The building at 4855 E. Broken Saddle Drive has a new tenant. According to Friends of the Verde River, a 33.66-acre stretch of Verde River frontage at the end of Comanche Drive has a new owner. Friends of the Verde River moved its headquarters into the building at 4855 E. Broken Saddle Drive this year. On Thursday, October 29, from 4 to 9 p.m., the group holds a free ribbon cutting for what it calls the River Center.
Most coverage treats this as a nonprofit getting a new office. The more useful story for anyone living in or around Verde Village is about money. The Verde Village Community Connection made this deal for steady income. In return, Cottonwood gets a staffed, conservation-run gathering place on the river.
The Deal, Piece by Piece
On April 24, 2026, Friends of the Verde River signed an agreement with the Verde Village Community Connection, which used to be called the Verde Village Property Owners Association. The agreement does two different things. The community center is leased, and the nature preserve changed ownership outright.
| Property | What changed | Terms reported |
|---|---|---|
| Community center at 4855 E. Broken Saddle Drive | Leased to Friends of the Verde River | $20,000 a year; an initial three-year lease with plans to stay long term |
| Verde Village Nature Preserve on Comanche Drive | Given to Friends of the Verde River | 33.66 acres, owned outright |
| Closed community pool | Not part of the deal | Stays with VVCC |
| Del Rio Pond at 3901 E. Del Rio Drive | Not part of the deal | Stays with VVCC |
The lease length is described two ways. Both organizations' announcements call it a "long-term lease." The Cottonwood Journal Extra's May 28 report says the lease is for three years. Executive Director W. David Gressly told the paper the group intends to stay long term and sees that permanence as a reason for donors to invest.
Why the Association Said Yes
VVCC President Aislinn Maldonado explained it in a press release quoted by the Journal Extra:
"This is a wonderful opportunity for Friends of the Verde River, but it's also a sustainable revenue stream for our organization which allows us to not rely on memberships for our success. This provides VVCC financial stability while we address some of the remaining issues in our unique community, such as the future of the Del Rio Pond and the remaining open parcels designated for parks. Now the real work begins."
Maldonado named the closed pool and the Del Rio Pond as the community issues the $20,000 a year will help with. The pond has a deadline. It gets its water from the Cottonwood Ditch Association, and that supply ends in February 2028 because of a 2023 rule that bars ditch water from decorative ponds. Yavapai County is working on a plan to fill the pond in and turn the site into a county park.
So the rent paid for the clubhouse is tied to a pond that will lose its water in about 16 months. That link explains why a property owners association would hand over its riverfront land and lease out its clubhouse in the same agreement.
What 33.66 Acres of Riverbank Holds
Gressly described the preserve to the Journal Extra this way: "It's a mile and three quarters. They've developed over the years hiking trails, and they have some informational signage. But it's a place for people to go — hiking, biking, fishing, just enjoying the river itself."
He also mentioned a bird count. During a Verde Bird and Nature Festival tour, guides identified 40 bird species in under three hours of walking the preserve. He added that beavers live there and otters can be found too.
Under the old association, the preserve page set simple terms. It said the land was open to the public from dawn to dusk for birdwatching, family hikes and leashed dogs, and that "This is a wild area, so enter at your own risk." A volunteer trail crew kept the paths clear and put in benches and picnic tables. The page also said seasonal growth can hide trails faster than volunteers can clear them.
The VVCC preserve page now opens with a notice that Friends of the Verde River has managed the land since May 24, 2026. The rest of the page still shows the association's earlier rules, so it's worth confirming current terms with the new owners. Friends of the Verde River has said regular River Center hours will start after the October grand opening, and the October 29 program includes a guided preserve tour.
The Clubhouse Has Been Changing All Summer
The move has happened in stages since spring. Friends of the Verde River used to work out of 115 S. Main St. Staff began moving into the front ranch house the week of May 11 and planned to take over the event space at the back of the property in October.
VVCC's announcement of the partnership says the association will continue renting out the Community Hall for events, classes and celebrations.
On Saturday, July 11, volunteers spent a workday repainting the exterior, cleaning gutters, picking up around the preserve and doing small repairs. They also moved the neighborhood's free little library to a new spot on the side of the building. The group said then that the River Center was not yet open to the public and that regular hours would begin after the October grand opening.
Gressly's longer-term plans include:
- Informational displays and signage
- Demonstration projects for rainwater harvesting and pollinator gardens
- Training for community scientists in water quality monitoring
- The Otter Spotter program and a new beaver program, so neighbors can help collect river data
He told the Journal Extra these improvements depend on raising money. Once a long-term support plan is in place, the group will launch capital campaigns. For now the site is called the Friends of the Verde River Reserve and River Center, but an official name hasn't been chosen.
What's on the Program October 29
The ribbon cutting is free, and RSVPs are taken through the event page. It runs from 4 to 9 p.m. at 4855 E. Broken Saddle Dr.
The schedule includes:
- Tours of the River Center, with staff, board members, volunteers and community partners on hand
- A guided tour of the 33.66-acre Nature Preserve
- An introduction to River Friendly Living, the group's voluntary water-conservation certification program, from Isaac Dudley, Flows Program Manager
- A pumpkin-carving activity and contest for kids and adults, with pumpkins and tools from The Melting Point
- Educational exhibits, restoration displays, food and music
The group's events page doesn't list any other public programs this year. The next dated event is the MLK Day of Service on January 18, 2027. That leaves October 29 as the main public look at the property in 2026.
Elsewhere on the River This Fall
If you want river time before the 29th, Dead Horse Ranch State Park's fall and winter day-use hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
Closer to Old Town, Cottonwood's Riverfront trail is still in budget and design. The city's FY2027 capital worksheet carries over $210,000 for "Riverfront Trail Loop Phase II Construction." A separate $25,000 request to design the trail connecting Mingus Avenue toward Old Town has no budgeted amount. A February 2026 Journal Extra report said the often-cited Riverfront design concept was never formally adopted. It also said council moved $250,000 that had been set aside for a park master plan into future park funding.
None of those city documents gives a construction start date. Until one is set, the most complete new spot for river education and access in Cottonwood this fall is on Broken Saddle Drive, made possible because a neighborhood association needed income for a pond that loses its water in February 2028.
If you own property in Verde Village or nearby and want to know how changes like the River Center or the future of the Del Rio Pond could affect your plans, Sylvia Ray has followed this part of the Verde Valley for nearly four decades and is glad to talk it through. Request a free home valuation or market consultation any time.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
