Newport residents give input on Museum House

Newport Beach planning commissioners and residents got another look Thursday at a 25-story luxury condominium tower proposed to replace the single story Orange County Museum of Art building in Newport Center.

Roughly 100 people attended a Planning Commission study session on Museum House, a proposed 295-foot tower featuring 100 condominiums.

City staff said the study session was meant to introduce the project’s design and amenities before the commission makes a decision at a later meeting. The public hearing on the project has tentatively been set for October or November, but another study session related to the draft environmental impact report will likely be scheduled before the Planning Commission votes.

The public has until Sept. 30 to comment on the draft environmental impact report for the project.

“I think that it’s well designed,” Chair Kory Kramer said of Museum House. “It’s still early on in the process and we’re still trying to get our arms around the basic parameters of the project, the intentions in terms of the design, and really get a full understanding of the quality of the project.”

Related California LLC’s proposal for Museum House would require demolishing the Orange County Museum of Art at 850 San Clemente Drive to make way for the tower with two levels of subterranean parking on the 2-acre site.

OCMA has called its San Clemente Drive property home since 1977. Most recently, the museum announced that it plans to construct a new building for itself in Costa Mesa near the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Related California has entered into an agreement to eventually purchase a portion of OCMA’s land, which would help fund the museum’s move, officials have said.

For the project to move forward, Newport Beach planning commissioners would have to approve a general plan amendment to change the property’s land use from private institutional to multi-unit residential, with a maximum development limit of 100 units. The City Council would also have to sign off.

The tower is proposed to include 100 condominiums consisting of 54 two-bedroom units with three bathrooms and 46 three-bedroom units with four bathrooms. The condominiums are proposed to vary in size from 1,800 square feet to 6,000 square feet. The units, which range in price from $2 million to $4 million, would each have private balconies, according to project plans.

The exterior of the building, designed by architect Robert A.M. Stern, would be limestone and precast concrete with bronze features and large windows. The building tapers as it rises, architectural plans show.

“We don’t want this to be a heavy building,” said Related California Executive Vice President Gino Canori. “We want it to be light and airy and become an extension of what’s already there. The intention is to create a sort of home in the sky effect.”

Museum House would also contain a common area with a media room, library, viewing deck and concierge. Its second level would have additional common space, including a terrace with a garden and barbecue grills, a fitness and spa area, a pool and outdoor kitchen. A pet spa and wine cellar also is planned.

The project is proposed to include 200 resident and 50 guest parking spaces. Valet parking would be provided on site, according to project plans.

Although the draft environmental impact report shows no long term significant impacts, residents have raised concerns about traffic, changes to views in Newport Center and an increase in water use stemming from the proposed project.

The museum property currently uses 7,019 gallons per day; Museum House would require an average daily flow of 50,404 gallons, according to the draft environmental impact report.

However, the project is proposed to have several water-efficient features, including landscape irrigation systems with weather sensors, timers and low-flow irrigation devices, and low-flow faucets, toilets and shower heads, the report states.

“When we look at this as residents, nobody cares about shadows or amenities,” said resident Linda Goodman. “We don’t want any more density in this city. If you’re telling us to cut back on our water, but you want to add more units that weren’t approved in the first place, I can’t figure that out.”

The majority of residents who spoke during the meeting indicated they are supporters of the project. Some even donned stickers which read “Museum House Supporter.”

“I think it’s a very elegant project,” said resident Thomas Nielsen. “It’s consistent with what Newport Center is all about. The elegance that I think is maintained in Fashion Island is reflected in the building.”

The Planning Commission also held a public hearing later in the meeting on 150 Newport Center, a proposed 45-unit condominium and townhome development planned for the site currently occupied by the Beacon Bay Auto Wash and adjacent gas station along Newport Center Drive near Anacapa Drive.

Commissioners had not yet made a decision on the project by press time.