Shores Apartments sail away

Mathis Winkler

CORONA DEL MAR -- A few dozen tiled columns sticking out of the ground

are all that’s left of the Shores Apartments.

John Laing Homes, which tore down the 120-unit complex earlier this

summer, threw a kickoff party Thursday for the upscale neighborhood that

will fill the void.

“This is a historical event for our company,” said Tim McSunas,

director of land acquisition for John Laing.

The new community, christened “Sailhouse,” will include 90 homes, some

in a detached cottage style, others clustered together in larger

complexes along Sea Lane.

The project’s architect, Mark Scheurer, told an audience of more than

50 that he had modeled the eclectic style of the new neighborhood after

similar developments in Florida. He also emphasized that the homes would

mirror Corona del Mar’s quaint feeling.

Scheurer added that he saw casual, well-off professionals as his

target audience for the new neighborhood.

“This buyer has money, like it or not,” he said, pointing to a slide

of a woman driving a yellow Porsche through Corona del Mar. “this buyer

has toys, like it or not.”

Future neighbors added they were looking forward to a more classy

development across the street.

Residents of the old Shores Apartments had been less than excited

about their homes’ demise, however.

When planning commissioners approved the project last January, Shores

residents complained that the demolition would deprive Corona del Mar of

one of the last remaining low-rent apartment buildings.

McSunas said that all tenants had been offered a $500 moving allowance

and a reduced security deposit for Irvine Apartment Communities, a

subsidiary of The Irvine Co.

“If they chose not go to there, we still gave the $500,” he said,

adding that John Laing had extended the notice period from 30 to 60 days.

Model homes at Sailhouse are expected to be completed by early 2001,

with sales for the homes beginning soon after. Ranging from 1,367 to

2,383 square feet, prices for the homes will start in the high $500,000s.