Outside of Irvine - Depot Walk

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<a href="http://www.olsonhomes.com/find/community/overview.aspx?codeTitle=depotwalk">This project </a>is located adjacent to the Metrolink Station in Orange. The Amtrak came through while we were in the parking lot, and damn! that whistle was loud.





This project was channeling BK, as they LEED certified - i.e., they offer all the environmental bells and whistles: bamboo flooring, recyclable glass tiles, solar powered electric, etc.





They only have two homes modeled. One was the largest unit. Both are nice, but are overpriced for what they are. People who could comfortably afford them, would likely go for an SFR over these.





The neighborhood is literally mixed. Across the street on one side was a body shop (or asphalt laying company, I can't recall) and across the street from that were a line of historic SFRs. There are bars an easy walking distance, but Old Town is across the tracks, and you would need to find a way to get across those.





In a vacuum, I liked the project, but the location is a little odd and the prices are too high.
 
This project is in a really shabby location. Looks like old manufacturing plants surrounding it. Kind of reminds me of Lennar Santiago Lofts in Santa Ana. Also, next to manufacturing plants.
 
<p>we checked out Founders Walk in buena park this weekend, it is also by Olson, and sound just like what you are describing, next to the train tracks, and in a fairly shady neighborhood, inside the community it feels just like irvine. i guess it is good for people who like taking the train, the only reason why someone can justify the price is if they work in LA, buena park on the map is really centrally located to all of OC & LA, orange, not as quite</p>
 
Hello-



I just checked out these today and thought they were priced pretty reasonably for 2000 square feet. They were having a "holiday" sale on the big model for $586,000.



Anybody know what the original list price was?
 
I remember posting this before somewhere, but it has enough value to merit reposting.



If any condo project has SS Titanic stamped on it, this one is it.



First, it's right next to the train track and an active depot. And it's noisy. And when the train is in the depot, you can't leave this property on Chapman or Palm - a real problem in the morning.



Second, it's right across the street from a trucking company that stripes streets (you know, the lines in the middle?). It's pretty quiet - untill they go to work at 4am. Every day. And it's noisy. They've been there for thirty years, so if you move in and don't like the noise, TOUGH. It's like moving to Chino when there were dairies there and complaining about the files and the smell. Do a little homework before you drop $700K wouldya? (/rant)



Third, the neighborhood. Has anyone got a look at the housing stock between the train tracks and Batavia? It's left over from when the citrus packing houses lined the railroad tracks, initally low cost housing for immigrant Mexican workers who worked there. Today....it's still apartment housing stock for the same sort of workers. The whole area between Chapman and Walnut and Batavia and the railroad tracks is (mostly) the worst rental housing stock in the city or Orange and a few industrial buildings - and a at least one substance abuse recovery house. Parking during the day is no sweat. After five in the afternoon.......forget it. Orange has historically been a middle class blue collar town. Except this part.



Fourth......the price for a condo. You want how much for me to live in a condo next to the railroad tracks in a sketchy neighborhood (when I can get a SFH on the other side of Tustin for about $200K less) ? HAHAHAHAHHHHAAAHHAHA!



I'm sure somebody will move in someday. At some price. And I'm certain I will shake my head in amazement and/or laugh at these people. It won't be me.
 
<p>I was just reading a blog site for Santiago Street Lofts. Funny stuff. Some of the issues the residents are dealing with are: graffiti/trash/shopping carts/break-ins/ etc. They even have a neighborhood night patrol of the community. Hahaha! </p>

<p>One blogger was blogging when he looked out his window and saw 3 kids tagging another building. Another blogger shared how he chased 2 taggers the night before. hahaha!</p>
 
I have to agree with everything no_vas said. I will add, that the same bagholder of that crappy condo conversion in Costa Mesa, also got shot down for a tear down project around the way from this project. The City of Orange, with it's infinite wisdom of planning, shot down the tear down of a meth lab apartment complex to a condo development, because they deemed it too dense. Great... now the meth labs stay, and the people who buy at this complex get to deal with it. Mmm... Let me think, would I rather live next to multiple meth labs, or have difficulty finding parking? Yup, I would rather have to walk two blocks to my home, rather than walk and live by a meth lab. The good thing is, one less property this guy is holding the bag on.





