Orange County: Projects and Developments

[UserName01010]

"Within UC Irvine's student housing, one in particular, Mesa Court, has a major project that involves a sizable building project. This is apparently known as the "Mesa Court Expansion" project which according to UC Irvine's Student Housing website entails: 1) A new dining commons, 2) new community spaces, 3) over 500 new beds for freshmen students in Mesa Court housing. The new development will entail three mid-rise structures (each total 6 floors tall factoring in for podium) that are connected by a podium (Source). Fall, 2016 is the anticipated date for completion of this project (Source)."


Rendering Source: http://housing.uci.edu/communityLife/MC-Expansion.html

Source: http://orangecountydensedevelopment....ines-mesa.html

[MightyAlweg]

ARTIC is really struggling, and is now already costing Anaheim $2 Million in the first six months to pay to keep the lights on and the security guards paid.


https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7568/1...5e9f29e8_z.jpg

Anaheim's ARTIC sees $2 million deficit during first 6 months

April 18, 2015 ANAHEIM – The city’s new transit center will run into a $2 million operating deficit by the end of June, and Anaheim officials will soon consider how to cover the shortfall.
Before it was built, the Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center was expected to be a self-sustaining hub that would be primarily financed by revenue from advertising and a naming-rights sponsor.

More than four months have passed since ARTIC opened, and city officials said that they aren’t close to securing a company willing to pay to put its name on the 67,000-square-foot facility, while total advertising revenue during the six months of operation are projected to be $81,675.

By June’s end, city officials expect to earn $391,548 in total revenue for ARTIC, falling far below the anticipated $2.38 million cost to keep the facility’s doors open.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/c...c-revenue.html

There's more at the article in the Orange County Register at the link, but these two paragraphs sum up exactly why the station is now taking Millions of taxpayer dollars out of the city budget for parks, schools, and public safety...

Along with funding problems, ARTIC is failing to meet an opening-day promise of 10,000 riders who either board or depart mass-transit. That figure was used to lure companies that might provide naming rights, advertising or other support for the station. The transit center is still boasted by city officials as eventually becoming a terminus for high-speed rail, but the bullet train won’t likely reach Orange County’s most populous city for another generation, if ever.

An average of 460 Metrolink and 300 Amtrak passengers boarded trains daily at the Anaheim station during the first month of operation in December, which is traditionally one of the slowest months of the year for public transit, said OCTA spokesman Eric Carpenter. First-quarter ridership numbers are still being calculated, and should be released within a few weeks.

YIKES!

I've been using the train for long distance trips a few times per year, and for the last 20 years Anaheim was the station I used to begin and end those train trips. The "old" Anaheim station built in the 1980's was already bigger than was needed for the daily traffic there. But ARTIC is sized for a daily transit operation that is 20 times larger than has ever existed in Anaheim, or perhaps Southern California since the glory days of LA's Union Station in the 1940's.

Every time I've been to ARTIC in the last few months, usually on weekdays around rush hour, it's completely deserted except for a few security guards and a lonely Amtrak ticket agent.

[UserName01010]

MightyAlweg, It is indeed very concerning. Also, the location of the station is near not much. I mean yes, there is the Honda Center and Angel's Stadium, but those are seasonal and not for everyday type purposes. Instead, what is greatly missing is Mixed Use Transit Oriented Developments. There needs to be a better connection "urban fabric-wise" of connecting the station district with the rest of Platinum Triangle...Certainly the fact that the SR-57 freeway cuts through doesn't help.

[UserName01010]

Big Changes Coming to Buena Park's Entertainment Zone: An Increase in New/Proposed Developments

"Much akin to Anaheim's Anaheim Resort District, Buena Park (City) has their Entertainment Zone which includes the popular amusement park, Knott's Berry Farm and the under construction mixed use development, The Source. Big changes are coming to the Entertainment Zone."

...

"According to an article from the Visit Buena Park's website, Buena Park's Entertainment Zone is seeing an increase in new development ranging from new hotels to new entertainment attractions."

