Address: 1070 Cieneguitas Road, Estate #7 and Estate #9
Status: On the market
Price: $3,498,000 and $3,825,000
I have to admit: I was slightly in love with the new homes being built at the San Marcos Preserve before I even saw them. I’m familiar with the gorgeous wide-open space above the “bridge to nowhere” at the base of Highway 154 as a county park where I take my dog on frequent hikes. Despite the threat of foxtails, the area is one of our favorite beach alternatives. It’s especially lovely during golden hour, when the mountains change colors as the sun goes down.
But the county park is only a small portion of the preserve, as is the land where these homes are being built. Most of the 200-plus acres of open space is being conserved as such, with a goal of returning it to its natural state. Local nonprofit Channel Islands Restoration maintains the land and recently introduced a program using flocks of sheep to graze the grassland area to help control nonnative plants. This is just one of the measures being undertaken to help this beautiful land thrive.
So I was excited to see the new homes being built as part of the agreement to conserve this wide-open space. I was warned to wear my boots when visiting, since recent rains have left the construction sites a little muddy. Donning a hard hat and dodging hammer-wielding workers, I was able to see several of the homes as they were being worked on and to tour inside of two of them.
I was accompanied by Chadmar Group developer Chuck Lande, and Bartron Group founder Lorie Bartron, both intimately involved with the project. Chuck’s awe of the property was evident as he described each of the estates and the way the homes are positioned, with an eye toward privacy and integration into the natural landscape.
We started at Estate #9, which is still in the framing stage. Even without walls, its idyllic setting and luxurious details are unmistakable. This four-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bath, two-story residence will come to life in a modern farmhouse style, with over 4,400 square feet of interior living space on a five-acre estate.
We entered a voluminous space that will be the great room, impressive already with 20-foot ceilings. The kitchen lies to the right, with a pantry and wine storage, plus a flexible room adjacent that can either be used as a home office or a back kitchen.
The four bedrooms are along the left side of the house, each with their own en-suite bathroom, and three with walk-in closets. A spacious laundry room sits in the middle, and a loft room upstairs adds even more options.
Walking back through the great room, it didn’t take much imagination to see that one of this home’s focal points will be the huge back porch that spans the length of the house and looks out over the ever-changing mountain views.
Chuck left Lorie and me to ourselves as we moved on to tour the home being built on Estate #7. This home is further along in its construction, with drywall inside and more definition to the rooms and spaces. At just under 4,000 square feet, it’s also a four-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bath floor plan, all on a single level.
I was able to ask Lorie even more questions as we walked through this house. She pointed out that some of the similarities in these two homes — en-suite bathrooms in every bedroom, and the flexible back kitchen space, for example — will be standard features in all 14 of the San Marcos Preserve homes.
Lorie explained that buyers of these homes will be able to choose finishes and help make decisions about details as building is completed, without incurring any of the headaches that can accompany a new construction project. Another unique facet of San Marcos Preserve is the opportunity to have this much land but still live just minutes to the heart of Santa Barbara.
Glimpsing the start of this luxury development, and knowing that the surrounding land will always remain in its glorious natural state, means that the homes at San Marcos Preserve will forever be a special part of our local landscape. My dog Scout and I will keep hiking nearby and watching the building progress, looking forward to the new neighbors who will call them home.
The homes at 1070 Cieneguitas Road, Estate #7 and Estate #9, are currently for sale in Santa Barbara, listed by Bartron Real Estate Group of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties. Reach Bartron Real Estate Group at (805) 563-4054 or team@bartrongroup.com.