1001 Laurel, San Carlos: Open for Business…

Sales Office Now Open

At long last, the sales office at 1001 Laurel is now open to the public, and you can check out the newest member of San Carlos’ downtown. I took a tour a few weeks back when the units were still under construction, and I liked the feel of the place — pretty modern, and nicely finished. The lack of a pool is a bit questionable for a high-end condo complex, but I guess you can’t have everything, right?

If you’ve been in to take a look, let us know what you think — post a comment below!

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1001 Laurel Street Condos set to open in July.

July is the month…

…but we don’t yet have an exact date.   But it’s progress.  According to an email I received today from Matteson Development Partners, the long awaited grand opening of the 1001 Laurel Street complex will take place sometime in the month of July.   They will update everyone on their email distribution list as soon as the date is nailed down.

Register for updates.

Matteson is planning a “VIP sneak peek” preview for those who have already registered online;  this preview will be held before the public grand opening.  So if you’re interested in getting in as soon as possible, be sure to register at their site:  1001 Laurel Street.

As soon as I get a definitive date on the grand opening, I’ll post it on the site. Stay tuned….

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It’s the “Home Stretch” for 1001 Laurel…

Almost There…

The scaffolding has come down, Morse Blvd is shut down for re-paving, and the new sidewalks are taking shape.   1001 Laurel, the biggest development to take place in downtown San Carlos in many years, is almost complete.     Now that it’s almost done, you can start to see the sheer scale of this project.

Two things came to my mind today when I took a walk around the outside.  First, this place is really big — not only tall, but massive around the perimeter.  But the other thing that I’m surprised to see is that I’m actually starting to like the architecture.  They could have done far worse with such a big building, and the Spanish flavor goes well with the history of this area.   I’m curious what you think about it, now that it’s almost done.

1001 Laurel Street

What’s Next?

According to management at Matteson Development, the Sales Office will open for business sometime in mid-April, when they’ll have model units available for people to tour.  Pricing for the units should also be available then.

Important Note…

If you plan on checking out the condos at 1001 Laurel with the intent to possibly buying one, and you’d like your favorite Realtor to assist you, you should be aware of the following rule that will very likely be in effect:  They will pay compensation to the buyer’s Realtor only if the Realtor accompanies you on the very first visit.   This is a common policy with new condo and townhouse developments, although it’s not something they’ll go out of their way to tell you.  I have seen people inadvertently eliminate their Realtor from the buying process without even knowing it.  (Not a plug for my services…just something you should know before you go.)

So get ready to check out the new kid in town.  In only a few weeks, you’ll be able to do just that.

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1001 Laurel Launches its New Site…

The new condo/retail development that’s been going up at 1001 Laurel Street in San Carlos has garnered much attention from the residents of San Carlos.   There’s no shortage of opinions about this development and other developments that I have written about that are in the works for San Carlos.

Matteson Development Partners just launched the new website for 1001 Laurel today, so now you can see the different floor-plans that will be offered when these units become available in the spring.  Units will range from 1BR/1BA to 3BR/3BA.  There’s also information on the various amenities and the layout of the building as well.

Click here to see the new site:  1001 Laurel

..and let us know what you think, of course!

Can San Carlos handle its own growth?

The article I wrote earlier this week about the Wheeler Plaza Development clearly struck a nerve with many residents who are concerned about the seemingly break-neck pace at which the City is adding residential living capacity.  While there were many positive comments about the development plans, there were an equal number of residents who are concerned that this development, along with the 1001 Laurel Complex and the San Carlos Transit Village, will create more growth than the City can really handle.

It’s widely believed that this impact will be immediately felt at the school level.   After all, this comes on the heels of a special public meeting that was held on November 5 where the San Carlos School Board discussed the capacity problems that our school district is facing right now — even without the presence of new residential units.   If you weren’t able to attend the meeting, here is the basis of what was discussed:

Managing Enrollment

White Oaks School seems to have a waiting list to get in every year, and there are now reports of students being diverted away from Arundel School this fall.  Clearly, the San Carlos School District will be facing some very tough decisions soon.

Seth Rosenblatt is one of the Governing Board Members of the San Carlos School District, and he has been extremely responsive and accessible to the questions and concerns of the citizens.  He has posted some valuable insight on his blog:  Seth Rosenblatt’s Blog where he discusses his thoughts and preferences to possible solutions.    From my interactions with Seth, there are some key points to consider when linking the new development to the school enrollment issues:

1. The impact of the Wheeler Plaza Development and 1001 Laurel are already factored into the enrollment projections in the attached report.
2. Studies indicate that the introduction of multi-unit housing historically does not generate many additional student-age children.
3. An “official” change in the enrollment policy (boundary change, restrict transfers, etc…) won’t likely be ready until the 2010-2011 school year.

On the other side of this coin, the City of San Carlos is clearly looking for additional tax revenue to fill its depleted coffers.  More residents = more sales tax revenue, plain and simple.   They’re motivated to keep the shops full, and to have more residents spending money downtown.   And believe me, if you think the Wheeler Plaza idea is big, you should see the “vision” they have for the multi-zoned areas east of San Carlos Avenue.

So…..what’s your take on all of this?   Is all of this development that’s being planned a good or bad for the “City of Good Living”?   Can San Carlos truly handle its own growth?   Look for a new poll on this topic in the next day or so on the site, but for now…let’s hear your comments!