Villages of Columbus versus Villages of Irvine

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Although most of the people on this blog is against purchasing real estate altogether, which is the better group of villages - Columbus or Irvine?



I think that Columbus Square is in a relatively decent location. And I think Columbus Grove is in a great location. It borders Irvine while being close to shops, businesses, and entertainment.



Woodbury is georgeous and the newly built shopping centers are amazing. Portola Spring, although nice, is much too isolated for me.



If I was given the opportunity to buy in a new community, I would choose Columbus Grove. I guess when it comes down to it, location is the most important factor for me.
 
[quote author="hs_teacher" date=1214270925]Although most of the people on this blog is against purchasing real estate altogether, which is the better group of villages - Columbus or Irvine?



I think that Columbus Square is in a relatively decent location. And I think Columbus Grove is in a great location. It borders Irvine while being close to shops, businesses, and entertainment.



Woodbury is georgeous and the newly built shopping centers are amazing. Portola Spring, although nice, is much too isolated for me.



If I was given the opportunity to buy in a new community, I would choose Columbus Grove. I guess when it comes down to it, location is the most important factor for me.</blockquote>


For the same reason as you stated I only look at West Irvine and Northpark area since its close to everything (costco, groceries, movies and restaurants) including the 5 and the 55. Quail Hill, Woodbury and Portola are just too isolated for me.



I just don't like the industrial area surrounding VoC, powerlines and that big hangar. But it is close to shops including the 5 and the 405.
 
[quote author="hs_teacher" date=1214270925]Although most of the people on this blog is against purchasing real estate altogether, which is the better group of villages - Columbus or Irvine?



I think that Columbus Square is in a relatively decent location. And I think Columbus Grove is in a great location. It borders Irvine while being close to shops, businesses, and entertainment.



Woodbury is georgeous and the newly built shopping centers are amazing. Portola Spring, although nice, is much too isolated for me.



If I was given the opportunity to buy in a new community, I would choose Columbus Grove. I guess when it comes down to it, location is the most important factor for me.</blockquote>


Buy smart in locations where yield the highest potential in future price increase. Buy at a desirable place when you need to sell your home the potential buyers would not find reasons to negotiate down your selling price.



Never allow your friends to influence you. It is an Asian culture to follow the sheeps.



Your personality and your upbringing are centered on friendship. Your friends have greater influence over you than your parents. Just be careful in making a choice that is best for yourself rather than what makes your friends happy.



I have studied individuals like you for a long time and deviced many products to appeal to your demographic.
 
Speaking of friends, I have a few who live at Woodbury. Although I'm very impressed by their home and the surrounding community, I don't really like the location.

I have another friend who lives at Columbus Square. Although it's a little closer, I'm not too impressed by the neighborhood.

And finally, I have a friend who lives at Columbus Grove. I like the location and I like the feel of the neighborhood.

I don't mind being a sheep as long as I'm following the right herd. :)
 
[quote author="hs_teacher" date=1214275070]Speaking of friends, I have a few who live at Woodbury. Although I'm very impressed by their home and the surrounding community, I don't really like the location.

I have another friend who lives at Columbus Square. Although it's a little closer, I'm not too impressed by the neighborhood.

And finally, I have a friend who lives at Columbus Grove. I like the location and I like the feel of the neighborhood.

I don't mind being a sheep as long as I'm following the right herd. :)</blockquote>


I remembered buyers were saying the same thing for Tustin Ranch back during the late 80's. Some comments were similar for Northpark. Woodbury may be out of the way now but you have to look at a few years ahead into the future.



There are still vacant agricultural properties between Woodbury and the freeway 5. It is a very important marketing window for advertising exposure. The Spectrum is a great example for exposure at the merging junction of 5 and 405. IMO I believe the remaining parcels will be projects that will be triumphant projects for the legacy of Irvine. The sleepy Old Town Irvine needs revitalization and lively souls.



Project like the Grove and Americana by Caruso are certainly projects that will define legacy and may be a potential for the remaining parcels along the freeway edge for high profile recognition. None of the Caruso projects has this type of proximity to the freeway.



<img src="http://la.curbed.com/archives/2005-12-americana.jpg" alt="" />

Americana



<img src="http://www.elkus-manfredi.com/images/rr5.jpg" alt="" />

The Groves







Irvine has reached its success and the natural progression will be a more ambitious project and a lesser risk high density mixed use project (residential set on top of outdoor town center). High-rise residential is a very risky project for the suburb proven by the infernos.



Sand Canyon terminates southward to the most packed wealth Shady Canyon in Irvine with doctors and surgeons working at the never stop expanding medical campus. Sand Canyon IMO will be the premiere blvd because of wealth and ultimate control over vacant lands.



Some properties along Culver and Jeffrey belongs to others and will not cooperate with Irvine for unity of good design and planning. Sand Canyon is a clean slate and I believe if anything grand were to happen it got to be here. I will refer to this BK's theory as the Big Bang theory. Ambition and legacy are the drive for the powerful cities, developers, and politicians.



