Compiled by Chris Hannigan
The Planning Commission approved a revised proposal for Aerie, a luxury condominium development at the corner of Ocean Lane and Carnation Avenue along the coast of Corona del Mar. Plans by Rick and Karen Julian call for the demolition of 14 homes and the building of nine villas atop an events center, a pool and garages. Costa Mesa architect Brion Jeannette is designing Aerie, which means “fortress” or “eagle’s nest.” Spanish architect Antonio Gaudi inspired the design. Aerie uses some green elements: The project’s water quality management system earned the endorsement of Newport Beach-based water quality advocacy group Orange County Coastkeeper. Aerie is set go to the City Council in July and still needs California Coastal Commission approval.
Construction is well under way on Irvine-based Hopkins Real Estate Group’s Talega Village Center, a 103,000-square-foot shopping center at the southwest corner of Avenida Vista Hermosa and Avenida Talega. The project is part of the 3,500-acre masterplanned Talega housing development. A 46,000-square-foot Ralphs Fresh Fare is set to anchor the center and open by November. Chef Takashi Abe of Crystal Cove’s Bluefin Restaurant plans to open Sea Smoke, a sushi restaurant and bar. Developers also are in talks to open a white tablecloth restaurant and a family-style Italian eatery. Other tenants, which will have staggered openings throughout the fourth quarter, include Panera Bread, Peet’s Coffee, Wells Fargo, Eric Hanan, Blue Eyed Girl, Juice It Up, Verizon, Wild’s Animal Supplies, Fairy Tales Children’s Boutique, The Little Gym and others. The Pasadena office of Irvine-based KKE Architects designed the center with Spanish architectural themes to match the rest of Talega. Hopkins is developing the center with investor Rockwood Capital Corp. of Greenwich, Conn. S.D. Deacon of Irvine is the general contractor.
The Anaheim facility of East Rutherford, N.J.-based Allied Building Products Corp., a supplier of roofing, drywall and acoustic tiles, is upgrading its building at 1244 N. Anaheim Blvd. Improvements include the creation of an entrance on Anaheim Boulevard, landscaping and other cosmetic changes to the industrial building along the Riverside (91) Freeway. “The building was dated and the landscaping needed to be up to date,” branch manager Carlos Hernandez said. The company, part of Ireland’s CRH PLC, is spending $200,000 to $250,000 on the building, which it leases. Allied’s work should wrap up around the same time redevelopment of the neighboring campus of CKE Restaurants Inc.’s Carl’s Jr. is set to begin in coming weeks.
An ongoing expansion is under way at Orange Coast College’s campus. A fitness center opened in November. The Louis Center, a science building, is set for a yearlong renovation starting in July. Seville Group Inc. of Pasadena is the construction manager. The college’s library is under construction and is set to open in January, with Pasadena-based C.W. Driver as construction manager. An expansion and remodeling of the school’s theater is set to begin soon, with Irvine-based Turner Co. as construction manager. Funding for the college’s work is coming from a portion of the Measure C bond, which allocated $271 million dollars to update the three Coast Community College District’s schools.
