Register Plans to Double the Size of Production Plant

The Orange County Register is seeking to double the size of its production facility on Grand Avenue, according to plans submitted to the Santa Ana City Council for approval next week.

The project is divided into two phases, which are expected to take about 25 years, said Thomas Grochow, chief executive officer of Register Properties Inc. Construction on the first part of the project could begin as early as 1992, he said.

The City Council on Monday has to amend its general plan as well as change its existing zoning law, which does not allow such an expansion on commercial uses in the neighborhood. City project manager Tom Childress said city approval will guarantee that the project can begin when the newspaper is ready to build.

The launch date for the project depends on whether circulation remains steady at the Register, Grochow said.

The first phase of the project will take about eight to 10 years to complete and will add four new press lines to the facility, Grochow said. During the first phase, the paper will add 266,675 square feet of space to the site, as well as 338 parking spaces. The paper will also have more storage space, an overhang and a truck dock.

During the second phase, which will begin about 10 years into the project, the paper will add another four presses and add 314,265 square feet of space. The paper plans to build a four-story parking structure south of Grand Avenue.

The Register anticipates hiring 500 new employees for the expansion, according to the project plan.

The newspaper employs 2,006 people and occupies 406,650-square feet of space at its Grand Avenue plant. The Register is also buying 6.6 acres north of the site.