Compiled by Kelly Ryan and Paul Hughes
SANTA ANA
A remodeling is under way on a medical office building at the corner of East Fourth Street and North Tustin Avenue. St. Joseph’s Heritage, part of Orange-based hospital operator St. Joseph Health System, is set to move in after construction is done. Previously, the building housed a juvenile outpatient facility. The 60,000-square-foot building is owned by Newport Beach-based California Commercial Real Estate Services. The site has a multilevel parking structure, recently completed by the Newport Beach office of McCarthy Building Cos. Work began on the remodel late last year and completion is expected in July. The facility is set to include a dialysis center, urgent care center and family medical wing. Anaheim-based Philco Construction Inc. is the site’s general contractor.
FOUNTAIN VALLEY
Nine homes are being framed and 45 more are going up near Magnolia Street and Heil Avenue. The San Marino development is the latest for Santa Ana-based Far West Industries. Lots range from 7,200 square feet to 13,060 square feet. The project features a 1-acre park. Homes are from 3,006 square feet to 3,851 square feet, with up to five bedrooms and three-car garages. Onsite grading started in January. The first phase of nine homes is set to finish in July, with phase two wrapping up in September. All homes are expected to be complete in late 2009. Some of the homes presold for $930,000 to $1.08 million.
ANAHEIM
A restaurant, cafe and nightclub is under construction at 401 S. Anaheim Blvd. The Ember Cafe is 6,000 square feet with 200 parking spaces. The lot previously was home to a tractor repair sales room. The land and building is owned by Steve Elkins. His family owns a few buildings in downtown Anaheim including the Landmark Event Center across the street from the cafe. Elkins hopes to develop the area into a social center like the downtown in neighboring Fullerton. The first-floor restaurant is being designed with Hollywood flair based on Santa Monica’s Viceroy Hotel. The upstairs will have a European-style bistro cafe serving cocktails and espresso that switches to a club after 10 p.m. Elkins said he’s gone to lengths to assure neighbors about the project: “You have to make sure they understand you are taking cleanliness and safety seriously.” Anaheim had bad experiences with The Boogie Nightclub, which lost its liquor license in 2006 and now is closed. The Ember Cafe’s parking lot is set to host auto shows, farmers markets and tattoo conventions, according to Elkins. The project has been in the works for the past three years. The architect is Solberg + Associates in Anaheim. Interior design is by Mr. Important Design in Oakland.
NEWPORT BEACH
Newport Beach is moving forward on a new City Hall. The City Council recently voted to build its new headquarters on city property near the Newport Beach Central Library on Avocado Avenue. The current City Hall doesn’t have enough parking and workspace and has outdated heating, cooling and electrical systems and other issues, according to the city. The new City Hall project is on 12 acres, just north of the library, plus another 3.5 acres nearby. The City Hall and park is set to be integrated with the library. An early plan for a 72,000-square-foot building is being updated. The city expects a 10% to 15% increase in size to add a “one-stop” permit and customer service area. A request for bids should go out this spring, with three to four recommendations to the City Council by June. The city plans to select an architect and award a design contract by December. The facility should be ready by 2012 or earlier.
SAN CLEMENTE
Construction is nearing completion on a 46,850-square-foot project at 1520 N. El Camino Real. The building is a three-story, mixed-use project featuring 16 homes, 9,264 square feet of commercial space and parking spaces. The project sits on a 20,000-square-foot lot. The Planning Commission approved the project in February 2004. In 2002, the city approved plans on the land for 17,000 square feet of commercial space and four homes. That approval expired in July 2004.
LAGUNA BEACH
Plans are being processed for a mixed-use development at 1369 N. Coast Highway. Plans call for retail space with two upstairs homes and a parking garage below. The project, spanning 18,344 square feet, went to the city for approval last year. Design changes required the owner to resubmit the project to the Planning Commission.
CORRECTION
In the March 3 Around the County column, the list of builders on the Brea Sports Park was incomplete. LPA Inc. designed the park, Griffin Structures is handling construction management and Harrington Geotechnical Engineering Inc. is doing soil engineering and materials testing.
If you’re a developer or city planner and would like to see a project featured in Around the County, please contact Kelly Ryan at ryan@ocbj.com or (949) 833-8373. The column covers projects in Orange County’s cities and unincorporated areas, and some projects in Corona. Commercial, housing and retail projects are the focus of the column. Some larger public works projects also are included.
