Clubhouse to be razed

Andrew Edwards

The exclusive Pacific Club is scheduled to be completely torn down at

the beginning of next year, clearing the way for a new clubhouse.

The Pacific Club has about 600 members who purchase a share in the

club when they join, club general manager Joseph Gatto said. In

February, the members voted on the renovation plans, which passed

with 67.8% of the vote.

The Pacific Club was established in 1981 at the site of a former

restaurant. Located on MacArthur Boulevard, the club is nestled among

the office buildings and hotels near John Wayne Airport and has a

membership largely drawn from the local business community, Gatto

said.

“When it began, it was primarily people in the real estate

development industry, but its demographics have diversified since

then,” he said. “It’s a business club, but it’s also a social club.”

Gatto would not disclose the exact budget for the

multi-million-dollar project.

Demolition of the existing building is set for January, and the

new building is expected to be up by November 2006. During

construction, a temporary club will be set up in the parking lot.

“I don’t think it will be a dormant, modular building. I think

[members] will be coming in because they’ll want to see the

progress,” member services director Karen Kay Ringer said.