On Real Estate

Tuesday, January 9, 2001

Bids to be sought for new G-P school

Work starts on 18 townhomes on Downing Street near Saratoga Boulevard

In the fall of 2002 or spring of 2003, Gregory-Portland high school students will move out of more than 25 portable buildings and into a new high school that will be constructed across the street on Wildcat Drive.
   The 260,000-square-foot building will have a coastal look designed by Wilson Kullman McCord Architecture. The junior high school students will move into the current high school building.
   The new building will also give the students two classrooms for distance learning, said Dottie Chiles, superintendent. Currently, some students have to go to local colleges to get the college credits that they need. The school will also be able to have the space to introduce programs such as electronics repair, she said.
   The district's enrollment is the largest it has been, even larger than the district growth in the late 1980s, Chiles said. Much of that is due to the growth near Naval Station Ingleside, she said.
   The project is expected to go out for bids this week.
   Downing Street Townhomes
   Chuck Sebbert's Village Homes has begun building 18 townhomes off Airline Road. Downing Street Townhomes, is centered on a cul de sac at 6653 Downing St. near Saratoga Boulevard.
   The gated development offers buyers the option of custom-building their own floor plans. Three of the first six units of the $2.2 million development have been sold so far, Sebbert said.
   The townhomes are arranged in six tri-plex units. Each townhome has a two-car garage, a covered porch, and between 1,500 square feet and 2,000 square feet of living space.
   Real estate agent Billie Balme has the listing. The homes sell for about $78 per square foot, she said.
   More homes on Island
   Padre Island will see more waterfront townhomes and condominiums this year. The Edge condominiums, located on Bonasse Court, will have views of the Laguna Madre and boat slips across from the Corpus Christi Yacht Club. The condominiums will also have decks and a swimming pool. The condominiums have two bedrooms and two bathrooms and a separate storage unit.
   Blue Sky Venture of San Marcos is developing the eight condominiums with James Mazoch of James Mazoch Homes as the architect and general contractor.
   Prices start at $138,000. Coastline Properties has the listing.
   "This is location, location, location," said Cheri Sperling, an owner of Coastline Properties. "It's a straight shot to the Intracoastal Waterway."
   She said the project, which will be finished in nine months, already has four pre-sold. The interest has been from Houston business people.
   Coastline also has another development listing, eight townhomes on Grenada. Las Haciendas has a Spanish style that overlooks Packery Channel.
   The homes are expected to be completed in June. They all will have three bedrooms and at least two bathrooms.
   Reidda Construction, locally owned by Sandra Reidda, is building the townhomes. The project is developed by Reidda and Coastline Properties, of which Reidda is an owner. Island Architects designed the townhomes.
   Prices start at $169,000. So far, two townhomes have been sold, Sperling said.
   "There's nothing to even compare them with on the island," Sperling said.
   'Best corner'
   The Dragon Lounge bar that burned in an Oct. 4 fire might still rise from the ashes, according to the property owner. The 4,000-square-foot lot property at 326 Chaparral St. is currently for lease.
   Gordon Cizon, the Dallas-based property owner, said he has received one phone call about the potential for leasing it, but is not sure what the prospective tenant's plans are. Decisions still are being made if the Dragon Lounge will be resurrected at the intersection of Lawrence Street.
   Construction crews are cleaning up the gutted building. Cizon said he is prepared to custom-build the interior to the new tenant. Though the Dragon Lounge was two floors with high ceilings, Cizon said the building could be converted to three stories.
   "It is for lease. It also is for sale," Cizon said. "It's what I consider to be the best corner in Corpus Christi."
  

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Business writer Andrea Jares can be reached at 886-3678 or by email at jaresa@caller.com.

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