Monthly Archives: September 2013

CleanTech OC 2013 Annual Conference & Expo in Irvine

Much of money in a city’s general fund comes from taxes paid by the businesses that are located in that city. Irvine’s deliberate welcoming of businesses is part of what allows the city to offer the many amenities that Irvine is known for, such as the well-maintained streets and public spaces, the high quality police service that often lands Irvine in the FBI’s safest big city category, and the many community parks. And as I have said before, Irvine is known for its innovation. Some are happy with the results that this innovative spirit has brought, others are not so impressed. But wherever you fall on this spectrum, Irvine’s history, from the James Irvine ranch days to the present, is one of innovation. The annual CleanTech OC conference, which will be held in the “City of Innovation”, highlights the city’s welcoming of businesses as well as innovation.

“CleanTech OC 2013 is the fourth annual conference and expo promoting economic growth in the Orange County clean technology industry, likely to be one of the most significant engines for job growth over the next decade. Attended by cleantech entrepreneurs & industry leaders, investors, policy makers, and many others, this is the only annual conference in Orange County dedicated to covering the clean technology space and connecting industry stakeholders from throughout the region & state.

CleanTech OC 2013 Conference Agenda

8:00 – 5:00

Registration, Coffee & Networking – Grand Foyer and Exhibit Hall

8:00 – 5:00

Exhibits for CleanTech Companies and Sponsors – Grand Foyer and Exhibit Hall

9:00 – 9:05

Welcome: Greg Trimarche, President and Chairman, CleanTech OC

9:05 – 9:20

The Coming Explosion in California CleanTech: Stephen Johnson, Former EPA Administrator

9:20 – 9:40

Investors Coming Back & Beyond the Numbers: Catherine Jhung, Vice President, The Cleantech Group

9:40 – 10:35

Panel 1: Hot Topics in Orange County CleantechThe Irvine Microgrid Update: Dr. Scott Samuelsen, Director, Advanced Power and Energy Program at UCI

County Power Plant Partnerships on the Rise: Ryan Baron, Senior Deputy County Counsel, County of Orange

Solar Decathlon: Cliff Wallace, Deputy CEO, Orange County Great Park

Tentative: Hydrogen Fuel Generation: Orange County Sanitation Department

10:35 – 10:45

Break: Technology Showcase – 2 Minute Exhibitor Vignettes

10:45 – 12:00

Panel 2: Military/Government Adoption/Procurement of Cleantech Bob

Gilleskie, Regional Energy Program Manager, Marine Corps Installations West, Camp Pendleton Dan Cohee, Vice President, PDE – 29 Palms ParticipantTBATBA

12:00 – 12:30

Keynote: Andrew Littlefair, CEO, Clean Energy Fuels

12:30 – 1:30

Networking Lunch – 2 Minute Exhibitor Vignettes

1:30 – 2:45

Panel 3: The Natural Gas Boom and its Effect on Cleantech TransportationHarrison Clay, President, Clean Energy Renewable FuelsJoe Pike, Vice President, Agility Fuel SystemsTentative: Quantum Corporation TBA

2:45 – 3:00

Break: Technology Showcase – 2 Minute Exhibitor Vignettes

3:00 – 4:15

Panel 4: The Intersection of Energy Efficiency, Building Intelligence & Smart Gird

3:00 – 4:15

Peter Weigand, CEO, Skipping Stone (Moderator)Scott Duncan, CEO, EnerlianceMichel Kamel, CEO, MelRokMark Martinez, Manager, DSM Strategy and Policy, Southern California EdisonErron Williams, Senior Director of Engineering Operations, The Irvine Company

4:15 – 4:30

Cox Communications Presents Cox Cares Conserves Heroes Award

4:30 – 445:

Local Government Excellence in Cleantech

4:45 – 5:00

CleanTech OC Company of the Year Award Presentation

5:00 – 6:30

TEST DRIVE MANIA: Test drive 4 to 5 of the most popular electric and alternative fuel vehicles

