Carlsbad, CA sure to attract the creative class…
…IF they continue to support more developments like Poinsettia Commons, a $55 million mixed-use, transit-oriented urban-style community that was unanimously approved by the Carlsbad City Council. For a perspective of Carlsbad’s current creative class status, check out the comments to this entry.
Located right next to a train station leading directly to downtown San Diego, this innovative vision by forward-thinking developer Urban West Strategies is a model for mixed-use development and placemaking. Check out the aerial rendering here – notice that only one street allows cars – the rest are paseos (pedestrian-only streets) with most of the parking underground… and yes, the architecture is refreshingly contemporary, something the East Coast can learn a bit from.
Development basics:
– 78 residential units are proposed: 51 live-works (2-story lofts over commercial, 1900-2500 in total), 15 market-rate condos, 15 townhouses (1200 s.f.), 12 affordable apartments. The live-works are unattainably priced at $ half a million, but include ground floor retail space.
– 18,300 s.f. of commercial/retail plus 3300 s.f. daycare center
– 13 buildings on 4.2 acres with 151 underground parking spaces, 107 on the surface
– Groundbreaking in January of 2007, completion summer 2008
About The Author
Carlsbad, California?
You must be joking. Most of the urbanized area located west of Interstate 5 is god awful suburban residential and office park sprawl.
In fact, there are relatively FEW examples of “creative class” living in San Diego County.
Try Santa Monica or Pasadena for some better examples…
Thanks Scott,
Let’s just say city officials in Carlsbad agree with you, and hopefully every city has a chance to improve its status. The first word and line in the article is critical, and I just capitalized and boldfaced it to emphasize that.