Over the last several years, OC’s dominant landlord, Irvine Co., embarked on a plan to renew and rejuvenate UCI Research Park in the wake of the business park’s primary occupant and OC’s largest office tenant, Broadcom, moving local operations to the Great Park Neighborhoods.
The results speak for themselves: it’s attracted dozens of growing companies including Acorns Grow Inc., Cloudvirga, Urovant Sciences Ltd. (Nasdaq: UROV) and LPA Design Studios, which designed the beach-themed Cove.
Irvine Co. poured tens of millions of dollars into the project, which now includes shared common areas and a Kinetic fitness center, as well as celebrity Chef Brian Malarkey’s Herb & Ranch micro food hall.
Many community members are hopeful that the business development’s newest tenants—Applied Innovation and University Lab Partners—will foster the startup ecosystem and dismantle barriers to pave the way for a bigger, better and brighter future.
—Jessie Yount
