Before all the homes

Elia Powers

These days, in densely populated Newport-Mesa, finding undeveloped

land on the market is a minor miracle. One exception is on the edge

of the Fairview Developmental Center lot, where the state has been

trying to unload a 4.22-acre parcel of land.

Half a century ago, though, much larger chunks of property changed

hands.

In 1950, the state purchased more than 750 acres of land from

Newport Beach residents George and Edna Capron for about $400,000.

The intention was to build a state-owned facility for the

developmentally disabled.

Originally called Fairview State Hospital, the center was a place

where residents could have 24-hour supervision and receive acute

care.

The concept was to have hospital residents devoting much of their

time to agricultural pursuits -- thus the state’s purchase of a large

plot of land.

Construction began on the facility in 1958. To keep the property

from looking obtrusive, the State decided to build the center well

away from the street with a long driveway separating it from Harbor

Boulevard.

The newest and second-largest of the state’s five developmental

centers officially opened on Jan. 5, 1959. At the time of opening,

there were 10 patients. That number quickly grew.

The name also changed from Fairview State Hospital to Fairview

Developmental Center, a title that resonated with employees and

residents.

Fairview had an initial bed capacity of 2,622, and was intended to

house some 4,125 residents. On-site housing was constructed for some

employees and the patients who were deemed fit to take care of

themselves.

The farm idea never came to fruition on the scale that center

developers had originally hoped. So the State Department of Finance

determined that it was time to dispose of a 357-acre portion of the

property, valued at about $5 million.

A legal battle ensued in 1961. The Caprons, who had sold the land

11 years earlier, wanted the surplus area returned to them at the

price the state paid for it in 1950. The state wanted to keep control

of the land until it could find another buyer.

The residents lost.

As a result, 239 of those acres were sold to the city of Costa

Mesa to build the Costa Mesa Country Club. Another portion was sold

to the city so it could build Fairview Park.

* THE GOOD OLD DAYS runs Sundays. Do you know of a person, place

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