Park City is expanding in physical size, population and scope. Part of what makes the town so special is the journey that everyone takes to arrive. While many are recent transplants, a fair number of people spent their childhoods here.
Jake and Max Doilney have only known Park City as home. In 1974, Jake moved from Washington, D.C., with his family when he was just 3 years old, and Max was born in Park City. The two cousins witnessed the addition of neighborhoods, local landmarks and even stoplights in town.
“The main road State Road 224 and the interstate highway had just been built, and it was dirt roads everywhere else,” recalls Jake. “I think Kearns Boulevard only existed because it connected to Heber and Kamas.”
Fast forward to today and the family duo is working together at Christie’s International Real Estate Park City. Jake is a principal broker and has been in the real estate industry since 1997, while Max is building on development consulting expertise to establish and grow his emerging residential real estate business. He also owns The Corner Store Pub & Grill with Jeff Jacobs and recently served on the Park City Council, providing an insider’s look at how growth impacts the community.
The interest in real estate started when the Doilneys were very young. Their parents left the East Coast behind for a different lifestyle in the West and in 1974 started The Corner Store, which remains an après ski hotspot at the base of Park City Mountain. Max’s and Jake’s dads, Jim and Mike, also were responsible for the Sunnyside Up, Fireside, South Shore, South Ridge and numerous other housing developments that followed.
As Jake and Max grew older, Park City grew bigger. “I remember seeing the plans for the Prospector neighborhood in our house and thinking, ‘Wow, all that will be there one day,’” says Jake. “At the time, Prospector was a flat gravel mine.”
Seeing the town host major sporting events also was impactful. “When the World Cup came to Park City in 1987, that was the first time I thought, ‘We must be a big deal,’” says Max. “Once Park City started getting on the world skiing stage, things exploded.”
After attending Stanford University and graduating in 1993, Jake taught math at the local Winter Sports School and coached ski racers through the Park City Ski Team. Soon after, he joined the family real estate development business, working on the building and selling of more than 900 homes, condominiums and land at Pinebrook Point, Blackhawk Station, Blackhawk Ranch (became Glenwild), Trout Creek Townhomes, Newpark Resort Residences and Newpark Hotel. He quickly realized the flexibility a real estate career could offer and became inspired to connect with buyers seeking a similar flexible lifestyle in his hometown.
“To live in Park City is a better quality of life than many other places,” Max emphasizes. “That’s our ‘Why here?’ too. … It lets us identify with the gamut of people, whether you moved here 50 years ago or today, and it’s why we tell folks you can call us for anything.”
The opportunity to collaborate is a huge asset, “We both bring different experiences and parts of the Park City culture to the table,” Jake says. Between schools, soccer teams, the ski and snowboard team, education foundations and more, the Doilney name runs deep.
“You could take the story of our parents who were living in a metropolitan area but they wanted a better life to raise families, experience the outdoors and have flexibility in the world,” says Max. “Park City is the place where that story existed for our parents years ago and still exists today. You’ll always meet someone who came here before you and someone who came here after.”
For real estate expertise from Park City-raised locals who know the ins and outs of the community, connect with Jake at 435-640-5212 or jake@christiesrealestatepc.com and Max at 435-640-7229 or max@christiesrealestatepc.com.
