La Mesa Summit Estates

An empty lot atop a hill in La Mesa will become a gated community of 30 homes on a private street. The developed, The Phair Co., has a lot invested in the project and has high hopes for its success. Such a project, both small and in an obscure location, furthers the notion that San Diego County La Mesa simply doesn’t have any real open space to build. The next frontier for La Mesa is a bulldozer and rebuild.

Named the La Mesa Summit Estates, the houses will be built on a 10-acre parcel located at the top of Eastridge Drive, south of the intersection of Monte Drive.

“Every home in La Mesa Summit Estates will have spectacular views of the ocean and the Coronado Islands, Downtown San Diego, Point Loma, Mt. Soledad, Cowles Mountain, the Cuyamacas, or Table Top Mountain in Mexico,” said Austin Dias, a partner in the development.

The Phair Co.’s plan is to build a mix of four- and five-bedroom houses that will include a “multi-generational” suite — a second master bedroom with full bath, kitchenette and laundry area — for grandparents or adult children “to live in a supportive extended family environment, but at the same time have a feeling of independence,” Dias said.

Another feature of the houses will be front porches, designed to enjoy the views.

“Front porches foster interaction between neighbors, helping to build a sense of community,” Armida Torres, project manager for The Phair Co. said, adding that the central location of the project will put residents there in the middle of La Mesa.

“The Helix High Charter School and La Mesa Arts & Music Academy are only three blocks away, providing a quality education for the children of families purchasing a home in La Mesa Summit Estates,” Torres said.

The houses will also be built environmentally friendly and include renewable and sustainable materials, energy-efficient HVAC systems with Wi-Fi remote control programmable thermostats, tankless water heaters, roof-top solar, plumbed for gray-water use in landscaping, xeriscape drought-tolerant landscaping, wood floors made from farm-raised wood (no old-growth lumber), hypoallergenic carpets made from recycled materials, Energy Star-rated appliances, non-VOC paints, roof-radiant barrier insulation, double-paned windows with UV coatings, high R-value wall insulation, and an electric car charging station in each garage.

Dias predicts the energy efficiency of the houses will save buyers around $300 a month. There will also be no Mello Roos fees, which typically cost $400 a month for comparable homes.

“We like to call this $8,400-a-year savings the ‘La Mesa Summit Estates Vacation Fund,’” Dias said. “When a family buys a new Earth-friendly and energy-efficient home without Mello Roos fees, the savings of $8,400 a year amounts to a free family vacation each year, year after year”

Right now, the lot is empty as the project winds its way through the city’s entitlement process, but The Phair Co. president Jeff Phair said he expects to get final approvals and start construction in approximately eight months from now.

In the meantime, Phair wants to get feedback on the project before construction begins.

“Is the bedrooms and baths what buyers want? Is there a need for a formal dining room? It is important to get feedback from potential buyers,” he said.

Interested buyers and real estate agents interested in selling are invited to attend a preview showing of home elevations and floorplans on Sunday, Nov. 5 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Nan Couts Cottage, 5045 Memorial Drive.

For more information, contact tpc@thephairco.sdcoxmail.com, or call 619-426-0441.