Ventura County Star
By Kathleen Wilson

With the residential real estate market stalled, the Limoneira Co. is looking to commercial and industrial projects to jump-start its master-planned development east of Santa Paula.

The agribusiness firm may build a health clinic, a higher education center and an assisted-living facility while the residential market recovers, Chief Executive Officer Harold Edwards said last week.

Edwards also is trying to recruit alternative energy, healthcare and entertainment ventures for the development that proponents hope will revitalize the city's economy.

"The big picture is to create a live-work-play environment," he said.

Edwards said high demand for the homes will probably not materialize for three or four years, not far off earlier projections of opening the first homes by 2012. Still, no one expected the speed and severity of the economy's downturn, he said.

Edwards suggested that his calls to contractors who would construct up to 1,500 homes demonstrate the decline.

"Three years ago, I'd get 10 calls a day from them, and now they won't return my calls," he said. "Many are not in business anymore and the general health of the residential real estate industry is just very poor right now."

Santa Paula voters decided overwhelmingly in June to extend the city's eastern boundary for the development on a little over 500 acres of agricultural land. The plan calls for homes along with stores, offices, schools, public parks, an assisted-living center, a fire station and a community center.

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