Western Real Estate Business magazine covers the multifamily, retail, office, healthcare, industrial and hospitality sectors in the Western United States.
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48 • September 2015 • Western Real Estate Business www.REBusinessOnline.com A 12-acre brownfeld site in Hun- tington Beach was previously home to an empty warehouse and parking lot. The Boardwalk, Hun- tington Beach's newest mixed-use development, now provides 487 mar- ket rate and afordable apartments, a public park and 14,500 square feet of commercial space. This new proj- ect fulflls the city's plan to connect several parts of the community sur- rounding the renovated Bella Terra Town Center. It has transformed this stretch of land along Edinger Avenue into a walkable, pedestrian-friendly neighborhood. The Boardwalk further supports the city's regional mobility goal of placing increased residential density near existing ofce, retail and transportation. Before the transformation, visitors walked along the avenue at odds with trafc, rarely encountering outdoor space ft for pedestrians. TCA worked with Sares Regis Group and the City of Huntington Beach to bring the newly adopted Beach Edinger Corri- dors Specifc Plan to life. Through their form-based code, the city planned for Edinger Avenue to be rebuilt as a grand boulevard, embrac- ing cars and pedestrians. The plan also included commercial ground foors, a frontage road diagonal park- ing and wide sidewalks. At the Board- walk, mixed-use buildings now front Edinger "Boulevard," while four-sto- ry residential buildings behind this project frame open spaces and a me- andering neighborhood street. This neighborhood now provides a walk- able linkage between Bella Terra Mall, Goldenwest College and the Golden- west Transit Center one block to the north. It is lined with parallel parking, stoops and porches. The Boardwalk utilizes a revolution- ary building type coined High-DEF by TCA. This method maximizes site efciency, lowers construction cost and dramatically shortens construc- tion schedules from typical housing typologies of similar densities. The all-wood-frame buildings contain no concrete or steel frames, which allows the cost of construction to be as low as $125 per square foot. Foundations are slab on grade, with parking in garages under the building or in courts behind the building. Because parking is all at grade, site planning was the biggest challenge in designing the Surf City community. In order to provide the quality environ- ment expected of all parties, the park- ing had to be shielded from the pedes- trian realm. The residential building's frst foors are designed to activate the neighborhood streets and out- door spaces with ground-foor units and entry lobbies. Entries to frst-foor parking garages situated under the building are located to the rear of the buildings of-parking courts. Two iconic amenity buildings line the internal neighborhood street, framing the public park and private pool courtyard. The frst building, centered on the main entry of Ed- inger Avenue, acts as a focal point and a singular expression for the entire development. The building's tower encloses a three-story entry lobby wrapped by a spiraling vortex of blue light. A rooftop lounge and sunning deck caps the tower-like building, providing the ultimate social hub and view opportunity. A second amenity building houses the extensive ftness and yoga cen- ter in a three-story building north of the pool courtyard. It features a dra- matic architectural rooftop sculpted in blue steel. Giant glu- lam beams arc over a voluminous inte- rior space, and then extend out to cover a second-foor deck spanning over the walkway below. The Boardwalk was free to develop its own coastal contemporary vibe, refective of the hip, outdoor lifestyle synonymous with Huntington Beach, since it falls outside the adjacent Bella Terra Specifc Plan. Natural materials and colors are found throughout the community. The Boardwalk's own mixed-use main street of Edinger Av- enue, with diagonal parking and out- door retail plazas, refects this casual, laid back charm and provides a natu- ral connection to the regional center at Bella Terra. Eric Olsen, AIA, LEED AP, Principal at TCA Architects Olsen FROM A BROWNFIELD TO A PEACHY DESTINATION Huntington Beach's newest mixed-use project demonstrates the amazing transformations that can happen when lemons are turned into lemonade in Orange County. By Eric Olsen The Boardwalk was free to develop its own coastal contemporary vibe, refective of the hip, outdoor lifestyle synonymous with Huntington Beach, since it falls outside the adjacent Bella Terra Specifc Plan. At the Boardwalk, mixed-use buildings now front Edinger "Boulevard," while four- story residential buildings behind this project frame open spaces and a meandering neighborhood street. continued from page 38 Working with a capital source is critical for loans that might be headed for delinquency. Seeking advisement before the default will keep borrowers from losing considerable leverage and paying higher fees. Discounted payofs, matu- rity extensions, auctions and split note structures will continue to be good resolutions for assets, depending on the market and asset circumstance. Although loan workouts are usually structured to favor the lender, proac- tive borrowers have a better chance to make compelling ofers for distressed deals. Being proactive is the key to avoiding the earthquake. Tanya Little, CEO, Hart Advisors Group, a commercial real estate advisory frm that specializes in CMBS loan restructures, loan assumptions and asset management. UPCOMING MARKET HIGHLIGHTS OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER Los Angeles Northern California Inland Empire Orange County Seattle Phoenix EDITORIAL OPPORTUNITIES: Nellie Day nday@francemediainc.com ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES: Scott France scott@francemediainc.com