Mon. Dec 2nd, 2024
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The nationwide homebuilder Taylor Morrison has apparently acquired the vacant lot at 2525 N. Main St., in north Santa Ana, adjacent to Santiago Park.

You might recall that previously a different developer tried to build a luxury apartment project at that location but the neighborhood NIMBYs in the Park Santiago Neighborhood were able to shut down that development.

The previous developer eventually had to raze the office building at that lot when the local homeless vagrants kept causing problems there including setting it on fire.

There is now an unofficial skateboard park on the concrete pad where the office building once stood. The police periodically chase out the skateboarders but they just come back.

Opposing the apartments completely backfired as it will resulted in more malicious mischief by transients. The only entity to benefit from all this has been the Discovery Cube as they have been using the parking lot at the location for overflow parking. Currently that lot is full almost all day due to the ongoing Bubblefest event at the Discovery Cube.

Taylor Morrison will be holding a community meeting about the new proposed townhome community at 2525 on April 20 at the First Congregational Church of Santa Ana, located in the Park Santiago Neighborhood at 2555 Santiago Street, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. You can RSVP by emailing Uriel Zamarripa at tmsantaana92705@gmail.com or by calling 714-623-7512.

Hopefully the Park Santiago NIMBYs will not cause this developer any trouble. We need more housing in Santa Ana and this development will generate much needed tax revenue for the City of Santa Ana. Building townhomes on this vacant lot will also reduce crime caused by the vagrants who are currently hanging out there.

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Art Pedroza Editor
Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

By Art Pedroza

Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

6 thoughts on “Townhome development proposed for the empty lot at 2525 N. Main St.”
      1. I doubt it with residential you have visitors coming in and out at all hours, offices are business hours and much quieter. Things are zoned a certain way for a reason.

        1. I think you have that totally backwards. Offices are business locations and as such they certainly have many trips all day long. Residents on the other hand go to work in the morning and come back at night. Far less trips!

          There is no reason why the zoning cannot be changed. Consider that there is ZERO demand for office spaces in our area.

          The developer only needs four votes on the City Council. He almost assuredly has those in the bag.

          1. Normally I’d oppose building townhomes and such, but I think a small amount of town homes here could work. So long as they leave ample room for onsite parking (Two cars per unit minimum and extra half space for every location that has 3 or more bedrooms) and at least one guest spot for every 2 units. That would alleviate overflow parking in the neighborhoods. Also, I would hope that these homes are NOT low income, but still affordable. Santa Ana has enough low income housing to meet the thresholds set forth by the feds. If it’s low income, then scrap the project.

            Hopefully the Main Street Inn (Red Roof Inn) is next to get demolished and rebuilt. With the construction going on at Main Place, I think this will be the norm. The days of building homes with yards are done.

          2. The developer noted last night at the community meeting that the starting price will be about $800K. That is cheap considering what homes in Park Santiago are going for!

            It sounded like they had a good parking plan as well.

            Getting rid of that awful hotel would be a boon…

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