New owner to take over McFadden Building

Mathis Winkler

BALBOA PENINSULA -- When Jeannie Lawrence turns the lights out at her

restaurant “21 Oceanfront” this Sunday, she’ll do it for the very last

time.

After more than three decades of bringing one award-winning restaurant

after the other to the peninsula, Lawrence and her husband, Rick, have

sold the historic McFadden Building.

Rick Lawrence, who bought a 99-year lease on the building in 1968,

first opened Alley West, a San Franciso-style eatery and jazz bar. That

venue was followed by Hans Prager’s Ritz Restaurant eight years later. In

1980, Prager’s protege, Rex Chandler, opened The Rex and Jeannie Lawrence

stepped in with 21 Oceanfront in 1991.

Jeannie Lawrence said Thursday that the couple had decided to devote

their energy to “Rancho Las Lomas,” a conference center in Silverado

Canyon, from now on.

“We’re just ready to refocus a little,” she said, adding that she

plans to add a restaurant to the ranch in the future.

“The potential [at the ranch] is greater than anything I could do at

the McFadden Building,” she said. “We’re really taking all of our

interests out of Newport Beach and are moving to the ranch.”

Lawrence added that the building’s new owner planned to “do the

rooftop” and make other improvements.

But “the best news it that the buyer is retaining all of the

employees,” she said.

“The buyer” is Levon Gugasian, who owns several properties on Mariners

Mile. He said Thursday that he’s planning to make improvements to the

building much as West Coast Highway has been cleaned up in recent years.

“We’re basically planning to redo the building and bring it up to

top-notch shape,” Gugasian said. “We’d like to keep the tradition going .

. . What I’m trying to do is revitalize the area.”

While Gugasian said that he’d immediately start a major renovation

project, he added that the building’s businesses -- 21 Oceanfront, the

Doryman’s Inn and Rockin Baja Lobster Restaurant -- would remain open.