Company will also redevelop Depot Center site with retail and lofts
Published in the Sept. 30 – Oct. 13, 2015 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Robert Airoldi
Photo by Marty Cheek
Christina Morales, marketing manager for City Ventures, stands in the kitchen of a model home at Loden Place.
City Ventures’ Loden Place is building 42 new homes that come standard with solar power, include energy-star appliances, electric car conduits in all garages and are built using eco-friendly materials.
But the thing that has Marketing Manager Christina Morales the most excited is the community they are building in northwest Morgan Hill.
“We are building a community of new homeowners, second home owners, retirees, people downsizing, you name it,” Morales said relaxing on a chair in the spacious, well-lit living room of a model home in the Loden Place site just off Hale Avenue north of downtown Morgan Hill. “We have a glorious melting pot here in Morgan Hill and it’s nice to see. Every homeowner truly deserves to take advantage of these types of homes, limiting their carbon footprint in some way, shape or form.”
The developers are trying to create a close-knit community with a park with tables, barbecue pits and a playground for kids.
“We already had a homeowner event to get neighbors to come and meet each other,” Morales said. “It was a great event with tents and everyone came and brought their families and some even got to meet their soon-to-be actual neighbors. It was very nice.”
City Ventures began six years ago in Southern California building new homes. It is now expanding to Northern California with building sites in several different communities. The firm will also build a local project on Old Monterey Road that includes 62 townhomes and 14 single-family homes. The townhomes will be tri-plex, four-plex and five-plex that will be both two and three stories. Building should begin sometime next spring, Morales said.
In addition, the company bought the Depot Center site that houses BookSmart, Cherisse’s Hair Salon, Continental Stitch and Peking Palace. After all those businesses are relocated, construction of loft-over-retail homes will begin construction.
“They are common in San Jose and other places, but I think they’ll be quite unique for Morgan Hill,” Morales said.
The Loden Place homes — 36 of which are already sold and all of which will be delivered to homeowners early next year — are strategically located near schools and shopping.
The homes sell for $779,990 to $989,990 and run from 1,800 square feet to 2,996 square feet and average about 5,500 square feet of yard space
They are spacious and the architecture includes both Spanish, Traditional and Craftsman. They are green key certified and aim to reduce energy costs.
“Having solar panels significantly reduces energy bills,” Morales said. “The homes are naturally balanced with gas and solar energy, so they’re not meant to take the homeowner off grid but they do reduce costs and keep more money your pocket.”
When asked why the firm decided to build in Morgan Hill, she answered with a question: “Why not Morgan Hill? Morgan Hill is a beautiful location close to Silicon Valley, the Peninsula, San Francisco and Monterey. It’s a prime location near Caltrain.”