Rendering for The Source Phase II



Source: http://www.gfaarchitects.com/portfol...i/#toggle-id-1

For more details, see my blog post at: http://orangecountydensedevelopment....ena-parks.html

Thanks!

[dragonsky]

Ducks complete sweep of Jets with 5-2 win in Game 4
http://www.latimes.com/sports/ducks/...423-story.html

[UserName01010]

High Density Residential Developments Making a Comeback at Irvine's Irvine Business Complex (IBC)


"...The IBC is in the midst of a resurgence in dense developments and as explained below (After the page break). Even the Park Place site will see new mid-rise hotel and residential project. Park Place has already seen a new dense residential development known as Park Place whose developer is the Irvine Company...."



Source: My blog: http://orangecountydensedevelopment....elopments.html

[dragonsky]

Disney purchases Carousel Inn for $32 million
April 29, 2015 Updated 5:12 p.m.

ANAHEIM – The Walt Disney Co. has purchased a hotel that sits directly across Harbor Boulevard from its two theme parks for $32 million, according to public records.

Disney, through a limited-liability corporation, Carousel Holdings EAT, purchased the 131-room Carousel Inn & Suites on 1530 S. Harbor Blvd. from Good Hope International.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/d...hotel-inn.html

[UserName01010]

"The upcoming Uptown Newport Village project, by Shopoff Group, will be a mixed use project located in the City of Newport Beach at the intersection of Jamboree Road and Fairchild Road. The project site is located next to Google (South of the project site). According to an Los Angeles Times article, Uptown Newport Village will be built as a walkable neighborhood that will include high-end residential, as well as, retail, two 1 acre parks accessible to the public, restaurants."...



Source: http://www.picernegroup.com/portfoli....lFM1SAS3.dpbs



Source: http://orangecountydensedevelopment....n-newport.html

[UserName01010]

..."According to the Anaheim Convention Center Expansion 2017's website, the new building will have two levels, totaling 200,000 sq. ft., providing the opportunity for flexible space uses such as exhibits, meetings, and banquets. The architectural design was from Populous and construction will be under Turner Construction Company. The anticipated completion date is Summer 2017."...



Source: http://orangecountydensedevelopment....expansion.html

[dragonsky]

Chinese developer plans condo, retail project next to Angel Stadium

hinese developer is planning a nearly $500-million residential, hotel and retail complex next to Angel Stadium in Anaheim, a potential anchor for a future downtown area.

Plans call for a mega-development complete with a 28-story condo tower, a 26-story hotel, a theater, alfresco dining and an indoor surfing park. The Anaheim project — planned on 14 acres at the corner of State College Boulevard and Orangewood Avenue — is part of a wave of Asian investment in large-scale Southern California developments.

Anaheim unveiled plans for the so-called Platinum Triangle more than a decade ago, pitching the neighborhood as a downtown for all of Orange County.

"Our entire goal is to create a sense of place for the Platinum Triangle … to get back to the vision the city originally had," said Randy Jefferson, an executive director for developer LT Global Investment Inc., a U.S. subsidiary of Beijing's LT Commercial Real Estate.

The developer, however, must first cut a deal with the Angels and the city to secure the needed parking for such a large development. Adding another layer of uncertainty, the Angels have explored moving elsewhere as negotiations with Anaheim over stadium renovations have stalled.

http://www.latimes.com/business/real...508-story.html

[MightyAlweg]

That development on the southwest corner of the Anaheim Stadium land has about as much chance of happening as Disneyland putting a strip club on Main Street USA.

In no particular order:

• A Chinese developer that no one has ever heard of and has never done business in SoCal before. Mystery money sourced from the Communist Politburo in Beijing doesn't instill a lot of confidence into the project. Or ethics.
  
• It's a neat looking project, at a bad location. It's faced away from the core of Platinum Triangle development. It's far from the proposed streetcar line. Not walkable to anything but the stadium. The 460,000 square feet (!) of retail/dining would be busy on game days, but 75% of the year would be adrift in an island of empty parking lots.
  
