Condo development scheduled for completion this spring in Marston Hills

By Dave Schwab | SDUN Reporter

Unconventional is the new conventional.

That is how InDev, LLC is characterizing their joint-venture project C2 Lofts, a split-level, two-unit condominium now under construction at 3535 Crestwood Place, which they are building along with Canter Companies. Bordering North Park and Hillcrest, the property sits in the Marston Hills sub-neighborhood.

“We had a small footprint so we had to build up,” said Zac Stover who, along with InDev business partner Matt Mellos, is recreating living space for the urban-infill C2 Lofts redevelopment.

Stover and Mellos are in on the new wave of urban design, which eschews standardization in favor of customization. They said they are searching for “diamonds in the rough,” or overlooked infill properties to develop.

“We’re looking for places to create our own architecture,” Mellos said.

Stover agreed: “We’re looking for buildings we can change to something unique,” he said.

Located on an overlooked site, the two developers are working within the Mid-Cities PDO (Planned District Ordinance), a public blueprint for commercial and residential uses. Their modern-design building’s form, which arose from an infill model that provides maximum efficiency of the project site, provides all the features of a single-family home in a more affordable townhouse style.

Construction on the C2 Lofts, which began October 2012, is expected to be completed this spring.

Walking through the unfinished project recently, Stover and Mellos showed off its novel features, which include layered, multi-use spaces with rooftop views they hope will be the envy of Uptown.

“We like the crisp, stark look,” Stover said. “We wanted to take a conventional space and make it unconventional for potential homeowners to make a place they want to call home.”

Scrolling on an electronic tablet, Mellos thumbed through numerous computer-generated images of the finished redevelopment project depicting materials like stucco, cypress and other hardwoods creating a warm, lived-in feel showcasing open floor plans and high ceilings.

Mellos said InDev is pioneering flex design, where the objective is to create multi-purpose, customizable room spaces.

Showcasing the uncompleted C2 Lofts, Mellos pointed to an empty room, noting that the way it has been designed allows it to be used for practically any purpose: living room, dining room, game room or office space.

“The idea behind the flex process is to have the homeowner or tenant define the space as they see fit,” Mellos said.

Urban infill is becoming a more common practice of development in cities nationwide as it reduces sprawl and promotes a more vibrant city core. Canter Companies CEO Andrew Canter stressed his focus on urban infill projects.

“The ability to play a part in changing a neighborhood is something our company takes very seriously,” Canter said. A private investment firm, his company is involved with the development of the C2 Lofts.

“We strive to not just simply make a profit on our investments, but also to raise the bar of development in the area. We love the idea of being a part of a project like the C2 Lofts that we are able to offer not only our capital to, but also our unique perspective on design,” he said.

Whitney Jack, a real estate agent at The Canter Group, expects the two C2 Lofts condominium units to sell quickly. Each, she said, offers the potential for two bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths. “They’re very modern,” she said, calling the master shower “very different.”

Each home in the development will be approximately 1,450 square feet, and include three balconies laid out over the second and third floors, two parking spaces, as well as private, outdoor fire pit and kitchenette areas.

The interior of each unit will provide the homeowner with a flexible living space, allowing the option to be configured as a two or three bedroom space, in addition to office lofts, full modern kitchens and laundry rooms.

Mellos said he expects both units to market in the $590,000 to $619,000 range, though he anticipates the final sale price could be even higher.

“We’ve been showing four to eight people through here a day,” he said. “There’s been so much activity that we expect to sell above list price.”

InDev – “invest + develop” – is a private San Diego-based acquisition, development, and general contracting firm that draws its resources from founding members, along with a wide array of financial backers and industry leading professionals.

For more information about InDev or the C2 Lofts, visit indev-SD.net, canterbrokerage.com or call 619.654.0174.