Posted July 2026 | By Eric Engelbert | Updated as the project moves through the approval process.
77 For-Sale Townhomes Proposed Along Tustin Avenue Near the 55 Freeway
Warmington Residential, one of Orange County's oldest and most established homebuilders, is proposing a mixed-use townhome community on two parcels along North Tustin Avenue in Santa Ana. The project, called the Smoketree Warmington Residential Development, would bring 77 three-story for-sale townhomes and approximately 10,500 square feet of ground-floor commercial space to the site at 1350 and 1450 N. Tustin Avenue, replacing a Black Angus restaurant and a 1970s-era office building.
As of July 2026, the project is in the Development Project Review stage with the City of Santa Ana and still needs a zone change, a General Plan Amendment, and Planning Commission and City Council approval before construction can begin. One community meeting has been held. This blog covers what is proposed, what is being replaced, and where the project stands.
The Site: Black Angus and Smoketree Plaza on North Tustin
The two-parcel site sits along North Tustin Avenue between 17th Street to the north and Wellington Avenue to the south, close to the interchange where the 55 Freeway passes through this part of Santa Ana. The combined site is 3.79 acres.
The south parcel at 1350 N. Tustin Avenue is currently occupied by a Black Angus steakhouse restaurant and its surface parking lot. The north parcel at 1450 N. Tustin Avenue is Smoketree Plaza, a 39,000-square-foot Class B office building built in 1978 on a 2.21-acre lot with 100 parking spaces. Both buildings are older commercial properties on land that the city is now targeting for residential conversion through its updated General Plan and housing element.
The surrounding context includes retail and commercial uses to the north at 17th Street, more commercial and office uses across Tustin Avenue to the east, The Tennessean condominium community directly to the west, and a significant change already underway to the south: the existing Parkcenter Medical office building is being demolished and replaced with a new 3-story, 69,300-square-foot building that will serve as the headquarters for the Orange County Employees Retirement System (OCERS). The OCERS project and the Warmington project will be going up as neighbors on adjacent sites.
Both parcels are currently zoned Professional and Administrative Office. Warmington is requesting a zone change to Urban Neighborhood Medium Low and Specific Development to accommodate the residential and mixed-use project.
Project Details: Two Parcels, Ten Buildings
The project is organized across two parcels separated by a private entry drive. Each parcel has its own mix of attached townhome buildings and mixed-use buildings with ground-floor retail. All buildings are three stories with a maximum height of 42 feet. The architectural style is Contemporary Californian.
North Parcel — 1450 N. Tustin Avenue (Smoketree Plaza site)
| Townhome Buildings | 4 buildings (three 8-plex, one 7-plex) = 45 units |
|---|---|
| Mixed-Use Buildings | 2 buildings (7-plex each with 3,500 SF ground-floor retail) |
South Parcel — 1350 N. Tustin Avenue (Black Angus site)
| Townhome Buildings | 3 buildings (two 8-plex, one 9-plex) = 32 units |
|---|---|
| Mixed-Use Buildings | 1 building (7-plex with 3,500 SF ground-floor retail) |
Overall Project
| Address | 1350 and 1450 N. Tustin Avenue, Santa Ana, CA 92705 |
|---|---|
| Total Units | 77 for-sale townhomes |
| Affordable Units | 8 units at moderate-income level (10% of total) |
| Building Height | Three stories, max 42 feet |
| Unit Sizes | 1,403 to 1,655 SF |
| Bedrooms | 3 bedrooms/3 baths to 4 bedrooms/4 baths |
| Total Commercial | 10,500 SF (three mixed-use buildings, 3,500 SF each) |
| Retail/Commercial Uses | Coffee shops, food market, retail, galleries; also medical/dental and professional offices |
| Total Parking | 179 spaces (includes residential garages and retail surface) |
| Total Site Area | 3.79 acres |
| Total Buildings | 10 (7 townhome buildings + 3 mixed-use) |
| Architectural Style | Contemporary Californian |
| Applicant | Warmington Residential |
| Current Status | Development Project Review |
The moderate-income affordability designation sets the Smoketree project apart from several of the other Santa Ana townhome projects in the pipeline, which target very low-income units at 5% of the total. Here, 8 of 77 homes (about 10%) will be deed-restricted at the moderate-income level, which in Orange County covers households earning roughly $115,750 to $138,900 per year for a family of four.
Where the Project Stands: Early Review, Zoning Change Required
The Smoketree Warmington project is in the Development Project Review stage as of July 2026, which means it is early in the discretionary approval process. Because both parcels are currently zoned for office and professional uses, the project requires a General Plan Amendment and a zone change in addition to the standard Vesting Tentative Tract Map for the lot subdivision. All of these require Planning Commission and City Council review and approval before construction can begin.
Warmington held its first Sunshine Ordinance community meeting on March 19, 2026 at Calvary Church of Santa Ana. The meeting was led by Matt Esquivel, Warmington's Director of Development, and Joe Oftelie, Division President for Southern California. Warmington offered a live Zoom stream and Spanish-language interpretation. A second community meeting has not yet been scheduled. No hearing dates at Planning Commission or City Council have been set.
About the Developer: Warmington Residential
Warmington Residential is part of The Warmington Group of Companies, a 100-year-old Orange County real estate organization that traces its origins to 1926. The first Warmington company built custom residences and became known as the "homebuilder to the stars" in its early years. Over the following decades, the company grew into a full-scale production homebuilder, expanding from custom work to large planned communities across California, and eventually to Nevada beginning in 1996. The Warmington group estimates it has built approximately 40,000 homes across California and Nevada over its history.
Today, Warmington Residential is the homebuilding arm of the group and focuses on for-sale communities ranging from single-family homes to attached townhomes and condominiums. The broader Warmington Group also operates Warmington Properties, a commercial property management and development division. The company is headquartered in Orange County. Leading the Santa Ana project is Joe Oftelie as Division President for Southern California and Matt Esquivel as Director of Development.
A prior Warmington project in Santa Ana, the Santa Ana Lyon Towns development (formerly Warmington Residential) at another location in the city, gives the company a local track record of navigating the Santa Ana planning and approval process for residential projects.
Pricing: Not Yet Released
No pricing or floor plan details have been released for the Smoketree Warmington townhomes as of July 2026. The project has not yet received city approval and is in the early review stage. Pricing for for-sale projects like this is typically not set until the project is closer to construction and pre-sales. I follow new ownership housing projects like this across Orange County and research pricing as it becomes available. Check back here for updates or reach out directly.
Looking for New Homes in Santa Ana or Orange County?
The Smoketree site is one of several along North Tustin Avenue and the 55 Freeway corridor that are moving toward residential redevelopment. We track new for-sale housing across Santa Ana and Orange County and follow these projects from early review through sales. If you are looking to buy in this area or want to understand the market, reach out.
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