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Solara Lofts: Located in Downtown’s beautiful Cortez Hill. A GREAT location, soon to be better!
February 25th, 2010 Categories: Solara Lofts News
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION. Sometimes good things are worth waiting for...
Savvy investors and opportunistic homeowners alike, agree that Location, Location, Location is the cliche’ statement for a smart real estate purchase.
Interesting enough, Solara Lofts is located in a great location.
Approximately a 5 minute walk to the West is all the culture of Little Italy, a 5 minute walk to the South is the the excitement of the Historic Gaslamp Quarter, and a 5 minute walk to the North is Jewel of San Diego: Balboa Park. Solara Lofts is also incredibly accessible to the I-5 and 163 freeways, providing a convenient central location to any commute and is less impaired by traffic congestion than other Downtown locations.
Location, Location, Location.
In the not so distant future, Downtown’s Cortez Hill neighborhood is slated for some future improvement projects that will transform an already GREAT location, making it even better!
We encourage you do do a little due diligence in your research for a new home. A fantastic resource for what is happening in any particular Downtown neighborhood is CCDC (Center City Development Corporation). CCDC is Downtown San Diego’s redevelopment arm, and you can visit their website where you can learn about future projects as well as public improvements to the Downtown neighborhoods. A wealth of information can be learned by visiting this website: http://www.ccdc.com/
Not only is location a major consideration for most savvy buyers, but so is TIMING. Knowledge is power, and knowing what future developments are slated in your immediate neighborhood could be a contributing factor to increased property value. Purchasing a home BEFORE all the public improvements have been made can be extremely beneficial and valuable.
We recommend doing a little due diligence on the following proposed projects that could be a major catalyst in future property value as a Solara Lofts homeowner:
NORTH EMBARCADERO VISIONARY PLAN
http://www.ccdc.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/projects.nevp
DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO’S western waterfront is poised to undergo a dramatic revitalization. Several projects planned and underway will remake downtown’s “front porch” into a magnificent public esplanade Intended to become the “showcase of the San Diego waterfront and a place for urban grandeur.” The design, created by Ehrenkrantz, Eckstut and Kuhn (EEK), will add almost 12 acres of park and open space and calls for 7 acres of gardens, 5 acres of hardscape and landscape area and more than 1,700 trees. Because the plan is so large, implementation will be segmented into phases.
PROJECT COMPONENTS:
- An estimated $228 million public infrastructure program to improve to San Diego’s “front porch”
- Project area is roughly 1 mile long and a 1/4 mile wide, including a broad waterside esplanade and narrowed Harbor Drive
- Improved Broadway Pier and plaza space at the foot of Broadway
- New pier(s) and historic wharf at County Administration Center
- Streetscape enhancements (lighting, paving, street trees, furniture)
- Public art
North Embarcadero Waterfront Schematic Design Presentation
We reccomend that you take time to watch the NEVP Videolink on the above website. The NEVP Video will give you a three dimensional rendering of this amazing new vision for Downtown’s prestigious waterfront.
Downtown Parks
Solara Lofts is located in a location slated for several new proposed parks. Three major improvement projects that will impact the immediate neighborhood would be St. Joseph’s Park, The Cedar Street Green Street, and the Cortez Freeway Lid. The following link refers to proposed park projects in the Downtown area that will transform Solara’s immediate surroundings in the future:
Downtown Parks Map [PDF 404KB]
Open space is vital to downtown’s quality of life. Parks and open space are critical to satisfying the diverse recreational needs of downtown residents visitors and workforce, especially given high development intensities and the region’s mild climate conducive to outdoor living. These spaces encourage social interaction and sense of community that define the public realm and urban culture.
The recently adopted Downtown Community Plan takes these principles to heart. It calls for downtown to add more than 50 acres of open space to the existing 75 acres. The implementation strategy prioritizes the development of seven new major public open spaces, which will act as the nuclei for the various neighborhoods, putting every downtown resident within a five- to ten-minute walk of public open space.
The updated Downtown Community Plan outlines four types of open space that are crucial to achieving downtown’s overall quality of life goals:
1. Parks
Parks consist of large expanses of open space which are designed for active recreational and leisurely activities, as well as gatherings and events. Building height restrictions on southern and western blocks will allow infiltration of sunlight, and prevent heavy shading of the parks year round. Additionally, many new parks will contain underground parking, as a creative solution to increase downtown’s parking capacity.
Relevant to Solara Lofts’s location is the proposed St. Joseph’s Park. This is proposed as a 1.4 acre park that is projected to be developed on the West block of Beech and 4th adjacent to Solara Lofts. The design is said to make better use of the land with a ground level park with subterrainian public parking. We look forward to progress on this public improvement in the near future.
