Compiled by Kelly Ryan and Paul Hughes
ANAHEIM
Newport Beach-based DPR Construction Inc. is building a $50 million senior living project at Walnut Street and Ball Road. Walnut Village is being developed by Burbank-based Front Porch Development Co., a nonprofit provider of senior and affordable housing. The village is set to replace Walnut Manor, a senior housing project built in 1937. Construction began last year and should be done next year. The 10-acre project includes 159 independent living homes, ranging from studios to three bedrooms. They’re set to sell for $250,000 to $650,000. The project includes a village square with services and shops, a meditation pond, restaurants, swimming pool and a fitness and aquatics center. An existing 99-bed nursing center was rebuilt in 1991.
ORANGE
Santiago Canyon College has broken ground on a 60,000-square-foot science complex. Grading is done and underground work, including electrical, storm drains and sewer lines, are under way. Steve Kawa, vice president of administrative services, expects a fall 2009 finish for 12 science labs and six classrooms, as well as faculty offices and tiered lecture hall for up to 200 students. The architect is LPA Inc. of Irvine. Construction project manager is Seville Construction Services Inc. of Los Angeles. The two-story buildings are connected by a walkway and are funded by state money and Measure E, approved by Rancho Santiago Community College District voters in 2002. That bond provided $337 million for projects at Santiago Canyon and Santa Ana College.
FOUNTAIN VALLEY
Builders are making progress on the Orange County Water District’s 39,439-square-foot Advanced Water Quality Assurance Laboratory, near Ward Street and Ellis Avenue. The $22 million laboratory will house equipment and people required to test the quality of replenishment water and groundwater. The facility replaces a 32-year-old building and several portable trailers. The older building would have been too costly to upgrade to meet earthquake and other safety requirements. The two-story steel framed building will house 30 chemists and technicians as well as 10 people to monitor water quality. Construction for the project began in August and should be done early next year. Los Angeles-based FTR International Inc. is the builder.
TUSTIN
The city plans a fall 2009 opening for its Orange County Public Library location, which officially broke ground on Feb. 21. The 32,000-square-foot building is going up on East Main Street, near Newport Avenue, behind the current library. The new library will be more than twice as large, with computers and tech workstations, an outdoor reading area and a 150-seat community and business meeting room. The architect is San Francisco-based Field Paoli. Irvine-based gkkworks is the contractor. Laguna Beach-based Griffin Structures Inc. is the construction manager.
HUNTINGTON BEACH
Golden West College is building a health sciences building on its campus near Edinger Avenue and Goldenwest Street. The building is 26,000 square feet and is expected to cost $12.7 million. Construction began in July and should finish before the fall semester. The building will have six offices, 14 smaller offices, classrooms and labs as well as the campus health center. Combining the classrooms and labs with the health center was done to offer internships to nursing students. The college will use the older health sciences building for temporary relocations for other projects. Anaheim-based DJM Construction Co. is the general contractor. The facility is funded by Measure C, the Coast Community College District’s $370 million general obligation bond passed in 2002. Golden West is planning a 55,000-square-foot learning resource center and hopes to break ground in June.
ALISO VIEJO
Construction is under way on a Taco Bell at the Aliso Viejo Town Center near Aliso Creek Road and Enterprise. The 2,640-square-foot building is a relocation of a nearby Taco Bell/Pizza Hut. Cotti Foods Inc. owns this Taco Bell building as well as 16 others in OC and 40 more outside the county. Plans by 7Dezigns in Lake Forest were approved in January and construction began the same month. The entire project should be finished next month.
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.
