No Buyer for the Shire

The Shire in Bend, OR

Bend, Oregon‘s Tolkien-themed housing development, The Shire, has fallen victim to the local real estate economy and entered foreclosure proceedings.

The dream died for many other reasons, including bad timing, legal challenges with the city of Bend over planning and permit issues, and lack of sales, [developer Ron] Meyers said.

“Some people were turned off by living in ‘Disneyland,'” he said. “It’s more of an artists’ community for a certain market segment that wanted something different. There’s been enough people that have come through that would say, ‘What a wonderful concept.’ But then the market crashed, and everyone (went) home.”

One suspects that the same Muse who inspired The Shire was behind another famous tribute to Hobbits. Yes, it’s the tune that never fails to put people in the mood (probably for ax-murdering), Leonard Nimoy singing “The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins.”