Where is Irvine's "downtown"?

[irvinehomeowner]

Supposedly coined in New York City, typically a "downtown" area of a city is the central business district or core (via Wikipedia).

Nowadays, it could also mean where the night life is, where people dine, are entertained and where they socialize.

Back in the day, before the Irvine Spectrum Shopping Center was built (1995), the IBC probably served as Irvine's downtown. It was near the airport, had low/mid-rise buildings, hotels and many businesses.

Now, with all those businesses in the Spectrum, the train station and all those apartments by TIC, seems like the Spectrum area has taken over that designation. Entertainment and shopping wise, the Spectrum is a juggernaut (it wasn't always like that so the transformation is amazing). Geographically, you can even say that the Spectrum is "down" town.

However, Diamond Jamboree, and the independent apartments being built near that area, including the new apartments by TIC just off the 405 (along with that Lennar "urban living" area) does still keep the IBC in the picture. Maybe that area can be called FCBTown .

What do you think?

 

[aquabliss]

Woodbury Town Center of course.

 

[paperboyNC]

Definitely the Spectrum

 

[socal78]

Good question. I'd have to say the Spectrum.

 

[changm55]

um... costa mesa?

 

[test]

 

[irvinehomeowner]

um... costa mesa?

That actually comes up when you are on Irvine in Google maps and put 'downtown' in the search field.

If you Google for Irvine Downtown, TripAdvisor comes up with the Irvine Spectrum.

 

[The Motor Court Company]

Test's link actually shows Greenwood has more jobs nearby than Baker Ranch. Only a shameless Foothill Ranch resident will claim BR/FR/LF have more jobs close by.

 

[Happiness]

There is clearly more employment, office space, hotels in the IBC so using a business metric, the IBC has always been Irvine's downtown.  The Spectrum has more entertainment.  The Spectrum is more of a supersized Newport Center, on which it was modeled, than a downtown.

The big difference between the IBC and the Spectrum is the IBC is governed by the City of Irvine only but the Spectrum is a TIC development where TIC retains substantial control over land use through CC&Rs and other control measures such as signage regulations, vehicle trip counts, etc.  Thus there is a degree of uniformity about the Spectrum that the IBC will never have.  If you like orderliness, the Spectrum is for you.

The IBC is undergoing a major transformation.  Up until 2009, no residential property was allowed in the IBC.  The City of Irvine changed the IBC master plan in 2009 and allowed residential development.  You can see that many warehouses and industrial buildings, especially around Jamboree/Main are now being demolished and replaced by apartments and condos.

TIC made a wise decision evicting Lion Country Safari and building the Spectrum.  Now, Irvine has two employment centers that bookend the city thereby raising the value of the residential villages sandwiched between.

Like IHO, I'm old enough to remember when Irvine Center Drive was Moulton Parkway and the Spectrum was Laguna Hills.

 

[irvinehomeowner]

Test's map also shows why the IBC is still a contender... however I don't think The District will outdo the Spectrum in dining/shopping/entertainment... esp with the way their center is laid out (there was an article in Sundays OCReg that details how horrible The District is, more for traffic and not available parking).

 

[Happiness]

Test's map also shows why the IBC is still a contender... however I don't think The District will outdo the Spectrum in dining/shopping/entertainment... esp with the way their center is laid out (there was an article in Sundays OCReg that details how horrible The District is, more for traffic and not available parking).

Say what you will about TIC, their regional and neighborhood shopping centers are heads and shoulders above the competition.  Simon, Westfield, Vestar, etc are ghetto compared to TIC.

 

[eyephone]

Test's map also shows why the IBC is still a contender... however I don't think The District will outdo the Spectrum in dining/shopping/entertainment... esp with the way their center is laid out (there was an article in Sundays OCReg that details how horrible The District is, more for traffic and not available parking).

Say what you will about TIC, their regional and neighborhood shopping centers are heads and shoulders above the competition.  Simon, Westfield, Vestar, etc are ghetto compared to TIC.

Is that a general statement for OC area?

 

[Happiness]

Test's map also shows why the IBC is still a contender... however I don't think The District will outdo the Spectrum in dining/shopping/entertainment... esp with the way their center is laid out (there was an article in Sundays OCReg that details how horrible The District is, more for traffic and not available parking).

Say what you will about TIC, their regional and neighborhood shopping centers are heads and shoulders above the competition.  Simon, Westfield, Vestar, etc are ghetto compared to TIC.

Is that a general statement for OC area?

Compare the Spectrum Center with its nearest competitor Laguna Hills Mall.
Compare the Marketplace with its nearest competitor Foothill Town Center.
The conclusion is TIC is superior.

 

[socal78]

I'd have to agree with Iho. To me, a downtown is more than just about jobs. It's about shopping, entertainment, night life (not that there is a ton of that anywhere in Irvine), etc. I used to work on MacArthur Blvd. near John Wayne and live close-by. I feel like they roll up the sidewalks at 5 p.m. I used to still cart myself down to the Marketplace (before there even was an Irvine side) and going to the Spectrum felt like an event. I guess it depends on what a downtown means to you. We don't have jewelry districts or fashion districts like Los Angeles (and no, the Jewelry Exchange does not count) so in an Angelino's eyes there probably is no downtown.

 

[eyephone]

Test's map also shows why the IBC is still a contender... however I don't think The District will outdo the Spectrum in dining/shopping/entertainment... esp with the way their center is laid out (there was an article in Sundays OCReg that details how horrible The District is, more for traffic and not available parking).

Say what you will about TIC, their regional and neighborhood shopping centers are heads and shoulders above the competition.  Simon, Westfield, Vestar, etc are ghetto compared to TIC.

Is that a general statement for OC area?

Compare the Spectrum Center with its nearest competitor Laguna Hills Mall.
Compare the Marketplace with its nearest competitor Foothill Town Center.
The conclusion is TIC is superior.

Just the top of my head, I'm thinking about the Grove in LA. The shopping, entertainment, and out door experience is far superior then the Spectrum. If you haven't been there, you should check it out. If you have a young kid, they will enjoy the FREE trolley that goes back and forth.

 

[irvinehomeowner]

@eyephone:

Getting to the Grove is a pain.

The convenience of the Spectrum being right off the 5 or 405 is a huge benefit... and there is a "trolley" at the Spectrum too.

 

[socal78]

and there is a "trolley" at the Spectrum too.

Wait, what do you mean. Is it a joke about the little kids' train or do you mean there really is a shuttle other than the one for the employees that they are using right now during construction? Whenever I see the employee shuttle it reminds me how much I wish they had something like that for the shoppers. It can be a loooong hike back to the car!!! Especially when I am carrying a lot of merchandise. I often use only one side of the center at a time per day rather than re-parking the car or walking a long, long way.

 

[qwerty]

we went to the spectrum for dinner on saturday, while we enjoy going there, parking was a pain in the ass.

 

[socal78]

we went to the spectrum for dinner on saturday, while we enjoy going there, parking was a pain in the ass.

Valet.

 

[irvinehomeowner]

do you mean there really is a shuttle other than the one for the employees that they are using right now during construction?

Not sure if it's still there, but during the holidays, there used to be a free shopper shuttle that went from Target to the opposite end where Wood Ranch is.