Costa Mesa : Upgrading Scaled Back for Redevelopment Area

There won’t be any trees, planters or curbs in the rear parking lots of some businesses along Newport Boulevard--and that suits some property owners just fine.

The city had hoped to upgrade the lots and remodel storefronts between 18th and 19th streets as part of a redevelopment effort. However, when the only two contractors to respond submitted bids of $1.2 million and $1.5 million--more than double what the city had allocated--planners scaled back their plans.

“Most of the merchants here don’t mind one bit,” said Roy McCardle, whose realty office is at 1810 Newport Blvd. “They were going to go back there and plant trees and landscape it, and I just don’t think that’s necessary.”

Community Development Coordinator Pat David said the parking lots will be resurfaced and repainted, however. Awnings, tiles and new layers of beige stucco are planned for the storefronts so that the entire strip will reflect the Spanish architecture of other downtown projects, including an 11.5-acre shopping center on the west side of Newport Boulevard.

David said the city hopes to cut costs on the project by eliminating the middle man. “This time we took a different posture. Instead of dealing with general contractors, we went straight to the subcontractors,” she said. About 50 subcontractors have been contacted, she added, and bids for the scaled-down project will be opened June 11.

About half the cost of the project will be underwritten by funds from the federal Community Development Block Grant program, with the remainder paid by property owners through low-interest loans and deferred payments.