Laguna Hills Hotel Work Will Have September Start : Dallas Company to Operate 300-Room, $40 Million Hostelry and Galleria to Be Built in Orange County

Scheduled for construction start in September is the 300-room Laguna Hills Hotel and adjoining galleria, to be bounded by El Toro Road, Avenida de la Carlota and Paseo de Valencia in Orange County.

The Los Angeles-based firm McCune, Gerwin & Partners Inc. will provide architectural, interior and landscape design and construction services for the $40-million project.

The firm, which also designed the Bel Age Hotel in West Hollywood and the new Sheraton in Ventura, recently received an Award of Merit from the Society of American Registered Architects for the design of Manor Court Condominiums in Ventura.

The 300,000-square-foot hotel complex will be owned and operated by D. B. Hotels of Dallas, and will provide the community with a full range of hospitality amenities.

The facility will include a 10,000-square-foot ballroom, a 3,000-square-foot junior ballroom, eight meeting rooms, one board room, two restaurants, lounge, lobby bar, eight presidential suites, health club and concierge service.

The hotel will be designed in a Mediterranean style with a vast courtyard area and curving stairways framing a tiered fountain.

Charles McCune, president of the architectural firm, said the project was a “significant challenge” in that it involved a hotel and interconnected galleria with specialty restaurants, shops and services.