Fulfilling a bargain

Eight new homes have replaced a rundown shopping center in Costa Mesa’s Mesa del Mar community and 16 more are in the works.

Developing the shopping center into a complex of homes known as the Grove has dramatically improved the neighborhood, said Jeff Wilcox, president of the Mesa del Mar Community Assn.

“It got rid of the blight of that shopping center, that’s a huge improvement,” Wilcox said. “They are building some nice homes and they are in a position where they are actually helping the neighborhood.”

Before it was demolished, the shopping center had rundown stores, broken windows, built-up trash and a parking lot where some people used to hang out, Wilcox said.

The shopping center went through many owners and management companies until the city rezoned the area from commercial to residential in 2001, said Mel Lee, the city’s senior planner.

RTCO Development Co. then offered to build 24 single-family homes, and the Grove project was approved about four years ago, said Brian Gehl, one of the builders’ partners. Eight of the 24 homes were completed six weeks ago, he said.

“We felt the city honored their side of the deal by allowing us to rezone this area and we wanted to finish the project and honor our side of the deal and give residents a chance to buy high quality homes in a good neighborhood at a fair price,” Gehl said.

And although the housing market is not back to where it was three years ago, Gehl said that he and his partners decided not to wait.

“People are still looking for quality homes at a fair price and that’s what we’re delivering,” he said.

Two of the homes have been sold and two others are in escrow.

Costa Mesa Councilwoman Katrina Foley, who lives in the Mesa del Mar community, said she’s pleased with the project.

“What an improvement,” she said. “This is going to bring value to the neighborhood, the homes are beautiful. They are going to provide housing for some new families and it definitely improves the neighborhood.