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COVER STORY, MAY 2006
MIX & MAX
Western developers maximize utility and uniqueness by mixing uses.
Brian A. Lee
Mixed-use developments address the needs of both demanding consumers and cities, whether it be a resident searching for convenience or a city council aiming to revitalize a certain area with an urban infill property. These types of projects challenge developers and development teams to be creative and produce properties that attract people while serving many purposes. As you can see from the following, there are many fine examples of these engaging, multifacted projects going on in the West.
Oceanside Terraces
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The $40 million Oceanside Terraces, a Janez Group development in north San Diego County, will feature 38 luxury condominiums over two floors of retail and office space.
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Situated along the deep blue of the Pacific Ocean, the city of Oceanside, California, is giving the green light to the dynamic redevelopment of its nine-block downtown core in northern San Diego County. A huge component of this revitalization is the developer Janez Group’s $40 million Oceanside Terraces mixed-use project, which will feature 38 luxury condominiums atop two floors of retail and office space.
“The goal of redevelopment is to create a pedestrian-friendly, live-work urban environment, and with projects like Oceanside Terraces we’re closing in on achieving that goal,” says Jane McVey, Oceanside’s director of economic development and redevelopment.
Designed by Los Angeles-based architects RSA Rothenberg Sawasy Architecture to look like a Mediterranean hillside village, Oceanside Terraces is positioned two blocks from the beach and adjacent to the future site of Oceanside Beach Resort Hotel, a 307-room Westin hotel slated to open in 2009. Oceanside Terraces will feature 2,000-square-foot, single-level residential floor plans, 10-foot ceilings, eight-foot view windows, and expansive outdoor terraces and private balconies. The pre-sales of the condo units, priced from $700,000 to $1.5 million, have been brisk.
“We’re pleased that buyers are discovering this urban seaside jewel, and we’re adding prospective buyers to the interest list daily, from not only San Diego, but Orange County, Los Angeles and even Palm Desert,” says John Kocmur, president of San Diego-based Janez Group. “Savvy buyers see the value in purchasing a new home that is twice as big as an oceanfront home two blocks away for the same price tag. People want to walk downstairs and enjoy shopping and dining with the ocean just a short stroll away.”
Janez has retained Burnham Real Estate to market its seven retail storefront spaces, which range in size from 674 to 5,382 square feet. Oceanside Terraces’ 11 office condominiums, which total 18,000 square feet and are being marketed by Grubb & Ellis, are sure to sell fast, given the many nearby amenities and its position adjacent to a major rail transit center with frequent service to Los Angeles.
The Burbank Collection
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The Burbank Collection, a Champion Development project in Burbank, California.
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Champion Development Group recently broke ground on The Burbank Collection, the second phase of the $90 million, mixed-use, AMC Theatres 16-anchored project called Burbank Entertainment Village. Situated on a full city block in downtown Burbank, California, the development will feature 118 condominiums (including 60 luxury lofts), 40,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, and a new 731-space parking structure.
“The Burbank Collection anchors the north end of a reinvigorated six-block mixed-use downtown district along San Fernando Boulevard in Burbank’s urban core and will meet the strong demand for downtown housing from young professionals, especially those working in the entertainment industry,” says Robert Champion, president of Los Angeles-based Champion Development Group, whose company was selected by AMC for its experience in downtown redevelopment and urban retail.
Located in the City Centre redevelopment area of the city, The Burbank Collection will feature a dynamic pedestrian plaza, which will link to the AMC Theatre. The development will be further distinguished by the inclusion of a grand staircase and corner tower at its main entrance, as well as kiosks, lush landscaping, benches and a water statue honoring Burbank’s role in the movie industry.
The ground-floor retail shops are stepped back to accentuate Palm Plaza, which connects the two phases of Burbank Entertainment Village. Above the contrasting storefronts, the four levels of residential units are further offset, to create an expansive feeling, according to the design of Perkowitz + Ruth Architects. Project completion is slated for spring 2008.
Mesa del Sol
No stranger to very large development projects and public-private partnerships, Forest City Enterprises is teaming with Covington Capital to tackle Mesa del Sol, an enormous mixed-use project located on Albuquerque’s south mesa. Along with the help of the New Mexico State Land Office and the University of New Mexico, the joint venture will develop the nearly 13,000-acre parcel south of Albuquerque’s airport into 1,400+ acres of industrial and offices uses; 4,400+ acres of residential and supporting retail uses; and more than 4,000 acres set aside for schools, parks and open space.
