5-story plan includes 16 units and a restaurant.
By Susan Thompson | Lake Panorama Times
The Lake Panorama Association (LPA) board of directors has approved a proposal for a new development on Lot 7000, where The Port and Lakeside Inn currently are located. The vote to approve the proposed development came following a public hearing Aug. 5 at the Captain’s Pick at Lake Panorama National Resort.
The approval is contingent on execution of a mutually agreeable development agreement and special use restriction between LPA and Rob Manning.
At the LPA board’s July 22 meeting, Manning presented a proposal to demolish the existing structures to make room for a 16-unit, five-floor condo and restaurant facility.
LPA covenants require multiple unit housing that allows for individual ownership to be approved by a majority of the LPA board of directors, but only after a public hearing is held. That requirement was met with the Aug. 5 meeting.
More than 300 people were in attendance. Dave Finneseth, LPA board president, chaired the meeting, guiding the board through approval of the agenda and other official business details. He also outlined how the opportunity for public comments would be handled with each person allowed two minutes to speak.
John Rutledge, LPA general manager, then addressed the crowd. “I’m inspired by the great turnout tonight,” he said. “This shows you care about Lake Panorama.”
Rutledge provided background information on what led up to the Aug. 5 meeting.
“Over the last few years, I’ve had more than one person ask me about the possibility of turning the Lakeside Inn into condos,” he said. “My answer has always been, ‘That’s an interesting idea; I suggest you make a formal proposal to the LPA board and we can pursue this further.’ No one came back with a proposal.”
Rutledge said he first connected with Manning July 2 when Manning asked to be on the July 22 LPA board meeting agenda. The agenda for the meeting was publicized in the July 17 Panorama Prompt. Manning presented a detailed development plan at the July 22 board meeting.
“So, for those who think the LPA staff and board were sitting on this information for months, it’s important for you to know we notified the LPA membership in less than 30 days from the time we knew a proposal was coming,” Rutledge said.
Rutledge said after the July 22 LPA board meeting, questions raised at the meeting were researched. One was the impact the proposed development might have on the existing sewer system.
“We had our engineers look into this, and Rob did the same,” Rutledge said. “The result was a feasible strategy to make the necessary adjustments to the sewer system, which Rob agreed would be done at his expense.”
Another question Rutledge said LPA has been asked is if the new building would block the lake view.
“The roofline of the proposed structure will be lower than the roof of the current hotel,” he said.
Rutledge said while the amount of income to the LPA generated by the new development was not considered as the LPA board deliberated, it is a question LPA members have asked.
“The Port and Lakeside Inn currently pay a total of about $20,000 in LPA dues,” he said. “The new project that includes 16 condos and a restaurant would generate about $40,000.”
The Port has been owned by Dr. Mark Menadue for 20 years. Manning planned to purchase the property from Menadue Development, if his proposal was approved by the LPA board.
Rutledge said he recently spoke with Menadue, who gave permission to share comments he made at the Aug. 5 meeting.
“Mark told me that each year he has had to subsidize The Port and Lakeside Inn by between $200,000 and $400,000 annually,” Rutledge said. “He said it has never been profitable, and once it closes at the end of this season, it will not reopen under his ownership. This is the reality we have to face. The proposal before the LPA board will put a new restaurant there plus 16 new housing units.”
Manning opened his comments by sharing his Lake Panorama background. His parents bought a condo south of The Port in 1995.
“I grew up here,” he said. “I have many good memories here. I was a member of the ski team. We were at The Port a lot. My parents sold their place in 2002. In 2010, my wife Tiffany and I bought our first property here. I love Lake Panorama. It’s a great place to entertain and enjoy friends and family.”
The Mannings have three sons, ages 18, 12 and 10. They have had three homes on the lake, one they bought and two they built. The family now owns a lot at Lake Panorama and currently lives in Waukee.
Manning said it was 2019 when Dr. Menadue first talked to him about the possibility of purchasing The Port.
“I was just starting to expand my hog operation,” Manning said. “I told him I’d think about it, but I wasn’t ready yet.”
