One of the most emblematic architectural works on the island, inspired by the work of César Manrique, has gone on sale.
This is the Lagomar Museum, "certainly the most exclusive and extraordinary property of all those in Lanzarote", as promoted by the IZADI firm of economists, which has put it up for sale.
In Lanzarote there is a legend that the property belonged to the actor Omar Sharif, hence its name. It is said that the Egyptian actor lost it in a game of bridge against Samuel Benady, a Sephardic real estate developer based in Gibraltar.
The truth is that Benady built the house after founding the company Oasis Nazaret S.L in the sixties. César Manrique was also a founder of the company but soon abandoned it due to his numerous trips. Benady then hired Jesús Soto, one of Manrique's greatest collaborators, as artistic director of the works.
Restoration and expansion in the 90s
The current owners, the Uruguayan Beatriz Van Hoff and her ex-husband, the German Dominik Von Boettinger, bought the property in the late eighties and rehabilitated it.
In addition, they transformed the old rofe quarry located next to the villa into a lake with gardens next to which they built a restaurant and the current museum. For this they had the advice of Soto.
In the purest César Manrique style, Lagomar combines the volcanic nature of Lanzarote with the traditional architecture of the island and pieces of Arab influence. The Lagomar art gallery hosts exhibitions by local and international artists.
As explained by the real estate agency IZADI, the property consists of three plots. The first has 2,202 square meters and 310 built in 4 houses, patio and common areas, with a private pool separate from the main complex.
The second plot has 3,061 square meters and 220 square meters built, including the restaurant, the exhibition cave and the cocktail bar. The third plot has 1,459 square meters and includes two tennis courts.
IZADI describes the property as "a good business, which given its income (complex tickets, restaurant, bars, exhibition hall,...) raise the profitability to interesting ratios, being able to amortize its price in a period of 7 to 8 years, with current income".