The city of Huntington Beach aims to change Beach Boulevard and Edinger Avenue by doing away with underperforming stores.
“The idea is to make more efficient use of the land,” said Paul Da Veiga, project manager for the city.
Currently, the stores that line the corridors have their own driveway entrances that slow traffic, Da Veiga said. Plus, they aren’t that pretty, he said.
So the city wants to improve the aesthetics and function of the street by clustering stores at major intersections with anchors.
“We don’t even need to bring in the major anchors,” he said, because Wal-Mart, Lowe’s and Home Depot already are there.
It’s a matter of moving stores to free up space for other uses, such as housing, according to Da Veiga.
The city plans to encourage property owners to add housing. Street-level stores with upscale apartments or condominiums on top would be ideal, Da Veiga said.
“It will make their properties more valuable,” he said.
The city also wants to create a stronger appearance through landscaping and other street improvements.
The vibe: “It always comes down to the surfer,” Da Veiga said.
The city plans to start with Edinger Avenue.
South Coast’s Makeover
Just in time for the holidays,South Coast Plaza’s $35 million interior and exterior renovation is done.
The project, which began in August, includes a 6,000-pound capacity, two-story glass elevator, new guardrails, Italian travertine floors and teak benches.
The elevator was designed and installed by Cypress-based Mitsubishi Electric & Electronics USA’s elevator and escalator division.
The Segerstrom family, which owns the mall, also spent $150 million in 2000 to build the Bridge of Gardens over Bear Street. This is the most expensive and extensive renovation since then.
Macy’s Hiring
Macy’s Inc. is ramping up its holiday staff in Orange County.
It plans to hire 1,500 people primarily for sales jobs.
As of last week, the department store chain was halfway through the hiring process, said Krista Kinney, a human resources associate for Macy’s West.
The part-time and full-time workers hired for the holidays generally start in October and will work through January. Macy’s hires about a third of its temporary staff as permanent employees after the holidays, she said. Workers generally get paid from $8, she said.
Red Mango Moves In
First Pinkberry, now Red Mango.
It’s the new frozen yogurt of the moment.
South Korea’s Red Mango Inc. has opened its first OC store at Harvard Place in Irvine. Pinkberry already has a store at Bella Terra in Huntington Beach, one opening in Santa Ana’s City Place and others on the way.
This is Red Mango’s second Southern California store.
It has five in the U.S. and has plans for 30 more stores nationwide next year, including one at Crystal Cove Promenade in Newport Beach and others in Nevada, Washington, Utah, Illinois and New York.
Red Mango’s U.S. headquarters is in Los Angeles, where it opened its first store this year.
Dan Kim heads up Red Mango’s U.S. operations.
Ritz Named Fast 50
Irvine-based Ritz Interactive Inc., an online seller of cameras and boating and fishing products, among others, was named one of Deloitte & Touche USA LLP’s Technology Fast 50 for OC. The list ranks the fastest growing technology, media, telecommunications and life sciences companies by percentage revenue growth from 2002 to 2006.
Ritz Interactive President Fred Lerner attributes the company’s growth to increased sales of digital cameras and consumer electronics. Ritz operates three Web sites, including BoatersWorld.com.
Christmas Wish List
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2008 convertible SLR McLaren Roadster: Fletcher Jones to sell eight of the $500,000 cars |
Here’s something to put at the top of your Christmas wish list: The 2008 convertible SLR McLaren Roadster.
About a dozen people are signed up to buy the $500,000 car from licensed dealers.
Fletcher Jones Motorcars of Newport Beach, the largest dealership by sales in the county and the nation, is allotted eight to sell to start.
Those on the waiting list for the car are entrepreneurs and collectors, many of whom already own a Mercedes-Benz or Ferrari, said Garth Blumenthal, general manager. Rapper 50 Cent already has one.
What do you get from a car that costs as much as a house? Well, among other things, it goes up to 208 miles per hour and has Formula 1 racing technology.
And you are likely to get a lot of looks.
The car was developed by Mercedes-Benz and McLaren Automotive and built at the McLaren Technology Centre in England.