<em>One blogger was blogging when he looked out his window and saw 3 kids tagging another building.</em>





Please, tell me this doesn't surprise you. If you have been to this neighborhood, you would know this is the norm there.





<em>Another blogger shared how he chase 2 taggers the night before.





</em>Now that is smart. The next thing to come of this will be spraying, but it won't be paint.





Do you have links for this? This could get really entertaining.





This type of product is really great, and both are amazing to see if you get the chance. The problem with these types of product, are the absolutely awful locations. We just are not that desperate to justify the price yet. We have a long way to go before we need this product in the locations of these properties.
 
<a href="http://santiagostreetlofts.blogspot.com/">Here you go.</a>





May I also direct you to<a href="http://www.google.com/"> this</a>? It's pretty useful for finding stuff. {Sorry for snark; I didn't sleep long or well.}
 
thanks to the magic of google, i think i found the link:

http://santiagostreetlofts.blogspot.com/2007/11/scratchitti-it-sounds-as-stupid-as-act.html

as i read this i wondered, is this what one would buy a house for, to get the opportunity to plan with the neighbors the best way to keep the criminal element from where you live? i just can't imagine spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to get a place where you would have to worry so much about your surroundings.
 
<p>Olson also di the SoCo walk development just south of old downtown in Fullerton. <a href="http://www.olsonhomes.com/find/community/overview.aspx?codeTitle=socowalk">http://www.olsonhomes.com/find/community/overview.aspx?codeTitle=socowalk</a></p>

<p>Much the same thoughts, who's paying it? Who wants some idiot with an elevator and one bedroom living above?</p>

<p>Neighborhood is gentriying, well, not really. The loft is the gentrififcation and it'll fail IMHO.</p>

<p> </p>
 
graphrix,



Yahoo. Santiago Street Lofts. It'll take you there. It does surprise me b/c it's a new community and understanding that part of town. The HOA should have some type of security patrol. Instead of letting the new residents fend for themselves.



I don't want to say it's hilarious reading. But the blogs seem like a cry out for help from the city. If cities like Santa Ana want to rejuvenate the local downtown economy with these types of "products", they should take some measures to assist these residents.
 
<p>Oops. Sorry for the delay, guys. I didn't notice some of you have already posted the link.</p>

<p>I am laughing now. But I almost bought one of these units a year ago. Whew! Since I am self employed. I thought the live/work idea would be nice. </p>

<p>It's kind of sad b/c it seems like some of these residents had good intentions. Taking a chance in that part of town. Trying to contribute to the downtown economy. But instead, they're spending more of their time fighting crime. Hey maybe one of these residents should start a security patrol business. Hahaha!</p>

<p>Speaking of security guard. The bloggers mentioned the guard only protects the model home. Or is he? They caught him sleeping while on duty! </p>
 
I have had my business in that part of Orange since 1993. I am on Batavia and Collins so I pass by twice a day. The Depot Walk has been for sale now for almost a year. Not sure how many they have sold. That area has tried and tried to get some life from the city. They helped the Cask and Cleaver with some subsidy. Its not doing well at all. The new Motion Picture School is finished next door and is a nice building. But the overall neighborhood in this area is some of the worst in Orange. This is not a neighborhood to be out at night in. Car break ins and yes there are several recovery and sober living houses in Orange. You would be amazed at how many. Certain areas on Almond Ave have several recovery 4 plexes. The advertising mentions: Meet friends for a drink at The District Lounge or Paul's. Someone got stabbed last year at the District. And Pauls is one of the most run down bars in Orange. Its the place when you go through the circle with the homeless looking people smoking at 6:00 in the morning out front. The very early Happy Hour crowd. The concept for the Depot Walk seems like it would work. But the surrounding neighborhood is the deal breaker.
 
bltserv,



I have driven by Depot Walk during the daytime. I don't think I would venture out for a leisure nightime walk as the Olson Co. website advertised/suggested.
 
i notice that Chapman University is only a few blocks away. Is the neighborhood that bad around Chapman U? I've never visited, just heard of the school. I thought most universities were in fairly safe/good neighborhoods?
 
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