REAL ESTATE : Irvine Co. Discussing Deals for L.A. Firms to Move to the County

An Irvine Co. official says the real estate development firm is negotiating deals with two Los Angeles-based concerns that are interested in moving operations to Orange County.

Each company has more than 200 employees and is looking at build-to-suit facilities. While that might not sound like a big deal in itself, Irvine Co. has recently signed deals with several companies planning to expand or move Los Angeles County operations into Orange County.

Rick Wandroche, senior director of leasing at Irvine Co., said the most recent companies confirmed for moving some operations here are Prudential Securities; the Cheesecake Factory; a division of Mitsubishi Corp.; General Construction; and Brown & Colvin, an insurance brokerage.

“I don’t know if you can draw any sweeping conclusions from this, but you can argue that the Orange County market continues to be an attractive location for our neighbors, especially those from the north,” said Larry Thomas, spokesman for the Irvine Co. “There is a tendency for people, especially those outside the state, to view the Orange County market as the same as Los Angeles. This is evidence that this is a distinct market, a special place apart from Los Angeles.”