"For years it has sat half-finished with paved roads and sidewalks leading to empty lots where million-dollar homes were supposed to look over one of the region's most prized coastlines. The interrupted development in San Clemente eventually became a jarring reminder of how the recession ruined Southern California's housing market."
"What to do with the sandstone bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean has been controversial from the start. The land was once used for agriculture but became the subject of major disputes pitting locals who wanted to preserve San Clemente's small-town charms and their environmentalist allies against the march of development that relentlessly filled Orange County's coast with housing."
"The debate over the property's fate raged for nearly three decades; other proposals for the site included a 2,000-home subdivision, the Richard Nixon presidential library, and a golf resort. Finally, in 2002, a scaled-down plan that included parks and preserved canyons won over environmental opponents."
The Sea Summit at Marblehead development in San Clemente, California has resumed after years of stagnation following the 2008 recession. The 248-acre coastal property was the subject of a nearly three-decade debate between environmental advocates seeking preservation and developers pursuing housing construction. Previous proposals included a 2,000-home subdivision, the Richard Nixon presidential library, and a golf resort. A 2002 compromise plan scaled down development while preserving canyons and parks. An earlier developer graded lots and paved streets before declaring bankruptcy in 2008. Arizona-based Taylor Morrison Home Corp. recently purchased the site for over $200 million, planning to build 309 single-family homes with ocean views.
#real-estate-development #coastal-housing #environmental-conservation #economic-recovery #san-clemente
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