• Arte Moreno and the Angels will hate this. It demands they give up some parking, puts pressure on them and won't help the shaky (or currently silent) negotiations at all. If you help to chase the Angels out of town, there's no need for this development at all. Then you're left with not just an empty plot of land on this corner, you've got an empty stadium next to it.

[dragonsky]

Originally Posted by MightyAlweg

That development on the southwest corner of the Anaheim Stadium land has about as much chance of happening as Disneyland putting a strip club on Main Street USA.

In no particular order:

• A Chinese developer that no one has ever heard of and has never done business in SoCal before. Mystery money sourced from the Communist Politburo in Beijing doesn't instill a lot of confidence into the project. Or ethics.
  
• It's a neat looking project, at a bad location. It's faced away from the core of Platinum Triangle development. It's far from the proposed streetcar line. Not walkable to anything but the stadium. The 460,000 square feet (!) of retail/dining would be busy on game days, but 75% of the year would be adrift in an island of empty parking lots.
  
• Arte Moreno and the Angels will hate this. It demands they give up some parking, puts pressure on them and won't help the shaky (or currently silent) negotiations at all. If you help to chase the Angels out of town, there's no need for this development at all. Then you're left with not just an empty plot of land on this corner, you've got an empty stadium next to it.

China Lerthai Commercial Real Estate Group

China Lerthai Commercial Real Estate Group, the parent group of LT Commercial, is a world-class large-scale commercial property development and operation company. Its business scope covers 5 segments including retail, commercial property, logistic center for agricultural produce, cultural tourism, and upscale hotels with a total asset of RMB30 billion. China Lerthai has successfully developed several commercial complexes including Shijiazhuang Lerthai Center, Tangshan Pelagic Mall, and Xi'an DaTang West City. The Group also extended its foothold in retail business with Baolongcang Dahe Logistics Park and Carrefour Baolongcang Supermarket. China Lerthai Commercial Real Estate Group has formed a strategic alliance with Hong Kong Chinachem Group, French retailer Carrefour, UK-based global property manager DTZ and the US architecture firm Hopscape, and entered into strategic partnership with over 50 of the Global 500 Companies, such as China Railway Construction Group Co., Ltd., etc. Moreover, the Group has also entered into cooperation agreements with a number of international brands, including the Austrian Eurojoy Ice Rink, the American Tera Wellness Club, UME International Cineplex, the Taiwanese Golden Jaguar, HOLA the Shanghaiese Xiao Nan Guo Restaurant, and the Spanish ZARA.

http://ltglobalinvest.com/about.html

HK:0112LT Commercial Real Estate Ltd. (HKG) (Hong Kong)
http://bigcharts.marketwatch.com/adv...insttype=Stock

LT Commercial Real Estate : Buys 7 Land Lots in California

SHANGHAI, September 10, SinoCast -- LT Commercial Real Estate announces that it takes over a property consisting of seven land lots in Anaheim, Orange county, California. Consideration for the property and all decoration on the land is USD 28.35 million.

The land lots are about 59,000 square meters and have a quota of 525 residential units. The company plans to develop the land lots into residential and commercial property avaiable for sale.

http://www.4-traders.com/LT-COMMERCI...rnia-19021139/

[dragonsky]

Ducks oust Flames, reach Western Conference finals

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/d...iod-perry.html

[MightyAlweg]

Anaheim's $180 Million dollar ARTIC train station continues to pull in ridership far, far below projections.

First three months of 2015 daily train/bus ridership at ARTIC was 821 people per day, on average (that includes boarding and disembarking, combined). Not much higher than the 780 riders per day its first month of operation in December, which is traditionally the slowest ridership month of the year.

None of the naming rights or advertising deals panned out, and no one is interested. The two restaurants and the coffee cart have yet to open, although its unclear who they would be serving with only 821 riders per day.