“The New Urbanism design will bring a great variety of mixed-use development to the Albuquerque market, including a concentration on high-tech employment centers,” says Harry Relkin, land development director for Forest City Covington NM LLC, the name of the joint venture.
This “wedge development” southeast of New Mexico’s biggest city will be one of the largest master-planned communities in the country, a place where people can live, learn, work and play. Forest City’s national resume and Covington Capital’s regional residential and industrial skill sets are a perfect combination for a project of this size.
“Forest City is a leader in private public partnerships,” says Relkin. “Its Stapleton Airport redevelopment project [in Denver] is one of the best examples of mixed-use New Urbanism development in the country. The addition of the major component of job creation [in Mesa del Sol] is not new to Forest City, but adding it at this scale is unique.”
The Americana at Brand
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American at Brand, a Caruso Affiliated project in Glendale, CaliforniaAmerican at Brand, a Caruso Affiliated project in Glendale, California.
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Known for creating open-air community and regional centers that serve as local gathering places, Los Angeles-based Caruso Affiliated will bring The Americana at Brand mixed-use development to a prime 15.5-acre parcel in the center of downtown Glendale, California. Worth the wait, the $264.2 million project will feature 475,000 square feet of retail, dining and entertainment uses as well as 338 residential units.
The plan for the property includes a two-acre park surrounded by a pedestrian promenade and fountains. The Americana at Brand’s large civic plaza creates an open-air town-center feel and delightful gathering spot in Glendale's commercial district for residents and visitors alike. Caruso’s retail, housing and entertainment development is being built across the street from the Glendale Galleria regional mall.
The Village of Centennial Springs
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The Village at Centennial Springs by Rhapsody Partners.
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“Main Street”-themed The Village of Centennial Springs is certain to be a main attraction when completed in spring 2007. Currently under construction in northwest Las Vegas, the $42 million mixed-use development will feature 75,000 square feet of retail space, 41,000 square feet of office space and a residential component.
Developer Rhapsody Partners has planned for The Village of Centennial Springs to have the best possible blend of utility and charm. Retail, restaurant, office and residential offerings will be accented by tree-lined streets and lush landscaping. Surrounded by a master-planned community, the unique village will be home to CP Squires Park, which will feature an outdoor theater, shade pavilions, barbeque areas, a children’s play area, and various seasonal offerings and activities.
”[We] developed the Lamplight Neighborhood concept in Las Vegas,” says Liz Kramer, marketing director for Kirkland, Washington-based Rhapsody Partners. “Unlike many of the mixed-use communities being built in the valley, it was always planned for The Village of Centennial Springs to have a small-town, Main Street appeal, as opposed to a more urban feel. Our vision was to create our own Mayberry with fiber optics.”
The Village at University Park
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The Village at University Park in Palm Desert, California, will feature retail, garden-style offices and a 120-room hotel.
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At the crossroads of the Coachella Valley, The Evans Company and Shaw Properties broke ground this winter on The Village at University Park, a mixed-use, open-air lifestyle project that will combine restaurants, shops, offices and a 120-room Hilton Homewood Suites on 23.5 well-positioned acres in Palm Desert, California.
With direct access to the Interstate 10-Cook Street interchange and surrounded by the planned 4,000-home University Park residential community, The Village at University Park will cater to both travelers and families. Staying true to its name, it will also appeal to students and faculty. The Palm Desert campuses of California State University, San Bernardino and University of California-Riverside share a 220-acre site nearby.
“The Village at University Park is expected to be the heart of a large commercial, residential and university neighborhood,” says Fred Evans of the Palm Desert-based father-son development team, The Evans Company.
Expected to open in late 2006, Phase I of the development will comprise 45,000 square feet of locally based restaurants and retail stores, and eight garden office condos totaling 75,000 square feet. Co-developer Shaw Properties is developing the office component, which will anchor the western part of the property. The Hilton Homewood Suites anchors the southern end of The Village at University Park and is connected to the retail-business sections by the development’s Main Street, which will offer tree-lined promenades, alfresco dining and a village-green plaza. The mixed-use development will have a mix of design motifs as well — a retro, mid-century village feel with contemporary updates.
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