Irvine Past and Present—Northwood Park Community Center Reopening

Northwood, one of Irvine’s oldest neighborhoods, may be the area in Irvine that has the most diverse housing: The newer homes of Northwood II are located near Woodbury. The Northpoint homes, located in upper Irvine, tend to have a higher price tag than much of the rest of Northwood. The condos that are across from the Northwood Town Center shopping center (Irvine Boulevard and Yale Avenue) as well as the condos located near the Heritage Park library contain some of the least expensive homes in Irvine. And then there are the homes that come to mind when I think of Northwood. These are the single-family homes that were built in the 1970s and 1980s and many of which have no HOA fees. (If you would like to see which homes in Irvine are currently on the market, go to the real estate map.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, the Northwood Community Center has been getting an update. The new features were highlighted on September 7 at the reopening ceremonies.

“The new [community center] building will serve our multi-generational community and features a multipurpose, exercise and craft room, courtyard, patio and a Tai Chi court. The Center, within Northwood Community Park is adjacent to a playground, tennis courts, soccer and softball fields and the Northwood Gratitude and Honor Memorial. Join the festivities and learn what Irvine Community Services has to offer.”—City of Irvine

Here is one more tidbit that, as a local history buff, I find interesting. In addition to being designed as a building with LEED* certification that can serve Irvine’s multigenerational community, the building was planned to emphasis Irvine’s agricultural past. The site of the Northwood Community Center was once the location of one of the packing houses that were part of Orange County’s agricultural history, and the new Northwood Community Center was built to resemble the old packing house.

So there you have it. If you attend the event, you can get a quick overview of Irvine and the Northwood community—past and present—all in an hour and a half.

*Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)—a certification by the U.S. Green Building Council for compliance with environmentally-responsible green building practices

Open House Review: 13 Porter

Asking Price: $839,000

Bedrooms: 4

Bathrooms: 2.75

Square Footage: 2,078

Lot Size: 5,510

Price per Square Foot: $404

Property Type: Residential, Single Family

Style: Two Level

Year Built 1978

Community: Northwood

HOA Fees: None

Mello Roos: No

Days on Market: 17

13 Porter is nicely situated on a cul-de-sac. It has no Mello Roos nor association and is a turn-key home with 1 bedroom on the main floor and pool/spa in the back yard.

The house has scraped ceilings, 6 paneled doors, recessed lights and ceiling fans, crown molding, new windows, clean carpet and clean tile. The ballusters on the staircase also look newer, which provides spacing safe for any infant. The bathrooms have been upgraded but the cabinets are outdated. The backyard has a pool and spa and plenty of space to entertain, but no grassy area to run/play on.

Upon entering, the vaulted ceilings and large windows in the living room, staircase and back rooms of the house create an open, light feel. Immediately to the left, along the wall, is the garage door entry where the laundry hookup is located. Looking towards the right, part of the staircase separates the living room from the smaller dining room.

Towards the left is a small hallway and in the back of the house is the family room and kitchen (which leads back to the dining room). The small hallway leads to the nice bathroom with a pedestal sink and a corner shower. Between the bathroom and the downstairs bedroom is a hall closet. The bedroom is currently used as an office with built-ins and has a ceiling fan. The smaller closet has mirrored doors.

The family room has a cozy brick fireplace and ceiling fan. One upgrade that is very useful for any family is the small counter area that can be used for a computer station or area to sit and pay bills/do work. The room has a big sliding door that leads to the backyard.

An eating bar with granite countertops separates it from the kitchen. The kitchen has white appliances, clean cabinets that may appear a bit outdated for some people’s taste, a nice backsplash and plenty of cabinet space with a small pantry. The window overlooks the backyard/pool.

The backyard has nice concrete, a pool, small jacuzzi and an area for outdoor seating. I did not see any signs of fencing around the pool to stop access into the pool. The retaining wall is nicely done with simple landscaping. There is not patio cover.

