Civic center relocation talks resume

Noaki Schwartz

COSTA MESA -- The City Council may take another step toward

relocating the civic center to the Pacific Savings building on Newport

Boulevard.

At its Tuesday meeting, officials are set to consider launching

appraisals of both properties.

“It really makes sense for the city,” Mayor Gary Monahan said. “We’ve

grown tremendously and this is a statement of that. We’re trying to find

out if it makes sense fiscally.”

He believes it will.

Vanguard University, adjacent to the civic center, proposed buying the

site nearly two years ago to expand the campus.

The university will share the cost of the study with the city and

Nicholas Shammas -- the owner of Pacific Savings -- but plans call for

the city to front the $20,000 it will cost to appraise the two sites.

The city must decide whether to spend the money on the police station,

which is in dire need of a renovation that could cost millions, or the

Pacific Savings Building, Monahan said. He added that relocating to the

plaza would put the center in an “activity hub” in downtown Costa Mesa.

But some council members aren’t convinced it’s a good idea.

“I don’t think we should,” Joe Erickson said. “We should only consider

relocating if we can provide better services at better prices.”

Erickson said the current civic center is more accessible and offers a

heliport, police station communications facility and a jail.

Earlier this summer, the council was supposed to review a status

report on the civic center relocation study, but recommended that it be

delayed until Tuesday. During the past two months, city officials have

received more information on the subject from the university and both

parties now say they are prepared to move forward.

If the appraisal is approved, the next step will be for the city to

identify the cost of the move.

WHAT: Costa Mesa City Council meeting

WHEN: Tuesday

WHERE: 99 Fair Drive