Harbor Ridge, Newport Beach

Harbor Ridge is a guard-gated community in Newport Beach, California. The neighborhood resides on the ridge of a hill that offers residents spectacular views of the Southern California coastline. The most centrally-located community in Newport Beach for view properties, Harbor Ridge is just minutes from the fine shopping of Fashion Island, the beaches of Corona del Mar, and The Resort at Pelican Hill in Newport Coast.

The Harbor Ridge Master Association community profile describes the neighborhood as follows:

"Harbor Ridge is an affluent gate-guarded coastal community in Newport Beach, California. Sitting atop a hilly knoll, Harbor Ridge covers 170 acres. Spectacular vistas of the Pacific Ocean, Newport Beach, Palos Verdes, Saddleback Mountains, inland night-lights and Catalina Island can be viewed from Harbor Ridge. Fresh ocean breezes keep the climate pleasantly moderate. When within the impressive gates, one feels transported to another land, tranquil, secure, and surrounded by well maintained grounds and homes. Harbor Ridge was developed by The Irvine Company in 1978 -1980 with an overall concept of creating a forest on a hillside. The hillside was planted with sycamores, pines and alders to emphasize the landforms and ridgelines which helped to enhance the skyline while mitigating the visual impact of housing near the ridge. The natural landforms took precedence over any architectural requirements. The housing was designed to fit the land, rather than grading the land to accommodate flatland-housing design. These considerations in development produced an aesthetically pleasing result, not only to its residents, but also to the communities below."

Since the time of its development by the Irvine Company, the neighborhood remains distinguished for the range of architectural styles seen on its custom homesites, a sharp contrast to the strictly Mediterranean-style architectural zoning regulations of Newport Coast. Private amenities exclusive to residents include tennis courts, four pool/spa facilities, a Women's Club, and a wooded nature trail. The Harbor Ridge custom homesites typically list on the market for anywhere from $3 million to $10 million, among Newport's most expensive, with homes ranging in size from approximately 4,000 to 10,000 square feet (930 m²).

Prominent residents have included Edward Thorp (hedge fund manager), Dean Koontz (author), and Paul Crouch (Trinity Broadcasting Network founder).