Apartment Choice

College Terrace Market , the longed-for grocery store at 2100 El Camino Real in Palo Alto, finally opened on June 14, but the hoped-for crowds of customers have been slow to materialize. After a promising opening day , the market initially averaged only about 60 customers a day, said Ron Jensen, the market's director of operations. In the last couple of weeks, that number has grown as employees have moved into the First Republic Bank offices in the center's upper floors. But Miki Werness, one of the market's partners, estimated the market needs more than 200 customers per day to thrive. He said he did not anticipate that a summer opening would be so slow, adding that he anticipates many more customers will come with the start of the school year. The shaky start — and other factors potentially conspiring against the market — has customers and neighbors in College Terrace concerned . Under the planned community (PC) ordinance by which the College Terrace Centre devel...

POWAY -- The city's newest affordable-housing development received its first residents over the weekend, after being cleared by the city for occupancy late last week. Escondido- based nonprofit Community HousingWorks teamed up with the city to build Solara Apartments on the southwest corner of Community Road and Hilleary Place, just south of Hilleary Park. The $16.5 million, 3- acre project added 55 apartments to the city's supply of housing for low- and very- low income people . Contractors are still putting finishing touches on the complex's landscaping. Community HousingWorks asset manager Rosemary Stabrawa said Monday, however, that Solara's first residents moved in over the weekend, and more are expected to follow by the end of this week. All the development's tenants should be in their new homes by the end of the month, she said. "Approximately jubilant," Stabrawa said, describing her mood while handing out Solara apartment keys . "It...