Empty storefronts and “For Lease” signs have become a common sight at Costa Mesa’s Triangle Square.
Opened in 1992, the square was meant to bring the city’s downtown to life, but downward economic trends and other factors led to the largely vacant mall seen today.
Now, the grand opening of a new 24 Hour Fitness gym on Saturday has renewed hope for many that the nearly 200,000-square-foot shopping center could go on the rebound.
The gym at 1870 Harbor Blvd. will occupy about 50,000 square feet to include a basketball court and pool, totally encompassing the basement, which used to be a Whole Foods market, and part of the first level.
The goal is to not only drive some much-needed foot traffic for the existing businesses, but to encourage other high-end businesses to set up shop, too, the city’s interim development services director Khanh Nguyen said in an email.
Two-thirds vacant, the square’s major remaining tenants are the Yard House restaurant, Sutra Lounge and the Triangle Square Theatres on the second level.
The 24 Hour Fitness, Nguyen said, will hopefully serve as a new anchor for the shopping center.
For a long time, the shopping center, which stands next to one of Orange County’s busiest intersections, has suffered “existence pains,” as Ed Fawcett, president and CEO of the Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce, calls them.
When Triangle Square opened, large-scale businesses such as Barnes and Noble, Nike Town, and Virgin Megastore made it a destination for shoppers, Fawcett said.
Management at the time had a successful formula for operating the square, marketing the center as a destination. He said the owners also effectively promoted the roof-top courtyard as a community gathering point.
Then the square changed ownership.
“In some cases, (the owners) did nothing,” Fawcett said. “They just allowed (Triangle Square) to languish because they had such a small investment in it.”
To Sandra Genis, who was a member of the City Council when Triangle Square was approved, said the project seemed odd from the start.
The development used eminent domain to secure its land, forcing out a number of mom and pop businesses.
Triangle Square also faced immediate competition from the retail powerhouse South Coast Plaza.
“When I was a little kid, downtown Costa Mesa was the place you went if you wanted to shop,” Genis said.
But as South Coast Plaza became more successful, people stopped trying to open businesses downtown, she said.
“This whole idea that we were going to have … another thriving commercial center for a city our size was just not realistic,” Genis said. “There’s only so many commercial dollars to go around.”
Poor design of the square may also be a turnoff for some shoppers, Genis added. With parking located below the building, many find it difficult to get in or out until they have visited a few times, she said.
In 2006, ownership of Triangle Square changed hands to Greenlaw Partners of Newport Beach. Fawcett said he has greater confidence in Greenlaw’s chances for success than he had with previous owners.
Greenlaw announced plans in 2007 to demolish the movie theater to build 120 condos and lofts. But the project was nixed in late 2008 due to an inability to get financing, Nguyen said.
The 24 Hour Fitness opening is the latest effort to revitalize Triangle Square.
Greenlaw Partners declined to comment on future plans, saying those details would be announced at a later date.
Facing scarce parking at the nearby 24 Hour Fitness on 19th Street, people may also gravitate to the Triangle Square location where there is more parking, Genis said.
Since the new gym’s customers wouldn’t require street traffic to succeed, Fawcett said the gym will draw traffic in to Triangle Square.
“It’s a novel component that hasn’t been in there,” he said. “I would bet on its success.”
Contact the writer: sgreene.ocr@gmail.com