Papa Joe’s may sell

Eron Ben-Yehuda

HUNTINGTON BEACH -- The owners of Papa Joe’s Pizza are expected to

sell their property within the next few weeks to a major Downtown

developer, who plans to build a multimillion dollar hotel, restaurant and

retail complex that would help transform the town’s center from a local

hangout to a major tourist destination.

In June, the City Council approved the proposal covering a two block

area bounded by Main Street, Walnut Avenue, Sixth Street and Pacific

Coast Highway. Since then, the developer -- Los Angeles-based CIM Group

-- has met with strong resistance from the seven private property owners

who hold about one acre. The city controls the other two acres that will

be turned over to CIM. If a deal is hammered out, it would mean the

developer finally convinced one of the private property owners on the

project site to give up the land.

Until now, no one seemed interested in selling or swapping the

property in exchange for shares in the future development.

Sal Cracchiolo, who along with his ailing father, Frank, owns the

pizza parlor in the 500 block of Pacific Coast Highway, said the

negotiation has reached its final stage.

The developer agrees.

“I expect it to be [concluded] very soon, not months,” said John

Given, the developer’s senior vice president.

Bringing Papa Joe’s into the fold is “an important step” because

that’s where CIM plans to build its approximately 130-room hotel, Given

said. The proposal calls for 135,000 square feet of retail and restaurant

space and about 400 parking spaces, most of which would be underground,

city officials have said.

Given said he hopes others will follow in the footsteps of the

Cracchiolos.

“I doubt that [will happen],” said Vicki Lane, whose family has owned

property on the project site for four generations.

A group of renegade property owners want to renovate on their own, she

said. But they don’t have creative control because the developer can ask

the city to use its power of eminent domain over commercial property to

force the owners to sell.