2. Plazas & Pocket Parks
Flexible spaces and plazas, in conjunction with development projects, can serve as privately owned and maintained public space. Smaller “pocket parks,” with seating and landscaping, connect larger parks and create a linkage of green space. Linear “finger parks” can also be built along fault lines, to take advantage of otherwise unbuildable land. Many new buildings will also take advantage of the density bonuses granted to developers who design “green roofs” into their buildings, or landscaped tops that help reduce building runoff and improve water quality.
Nearby Solara Lofts is a newly added pocket park to Downtown called “Tweet Street Park.”
3. Green Streets
Designated green streets will serve as paths connecting downtown parks, the waterfront, neighborhood centers and other activity centers. Wider sidewalks and richer landscaping on these streets will extend the open space presence through the neighborhoods.
As shown on the Downtown Parks map: Cedar street is designated as one of the proposed “Green Streets”, and Solara Lofts happens to reside on the corner of 4th & Cedar. This will make for a beautiful garden corridor experience, literally right outside Solara’s doorsteps.
4. Freeway Lids
‘Lids’ are envisaged to reconnect downtown to Balboa Park and Sherman Heights, spanning the I-5 in select locations and providing new open spaces to serve downtown and surrounding neighborhoods.
An ambitious long term project, The Cortez Hill Freeway Lid would expand a lid over the I-5 S-Curve. Not only would this reduce the noise in the immediate area, but the proposals have been to expand Balboa Park over the freeway, making the park, a stone’s throw away!
To learn the latest about these exciting new projects visit the CCDC website: http://www.ccdc.com/ or visit the Downtown Visitor’s Information Center located at The Horton Plaza Mall.
To Schedule a presentation at Solara Lofts, please contact the sales center: 619 231-2400.
We look forward to seeing you soon!
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Solara Lofts Custom Home Image Gallery
February 17th, 2010 Categories: Downtown San Diego, Flexible Loft Living, News, Solara Lofts News, Urban Living
By Brent Cole
February 17, 2010 – 4:22 pm
Unlike any other Downtown Community, Solara Lofts has taken on a personality that inspires creativity and function. The advantage of personalizing a floorplan to accommodate a lifestyle need has allowed homeowners to create the perfect home. The following is a photo collage detailing some of the unique transformations that have been created:
This is a dramatic entry personified. With custom light boxes to accent beautiful etched glass artwork.
This is an example of a Flex Loft with a custom “pony wall” to separate live space from bedroom space. A great solution for those who like room separation, but want to maintain the open feel. 
Another view of the flex loft designed with a pony wall and custom closet. 
Style meets function. This is an example of a loft home which glass partition walls were added for privacy and room separation. For added privacy, a framed glass transom was added. The transom was designed with clear glass to allow for maximum light, accentuating beautiful custom lighting. 
Another example of the frosted sliding panel system with a clear glass transom. Art + Function. 
This is one of our most recent custom modifications, where the homeowner wanted a en-suite door to the master bedroom to be added to the guest bedroom. The homeowner also came up with a very functional design modification for the sink, which allowed for more usable counter space, with beautifully appointed fixtures. 
This is an example where a glass transom will be added to add natural light, to an otherwise dark bedroom. This is an example of a complete transformation of a loft to a traditional 2 bedroom type floorplan. 
This is an example of a studio loft that the home owner had us redesign to better accommodate the use of space. We added the wall with the open transom to allow light transfer. The wall shown has dual purpose: It divides the home space from the bedroom sleeping area, creating more privacy. Secondly, the wall provides the function of added closet space. By removing the original closet & adding the closet shown above and below, we actually created a more efficient use of the space. 
This is the reverse view of the closet, with usable storage space on top. 
In this example, the buyer required more closet space. To match the buyers elegant taste, a combination of contemporary sliding glass panels and mirrored panels were added. This allowed the use of the space to be maximized, accented with a modern elegance to compliment the design theme.
This is the perfect example of overcoming the home buyers objection to not enough counter space. Originally this floorplan featured a space saving galley kitchen, but the buyer cooks and entertains guests frequently, so we designed a custom island return with lots of counter space, seating room and even a built in wine cooler!
We encourage you to stop by the sales studio to preview the remaining homes available at Solara Lofts. There are only 19 more homes available, which limits your opportunity for a fully customizable loft home.
Schedule an appointment with one of our sales agents to see all of the floorplan and custom design options. We look forward to creating the perfect home for you!
