Federal Savings Plaza to reopen this week

Jennifer Kho

COSTA MESA -- The Spanish-style building at the corner of Newport

Boulevard and 19th Street is officially reopening this week.

And Turnip Rose, which occupied the plaza from 1989 until it closed

nearly a decade ago, will be catering the private event.

Turnip Rose, a catering business that has two other locations, has

signed a lease for a spot in the building, formerly the Federal Pacific

Savings Plaza and now named 1901 Newport Plaza.

“We have always belonged here,” said Kelly Sherbanee, administrator

for the business. “We had a good experience and we’re back. For us, this

is home. We’re happy to be coming back to revitalize Costa Mesa.”

The business will occupy the 14,000-square-foot, 475-guest banquet

room, along with Mediterranean-style courtyard with plants, waterfalls

and spiral staircases.

The new location will be called Turnip Rose’s Grand Newport Plaza,

according to a Turnip Rose press release.

Aside from 1901 Newport Plaza’s private ribbon-cutting event Thursday,

Turnip Rose’s first event at the new location has been scheduled for Oct.

1, Sherbanee said.

“People remember we were a class act and we’re being received with

open arms,” he said. “Frankly, we are creating excitement.”

Officials of Hudson Properties LLC, the owner of 1901 Newport Plaza, would not disclose additional information about tenants, but property

manager Terry Tornek has previously said the building will be used

primarily for office space and that the first tenants are expected to

move in next month.

After Hudson Properties bought the plaza March 30, it began renovation

work -- painting, adding new wrought-iron gates and fences, repaving the

parking lot, redoing glasswork and repairing the fountains -- that is

nearly complete.

Ed Fawcett, chief executives and president for the Chamber of

Commerce, said he is glad the plaza is ready to reopen.

“As a vacant building, it’s been a sore spot to the community that

hasn’t contributed to the rebound we have seen in other areas downtown,”

he said. “It looks good and I think it will be a boon to the other

businesses downtown.”