Changing the face of Anaheim Hills
Several residential projects are either under way or in the final planning stages
October 6, 2005

Byline:DIANE REED

Home builders are rapidly changing the face of Anaheim Hills.

Several residential projects are either under way or in the final planning stages. When they are complete, they will bring close to 3,000 new families to the area, adding thousands of cars to the Riverside (91) Freeway, additional children to the Orange Unified School District and money to the local economy.

The most recently approved residential project is Robbers Peak, a 21-home development by Thomas Hartley.

"I probably already have 300 names of interested people," Hartley said Monday. "People from Newport Beach and Laguna are interested because they can get a big lot and a big view up here."

Hartley's plans are to build both one and two story homes ranging in size from 4,600 square feet to 6,600 square feet in size.

"We are looking at homes with an 18th Century period look and an early California, Spanish Hacienda influence," he said. He plans to achieve that will architectural details that will include imported ceiling beams as much as 200 years old.

Grading is scheduled to begin in February 2006, with phase one available by August 2006. The home prices will begin at $2.75 million and reach $3.75 million. Additional information is available by email at newcastleinc@cox.net .

Pointe Premiere, adjacent to Robber's Peak on the south side of Avenida de Santiago is a hilltop site where the first of the development's large custom homes are now under construction.

Subdivided in 1988, the Pointe Premiere project has been a long time in coming.

The 31-acre site includes 12 lots but according to Hastings, the area's biggest home -- at nearly 11,000 sq. ft. -- is being built on three of them. "The builder is Point Premiere LLC," Hastings said. The residences are being offered by American Pacific Homes.

Covered entries, panoramic views will be combined with amenities including libraries, stadium style home theaters and large kitchens.

The most expansive of the Anaheim Hills developments is the Irvine Company's 3,001-acre Mountain Park, in Gypsum Canyon. It will include 2,500 new homes, in an 11,000-acre wilderness area -- with 90 percent open space -- at the north end of the 50,000-acre Irvine Ranch Land Reserve.

The developer plans five separate villages in a wilderness setting, shaded by California oaks and sycamores.

"We are continuing to place names of interested home-buyers on our interest list," John Christensen, an Irvine company spokesman said. "If anyone is interested in being placed on that list call our Home-finding Center, (866) 377-228 or visit Irvine Ranch.com."

The area around the Gypsum Quarry was the proposed site of a maximum security jail, 16 years ago. It would have housed 7,000 inmates. Later the Irvine Company proposed 8,000 homes and an extensive commercial development.

By this summer when the Anaheim City Council approved the project, it had been scaled down to 2,500 homes and only one small retail outlet. Other amenities will include an elementary school site, a sports park with playing fields, hiking and equestrian trails with an interpretive center, a fire station, a community park, and an equestrian staging center.

In stark contrast to Mountain Park, is The Mohler Development, being built by Sepulveda Builders of Orange. It is set at the corner of Santa Ana Canyon Road and Mohler Drive, adjacent to El Rancho Charter School in the heart of Anaheim Hills.

The three custom homes, each have four bedrooms and three and a half baths and three-car garages on ample lots that run from Lot size 18,934 to 22,370 square feet.

The homes range in size from 3,645 square feet to 3,816 square feet. Amenities include game and media rooms and computer centers.

The Mohler homes are selling for $1.5 million each. They should be completed this fall. For details call (714) 628-9404.

Still on the drawing boards is Stonegate, a 35 home residential project on 32-acres south of Santa Ana Canyon Road and east of Eucalyptus Drive.

It is being planned by Stonegate Development. This project too, has been in the planning stages for a number of years and is still awaiting grading permits from the city. It may require a traffic signal on Santa Ana Canyon Road, according to Hastings.

It is unknown when the firm will break ground on the project, which will be in the vicinity of Deer Park.

MOUNTAIN PARK

Site size: 3001 acres

Location: South of Santa Ana Canyon Road, east of Weir Canyon Road in Gypsum Canyon

Builder: The Irvine Company

Type of development: Residential, hillside

Number of homes: 2,500

Concerns: Traffic, wild fires, schools impact

Status: impact working on subdivision maps

Proposed start date: Summer 2006

ROBBERS PEAK

Site size: 30-acres

Location: At the west end of Avenida de Santiago

Builder: Thomas Hartley

Type of development: Residential, ridge top

Number of homes: 21

Concerns: Near landslide area, water capture

Status: Presently developing the grading plan Begin grading in Feb. 2006

Construction August 2006.

Phase one available January 2007

MOHLER DEVELOPMENT

Site size 1.9- acres

Location: Corner of Mohler Drive and Santa Ana Canyon Road.

Builder: Sepulveda Builders, Orange

Type of development: Custom homes

Number of Lots: Three

Concerns: None

Status: Nearing completion

POINT PREMIERE

Site size: 31-acres, subdivided in 1988

Location: South of Avenida de Santiago, east of Robber's Peak

Builder: Pointe Premiere LLC

Type of development: Residential, hillside

Number of lots: 12

Concerns: Near site of 1998 landslide, dewatering

Status: Sales office open

Proposed start date: First homes are under construction now.

STONEGATE

Site size: 32-acres

Location: south of Santa Ana Canyon Road and east of Eucalyptus drive.

Builder: Stonegate Development

Type of development: Residential, hillside.

Number of homes: 35

Concerns: Grading, traffic signal on Santa Ana Canyon Road.

Status: Awaiting grading permits

Proposed start date: Unknown