SANTA ANA, Calif. - Three outdated office buildings and a vacant land parcel in south Santa Ana will be transformed into a modern industrial campus called the South Coast Technology Center that will revitalize business activity in the area.

The approval is one of a number of major development projects currently undergoing entitlement review by the City and is reflective of the vision and nimbleness of the City Council and of the new City administration to keep pace with change. The proposed development is anticipated to generate 687 permanent jobs and 555 one-time jobs associated with its construction, while increasing the production of goods and services in Santa Ana by $256.1 million annually.

"We are ushering in a new era of development with the adoption of our new General Plan in 2022 and our efforts to comprehensively update the City's Zoning Code and revitalize Santa Ana's key economic engines," Mayor Valerie Amezcua said. "Industrial districts are significant sources of employment and municipal revenue, and they contribute to the economic health of the city and the region."

On Tuesday, Aug. 6, the Santa Ana City Council unanimously approved the proposed project by C.J. Segerstrom & Sons to demolish the existing buildings known as the Lake Center Business Park and to construct three new Class A industrial flex buildings. Slated to be constructed along the south side of W. Lake Center Drive flanking S. Susan Drive, the 313,000-square-foot complex will future-proof the business center by introducing new allowed uses reflecting current and future economic trends.

The Zoning Ordinance Amendment approved by the City Council allows the site to be used for light industrial uses, which may include corporate offices, research and development, light manufacturing and warehousing, among other industrial uses. The project will include outdoor patios, landscaping, surface parking, EV charging stations, a community park, and improvements to nearby streets and sidewalks.

The diversity of residential and non-residential mixed-use developments by developers like Toll Brothers, The Related Companies, and C.J. Segerstrom & Sons signals that the City's new approach is paving the way for growth while respecting the development vision, environmental justice goals and policies of the General Plan.

Learn more about the Zoning Code Update here.

Find a list and map of major development projects in Santa Ana here.