Guadalupe, a city with a government that was on the verge of declaring bankruptcy last year, is making a bit of a comeback with a major retail and residential development project that was scheduled to break ground on March 4.
The new project holds the potential to not only expand the city’s population, but also to attract major retail brand stores, such as Starbucks and a major chain grocery store, according to City Administrator Andrew Carter. Along with the 800 homes that will be built, about 250,000 square feet—or roughly 20 acres—of retail space will be included in the development, Carter said, adding that the space would provide more places for residents to shop.
“Right at the moment there are not a lot of shopping opportunities in Guadalupe,” Carter said. “The only chain anything we have is Chevron. We’re about to get a Subway. Most residents here do their shopping in Santa Maria.”
The idea to develop the plot of land on the corner of highways 1 and 166 has been talked about for more than two decades, and it’s the first major project of its kind in the city in years, said Craig Smith, manager of Santa Monica-based MKL Development, which is heading the project. Smith, who has been involved in the project since 2004, said the Great Recession prevented him from starting the project for several years. However, he said, recent improvement in economic conditions gave him the confidence to get the project approved by the city.
The majority of homes will be two-story, Spanish-style houses between 1,700 and 2,600 square feet and hold between three and six bedrooms, according to Smith. He shrugged off the idea that the houses will be low quality.
“I think that a lot of people thought we were going to come in here with a lesser product,” Smith said. The houses will be reminiscent of the old track homes built in Santa Maria years ago, and Smith said he hopes to have models open by the middle of the year.
Once built, the goal is get people to live in them, of course. Smith said the houses would not be advertised as DJ Farms, but as something else. One possibility is “Pasadera Farms.”
Construction is estimated to take at least 10 years to complete and the hope is that the city’s population will grow past the 10,000 people mark, Carter said. California residents, particularly baby boomers, should find Guadalupe an attractive place to live for several reasons, Carter said.
“A key thing is we’re only 4 miles from the beach,” Carter said. “Guadalupe is the least expensive beach community in all of California.”
Beyond the numbers and statistics, Carter said the city’s newest addition adds a psychological boost for its residents.
“It’s a huge deal,” Carter said. “A lot of people are seeing this as a bright spot in Guadalupe’s future.”
This article appears in Mar 5-12, 2015.