A CLOSER LOOK -- Triangulating a plan to save the square

Lolita Harper

COSTA MESA -- People should not have to drive in circles to park at

Triangle Square.

That simple statement will play a major role in plans that Triangle

Square management has formulated to increase business and decrease mass

confusion at the Newport Boulevard shopping center.

Triangle Square’s management has put together a list of goals -- with

simplifying the parking structure at the very top of the list -- to make

improvements, said marketing director Cory Abbs.

“It will be like Parking 101,” Abbs said.

While anchored by big name stores like Nike Town, Barnes & Noble and

Virgin Megastore, Triangle Square has struggled to retain tenants during

its nine years.

The center boasts a great location -- on Newport Boulevard with direct

freeway access -- and 192,000 square feet of leasable space but currently

has five vacancies, said manager Tom Estes.

But since it opened in 1992, the center has lost major tenants like

Ralphs Grocery store and Sfuzzi restaurant. Ralphs was replaced by a

successful Whole Foods, but after a few short-lived tenants ,the large

corner lot that used to house the popular restaurant remains empty.

“We’ve had some leasing and tenant retention problems,” Estes

admitted.

Parking is the center’s biggest problem, Abbs said.

The parking signs are too vague and do not tell the customer exactly

where they need to park to be closest to the store they want to visit,

she said.

“People end up parking as soon as they enter the structure and then

have to walk all over the center searching for the store they want,” Abbs

said.

Triangle Square is a destination shopping center -- meaning it was

designed to have stores that attract specific customers, who come for

specific reasons, she said.

It is not a shopping center where people are expected to walk around

and shop like South Coast Plaza, Abbs said. Therefore, customers grow

frustrated when they can’t find the one store they need and don’t come

back.

Abbs said the management is working with graphic artists to redesign

the directional signs in the parking structure and try to make it less

confusing.

In addition to a confusing parking structure, the center has too much

competition, said Costa Mesa Planning Commissioner Bill Perkins.

“I think they need to reinvent themselves to be able to compete with

Metro Point and the Irvine Spectrum,” Perkins said.

Estes said Triangle Square was the first to invent the concept of a

large, outdoor plaza mixed with retail, restaurants and entertainment.

“Spectrum, the Block at Orange and Metro Point all came along and

imitated our style,” Estes said.

In order to compete, Triangle Square is offering tenants more

identification from the street. A large sign advertising the various

businesses will be placed on the major street fronts, Estes said.

“Right now, people have no idea who we have to offer,” Abbs said.

Abbs hopes the signs will also help stores cross promote each other.

For example, if people come specifically for a movie at Edwards 8

Cinemas, they may notice the sign for the Yard House and plan next time

to have dinner and a movie.

Triangle Square will also target more tenants like the Yard House in

order to transform the current food court into more of a restaurant

plaza. Food courts give the impression of grabbing something on the go

and are usually found in malls, Abbs said. Because Triangle Square does

not consider itself a mall, the food court design is not effective.

“We want people to decide to eat here before they get here,” Abbs

said.

With the large, open plaza on the top floor -- where the Yard House is

located -- the center could host live bands in the common court yard and

become a popular nighttime destination, Abbs said.

“We have a stage here already set up,” Abbs said. “And if we could

fill this space here, they would have a prime location on the patio where

their customers could listen to music,” she added while pointing to the

empty space that once housed Sfuzzi’s.

Estes said he has a very hot tenant who has restaurants in Los Angeles

and is very interested in renting space at Triangle Square. Estes would

not release the name of the prospective tenant.

“Nothing kills a deal quicker,” he joked.

The third major goal Abbs hopes to accomplish is to involve the

community more at the center. The outdoor plaza has the capability of

holding various community programs and events, she said.

Because their target market is the residents of Costa Mesa and Newport

Beach, it is only fitting that those are the people who should reap the

benefits of having Triangle Square in their neighborhood, Abbs said.

Triangle Square will kick off its focus on the community by co-hosting

Rocktoberfest -- with Rock Harbor Church -- on Halloween.

* Lolita Harper covers Costa Mesa. She may be reached at (949)

574-4275 or by e-mail at o7 lolita.harper@latimes.comf7 .