Carpinteria’s renaissance continues with the exciting project coming into focus at 700 Linden Avenue, where the full block formed by Linden, 7th and 8th streets, and Cactus Lane is being turned into a multi-tenant hive of restaurants, shops, and services. The project is completely permitted; groundbreaking will occur this fall (after the Avocado Festival), and if all goes well, it’ll open a year later.

Developers Terry Huggins and Matt LaBrie of Santa Barbara appear to have engineered the plans to avoid the controversy dogging other projects. First, it’s not a hotel, so it’s aimed at locals as much as visitors. Second, it’s an adaptive reuse (by DMHA) of all four buildings, turning them into something new rather than tearing them down and starting fresh. Third, they’ve engaged Amy Cooper—whose Plum Goods shop is still missed—to curate the tenants, which will be limited to local and regional independent operators. More on who’s already on board after we check out the floor plans….

So who has signed on? Old Town Coffee is taking the corner space for its third outpost; the hardest-working restaurateur in town, Ramón Velazquez (Corazón Cocina and many forthcoming projects), has nabbed one of the other spots; and Summerland Salon & Spa has chosen the complex for its second location. Upstairs, meanwhile, Alvaro Rojas (Milk & Honey, Alcazar) and Nadia Ajlouni (The Blue Owl) are partnering on a rooftop bar with ocean views. And Cooper is still on the hunt for “anyone with a good business plan,” adding that she’s especially keen to bring in yoga, Pilates, or other fitness studio. (She can be reached at ([email protected] .)

“We really want to make it a part of the community, to create a place for Carp to gather,” she says. To that end, there’s a large central plaza that will function as an outdoor living room with music, art, and other events.

Here’s a video rendering that offers the best sense of the place, inside and out, and a bunch of stills if you’re not in the mood for video.

More Carpinteria news: ••• The Palms Building Is Being Turned Back into a Hotel ↓↓↓ 99-Room Farm Resort Proposed for the Carpinteria Bluffs ••• Carpinterians Will Vote on the Surfliner Inn

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Tags: 700 Linden Avenue, Alcazar, Amy Cooper, Corazón Cocina, Matt LaBrie, Milk & Honey, Old Town Coffee, Ramon Velazquez, Summerland Salon & Spa, Terry Huggins

I’m so disappointed in the architecture choices here and the visual direction of so many projects in the works right now. Culver City ca. 2015. The project overall sounds fantastic, but why does it have to look so bad? Can’t we develop and adhere to a vernacular architecture that doesn’t make us look like a clone of everywhere else? Our area is so unique. Carp has a ton of charm. Let’s keep it that way.

I couldn’t agree more. Not opposed to the space being utilized, but bummed by the lack of Carpinteria character. Just more of the same same same. Let the bachelorette parties descend!

Carp needs a serious make over and this project is a breath of fresh air. Thanks to this developer!

So much better than the empty carcass that sits there now. The second store open area will draw lots of people. As a life long Carpinterian, it’s a welcome improvement.

Don’t know how much time anyone’s been spending in Carp of late, but questions of “architecture choices” and “vernacular” seem at moot point, at best. Apart from a few, solid buildings that’ve lined Linden for many decades, much of the street is a hodge podge of the very same, craptastic “architecture” that’s plagued the rest of S.B. for the last, many years. And while this is more a reflection (and comment) on the ABR, which is ostensibly there to protect us from this sort of shite, the simple fact is that this project, whether in its current form or some semblance of it, will at least activate what is currently a pretty depressing block of Carp’s main drag. I say go for it.

Wow, who is responsible for such a mediocre line up of restaurants/coffee house? With Corazon diluting his brand opening restaurants within miles if not blocks from another one of his establishments. Does anyone else think this is a terrible business decision? His food is good and I wish him luck, but he should seek professional advice .

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I have been here so long, I remember when the Hotel Virginia was a flop house. LOVE the brick wall. — Jillian

Wow, who is responsible for such a mediocre line up of restaurants/coffee house? With Corazon diluting his brand opening restaurants within miles if not blocks… — Coffee snob

How can I get Ellen & Portia to adopt me??? — Elle

Yes, that’s it! It is/was an interesting space for business. I think though that the parking would be a hindrance…? Do they have any dedicated… — Elle

Funny about a week ago there was a picture of Ellen and Portia on Coast Village Road she was supposed to be downcast over the… — Mark

Carp needs a serious make over and this project is a breath of fresh air. Thanks to this developer! — Jt fox

Don't know how much time anyone's been spending in Carp of late, but questions of "architecture choices" and "vernacular" seem at moot point, at best.… — Michael

I couldn’t agree more. Not opposed to the space being utilized, but bummed by the lack of Carpinteria character. Just more of the same same… — DW

So much better than the empty carcass that sits there now. The second store open area will draw lots of people. As a life long… — Mike

the city approved that monstrosity? my god. — sharky t

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