Ceremony Kicked Off Construction Of The 68-Acre Retail, Dining, Entertainment And Residential Urban Village On Site Of Former Laguna Hills Mall
Stuart Crandall, Five Lagunas general manager, Merlone Geier Partners, Stephen Logan, project director of development, Merlone Geier Partners, Scott A. McPherson, executive managing director, Merlone Geier Partners, Barron Caronite, director of land development, Merlone Geier Partners, and David Geiser (Managing Director Merlone Geier Partners) participating in the shovel dig at groundbreaking ceremony on the site of the former Laguna Hills Mall. After three years of planning, Merlone Geier Partners and the City of Laguna Hills broke ground on Five Lagunas, the new urban village where guests can shop, dine and play and residents can live.
After three years of planning, Merlone Geier Partners and the City of Laguna Hills broke ground on the new Five Lagunas center in a ceremony on August 5, 2016, on the site of the former Laguna Hills Mall. The landmark location – adjacent to the 5 Freeway – sits in the heart of Laguna Hills, Laguna Beach, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods and Laguna Canyon, providing inspiration for the name of Five Lagunas.
“At the center of the five communities, Five Lagunas will emerge as a modern, inviting and thoroughly south Orange County destination,” said Stephen Logan, project director of development, Merlone Geier Partners. “This groundbreaking is the culmination of years of vision, community engagement and sheer innovation to breathe new life into the community. South Orange County will finally have its very own community epicenter with five experiences in one: the outdoors, art, fashion, dining and entertainment.”
In designing Five Lagunas, Merlone Geier Partners set out to build an urban village where guests could shop, dine and play and residents could live – creating the first “downtown experience” for this master-planned community. The developer also committed to recycling as much of the former Laguna Hills Mall as possible, revamping a portion of the indoor mall and converting much of the property to airy outdoor spaces. Five Lagunas will be home to approximately 60 retailers, including a mix of local, national, fast-fashion and luxury brands.
Laguna Hills Mayor Barbara Kogerman operates the excavator to drop the iconic two-story high Laguna Hills Mall sign, paving the way for the new urban village where guests can shop, dine and play and residents can live. After three years of planning, Merlone Geier Partners and the City of Laguna Hills broke ground on Five Lagunas during a ceremony on the site of the former Laguna Hills Mall.
The developer also will engage and entertain guests with attractions and amenities designed to enliven their five senses. Five Lagunas will feature a 14-screen luxury movie theater; chef-driven restaurants; a one-acre park where live music and events will be held; and plans to continue offering a farmers’ market. A six-story parking garage will be added for shoppers’ convenience, too.
After the project opening, the biggest innovation will be the inclusion of modern apartment-homes, an important addition to Five Lagunas’ development as an active downtown-style destination. The project will be completed in phases and opening dates will be announced in the near future. These additions reflect nationwide housing trends catering to consumers who want to live near where they work, be socially engaged and immersed in vibrant urban lifestyles. Catering to their interests, the apartments at Five Lagunas will feature luxury amenities, such as pool decks and state-of-the-art workout facilities.
To enable Five Lagunas to achieve this transformation, Merlone Geier collaborated with several outstanding corporations which include P+R Architects, Studio 111 and C.W. Driver
The Five Lagunas’ groundbreaking ceremony attracted 80 attendees, including officials from the city of Laguna Hills.
About Merlone Geier
Merlone Geier Partners is a private real estate investment company focused on the acquisition, development and redevelopment of retail and retail-driven mixed-use properties on the West Coast. Merlone Geier Partners and their predecessor firm have been actively investing in West Coast retail property for over 20 years. Co-managed by Peter J. Merlone and Bradley A. Geier, they have raised more than $2.3 billion of discretionary institutional equity capital over the past 20 years. While demonstrating sensitivity to the community’s unique needs, Merlone Geier brings creative solutions to the complexities of creating urban and suburban places and destinations. Visit MerloneGeier.com for more information.
RANGGIN HEDAYAT
Public Relations Coordinator