Similar conversations between the two men took place in 2021 and again last summer. In January of this year, Menadue told Manning he would be listing The Port and Lakeside Inn this summer. On June 27, Menadue called Manning to say he had three days to decide if he wanted to purchase the property.
“That’s when I decided to work with a well-known developer who has built condos elsewhere to come up with a plan for 16 condos and a restaurant that fits on this piece of property,” Manning said.
Manning said everything on the current site would be demolished. The proposed plan has the condo structure on the south side of the property and the restaurant on the north side.
The condos would range from 1,800 square feet to 2,600 square feet each. The building would be five stories with only three of those visible from the east. All five would be visible from the west.
Level one of the structure would have a 4,500-square-feet restaurant with a large outdoor patio space and ski storage for condo owners. The upper four levels each will have four condos. There will be elevators for guests to reach the restaurant plus cart paths and parking. The building would feature a roof-top patio, private pool, gym and a 30-feet by 100-feet detached garage for condo owners.
A covered structure with boat slips for condo owners will have 32 spaces, 22 for boats and 10 for personal water craft (PWC). There also will be 32 spaces for patrons of the restaurant with the same numbers for boats and PWC. These will be individual slips without lifts.
“Between the two slip structures there will be a large sand beach and turf area for yard games,” Manning said. “There will be two tiki hut structures at the water level for quick and easy service of drinks and grab-and-go food to get back out on the lake.”
The restaurant will have two overhead doors that can be opened to the patio. Three tiki hut structures on the patio will be bars, plus there will be a bar in the restaurant.
Manning said the five tiki structures will recognize the five previous owners of The Port — David Garst, Denny Heuton (Mr. D’s), Paul Wendl, Steve Thill and Mark Menadue. In an interview following the meeting, Manning confirmed the new restaurant will be named The Port.
Manning closed his remarks by saying he has two additional investors involved.
“This is a huge project,” he said. “I love this lake. I can’t think of a better place to invest money.”
A public comment period was held with 18 LPA members speaking. While the first speaker was strongly opposed to the project, most who followed drew rounds of applause from the audience when they praised Manning’s proposed project and encouraged the LPA board to approve it.
Some speakers raised concerns about safety, parking, increased boat traffic and the loss of overnight lodging.
Rutledge thanked audience members for their participation.
“We heard some good points tonight that hadn’t been raised before. We respect those, and I’ve made some notes for the board to consider,” he said.
Following the public comment period, the board of directors voted unanimously to table the discussion for further review with Joel Williams, LPA attorney, and the LPA management team. The board adjourned the public hearing at 6:17 p.m.
After a brief recess, the board met in closed session with Williams and the management team to review feedback offered via email and during the public comment period.
After a review of member feedback, legal guidance and the overall project, the board passed a motion to approve Manning’s request for 16 condos and a restaurant on Lot 7000, contingent upon execution of a mutually agreeable developer agreement and special use restriction. Williams was directed to take the lead role in developing these documents, which will be presented to the LPA board for ratification.
In an interview after the LPA board approval was granted, Manning said demolition will start this fall with construction to follow soon after.
“Our goal is for the patio and tiki structures to be available to enjoy in the summer of 2026,” Manning said. “The goal for the condos is to have those occupied by March of 2027 with one of the condos being taken by me and my family.” n
This recent photo of The Port and Lakeside Inn taken from Lake Panorama shows the hotel on the left, with the restaurant and the outside tiki bar on the right. Demolition of these structures will begin this fall, with construction to follow soon after.
Rob and Tiffany Manning with their sons Dylan, Owen and Barrett.
Rob Manning was a member of the Lake Panorama Ski Team for about five years. This photo of the 1997 team has Manning on the left in the back row. He’s wearing a white shirt and has Ashley Johnson on his shoulders. The photo was taken in front of The Port, which is where the ski team was based for many years. Photo courtesy of Dan York.
This design rendering is similar to what the condo and restaurant building will look like on the east side. The five-story building will have three levels visible on the east, and five levels visible on the west.