Face-lift to 17th Street center winds down

Lolita Harper

COSTA MESA -- Tenants at Hillgren Square are starting to breath easier

as the scaffolding around the remodeled center comes down and business

starts to pick up.

The East 17th Street square, which includes Mi Casa Mexican

Restaurant, Garduno’s Express Cuisine and Culinary Wraps, underwent a

$12-million face-lift this summer that is nearing completion. Plans for

the center included gabled slate roofs, pitched copper-clad steeples,

repaved and re-striped parking areas, a promenade, colorful awnings and

landscaping.

For months, the square has been covered in scaffolding and “open for

business during construction” signs.

Matt Nazeri, owner of Culinary Wraps, said his business was hit hard

because summer is usually the busiest time for him. He said he

experienced a 10% to 15% drop in business over the last five months.

“They’ve done what they have to do and now it’s starting to look

good,” he said.

The project looks to be half done, with structural changes completed

but is still missing details like landscaping, signs and awnings.

Officials from Wohl Investment Co., the center’s owner, were unavailable

for comment.

In previous interviews, President Peter Desforges said the goal of

remodeling was to create a more upscale center for an upscale clientele.

Martha Yarbrough, owner of Hair Productions, said she has already seen

an increase in walk-in clientele.

Her business probably fared better than others in the center because

she has a regular clientele, she said.

Although the remodeling hasn’t affected her bottom line, Yarbrough is

excited about the changes.

“The center has needed this for years. We love it already and it’s not

even finished,” Yarbrough said. “Once it’s complete, I expect business to

pick up tremendously.”

Tenants of Hillgren Square not only look forward to the new look of

the center, but the new businesses that will occupy some of the empty

storefronts. Officials from Wohl Investments have said they are trying to

add higher-quality tenants and weed out stores that did not keep with the

image of the remodeled center.

New leases at the center asked tenants to pay about three times more

for rent, business owners said.

Nazeri is hoping his investment will pay off in the long run but said

he can’t survive another summer like this one.

“They’re trying hard. Hopefully they’ll bring in businesses that will

attract customers that will wander into all of our stores,” he said.

* Lolita Harper covers Costa Mesa. She may be reached at (949)

574-4275 or by e-mail at o7 [email protected] .