The bill due in June for the first six months of ARTIC operation is $2 Million (electricity, water, sewer, maintenance, security), which is an unplanned deficit that will now have to be paid for out of the Anaheim general fund. That's $2 Million of tax money being pulled away from Anaheim schools, parks, public safety, etc. For just the first six months.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/a...tion-high.html

I've used Anaheim as my Amtrak or Metrolink station for almost 20 years. The old station on the other side of the freeway was more than adequate, perfectly pleasant looking to wait in with its "water-wise garden" and lone Pepsi machine, and far more convenient to the plentiful parking or taxis waiting at the curb.

"Old" Anaheim station - 1985 to 2014 - Convenient, Modest, Right Sized and Paid For



I can tell you from personal experience and observation that the majority of those 821 riders per day are parking in ARTIC's south lot next to the platforms and running up to the train each morning. This allows most riders to completely avoid taking the sky bridge over to ARTIC and using that massive, wasteful, decadently overbuilt facility.

Anaheim ARTIC - 2015 - Trendy, Massive, Attractive, Expensive, and Empty


And it's only been open for five months, and the bills haven't come due yet. This ARTIC story is going to get UGLY within a year. And likely be used for decades as a glaring example of ego-driven governments wasting tax money and precious resources without merit.

[UserName01010]

A Revisit to the 200 Spectrum Center Project



Source: http://orangecountydensedevelopment....r-project.html

[UserName01010]

Picture Update of Malden Station Apartment Homes Located in Fullerton



Source: http://orangecountydensedevelopment....n-station.html

[dragonsky]

Spoiler alert! We've got your sneak peek at Disneyland's stunning new fireworks show
http://www.latimes.com/travel/themep...511-story.html

The new “Disneyland Forever” fireworks show debuting this summer at the Anaheim theme park will feature an original soundtrack, projection mapping throughout the park and appearances by characters from “The Jungle Book” and “Peter Pan.”

In hopes of thinning the gridlocked crowds on Main Street U.S.A. and spreading the teeming hordes throughout the park during the “Forever” fireworks show, Disneyland will introduce projection mapping on Matterhorn mountain and the Fantasmic stage area along the Rivers of America in addition to the castle and Small World locations.

http://www.latimes.com/travel/themep...511-story.html

[dragonsky]

Water show gets 'spectacular' reboot at Disney's California Adventure

Starting May 22, "World of Color" water show joins a new nighttime parade and new fireworks display across the esplanade at Disneyland as part of a diamond jubilee celebration that’s expected to stretch through the end of the year and beyond.

Dubbed “Celebrate,” the new "World of Color" overlay will hopefully offer a much-needed break from the recent trend of turning shows, parades and nighttime spectaculars into little more than a cavalcade revue of popular Disney characters strung together with the loosest semblance of a story line. The compelling “Celebrate” story seems like a fresh departure from the recent broad stroke appeal-to-the-masses approach to entertainment at the parks.

http://www.latimes.com/travel/themep...515-story.html

[dragonsky]

Knott's Berry Farm's new ride is 'mind-blowing': Here's a sneak peek
http://www.latimes.com/travel/themep...513-story.html

[MightyAlweg]

200 Spectrum Center in Irvine looks kind of weird jutting up above the mall when viewed from the freeway. Maybe it looks better closer up? It's very bland architecture, which suits the Irvine Company just fine unfortunately.

At least the Irvine Company hasn't ruined all of Fashion Island yet with its faux-Tuscan makeover. There is still a lot of brilliant 1960's Modernism master-planned by Welton Beckett on display around Fashion Island. Until the Irvine Company figures out a way to slather it in beige stucco and put fake Tuscan tile roofs on it.

Disneyland 60th Diamond Celebration will be a truly memorable event. The new entertainment and ride upgrades are all reported to be fantastic and a huge boon to Walt Disney's magic kingdom of Disneyland.

The old Condor Flats area of Disney California Adventure reopened this weekend as the newly redone Grizzly Peak Airfield, home to the popular attraction Soarin' Over California. It's a big improvement over the cheaper cement look that area has had since 2001.



The Before and After video is here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7IvXZllrt8