Council to consider high-rise plans

After its approval of the final Environmental Impact Report and General Plan amendments Monday night, the Costa Mesa Planning Commission recommended that the City Council review the North Costa Mesa High-Rise Residential Project.

The four proposed high-density preliminary master plans and one final master plan, with minor conditions attached, are in the area surrounded by Sunflower Avenue, Bristol Street, Sakioka Drive and the 405 Freeway.

“These projects have the ability to do a lot of good for Costa Mesa,” said Planning Commission Chairman Bill Perkins. “If we were to develop anything high density, that is the place to have it.”

Site one, which is called Segerstrom Town Center, is planned for 3400 and 3420 Bristol St. and would require the demolition of the movie theaters and an 84,025-square-foot office building. South Coast Plaza Partners is the proposed developer. The proposed buildings will include a maximum of 275 residential units, more than 230,000 square feet of office space and a previously unbuilt hotel entitlement.

Although museum representatives have not officially confirmed the museum will be moving, site two is slated as the Orange County Museum of Art, developed by the Orange County Performing Arts Center, at 605 Town Center. If the plan should be passed by the City Council, the space will allot for 80 residential units to be built above a 140,000-square-foot art museum and academy.

Architects outlined the final master plan of The Californian at Town Center to be built at 580 Anton Boulevard by Fifield Properties, pending council approval. The Lakes Pavilion Retail Center will need to be demolished in order for the 25-story, 250-unit residential high rise along with a 2,350-square-foot retail space. The plan included an “urban forest” with trees and places for people to sit and shop, along with an extended water element, a pool and a fitness center.

“It was nice to see one of the projects in a final master plan,” said Commissioner Bruce Garlich.

The Symphony Towers at 585 Anton Blvd., to be built by J.K. Sakioka Co., will require two existing restaurants to be destroyed and replaced with two 24-story high rises and two six-story midrises that will total 484 residential units along with a 6,000-square-foot retail space.

The fifth site, to be developed by Maguire Properties at 675 Anton Blvd., is called The Pacific Arts Plaza. It will house 180 residential units in a high-rise tower and will call for the destruction of a 67,450-square-foot office building.

The agenda items were all passed unanimously.

“Costa Mesa is a model for urban development,” Garlich said. “Costa Mesa is really on the cutting edge.”

Public comments included concerns from the Costa Mesa Housing Coalition regarding the lack of units for low- and very-low income housing, which the commission proposed was a policy issue for the City Council.

The five projects are scheduled to go before City Council Oct. 17.