A closer look -- Vacant land running out

Jennifer Kho

COSTA MESA--For the better part of the last century, the Segerstrom

family has been one of the pioneers in the development of Costa Mesa and,

in particular, the South Coast Metro area.

Lately, however, the farming and real estate tycoons have been busier

than ever, proposing several major commercial and residential

developments that, when finished, will mark the end of what once seemed

to be an almost limitless amount of undeveloped property.

The projects--the Home Ranch, Mesa Verde and Town Center developments

in Costa Mesa and Armstrong Ranch in Santa Ana--have either recently

received city approval or are heading that way.

And though it may seem as if the family’s long history of land

planning is quickly coming to an end, the patriarch of the lima bean

farming empire is not worried.

“We intend to stay in the real estate business,” Henry Segerstrom

said.

For now, the family is concentrating on making the Town Center

project, which will be subject of a Planning Commission hearing tonight,

a pedestrian-friendly cultural arts district.

Property owners C.J. Segerstrom & Sons, the Orange County Performing

Arts Center and Commonwealth Partners LLC are collaborating on the

project.

Segerstrom thinks the project, and all the others on which the family

has worked, will increase the quality of life in Costa Mesa.

“I would say the guiding principal is that we wanted to contribute to

a city that values the quality of life of its residents and increase the

growth of resources in Orange County,” he said.

“I’m equally proud of all our projects. Everything from the Mondavi

Food and Wine Center, the restaurants, hotels and the performing arts

center have enhanced the quality of life here.

“All the Segerstrom family members admire Costa Mesa for being a

progressive city and for its leadership in developing cultural and retail

resources, as well as residential.”

For generations, the Segerstrom family has shown its ability to adapt

to the community and make its visions come true.

The family of Swedish farmers who emigrated to the United States in

1882 became the nation’s largest independent producer of lima beans.

About 50 to 60 years ago, the family owned some 2,000 acres spread out

in parcels bounded by the Santa Ana River, Adams Avenue, Bristol Street

and Warner Avenue.

The family changed with the times, turning farmland into high-end

retail, commercial, industrial and residential developments. It started

South Coast Plaza about 35 years ago.

“People thought the family was crazy to try to build a mall here,”

said Paul Freeman, a Segerstrom spokesman. “There was nothing here.

Harbor Boulevard was a flood break for farmland.”

Henry Segerstrom, however, said he already could see the county

evolving and the population expanding.

“Our decision to develop a major retail center was based upon the

evolution of the county from an agricultural community to a more balanced

economy,” he said.

“Orange County had just crossed the million mark in population. The

community had outgrown its historical retail center in Santa Ana and we

saw that need and wanted to fill it.”

That development began a new trend for the family members, who largely

changed from being farmers to developers. The family, however, still

farms on its remaining undeveloped land.

“It was just the simple realization that the community was urbanizing,

the place of agriculture in the community was fading very fast and would

ultimately be replaced by human demands and the needs of a growing

population,” Segerstrom said.

The family has donated a number of recreational properties, including

Estancia Park in Costa Mesa and Boy Scout and Girl Scout sites.

Costa Mesa is a uniquely livable urban area in Orange County, Freeman

said, because the San Diego Freeway separates much of the suburban

housing from the cosmopolitan area.

“It happens we have features like the freeway that allow us to have

our cake and eat it too,” he said.

“We can have an insulated residential area separated from the world,

and then drive five minutes to the best shopping, performing arts and

restaurants.

“There’s nothing like it because there is no other company quite like

this family’s. They insist on doing things that are a little bit

different and a little bit classier than anyone else.”

Segerstrom said his predictions for the future are simple: “Costa Mesa

will continue to evolve into more of the central focus in Orange County

and that will be a direct result of the new cultural facilities,

[renovations and new tenants] at South Coast Plaza and further

development of the businesses that are located here.”