WaterfrontLiving

Are You Feeling Lucky?

By Mary Swift-Swan

The Bayport Alameda residential community is a winner, but you have to be lucky to own one of the new homes. Currently, interested parties must first visit the sales office to receive a packet of instructions that detail the process of becoming a pre-qualified buyer. Only pre-qualified buyers are allowed to register for scheduled sales selection events-a ticket drawing procedure that can open the door to becoming a Bayport Alameda homeowner. So far, there are over 600 families who have pre-qualified to purchase homes, and are eligible for the lottery-type event. When asked about the lottery, Cheryl O’Connor, a 28-year real estate professional and Warmington Homes vice president of sales and marketing, said, “In the past, we have used a lottery on a few occasions, but not to this extent We have never had a development draw the interest of so many well-qualified buyers. A lottery is really the only fair way to sell these homes. “

Out of the 12 designs available, there are nine beautiful models exquisitely decorated and open for viewing at 2248 Coral Sea Street, off Atlantic Avenue in Alameda. Those interested are welcome to explore the many different designs and imagine the new sense of community and good life this residential community offers. The sales office announces the homes and lots that are available for each lottery. Deborah Garlick, the community sales manager at the sales office in Alameda, said, “People know which lot or home they are waiting for. They only attend the lotteries where a home they want will be appearing.

Each release is from 3 to 20 homes with an average closer to 10 homes. When we release 20 homes, particularly when the larger designs are included, we see the largest groups.” If you’re in the market for a high-quality family home, competitively priced, and close to San Francisco, Bayport Alameda may be the community for you. Are you feeling lucky?

Only a few hundred new homes have been built in Alameda in the last three years. To purchase a home in Alameda, no matter what the condition might be, has often turned into an auction on the front steps when too many fully-qualified buyers try to tender offers for the same property. Why is Alameda so desirable? In 1820, the peninsula of Alameda was given as a land grant to Louis Peralta. In 1850, two entrepreneurs leased a portion and began a fruit orchard for gold miners’ consumption. They later bought the entire property for $14,000. By1853, after selling lots for $80, three cities developed: Alameda on the eastern end, Encinal in the middle, and Woodstock on the west end. The towns grew quickly, and by 1872, they became one city, Alameda. From the beginning, Alameda has drawn attention because it’s flat, has long beaches, and is a lovely town for walking and biking. Because there’s a great deal less fog than in San Francisco, as well as protection from the strong winds of the Bay by Yerba Buena Island, Alameda is much warmer, yet in summer there are still cool breezes from the Bay. The Posey Tube, near the new community, connects directly into Oakland’s Chinatown, and it’s just a short distance to Jack London Square, BART, and the freeway. Four bridges around the island cross over to Oakland, with one leading directly to the Oakland Airport. The best form of transportation, however, is by ferry to San Francisco and beyond. Alameda has two ferry docks, one right next door to the new community. There are also good schools for children, six yacht clubs, and one of the highest per capita ratios of boats to people in the state, next to Newport Beach. Happily, the crime rate is very low. Alameda is a conveniently located small town reinventing itself after the departure of the Navy.

Warmington Homes is one of the most active homebuilders in California. They began in 1926, and by 1930 became known as the builder for the stars in Beverly Hills and other upscale areas in the Los Angeles basin. In the 1940s, they began creating planned neighborhoods.

Approximately30,000 families own Warmington Homes designed to meet the needs of many lifestyles in California and Nevada. There are seven neighborhood projects under construction by Warmington Homes in Northern California, including two by the Bay: Richmond and Alameda. The star of all their current projects, and by far the largest residential development among them, is Bayport Alameda. It was a winner from the start.

Catellus and Warmington Homes are making history as the first to start building as participants in the reformation and transformation of the old Navy Base. They began by having four respected architectural firms, Robert Hidey Architects, William Hezmalhalch Architects, HOVE Design Alliance Inc.,and RNM Architects,”take a walk”along Alameda’s charming established residential streets. They met the goal to identify architectural elements of grace, charm, and architectural style that make Alameda a sought-after address. For the new community, the architects developed 12 designs and 32 elevations, capturing the classic and diverse architectural designs of Alameda’s long history.

