Another big week for FivePoint Communities boss Emile Haddad, who saw his Great Park Neighborhoods continue a fast start, with 58 of the first 79 homes available at its Pavilion Park snapped up. Reliable sources say the initial sales top even the aggressive internal expectations of the developer. Haddad and his wife, Dina, followed up on the opening weekend by serving as co-chairs of the UCI Medal gala on Oct. 5. A few days later came a story on Great Park Neighborhoods in Fortune …
The Insider has given Haddad a tip of the hat on a couple of occasions in recent weeks, citing his fashion sense as he works crowds ranging from elected officials to would-be homebuyers. Fortune also picked up on his sartorial sensibility during a visit to the development during a summer heat wave: “Haddad is willing to make just one concession to the stifling temperature, and that is to remove his suit jacket. His necktie stays on, firmly knotted in place. It is as if Haddad is too close to realizing his dream to go casual now” …
Kudos to the Haddads, as well as Bill Ross and his team at UCI on the 360-degree display of UCI milestones that ringed the room during the Medal ceremony in the Bren Center, a display that drew numerous compliments …
Medalist Chuck Martin made the most of the scene with remarks that reminded everyone about a core mission of the UC system: providing access to higher education for all. He explained how access to Ohio State helped him go from poor boy to man of means who has helped change the lives of many through investments in various companies over the years. About 600 turned out to honor Martin, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o and Cheryll and Richard Ruszat—and help raise $1 million to boost access to UCI through the Chancellor’s Fund for Scholarships and Fellowships …
Martin also had some fun comparing nicknames of his alma mater and his adopted school: Ohio State students are “known as buckeyes,” which are “an inedible, poisonous nut with a spiny shell like a porcupine—so you see, it’s not so bad to be an Anteater” …
Julia Argyros’ latest gifts benefit education and the arts—and they hit a soft spot for the Insider. She gave $1 million to the Adrian Schools Educational Foundation Arts Endowment in her hometown of Adrian, Mich., and another $1 million to the 150-year-old Croswell Opera House there. The town also is home to the Adrian Dominican order of Roman Catholic nuns, which provided teachers for St. Joseph, the grammar school Argyros attended. There’s a good chance she got the benefit of lessons from Sister Anna Rita Sullivan and Sister Margaret Sullivan, who both were young nuns there at about the same time—and went on to become the best aunts a nephew ever had …
Word in Riverside County says Register Publisher Aaron Kushner bested U-T San Diego owner and prominent developer Doug Manchester again when he struck a $27.5 million deal for the Press-Enterprise (see Addendum item, page 14). Manchester was the presumed favorite to get the Register last year before Kushner topped his bid.
