Robert Bisno, the greedy developer who built the overpriced condos at the City Place in north Santa Ana, is now so desperate to sell the rest of his units that he has launched a “fool your friends and family” campaign to entice folks into convincing their friends and family to buy these overpriced units. Here is what a City Place email that I received had to say about this desperate program:
EASY MONEY – We are also still offering referral fees. Bring your friends to City Place and register them. When they close escrow, we will send you a check for $5,000!! This is a unique opportunity to become a part of the newest trend in true urban living. Live and work in one of the hottest locations in Orange County.
So there you go! If your friends and family have money to burn be sure to direct them to City Place at 714-953-1353. Don’t tell them they can buy better condos in Brea, Tustin and Irvine for less than the $750K Bisno is asking for. I’m sure they rather move into a crime-ridden city with three bond measures inflating our property taxes. And I am certain that our school district, Santa Ana Unified, which has a 60% drop-out rate and the worst administrators in the country, will attract wealthy families. Don’t forget that two washed up actors recently shot scenes from a sure to flop movie at our Zoo! $750K for a condo in Santa Ana? What a deal!
It’s so ridiculous. The whole “urban living” idea was doomed from the beginning. It’s amazing how stupid some of these developers are. Those of us living in Santa Ana who watched gardeners and nannies buying $550,000 could see the current housing crisis coming over two years ago, but they didn’t. As a Park Santiago resident, I have to hope that these units have some success since that are already built and so near to our neighborhood. Many of our residents signed petitions and fought this development to no avail. I have visited a few of these shops and I truly wonder who the target customer could be, this isn’t Fashion Island. At least I feel a bit better about this one as compared to the monstrosity that is Skyline Place in South Santa Ana.
$550,000 houses that is.
Oooooo, a real estate developer offering incentives….ooooo, how pernicious and dastardly.
anon teacher and Art,
Just when did the two of you decide that the Santa Ana of today is good, normal, or in the least bit desirable. The horrendous condition of this city is unacceptable on nearly every level. Yet somehow you try to make us believe this is the norm, and the way Santa Ana has always been. We have followed your posts and the antics of other folks who are desparately trying to convince us that Santa Ana has always been predominently low income, overcrowded, crime/gang infested ghetto populated by 85% latinos.
Like it or not Art, but there are still plenty of people around who still remember the old Santa Ana. Beautiful homes and neighborhoods, a true downtown that served the needs of ALL the residents, not a tedious succession of grim little shops all selling the same thing. Movers and shakers of the fast growing OC lived and worked throughout the City.
Nobody in their right mind would have suggested that this City *shouldn’t* have higher end developement or housing, or that a developer was “greedy” because he wanted to build something other than lowend, cheesy, cookie cutter housing.
Many older cities have fallen into near ruin as Santa Ana is today, but have managed to recover.
No matter how hard all the Art and Nativo and Chicano Unidos types out there try to drag this City down to its lowest possible level, it will one day recover.
Of course, the days Disgusted talks about were the days Mexicans were expected to stay in their barrios. Chickens coming to roost, I say!
I don’t know where you get the idea that I don’t believe in and love Santa Ana. I don’t need to remember the old Santa Ana to love the part of it I am living in. I just don’t believe that the answer is to try to create a South County environment or an “urban living” environment. Are you going to buy expensive clothes from a boutique across the street from Main Place? Or is the place going to go out of business and consequently contribute to the “horrendous” condition of the city once it is vacated. I don’t want to see empty buildings near my still beautiful neighborhood with beautiful homes. This is not the road to recovery during a recession.
#6,
Exactly! I feel so bad for the folks who have opened high end boutiques at the City Place. The only businesses that will survive there are the big name chain stores. And even they are not doing so hot.
And I am still annoyed that we got a Mother’s Market instead of a real supermarket! I am still going to have to drive up to the Ralphs in Orange, or the Stater Brothers in Orange, or the Albertsons’ all the way over on 17th and Tustin. Instead of a City Place we ought to have had a new supermarket on that corner lot! I can’t feed my family the crazy high-priced veggie stuff at Mother’s.
Wow. The old Santa Ana days according to Disgusted. Newsflash! The train has left the station.
#5
And the days when the Mexican had to sit in the balcony to view a movie and there were segregated schools.
Art,
Thanks for the reinforcements but I’ll have to disagree about Mother’s Market. Long ago, when I lived in Costa Mesa, I loved Mother’s. I truly do love the new Fresh and Easy in Orange also. If you are really desperate for a big box grocery store that is close, swallow your pride and go to Food for Less. It’s not bad for most things,if you can tolerate what is actually a big, big box store, I’ve personally moved away from the chains anyway. I guess I’ll give you one thing, there is a store I’d rather see there: Trader Joe’s.
ABC Channel 7 covered a story regarding an over proposed development at Ponte Vista in San Pedro.
Visit Website:
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local&id=6231799
#10,
I also like the Fresh and Easy. They have some very good deals on their store branded products and their meat is very decent and value priced.
I am sure Mother’s will be interesting but I cannot see doing my regular shopping there. And I do not like Food for Less. It is just awful. It is usually my last resort. I generally drive up to the Ralphs in Orange.
Trader Joe’s is a neat store. There is one by my office that I visit once in awhile. But like Mother’s it is too esoteric for my regular shopping. My kids are NOT gourmands!
#11,
Is a Robert Bisno project.
#13,
Yes, Bob Bisno is attempting to have 1,950 condos built in an area with just one roadway for ingress and egress, in San Pedro.
What he wants to do in Baldwin Park is far, far worse though.
Bob wants to redevelop the 125-acre civic center area by using the city’s right of eminent domain to drive out residents and businesses that have been there for years.
Baldwin Park is now largely hispanic and Bob wants to, once again, attempt to gentrify a place that doesn’t want it, or need it.
If we want to improve our town then we must campaign our neighbors to creat town pride. Begin to promote beautification, positive attitude, teach everybody to use trash cans and not drop corn cobs and trash on the streets. Self town promotion, pride of attitude, pride of changeing our minds and ways.