Bayport is located next to the College of Alameda on one side and stretches toward the Alameda ferry dock. The property utilizes the 87 acres of land abandoned when the Alameda Navy Base was decommissioned in 1997. The long, seemingly interminable wait for the first new housing options on the west side of Alameda is finally ending. Bayport is proving to be well worth the wait. The property, when fully developed and finished in 2008, will provide 485 homes, five parks, and an elementary school. When asked if they are interested in additional projects, Cheryl O’Connor said,”We’d love to have the opportunity to stay in Alameda and expand on what we’ve done.”

Bayport by Warmington Homes was awarded the 2004 Residential Development of the Year by the East Bay Business Times on October 8th. Deborah Garlick, who has sold homes for over 24 years, said, “I don’t think any other builder in the BayArea is building anything like this land plan. You might call it neo-traditional single family urban edge. It is very unique in the proximity of San Francisco. There is an 11-acre site in the middle of the new community and seven acres of that has been set aside for the Alameda Unified School District to build an elementary school for K-8.

The variety of designs and intermingling of elevations plus lush landscaping give the new development a look that is consistent with Alameda’s more established neighborhoods. The intermingled elevations ensure individuality on each street. Included among the 32 elevation styles are Monterey Bungalows, traditional designs with Victorian elements, Italian, French Country, English Cottage, and Spanish and American Colonials.

Ms. Garlick said,” Many people literally oooh and ahhh when they see that the homes have yards. The inside and side courtyards are also very popular, along with front porches.. Being able to go outside on your own property to enjoy Alameda’s fine weather is greatly appreciated.” Floor plans range in size from 2,035 to 3,780 square feet.. Homes have three bedroom/two bath up to four bedroom/three bath floor plans with options to have ground floor front offices, top of the stairs lofts or master bedroom retreats converted to add more bedrooms and baths.

Warmington felt this neighborhood needed exceptional exterior greenery. They created an impressive amount of landscaping in the five parks, planting trees to line sidewalks to encourage people to walk, plus adding grassy areas to soften street corners. All of the garages open onto alleyways between the homes to keep the streets free of driveways, reduce traffic, and keep the neighborhood pedestrian friendly. All homes must be owner occupied, no exceptions. Bayport is a neighborhood to live in.

The homes, first released in July 2004, started in the mid $600,000 to $800,000 range and are currently priced at $730,000 to $980,000. The first 16 lucky sales event winning families living at Bayport have already seen an increase in the value of their homes. A total of 85 homes have been sold with more families moving in as their homes are completed. Ms. Garlick said, “There will be new homeowners living here in all of the home designs as the first of the largest homes will be finished by the end of November.” After purchase, the average wait to move in is seven months.

Once purchased, each home is personalized by the lucky new owner’s choice of tile colors and designs, wall colors, and carpeting. The Warmington in-house interior design firm, The Chateau, takes new owners through a complimentary three-hour consultation to make their decisions.

All homes have Andersen Windows wood-clad custom windows installed throughout the homes. Warmington Homes ordered 20,000 of the Andersen windows, a brand typically found only in custom homes. The attention to quality and detail is also evident in the high-end appliances and Kohler faucets as well as the many upgrade options available.

Although the Harbor Collection is the smallest in square footage, starting at 2,035 square feet, its open design makes these homes seem large. The largest homes are in The Pointe Collection and go up to 3,780 square feet. One of the three Pointe’s designs wraps around an interior patio. The floor plan for these homes makes even a large home seem intimate.

Cheryl O’Connor said Bayport is such a unique community with the neo-traditional designs and elevations.” Neo-traditional is the term used by Warmington Homes to describe their intention to bring the area’s historic classic home style forward into finely crafted homes with today’s needs in mind. There is attention to detail and high quality all the way through. For homebuyers, the result is refreshing. The sales selection event procedure, though a challenge, is much more fair than an auction where prices go into the stratosphere.