Griffin Realty Starts Santa Ana Construction

Griffin Realty, in a joint venture with Ahmanson Commercial Development Co., bought seven acres in Hutton Centre in Santa Ana for $8.5 million this week and has begun construction on the first of two, 12-story office buildings planned for the site. Roger Torriero, president of Newport Beach-based Griffin Realty, said escrow closed Tuesday on the property that Griffin acquired from members of the Betty Hutton family. He said Griffin and Ahmanson, a subsidiary of Home Savings of America, will build a $90-million, 570,000-square-foot office complex over the next four years. When fully leased, he said, the complex will house about 2,000 employees.