Landmarks to be demolished

Lolita Harper

COSTA MESA -- Renovation plans for the southern half of the Mesa Verde

Shopping Center, where the vintage Kona Lanes neon sign casts an eerie

glow on the surrounding abandoned buildings, will replace the landmark

bowling alley and nearby ice rink with a new department store.

The center, which houses the lively Kona Lanes bowling alley on Harbor

Boulevard and the empty Ice Chalet building and movie theater, will lose

all three structures to make way for Kohl’s retail store, officials said.

Mel Lee, associate planner for the city, said Kohl’s representatives

have submitted an application for an 88,000-square-foot store on the

Segerstrom-owned property.

Kohl’s is a family-focused specialty department stores that carries

clothing, shoes, home accessories and more, company representative Susan

Henderson said. Henderson confirmed a companywide strategy to enter the

Southern California market by spring of 2003 but could not comment on

specific locations, she said.

C.J. Segerstrom & Sons spokesman Paul Freeman said the Kohl’s project

is the second phase of the overall rehabilitation of the Mesa Verde

center.

“The profile of the people that use the center are certainly looking

for the things that Kohl’s carries,” Freeman said. “We think it’s a good

use and will enhance the center.”

The northern end of the center is anchored by a Vons and has a Save-On

Drugs, Starbucks Coffee, Boston Market and Hollywood Video.

Kohl’s would round out the retail feel of the center, leaving it

devoid of the entertainment-focused businesses that once flourished

there.

Kona Lanes general Manager Juanita Johnson questioned the proposed

project.

“It is out of our control, but how many retail stores does one city

need?” Johnson asked.

The bowling alley has been a Costa Mesa landmark for more than 50

years, she said, but the final decision lies with the Segerstrom company

because it owns the land.

“It has nothing to do with my being the general manager, but I think

that Costa Mesa would be losing a great deal by losing the bowling

center,” Johnson said. “We are the one and only, and when we are gone, we

are gone.”

Johnson said she could not comment on whether the bowling center would

move to another location or close.

Freeman said officials were forced to reevaluate the center’s use

after both the Edwards Cinema bankruptcy and the closure of Ice Chalet.

Attempts were made to replace the movie theater and ice skating rink -- a

community fixture and training ground for Olympic athletes for 30 years

-- but no similar tenants were found, he said.

The city is in the process of conducting noise, traffic and

air-quality studies for the proposed project, Lee said. Planners have

already voiced concern about the proposed configuration of the retail

store, which has the rear of the building, and its loading docks, in

close proximity to the homes behind it.

“I would imagine there would be some revisions made based on our

comments and the comments from surrounding neighbors,” Lee said, “but we

haven’t seen any yet.”

Freeman said efforts are being made to be “good neighbors” and work

with surrounding homeowners.

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

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