DESERT AIRE - Folks from all over find this Columbia River resort-retirement community a cool place to live and eventually move here.

Soon it will be an even cooler place to live. Scheduled for completion by the opening of swim season is a brand new pool with bathhouse, meeting room and exercise gym.

The new recreation complex is being built where the old pool and bathhouse were located, at the edge of the park. But it won't look anything like the old operation.

The $1.2 million project will have a 138,000-gallon pool. The old pool held 40,000 gallons. The deepest area will be six feet deep. There will be lanes for lap swimming and a lazy river with therapy resistance.

The dry areas will have the look of a tropical beach, dotted with pool furniture and umbrellas.

"It's really going to be nice," said Desert Aire Home Owners Association President Larry Couch said.

The pool will not be public. Only families that own properties in Desert Aire will be able to use it. They are putting up the funding from a capital improvements account.

In addition to the pool, Desert Aire home owners will be able to enjoy a large exercise room in the upper level of the two-story building. It will be furnished with new equipment and the equipment from the old gym.

The new pool-gym complex comes just in time for renewed growth at Desert Aire. According to Realtor Bill McCaffery, sales are exploding.

Seventeen properties have closed or are closing this spring, he said. That's the same as all of last year. He sees this as the best year since 2006.

McCaffery noted he has only nine properties for sale on his board. He had 21 at the same time last year.

The peak sales season is between April 15 and Sept. 30, he said.