Central OC: Westminster Mall Demolished for Bolsa Pacific: 2,250 Homes and 220,000 Sq Ft of Retail Coming
Shopoff Realty Investments has finalized the 83-acre Westminster Mall acquisition. Entitlements are filed for 2,250+ homes, 220,000 sq ft of retail, and a hotel. Demolition begins Q1 2026 in Central OC's largest private redevelopment in decades.
Market Intel
📏 Price/SqFt: $726 (Costa Mesa: $923 | Santa Ana: $585)
⏱️ Days on Market: 32 days (market finding seasonal momentum)
📦 Active Listings: 1,240 homes (↑45 vs last week)
💰 List-to-Sale Ratio: 98.7% (sellers maintaining firm pricing power)
What This Means: The Central Orange County market is entering a state of seasonal rebalancing as increased inventory meets a steady, rate-sensitive buyer pool. While demand remains resilient, the rising number of active listings is granting buyers more options and extending the expected market time compared to the frenzied conditions of previous years.1 This shift reflects a move from a supply-starved seller’s market toward a more sustainable equilibrium where pricing and condition are paramount.3
Top Stories
[Westminster] Developer Finalizes 83-Acre Westminster Mall Acquisition, Files Entitlements for 2,250-Unit "Bolsa Pacific" Mixed-Use District
On March 6, 2026, Shopoff Realty Investments announced the acquisition of the final 57.5 acres of the Westminster Mall site, consolidating the entire 83-acre parcel under single ownership and clearing the path for the "Bolsa Pacific at Westminster" master-planned redevelopment. The project calls for approximately 2,250 to 3,000 residential units, more than 220,000 square feet of retail, a 120-room hotel, and 15 acres of parks and walking trails. Entitlements have been formally submitted to the city, and demolition of the existing mall structure is targeted to begin in late Q1 2026, with vertical construction projected for Q4 2026. The development will transform a long-dormant commercial anchor into a tax-generating urban center and introduce a significant wave of new housing inventory to Central Westminster. Security fencing is already being installed around the site, where more than 400 police calls related to vandalism and illegal entry have been logged since the mall's closure.
[Tustin] City Launches Resident Outreach for Final 500 Acres of Tustin Legacy and Unveils New Community Brand
On March 6, 2026, the City of Tustin formally launched a multi-month public engagement campaign to shape the development of the remaining 500 undeveloped acres of Tustin Legacy, the former Marine Corps Air Station that represents the city's single largest development opportunity. Residents are being invited to participate in guided site tours and complete surveys to help the city define the density, character, and land-use mix of the final phase, which is expected to include a significant residential component centered around the historic hangar district. Simultaneously, the city unveiled its new community brand, "Remembering What Connects Us," developed through more than a year of stakeholder research. The branding initiative signals a deliberate effort to create a cohesive civic identity as the city prepares for a major population increase tied to Legacy buildout. Decisions made through this outreach process will directly determine how many housing units are entitled for the site and what types of commercial and recreational uses anchor the final neighborhood.
[Costa Mesa] City Opens Phase 2 Housing Visioning Workshops With Eastside Corridor and Harbor Boulevard in Rezoning Crosshairs
The City of Costa Mesa launched a new round of community visioning workshops this week to gather public input on the city's housing strategy, with particular focus on future density in the Eastside neighborhood and along Harbor Boulevard. The sessions are a direct precursor to zoning amendments the city must pursue to satisfy its state-mandated housing element obligations, and they represent the most actionable early signal of where high-density rezoning is likely to land over the next 12 to 24 months. Developers and prospective buyers paying attention to the Eastside corridor should treat these workshops as a front-row seat to the city's planning priorities before formal commission action begins. The city is also in parallel discussions about a regional shelter partnership with the City of Irvine, reflecting a broader effort to address homelessness as part of its neighborhood stability strategy. No formal zoning amendments have been filed yet; the visioning process is intended to shape those actions.
What's Developing
[Santa Ana] City Approves Multi-Million Dollar Street Rehabilitation for Fairview and Grand, Brings in Outside Manager for River View Golf Course
On March 3, 2026, the Santa Ana City Council approved construction contracts for major street rehabilitation on Fairview Street and Grand Avenue, two high-traffic corridors that have seen years of deferred maintenance. The scope includes full asphalt replacement and raised median reconstruction aimed at improving both traffic flow and pedestrian safety. Construction timelines will introduce temporary disruptions in those corridors; residents and business owners adjacent to the project areas should anticipate access impacts. In a separate vote, the council approved a professional management agreement with CourseCo Inc. to revitalize the River View Golf Course, bringing outside operational expertise to one of the city's most significant public recreation assets. The dual investment addresses both transit infrastructure and open-space quality within the same budget cycle.
[Tustin] Old Town Streetscape Construction Advances on El Camino Real and Main Street, Summer Completion Targeted
Active construction on the Old Town Tustin Improvements Project is progressing along El Camino Real and Main Street, with work encompassing sidewalk reconstruction, upgraded landscaping, and the installation of new parklets intended to increase pedestrian activation in the city's historic commercial core. The project, which broke ground in early January 2026, remains on schedule for a Summer 2026 completion. Businesses along the affected blocks continue to operate through the construction period, and the weekly Old Town Saturday Farmers Market is running each Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. despite the ongoing work. The streetscape enhancement is expected to drive boutique retail demand and boost foot traffic to the area's dining and hospitality businesses once complete.
