Yorba Linda steams ahead with its Town Center after completing parking structure

Yorba Linda Town Center has started to take shape at the busy intersection of Imperial Highway and Yorba Linda Boulevard after more than 25 years of debate over what should be built on the former taxpayer-owned land.

Construction crews recently completed a 430-space parking structure that will not only serve the project but also Old Town Yorba Linda, which has struggled over the decades to attract patrons due to a shortage of nightlife destinations and sufficient parking. The 11.22-acre project will be anchored by a 10-screen Regal Cinemas movie theater and Bristol Farms grocery store, which are expected to open in the first quarter of 2019.

In the 125,000-square-foot project’s center is a landscaped park that will be nearly an acre. City and business community leaders have talked about hosting public events there in coming years.

“These are major things that are happening that will be with us for the next century,” said Yorba Linda City Manager Mark Pulone.

Many Yorba Linda residents think of Old Town as exclusively Historic Main Street; however, the district is officially bound by Lemon Drive, Lakeview Ave., Yorba Linda Blvd. and Imperial Hwy.

Over the years, the former Yorba Linda Redevelopment Agency purchased more than 20 residential and commercial properties in Old Town Yorba Linda with the intention of demolishing them to make room for new development.

Los Angeles-based developer Zelman Retail Partners bought the land in 2016 for $3.4 million. The company’s Co-President Brett Foy said there are a few remaining retail and dining locations in the project that are still available for lease.

“We’re very happy with the tenant mix we’ve got,” Foy said. “We think it’s going to be a great thing for the community.”

Coinciding with the construction of the center, the city of Yorba Linda will revitalize Main St. and Lemon Drive with new landscaping, curbs, gutters and decorative pavement.

On the other side of Lakeview Ave., the city plans to build a new library and 13,000-square-foot arts center to replace its old, seismically-unsafe library on Olinda St.

Many long-time residents like Mayor Pro Tem Tara Campbell — who was born and raised in “The Land of Gracious Living” — were unsure if the Town Center would ever be built.

“I think this is a big deal for Yorba Linda,” Campbell said. “A lot of our community wants to spend time in our city. When I was going door-to-door I heard people want to dine here.”

Campbell said the city hopes to attract investment in Main Street as well as see an increase in sales tax, building permits and business licensing revenues.

Mike Rocco, co-owner of Main Street Restaurant, said his family’s primary incentive for moving to Yorba Linda more than 25 years ago and opening their restaurant and music venue was because of Yorba Linda Town Center.

Rocco said it was frustrating to live through decades of public meetings at Yorba Linda City Hall.

“The city is still in its infancy,” Rocco said. “Nobody wanted to sign at the bottom unless they knew it’s going to happen.”

Now construction is happening a few feet from the restaurant’s patio windows.

Yorba Linda City Councilwoman Peggy Huang said she’s excited to see Old Town’s new chapter.

“The Town Center will be the synergy we need to energize the downtown of Yorba Linda,” Huang said.

Daniel Langhorne is a contributor to Times Community News.

Twitter: @DanielLanghorne