Hat tip to Rick the Tuna for sending along this nctimes.com article – an excerpt:
“There’s a lot of entrepreneurs here, a lot of independent thinkers,” said John DeWald, whose company is building perhaps the most visible manifestation of Encinitas’ business future —- the $50 million Pacific Station project under construction on Coast Highway 101, which will encompass five stores and a restaurant on the ground floor, 9,000 square feet of offices on the second and third floors and 47 condo units, also on the second and third floors. All but one of the retail spaces have been leased and 750 potential buyers are on the interested list for the condo units, which are projected to range in price from the “high $300,000s” to $1 million, DeWald said.
“People who live here, shop here,” said Bart Smith, an architect whose office and studio are housed in what used to be a TV showroom, a block off Coast Highway 101. Smith said Web designers, computer engineers, green-related businesses and other architects are refurbishing old commercial space in the city core, often to create live-work arrangements. For example, a car repair shop off Coast Highway 101 converted second-floor storage space into apartments.
“All kinds of brainiac people are moving in here,” Smith said. The new businesses often subdivide older buildings that used to house one company into units that house several smaller ventures.
Hard-to-measure intangibles also appear to be part of what is drawing businesses to Encinitas.
“People here get involved in the community,” said Justin Faulconer, owner of Falcon’s Bodyboard Shop, which just opened on the northern section of Coast Highway 101 in Encinitas.
Encinitas’ apparent ascension as an entrepreneurial hub defies easy explanation and raises questions about trends in shopping, development policies, the post-recession economy and how Southern California and the nation have changed.
Among those questions: How effective are redevelopment districts and other incentives for businesses?
Many buildings in the older section of the city along Highway 101 have been renovated or restored and yet the city hasn’t declared the older sector of the city a redevelopment district, said Peder Norby, Highway 101 Corridor coordinator for the city of Encinitas. Designating an area as a redevelopment district brings incentives and tax advantages to businesses that locate in such zones.
The coastal city’s success in keeping its older district vibrant is more a factor of its “unique” downtown flavor and mix of small boutique malls along El Camino Real than forgoing a redevelopment district, said Knight, the chief executive of the San Diego North Economic Development Council. Elsewhere, redevelopment agencies have been proven to work, he said.
I really want to know how much the corner condo on the top floor right next to the tracks and signal will sell for. I wouldn’t pay more than 200k for that place. I currently live right above the tracks in del mar on the bluff and still get rattled sometimes….I can’t imagine being 15ft. away!
Dude, the trains go very very slow there vs. most parts of Del Mar where they speed by at 70mph +
“750 potential buyers are on the interested list for the condo units, which are projected to range in price from the “high $300,000s” to $1 million,”
Lets see how many on that list actually follow through now that quick flipping for $$$ isn’t popping like it used to.
You all are just naysayers, especially shadash.
This place will make your business grow, regardless of the business. All smart people are inexplicably drawn to Encinitas.
It doesn’t matter how much it costs, people will pay it just to live close to the ponies and ocean. The ocean is attracting more millionaires who want the Southern California lifestyle. Forget about the recession, the value of the dollar, other investments, California’s budget woes, or whatever is a negative thought. Only positive thoughts will make your investment grow.
You will never again in your life see these prices. They will only go up from here, and there is nothing to worry about except the chance that you might not get one unless your register now and give a cash deposit without contingencies!
Go. Do. It. Now.
Chuck
^^^ That’s sarcasm, for those whose detectors may be broken. 🙂
Also… “‘All kinds of brainiac people are moving in here,’ Smith said.”
Is it possible to utter that sentence without instantly branding yourself an idiot? I think not.
$1M is a bargain when you throw Cardiff Reef and Swami’s into the equation, brah.
http://surfermag.com/features/onlineexclusives/ten_best_surf_towns_in_america/index7.html
Kook condo developers, trying to crowd the lineup.
I wanna live in E Town and be one of those brainiac entrepreneurs and independent thinkers and drink that free Bubble Up and eat that Rainbow Stew. I hear the power grid there runs on Unicorn farts.
How subliminal, the article reads like a “vibe rant”.
NCT could get a lot of mileage out this groovy vibe thing.
“Vibe Rent Encinitas”
Seaside Bizarre; shoppers dig the vibe, while vendors dig that low rent.
I could think of more… or not, lol
“Is it possible to utter that sentence without instantly branding yourself an idiot? I think not.”
LOL!
I also enjoyed Genius’s link; Median income $84k, median home price $902k. Eh.
“750 potential buyers are on the interested list for the condo units, which are projected to range in price from the “high $300,000s” to $1 million,”
Insert bitter, angry, denialist comment here.
Chuck, have you thought about running for the Encinitas mayoral position?
How can you declare a “redevelopment district” in an area full of million dollar homes? Isn’t that like declaring rodeo drive in Beverly Hills a “redevelopment district.”
Why on earth should taxpayers provide incentives to businesses who should be clamoring to get into the area? I mean, we aren’t talking about Compton here.
What is the current status of The Lofts at Moonlight?
Genius…is that “Jim the Genius” as in the shaper?
# 6 link says we’ve had 10 shark attacks here since 1926. What the…
The new condo/commercial building on the NW corner of Encinitas and PCH still has a big sign up saying there is space to rent or buy. Seems like a better location to me than right next to the train tracks, and yet it isn’t fully occupied. That makes me skeptical that this one is going to be as successful as this article insinuates.
“There’s a lot of entrepreneurs here, a lot of independent thinkers,”
should be written as: “There’s [sic] a lot of entrepreneurs here, a lot of independent thinkers,” as “There are” would be grammatically correct.
Hey, what do you want, good grammer or a vibrant city?
We Encinitans don’t have Carmel Valley schools. Go back to ragging on the Carmel Vallians.
I’ve always liked Encinitas, or at least that part of it.
Last week I was in Phoenix near the ASU campus (Tempe). They’ve developed a couple blocks near there into a nice little area with restaurants, little shops, and so on. Mill street, I think? It was built to an old-style plan with the stores near the sidewalk, trees in the medians, and parking hidden away. There were lots of people walking around, fairly crowded until well into the evening. Then you walked another block into the canonical suburbs, and it was all vast parking lots in front of anonymous big-box stores.
These landscapes we’ve built in SoCal just aren’t appealing, by and large. It’s nice to see a place like Encinitas that still has a bit of character left. Or the Cedros district. Or old Del Mar before Kirby’s closed.
Go back to ragging on the Carmel Vallians.
I prefer to call them “Carmel Valiums”. 😉
justme: Haven’t shaped a board yet, and my name isn’t Jim 😉
I worry more about stepping on a sting ray than being bitten by anything. Knock on wood.