels and the founders of the Vollebak clothing brand.

“We propose to gently lift the topography of the island and create a village-like cluster under the man-made hill. The new architecture will become part of the island, and the island itself will be a house for adventure,” BIG says.

Looking to a more distant horizon, the design is a masterplan for the entire planet, the founders say, pointing to the plans to harness the power of the wind, sun and earth.

The vision includes a cluster of dwellings with thatched roofs, a bathhouse with tubs carved from the rock and a greenhouse for growing the island’s food.

Leader Island, as the property is formally known in Nova Scotia’s land registry, sits in an inlet near the lobster fishing community of West Jeddore. The region about 50 minutes east of Halifax is “very, very typical coastal Nova Scotia”, Mr. Bryant says, with a more traditional culture than the province’s well-known South Shore, says Mr. Bryant.

Informally, the property has been known as Vollebak Island since April, 2021, when it was purchased by the British clothing label that makes futuristic clothing and gear.

Twins Nick and Steve Tidball are the founders of Vollebak and the visionaries who sought to create an island where they and their customers could spend time in a remote location, away from the ‘prison of technology’ and surrounded by nature.

Vollebak purchased the undeveloped island in April, 2021. Included in the listing is an easement for the parking of two vehicles on the mainland and another easement for a dock nearby.

Mr. Bryant estimates the package may sell for between US$5-million and US$10-million, but he is frank in acknowledging the challenge in determining a price for an offering unlike any other.

“We’re so typically dealing with land and structures,” says the agent, who was born and raised in the province.

Vacant islands currently listed for sale in the area have asking prices between $150,000 and $800,000.

Mr. Bryant has consulted with local builders in an effort to estimate how much a buyer would need to invest to complete the project as envisioned by BIG and the Tidballs.

Cost estimates can vary dramatically when it comes to assembling buildings from seaweed, forming a stargazing room in a concrete shell or 3-D printing the foundation walls for a primary bedroom.

The 3-D printer, Mr. Bryant figures, would need to be transported to the island by barge.

“It’s just so state-of-the art and forward-looking,” he says of the concepts. “It’s a vision of the future.”

Mr. Bryant says members of the local lobster fishing and boating trades are intrigued by the project and many have offered support.

“It’s a very typical, down-home, caring community,” he says, adding “it’s a different climate yet absolutely stunning and beautiful.”

Mr. Bryant stands ready to arrange showings for buyers who would like to walk the land before bidding.

The agent has secured the services of a helicopter pilot who can whisk visitors from Halifax Stanfield International Airport to a landing spot in Jeddore in 15 minutes. From there, he’s lined up boat owners with a variety of craft who can transport an individual or an entire entourage.

Mr. Bryant says prospective buyers will need to do their due diligence to understand zoning, local tides and the extent of the services offered by BIG. He has detailed plans at the ready.

He’s not able to say why the brothers did not move ahead with the project but he hopes the ultimate buyer will bring the plan to life.

“It feels good to be happening in our own backyard,” he says. “It’s almost overdue. I can’t wait to see how it will evolve and end.”