Construction to Begin on Homes, Parks, Shops Near Airport

Construction begins this month on Uptown Newport Village, a mixed-use development near John Wayne Airport.

The project, which will include 1,244 homes, 11,500 square feet of retail space and two 1-acre parks, will be built on 25 acres along Jamboree Road, between Birch Street and MacArthur Boulevard. The City Council approved the project last year.

During construction, developer the Shopoff Group of Irvine expects to create 2,800 jobs to Newport Beach, President and CEO William Shopoff has said.

“This is a cornerstone property and a gateway to Newport Beach, and we’re thrilled to launch the first phase of development, which will revitalize and transform the neighborhood near Koll Center Newport, John Wayne Airport and UC Irvine,” Shopoff said in a news release.

The Shopoff Group will serve as master developer for the site, which means it will build the overall infrastructure and the first of two 1-acre public parks. The Shopoff Group will also install a stormwater runoff treatment system designed to protect and improve water quality in Newport Beach’s Back Bay, according to a press release.

The project will be built in two phases. Phase 1, set to begin this month and targeted for completion in 2016, entails demolishing an existing office building, constructing an 11,500-square-foot retail center, building approximately 580 luxury apartments and condominiums, and creating a park with a concert green, courtyard and children’s tot lot, states the release.

As part of the initial phase, The Shopoff Group formed a partnership with The Picerne Group to develop 483 luxury apartments on a 5-acre parcel within the project. The joint venture will own and manage the apartments, which will begin construction later this year, according to the release.