Once upstairs, double doors lead into the first room to the right which is the master bedroom. It has beautiful high ceilings and a ceiling fan. Although it isn’t an oversized master bedroom, it is large enough for a couple of dressers and king sized bed with nightstands. The windows overlook the backyard. I’m not sure if noise is a factor with it being located at the front of the hallway. In addition, just outside the double doors are the balluster s from the staircase which overlooks the downstairs area. A big positive is the layout into the bathroom. The pocket door into the double sink area provides privacy and can shut out light/noise in the mornings if someone is still sleeping. The vanity area has a door leading into a large walk in closet, which has access to the attic. Beyond the sinks is the toilet, upgraded shower and only bathtub.

The hall bathroom has a single sink, an updated shower, floors and lighting but the cabinets are outdated.

There is a small linen closet across from the bathroom, which is next to one of the two remaining bedrooms. The bedroom is smaller with a small mirrored closet. It overlooks the backyard. The other bedroom has a bigger mirrored closet, the only bedroom with wood floors and overlooks the side of the house and into the neighbor’s lovely backyard.

Looking at current listings and recent sales, the price per square footage is higher. But if you are looking to move into a turn-key house towards the end of a cul-de-sac or a model with a downstairs bedroom, this is worth looking at.

Open House Review: 3 Delantera

This week, I checked out a condo at 3 Delantera in the Northwood’s small Sundance neighborhood.

The basics:

Asking Price: $465,000

Bedrooms: 2

Bathrooms: 2.5

Square Footage: 1,462

Lot Size: 1,742

$/Sq Ft: $318

Days on Market: 42

Property Type: Condominium

Year Built: 1978

Community: Northwood, Sundance

HOA dues are $348 per month and there are no Mello Roos.

This home is a pretty basic condominium – kitchen and living room downstairs, two bedrooms upstairs. There are neighbors on both sides, so all of the windows face either the front or the back of the house. Most of the windows are original and the bathrooms and kitchen have had small upgrades but haven’t been fully remodeled. The ceilings were scraped downstairs but not upstairs.

The house opens to a small, tiled entry with the staircase directly in front of you and the living room to the right. The living room is very long, so there is space to use it for a sitting room and a dining room, playroom, work area, etc. I think it is technically supposed to be a living and dining room, but since there isn’t a clear definition, it could easily function as something else. The entire room is carpeted.

A doorway leads to a small coat closet, an open storage space under the stairs, and a half bath. The bathroom has a single sink and long counter. While it is mostly original, it’s in excellent condition.

The kitchen is at the back of the house. There are laminate floors, new sliding doors leading out to the patio/garage and the original bay window. The breakfast nook is actually quite large, so you wouldn’t really need to have a separate dining room. The appliances are newer and white, and include a four-burner, smooth-top electric stove so it is incredibly easy to clean. There is plenty of counter space, upper cabinet storage, and one tall pantry cupboard. However, there isn’t a great place to keep pots, pans, or any other larger item.

A decent-sized back patio offers some outdoor space and leads directly to the detached, two-car garage. The washer and dryer hookups are also in the garage.

Upstairs are two bedrooms and two full bathrooms. The master is a good size, but the single window at the back doesn’t bring in a lot of light. One corner of the room has a small cutout with basic shelving. As with the living room, the carpet is in good condition. The walk-in closet has a tiled floor and is a bigger than I expected it to be.

The master bath has the original cabinets, two sinks and a newer tile floor. The shower is deep enough to double as a bathtub (and contains hardware for both), but it has a tile floor and feels like just a shower.

The other bedroom is a good size but the configuration is slightly awkward. One wall has a big cutout with several windows, but they are somewhat low to the ground so any furniture would block the lower portion. There is a two-door, sliding closet with built-in shelves.

The upstairs bath (not attached to the bedroom) is much like the master – original sink (single) and cabinets with new tile floor. The shower/tub combo also still has the original white tiles.

