SANTA ANA, Calif. — The Santa Ana City Council on Tuesday, Sept. 16, took an important first step in realizing the redevelopment of a 17.2-acre, underperforming commercial center near South Coast Plaza into a vibrant mixed-use village, creating modern commercial spaces, housing, jobs and open space — completely reimagining the future of this area.
The Santa Ana City Council unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance for The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan and Development Agreement, which allows the redevelopment of the current South Coast Plaza Village at 1561 W. Sunflower Ave. into a mixed-use urban community. It will feature up to 1,583 new residential units, 80,000 square feet of retail and dining space, 300,000 square feet of office space, and 13.8 acres of public and private open space — including 7.5 acres of publicly accessible parks and recreational areas. Buildings will range from one to 25 stories, anchored by a central plaza with restaurants, shops and cultural amenities.
“The Village Santa Ana represents a bold step toward transforming an underutilized commercial center into a thriving community hub where people can live, work and gather,” Mayor Valerie Amezcua said. “This project reflects the vision of our City Council and our General Plan to respond to the growing housing and economic needs of our city.”
Key community benefits include $9.3 million in community benefit payments, $7.1 million in funding for affordable housing through in-lieu fees that can be allocated to future housing opportunities, and a long-term commitment to open space infrastructure, and sustainable development practices.
Construction will be carried out in five phases over up to 20 years, depending on market conditions. The project is expected to generate thousands of construction and permanent jobs, add new housing opportunities, and strengthen Santa Ana’s role as a cultural and economic destination in Orange County.
Approval of the project is a key component of implementing the General Plan Update, which was adopted by the City Council in 2022. The General Plan Update contains bold new visions for concentrating new development opportunities around major commercial corridors and employment centers, such as the South Bristol Street area adjacent to South Coast Plaza. Following the approval on Sept. 16, the project will return to City Council for a second reading on October 7.
The Village Santa Ana Specific Plan is the latest in a series of major developments to move forward in Santa Ana, including the largest mixed-use, master planned development in the city’s history, the 41-acre, $2.9 billion Related Bristol urban village. The City Council approved Related Bristol, which is adjacent to The Village Santa Ana, in October 2024.
These kinds of projects always look like urban oasis in the planning phase that will solve SoCa’ls car-dependency problem, then end up being superblocks of overpriced, cheaply constructed apartments with shady management, way too many yappy dogs, and not nearly enough parking.