Now putting all that is perspective the brick and mortar boxes at legacy may just be a small pea in a big pod. If I can profile you and many others correctly by never meeting you. You should give some thought to my logic and prediction.
 
i'm fine with whatever they do along sand canyon as long as knowlwoods stays put. prada, gucci, multi-story barnes and noble, regal cinema, dining by nobu and michael mina... all of it anchored by knowlwoods.



bk -- why do you consider the caruso model low risk? or did you simply mean lesser risk compared to high rises? i'm still not sure what to make of the residential town center model. paseo colorado in pasadena opened to a lot of fanfare but it seems like as new developments in the playhouse district opened up, people have found that area far more desirable than living on top of the crowds, literally. close enough to all the entertainment on lake and colorado but quiet enough to seem like a luxury community.



i've checked out the americana recently. it's very, very visually impressive. the apt and condo element however... i did not see a single person on one of the residential balconies on a saturday evening and most of the units seemed unoccupied. i watched some of the residential entrances and rarely saw anybody coming or going. i thought it was bad design to have the major residential lobby sharing the same access as all the shoppers and diners. its very much like a vegas casino where you need guards standing watch to keep drunk guests from trying to wander up to the residential towers. living above ten thousand shoppers and diners doesn't seem all that ideal to me.



would irvine attempt this sort of project? would people want to live directly on top of the spectrum for example?
 
[quote author="acpme" date=1214286636]i'm fine with whatever they do along sand canyon as long as knowlwoods stays put. prada, gucci, multi-story barnes and noble, regal cinema, dining by nobu and michael mina... all of it anchored by knowlwoods.



bk -- why do you consider the caruso model low risk? or did you simply mean lesser risk compared to high rises? i'm still not sure what to make of the residential town center model. paseo colorado in pasadena opened to a lot of fanfare but it seems like as new developments in the playhouse district opened up, people have found that area far more desirable than living on top of the crowds, literally. close enough to all the entertainment on lake and colorado but quiet enough to seem like a luxury community.



i've checked out the americana recently. it's very, very visually impressive. the apt and condo element however... i did not see a single person on one of the residential balconies on a saturday evening and most of the units seemed unoccupied. i watched some of the residential entrances and rarely saw anybody coming or going. i thought it was bad design to have the major residential lobby sharing the same access as all the shoppers and diners. its very much like a vegas casino where you need guards standing watch to keep drunk guests from trying to wander up to the residential towers. living above ten thousand shoppers and diners doesn't seem all that ideal to me.



would irvine attempt this sort of project? would people want to live directly on top of the spectrum for example?</blockquote>


You are right. I mean lesser risk to high rise and more suiting to the desire of consumers who want soft urban and not hard urban.



I agree with you regarding the Americana. I do not like it and I have came to the conclusion after studying it. I was there during the grand opening and it was a zoo. IMO it is not a successful integration of retail and residential. I will write about it later when I have time. I like the scale of the Grove much better as well as its location. This is why I only posted the rendering of Americana because its execution of architectural details was poor.



The biggest mistake that Caruso made was hiring OC architects to design the residential over the retail podium while the original Grove architect from Boston designed the retail at the lower level.



Projects this nature I think will set legacy on the Irvine Ranch or in OC. Very few entities can pull this off in a grand scale. TIC is conservative and ambitious. It is a part of product evolution analysing the site's potential and its freeway exposure.



Everyone has a crystal ball and may see it differently. Land is just too valuble for single level retails when the airspace could be developed for residential or office uses. It can replaced the sterile business park and offers a nicer environment for lunch or dinner without having to walk the unfriendly sidewalks next to the business park along Sand Canyon.
 
[quote author="acpme" date=1214286636]living above ten thousand shoppers and diners doesn't seem all that ideal to me.



would irvine attempt this sort of project? would people want to live directly on top of the spectrum for example?</blockquote>


I'm not sure if Irvine will do it, but the main/downtown strip of Tustin Legacy had this type of product in the plans that I saw. The pictures the artist drew were really cool looking, but I just don't see the <em>need</em> for this type of product in OC, yet. Maybe when there really is no more land, but that is a long way away.
 
BK--very interesting speculation on development along Sand Canyon. Besides <a href="http://www.irvinehousingblog.com/forums/viewthread/202/">Planning Area 40</a>, South of Woodbury, there is also a large plot of empty land at Sand Canyon & Oak Canyon Road, next to Old Town Irvine. Most of the other properties along Sand Canyon are business parks, strip malls, or hospitals until you hit QH/Shady. So I guess if TIC has most of these properties under lease it can make some major changes in the next decade. Besides freeway exposure, due to Sand Canyon's proximity to the Great Park & Spectrum it probably could be included in the <a href="http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/news/local/irvine/article_1759162.php">city's transit plan of buses and trolleys,</a> reducing traffic demand for such a large project.
 
HS teacher,



I have seen and read your posts regarding Columbus Grove and VOC in general. By you bringing this subject up over and over again. It seems like you're seeking validity or approvals from others as to your decision or indecision. You seem to be seeking a consensus so that you can decide.



If you like the darn place so much. Then commit yourself to buy in that location. Stop posting as if you're asking for others' approvals.



You can deny it if you like. But you keep bringing up your friends as if they determine your path in life. Be confident in yourself for god's sake.



And with all due respect. As a teacher, shouldn't you set an example of being a leader and not a follower? When you prepare for your classroom assignments. Do you do that on your own? Or do you seek your students' permission?
 
what's wrong with Columbus Square's neighborhood? I just moved there and it looks very unfinished with a lot of vacancy. Other than that, it seems really nice and quiet.
 
[quote author="dayday" date=1220418345]what's wrong with Columbus Square's neighborhood? I just moved there and it looks very unfinished with a lot of vacancy. Other than that, it seems really nice and quiet.</blockquote>


Just don't let your kids eat off the fruit trees or they're likely to grow a horn ;-)
 
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