San Clemente
Marblehead Coast

Well, San Clemente Marblehead Coast has officially started. Development has begun on the city's last stretch of undeveloped coastal land.

Hundreds of acres of costal bluffs and canyons will be turned into 313 high-end homes and the city's largest commercial development, including a luxury outlet mall, a multi-screen movie theater, a dozen restaurants, a hotel and conference center.

Marblehead's 600,000-square-foot commercial plaza is nowhere near the size of South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa or even the Irvine Spectrum.

But for San Clemente, the project will represent more than half of the city's sales tax growth over the next decade, officials estimate.

Also included in the plan is 100 acres of public parks, trails, and natural open space.

The amount of designated public park space is now confined to the development of the sports park adjacent to Shore Cliffs Middle School.

Irvine Based Sun Cal Companies purchased the 248-acre Marblehead Coastal Development from a partnership for a reported $197 million.

The property's fate was argued for nearly three decades; other proposals for the site had included a Nixon presidential library, a golf resort and a 500-home and commercial project.

The first phase of the San Clemente Marblehead Coast Promenade is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2006.

Some worry this will change San Clemente forever.

I say, what they remember of this quaint little beach town where everyone knew each others name is already gone.

Get on board or get out while you still can and retire on the over inflated property values.
San Clemente is headed for the big time. Hopefully we can pull it off with still retaining that small beach town feel.

I mean, let’s face it; all 60,000 of us don’t know each others name, anymore.

But if we all know the meaning of community, historical preservation, and living in harmony we’ll be alright.

Progress is just a part of our Human Nature