Roche Harbor Resort To Get New 50% Owner

The historic Roche Harbor resort on San Juan Island is to get a new part-owner.

A deal is in the works to sell half interest in the resort to Roche Harbor Investments, a company formed by local investors with links to Puget Sound maritime businesses. They include attorneys Stan Barer and Mike Garvey, as well as Fred Goldberg, Bob McMillen, Len Shapiro and Ev Trout.

Barer and Garvey are partners in the Seattle law firm of Garvey, Schubert & Barer and with McMillen are co-chairmen of Totem Resources, parent company of Totem Ocean Trailer Express and Foss Maritime.

The group is buying the half interest held by Verne Howard, a Friday Harbor retailer. Rich Komen, Seattle restaurateur and the other owner, will retain his 50 percent interest. Howard has operated the resort since 1989 when he purchased it from the Tarte family, the resort's longtime owners, for $4.75 million. Komen became a part-owner in 1991, when he joined Howard with 2,000 acres of uplands he had purchased separately.

Brent Snow, resort general manager, said he foresees no major changes in operations with the new owners.

Bill Giesy, owner of San Juan Real Estate, is handling the transaction. He said Howard is selling so he can pursue other interests.

The late Clara and Rube Tarte started the resort in 1956 on the site of a former lime plant and village. The resort contains the Hotel de Haro, a restaurant, general store, retail boutiques, moorage, a chapel, cabins, airport and adjacent condominiums.

Polly Lane's phone message number is 206-464-2149. Her e-mail address is: plan-new@seatimes.com