AROUND THE COUNTY

Orange County Business Journal, Aug 27-Sep 2, 2007 by Park, Carol, O'Hare, Billy, Hughes, Paul

Projects, developments and other activity in cities in and around OC

ANAHEIM

Brookfield Homes Corp. of Del Mar plans to start construction on Lincoln Square, a gated community of 73 townhomes on Lincoln Avenue, just east of East Street on a former Yellow Cab Taxi site. The homes are set to sell from the mid to high $500,000s. They'll be 1,600 square feet to 2,000 square feet. Brookfield plans three in-fill housing projects in Anaheim in 2008. Urban infill building has become a focus for the company. growing to nearly half of its sales, Brookfield Vice President John O'Brien said.

CYPRESS

Arcadia-based Nevis Homes LLC finished construction on the second phase of its 63-home development. Nevis began construction on the first phase of the homes at 4801 Lincoln Ave. late last summer, according to city officials. The homes were customized according to buyers. The first phase is sold out. This is Nevis Homes' latest housing project in Orange County. Nevis is redeveloping a 65-unil apartment complex on El Camino Real in Tustin. Nevis plans to have models of those homes open by early 2008. The project is set to have a pool and spa, outdoor fireplace and seating.

FOUNTAIN VALLEY

Santa Ana-based Far West Industries is grading 14 acres for 54 homes. The San Marino housing development is on the site of a former elementary school at 9300 Gardenia Ave. The school has been empty tor 15 years. The one- and two-story homes are set to be 3,000 to 3,850 square feet and start selling for less than SI million. Plans also call for a 1acre park. The Fountain Valley School District sold the land to Far West for about $19.5 million. Far West will stagger its payment over time amid the slower housing market. Far West will build the homes to a maximum of 25 feet. The Santa Ana project is Far West's first Orange County development. Far West has developed projects in Yucaipa. Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage and Riverside.

IRVINE

The University of California, Irvine, has awarded a design contract for new student housing to KTGY Group Inc. The multiphase project is expected to house about 4,000 students. The project is set for five parcels on the east campus of UC Irvine. Construction is expected to begin sometime next year, according to KTGY. The project is targeting a high rating under the U.S. Green Building Council's environmental impact rating system. The dorms stand to grow the school's student count by about 28%. KTGY recently finished projects totaling 3,000 beds at the university.

WESTMINSTER

Grading for 144 condominiums for seniors 55 and up in the city's Little Saigon area is set to begin soon, according to Westminster planning manager Art Bashmakian. The five-story project is set to occupy 4.15 acres and include parking on lhe first two stories. Grading is set to take two to six months. Developers Moran Property LP and Asian Garden Ltd. ? received city approval for the project late 2005. Construction will take up to three years to complete, Bashmakian said.

LAGUNA NIGUEL

Construction on two buildings is under way on the Mission Lutheran Church campus. San Clemente-based Consolidated Contracting Services Inc. has begun work on the project, which will total 17.300 square feet. An existing building was demolished at the site - at 24360 YosemUe Road - and will be replaced with a single-story building that will house a fellowship hall. The other building, slated to be two stories, will be for the church's administrative offices. Construction is set to be finished by July 2008.