New Urban West

Whodunnit? Escondido CC clubhouse burns

In a bizarre, and weirdly coincidental incident early Wednesday, the abandoned clubhouse at the embattled, highly controversial, Escondido Country Club burned to the ground. Karma, natural disaster, accident or even arson, the shuttered clubhouse at the property that has been the center of years of development controversy burned, baby, burned to the ground beginning just before 5:30 a.m., Escondido fire Battalion Chief Art Holcomb said. The…


Escondido Country Club ghosts rattle Poway, San Ramon developments

Golf ghosts. From Poway to San Ramon, the legacy of Escondido Country Club played through this week. Not coincidentally, the controversial Michael Schlesinger was at the center of the storm(s). Schlesinger bought Poway’s bankrupt StoneRidge Country Club in December. He wants to poll residents about allowing him to develop some of the property. Schlesinger proposes giving the golf course and perhaps other features to the…


Controversial Southwest Sewer Realignment project to flow soon

Environmentally challenged and beset by a bizarre bidding process, the Southwest Sewer Realignment project along Felicita Road “will begin soon,” Escondido officials said this week. “Construction on Escondido’s Southwest Sewer Replacement project will begin soon with completion expected by March 24, 2017,” Escondido spokesman Randy Manns said. “Motorists and cyclists should expect heavy delays – due to single lane travel – along Felicita Road between…


A Blue View for Escondido: Beware of developers bearing gifts of golf courses

So, it seems the Escondido Country Club saga has a new chapter, with New Urban West the protagonist who will come to the aide of the golf course in distress. Last October the City Council had settled their lawsuit with Stuck in the Rough (SITR). Their settlement included the provision that while SITR would remain the owner of the golf course, another developer “will act as…


‘Price is Right’ goes wrong for controversial Southwest Sewer Realignment Project

Toxic waste below didn’t stop this project. Bids straight out of a “Price is Right” show gone wrong sure did. Based on the recommendation of Escondido Director of Utilities Chris McKinney, the Southwest Sewer Realignment project along Felicita Road, slated to begin this month, has gone back to the old fiscal drawing board. Bids were wildly divergent, ranging from $6.4 million to nearly $17 million….