Solara Lofts Sales Studio
Open Daily 10:00am-5pm
1551 Fourth Avenue
San Diego, CA 92101
619 231-2400
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Modern Design & Mod-ification go hand with Custom Loft Design
February 6th, 2010 Categories: Amenities & Community Features, Downtown San Diego, Downtown San Diego Lofts, Solara Lofts News
Solara Lofts has been getting quite a reputation for beautifully designed one-of-a-kind homes in an intimate boutique setting. With over 30 unique floorplans, it is always interesting to see the final results once homeowners move into their homes:
Urban Industrial Design cues with surprisingly refined inerior finishes is just one way to describe Solara Lofts...
Some of the more interesting and innovative ideas have come from one of Solara’s first residents, Zach Smith.
Modern art comes in may mediums. This custom premolded concrete bed has an integrated planter box built into the headboard!
Zach has a knack for modern design and functional innovation that has translated into a beautifully designed custom home at Solara Lofts. But Zach is no stranger to getting attention for his designs as he has been recently featured in Dwell and Riviera Magazines. His specialty is working with molded concrete counter tops, but his personal venture has expanded beyond his usual call of duty as he completely re-Mod-eled his home by incorporating stained concrete floors, custom designed cabinetry, hand machined pull tabs, beautifully designed and functional bookshelves that were built into the window ledges, a premolded concrete bed, modern planter boxes, premolded concrete counter tops in kitchen and bath, and a beautiful teak overlay for his balcony.
Beautifully designed with wood slat inlay on the walls, and there is never enough storage space, so custom modular storage was created.
Integrated cabinets with custom concrete finished window ledges are not only a beautiful addition to Zach & Kims home, but an incredibly functional use of space too!
Kim getting handy with a ceiling fan installation.
A beautiful teak overlay was added to compliment Zach's concrete planter creations and mid century modern furniture.... Art + Function Personified!
What Zach and his wife Kimberly have created is a modern sanctuary that has been customed designed for just them….
But not everyone has the creative vision to Mod-ify their residence like Zach & Kim, so let the Solara Team work with you, offering creative design solutions that can enhance any of our floorplans to your specific needs and taste.
Come by our sales studio and design the perfect home just for you!
Solara Lofts Sales Studio
Open Daily from 10:00am-5:00pm
(619) 231-2400 to schedule an appointment.
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Boutique Status Sets Solara Lofts Apart…
February 3rd, 2010 Categories: Amenities & Community Features, Downtown San Diego, Solara Lofts News
As a new home development, it is always interesting to see how a community matures with new homeowners. Growing to maturity (over 70% occupied) brings new life to the community as a whole, which has blossomed unlike any other Downtown building. Solara Lofts has taken on the reputation of a “boutique” mid-rise development, with an intimate number of residences (77) and a growing array of unique floorplans (35+).
Having the ability to customize and create the “perfect” individual floorplan, not only adds long term value to the home, but breathes a personality into a community unlike no other.
Here are a few examples of homes that were personalized at Solara Lofts:
A beautiful one-of-a-kind loft was created with a litte bit of imagination.
A fabulous custom closet was designed specifically to accommodate for maximum storage. Something rarely found in an urban loft...
Meet Shay. One of Solara's new happy homeowners who had her loft "personalized" with surround sound, custom closets, and beautiful marble floors. Her urban loft is now a luxurious sanctuary, designed for her.
Having the advantage to create a custom home sets the Solara Lofts Community apart from the competition. Why purchase a home and hire a general contractor to complete all of the modifications, when you can purchase a home at Solara Lofts that has been personalized by the builder for you?
Hiring your own contractor can be tedious and costly. Let our builder work with you to create the perfect home, and we will have it done before you move in!
Call today to visit our sales center. We are open daily from 10:00 am- 5:00pm. We are officially in close out mode with approximately 20 homes available. This will be the final opportunity to purchase a custom Solara Loft directly from the builder at Builder Close Out Prices! We look forward to seeing you soon!
Call (619) 231-2400 to schedule a presentation today!
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Builder Closeout
January 26th, 2010 Categories: Solara Lofts News
Solara Lofts Announces Builder Closeout Sale
Posted by Cliff Mensch | Leave A Comment »
Cliff Mensch, leader of the sales team at Solara Lofts is proud to make a significant new announcement about the remaining units at this fabulous downtown project.
“Solara Lofts is having a BUILDER CLOSEOUT! ” states Mr. Mensch. “We have reduced prices on the remaining 24 units effective immediately”.
These prices reflect up to a $200,000 discount, Some of the premiere penthouses are ready to be sold! we want offers
The developer can conbine units and make custom touchs that will make this your unique home! Solara lofts have been approved for FHA and VA as well as conventional loans.
The Building is complete so closing in 30 days is ok! Call or visit the sales center (on site) at 1551 Fourth Ave or call 619-231-2400
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