Overall, the condo is in good condition and pretty spacious. My only real complaint is with the kitchen cabinets. Even though the bathrooms are original, they have all been well maintained and don’t look like they’re 35 years old. The community pool is very close to the unit. It is within walking distance of Santiago Hills Elementary and Sierra Vista Middle Schools. It is zoned for Northwood High.

Open House Review: 15 Diamante

15 Diamante

Overview

Asking Price: $835,000

Bedrooms: 4

Bathrooms: 2.5

Square Footage: 2,180

Lot Size: 6,098

Price per Square Foot: $353

Property Type: Residential, Single Family

Style: Two Level

Year Built 1980

Community: Northwood

HOA Fees: $85

Mello Roos: No

Days on Market 12

The location, at the end of the cul-de-sac and down the street to one of the two community pools, is desirable for any family. This house has 4 bedrooms upstairs, with one of the bedrooms having an open half-heighted wall that overlooks the entrance/living room, but the wall can easily be enclosed. 15 Diamante is a zero-lot-line property with a larger flat backyard for Northwood, currently with views of the mountains and is backing to a large empty field. However, the buyer should be aware that the Irvine Company will be building housing on the empty fields behind the house. New construction has already started along Irvine Blvd, southeast of Jeffrey (Stonegate Community). The construction will continue on the northwest side of Jeffrey as well.

Walking up to the new front door, the wide iron fence allows visibility and an open feel to the backyard. If you want a private backyard, a different type of fence will need to be installed.

Although the ceilings have the original popcorn texture, the vaulted height and large windows bring in a lot of natural light. The carpet is clean, paint new and the tile in the bathrooms and family room are very plain but clean. The cabinets in the bathrooms are original, however the kitchen was being remodeled with granite countertops and new cherry cabinets, with the plan of completion during the week. The bathrooms had some newer features, but need to be updated to give a modern look throughout the bathroom. There are a few new windows with multi-panes downstairs and in the master bedroom but the rest are original.

The outdoor entrance has clean but outdated tile, leading up to a nice new wood door.

Upon entering, there is a carpeted dining room immediately to your left and a carpeted living room with vaulted ceilings to your right. There are plenty of windows to bring in a lot of natural light.

Straight ahead leads to the back of the house where the family room is located. The room has a remodeled wetbar. The garage entrance and a half bathroom is located off of the family room. On the back wall is a red/pink painted brick fireplace and the sliding door leading to a lattice covered patio and large backyard. The backyard has a lot of grass and is a nice play area for kids/pets. It has room for a pool to be built.

The family room opens up to the kitchen (which has an entrance into the dining room). There are modern lights hanging over the eating counter and the original fluorescent lights are replaced with recessed lights. Along the back wall is an original large bay window allowing a lot of light to come in from the backyard and a small nook that might fit a very small table.

Once upstairs, the master bedroom is to the right. It is large with vaulted ceilings and new windows which face the cul-de-sac. Someone may want to consider the noise from the garage door with their master bedroom located on top of the garage.

The bedroom has an open solution to the vanity, not having a door separating it from the sleeping area. It has double sinks, each with different hardware, but a large countertop and new lighting. To the right of the sinks is a nice large walk-in closet. To the left is the toilet and bathtub.

The upstairs bathroom has double sinks, a large countertop, toilet and bathtub. The flooring is vinyl and glass tub doors and cabinets are outdated, but the faucets, sinks and lighting are newer.

The bedroom next to the bathroom is the largest of the three, with a large mirrored closet. The view from all three bedrooms overlooks the current empty fields.

The second bedroom (located in the middle of the three bedrooms) has a small closet.

Depending on what you want to use the third bedroom for, it can be a den/playroom that opens up with a view to the downstairs entrance/living room. If it is destined to be a bedroom, the wall would need to be enclosed.

Looking at current listings and recent sales, the price for this house seems high. The layout is nice but one should consider the zero-lot-line, room for upgrades and most of all, impact of the new construction behind the backyard. Would you be willing to live next to construction with the noise and dust for a couple of years without knowing the true impact of your views/privacy and noise?