[Costa Mesa] City Launches Phase 2 Housing Visioning Workshops, Eyes High-Density Rezoning on Eastside and Harbor Corridors
The City of Costa Mesa has initiated a new round of community visioning workshops to gather public input on the city's housing strategy, with particular attention to future density in the Eastside neighborhood and along Harbor Boulevard. These sessions are a direct precursor to zoning amendments intended to help the city meet its state-mandated housing element obligations. The workshops represent the most actionable signal of where high-density rezoning is likely to occur over the next 12 to 24 months. Developers, homeowners, and prospective buyers in the Eastside corridor should treat participation in these sessions as an early opportunity to understand how the city's housing supply will be reshaped before formal planning commission action begins.
Neighborhood Pulse
[Garden Grove] Three Neighborhood Parks Under Active Construction With Late-Summer Completion Scheduled
The City of Garden Grove confirmed that construction is actively underway at Jardín de los Niños Park, Haster Basin Park, and West Haven Park, with all three projects targeted for completion by the end of Summer 2026. The improvements reflect a sustained investment in the city's outdoor recreation infrastructure across multiple residential neighborhoods. Upgraded parks are consistently cited as a top driver of nearby property values in suburban markets, and the simultaneous delivery of three projects signals a meaningful commitment to neighborhood quality across Garden Grove's residential core.
[Santa Ana] City Council Approves Five-Drone Fleet for Police Department to Support Crime Response and Fireworks Enforcement
The Santa Ana City Council approved the purchase of five drones for the Santa Ana Police Department on March 3, 2026. The new Drone Program will be deployed for critical incident response, search and rescue operations, and the enforcement of illegal fireworks regulations that have historically created safety concerns in residential neighborhoods. The city simultaneously adopted new zoning restrictions on smoke shop businesses, targeting the overconcentration of these retail uses and aiming to reduce underage access to harmful products. Both actions are part of a broader public safety modernization effort at City Hall.
[Fountain Valley] $2M School Zone Safety Project Begins March 16 at Four Campuses, Covering Signage and Crosswalk Upgrades
The City of Fountain Valley announced that construction will begin on March 16, 2026, for the Signing and Striping Improvements for Eleven School Areas Project, with initial work starting around Allen Elementary, Monroe Elementary, Northcutt Elementary, and Los Amigos High School. The $2 million investment will relocate signage, install new pavement markings, and enhance crosswalk visibility to improve pedestrian safety in school zones across the city. Residents in the affected areas should expect temporary parking and traffic detours beginning next week as crews begin work in those corridors.
[Orange] City Launches Open Finance Portal, Allowing Real-Time Public Tracking of Municipal Revenue and Expenditures
The City of Orange launched a public-facing Open Finance Portal within the current window, providing residents and stakeholders with real-time access to the city's fiscal data. The portal marks a meaningful step toward tech-forward governance and arrives as the city finalizes its agenda for the March 10 City Council meeting, which will serve as a precursor to the annual State of the City address scheduled for March 20. Mayor Dan Slater's presentation is expected to cover 2025 achievements and the city's 2026 legislative and development agenda. The portal gives developers and commercial investors a new tool for independently tracking impact fees and capital spending before submitting projects for entitlement review.
Client Conversation Starters
When your client asks whether Santa Ana is a safe bet for rental property investment right now... here's what to say:
Santa Ana just passed a final ordinance banning the use of algorithmic rent-setting software for residential properties, making it one of the first cities in Orange County to directly regulate how landlords price units. If your client currently uses a third-party pricing platform, they need to verify compliance immediately. On the other side of that coin, the city also received an Honorable Mention from the Orange County Business Council for streamlining its entitlement process, which is a genuine signal that development and investment remain welcome here. The city is also actively rehabbing Fairview Street and Grand Avenue, which will improve access and curb appeal in key rental corridors once construction wraps. The overall picture is a city that is investing in its infrastructure while raising the regulatory floor for rental operations — a dynamic worth walking through carefully with any investor client.
When your buyer asks whether the Westminster area is worth getting into ahead of the Bolsa Pacific development... here's what to say:
The short answer is that the market window for getting in front of a project this large is narrow, and it is open right now. Shopoff Realty Investments finalized acquisition of the entire 83-acre Westminster Mall site on March 6, entitlements have been submitted to the city, and demolition is scheduled to begin before the end of this quarter. When 2,250 to 3,000 residential units, 220,000 square feet of new retail, and a hotel come online in a neighborhood that has been dominated by a shuttered mall, values in surrounding residential blocks tend to reset. Your client should be looking at comparable sales data for the half-mile radius around the Bolsa Pacific site right now, because the comps they use today will look very different in 24 months.
When your client asks about buying near Tustin Legacy and whether the remaining acreage changes the calculus... here's what to say:
Tustin just launched public outreach to determine how the final 500 acres of Legacy will be developed, and resident input collected this spring will directly shape the density and land-use character of that phase. That means the decision has not been made yet, and buyers who get into the Legacy adjacent market now are buying before the entitlement picture is fully clear. That is both a risk and an opportunity. The upside is that Legacy has consistently delivered high-quality mixed-use development, and the city's new community brand signals a deliberate move toward a more cohesive, walkable urban identity for the area. The downside is that higher density than anticipated could affect the neighborhood character. Encourage your client to review the city's survey and attend a tour if they want to understand what is likely to land on that acreage.
