After decades of expectations, the final look and feel planned for the estimated $450 million Dana Point Harbor renovation is being revealed to the public for the first time.
Dana Point Harbor Partners, the Newport Beach developer group that is overhauling the harbor’s commercial core and 2,265-slip marina and planning two hotels, has released renderings showing a destination they say taps into the city’s rich maritime history.
“The final project is uniquely Dana Point,” said Bryon Ward, president of Burnham Ward Properties and the development partner who is heading up the commercial core’s revisioning. “It has a laid-back, sun-bleached feel, and you don’t feel like it’s over-dressed. And it will have some soul. I feel like what we’re ending up with is something that doesn’t exist on the West Coast.”
The commercial core is part of an overall renovation the Dana Point Harbor Partners undertook in 2018, when it won a 66-year lease from the Orange County Board of Supervisors. Along with the commercial project, Joe Ueberroth, of Bellwether Financial Group, is building a new marina, and Bob Olson, of R.D. Olson, has proposed two hotels.
Under the public-private partnership, the developers are expected to design, fund and build the improvements, then operate those portions of the harbor through the life of the lease before returning the property to the county.
The newly released, photo-realistic illustrations show waterfront buildings surrounded by large green paseos and walkways. The buildings’ architecture, which Ward describes as coastal vintage, looks like old warehouses with lots of glass and light – still with a bit of a modern edge.
The buildings will be varied in size and spaced apart to promote views of the waterfront and the boardwalk, Ward said; gathering areas will become spots for concerts and other special events.
There will also be rooftop bars and a larger building, “The Boathouse,” which will be a place to get grab-and-go food and drinks.
The final design is a departure from earlier county drawings showing something like a mall on the water.
The structures look more like a coastal village, and the materials proposed – steel, wood, and glass – were specifically selected to make it appear as though the buildings were built over time.
“These designs take into account public input,” said Fifth District Supervisor Lisa Bartlett, a former Dana Point councilwoman who has helped spearhead the harbor revitalization efforts over the years. “We have a lot of areas of connectivity that we’ve never had. The original harbor – now more than 50 years old – wasn’t a master plan. As it appears today, it’s kind of disjointed.”
One of the harbor’s most unique features has always been its walkability, and it remains a destination for many for just that reason. With the new design, folks can take even more advantage of the linked pathways for extended, continuous walking opportunities, Ward said. And there will be much better access for paddleboarding, kayaking, and other water activities, he said.
“It was important for us to provide pedestrian linkage and pathways to Doheny State Beach and to the Ocean Institute,” Ward said. “All through the West Basin, we imagined this large boardwalk and a larger opportunity for park space. People will be able to walk from retail to the hotels and all the way to Baby Beach and the Ocean Institute. Dana Point is one of the largest walkable harbors on the West Coast.”
Public art, giving a nod to the area’s rich surfing and whale-watching history, is planned.
There is also a plan for an educational type of museum that could focus on the surf culture, local history and the biology of whales and dolphins.
“You’ll know where you are,” Ward said. “The heritage of Dana Point as it relates to the watermen and marine life, whale watching and sportfishing – all will be celebrated.”
Artist interviews have already begun, Ward said. At the same time, he said he is also curating the mix of retail and restaurant offerings that will take up about 40 to 50 spots in the commercial core – with lots of patio space and outdoor dining.
“We’ve gotten incredible tenant interest from concepts all over the country that view this area as one of the biggest things on the West Coast,” Ward said. “What we’re piecing together is something very special. Even if they have another location, what they do here will be unique to Dana Point, and South Orange County will become known as a culinary destination.”
While the mix is still being figured out, Ward said he is in discussion with longtime harbor tenants that want to be part of the renovation. Decisions on who those will be are expected to be finalized over the next few months.
On Thursday, Jim Miller’s Coffee Importers patio was crowded as usual. Harbor walkers and their dogs, parents with small children and people doing business sat at tables under a large shade awning overlooking the marina. Some of them reviewed the harbor’s new renderings.
“Selfishly, it will be nice to have more shops and restaurants, and it will bring in more people and the value of homes will go up,” said Dawn Wood, a Dana Point resident and Realtor. “But I’ve been here 12 years and will be sad to see the small-town community vibe dwindle.”
Jeff Hatz agreed, “I think this will be really pretty,” the San Juan Capistrano resident said, “but I’m more of a fan of beach shorts and flip-flops versus Prada bags and Range Rovers.”
Alex Cunningham was enjoying breakfast with her husband while watching over two young children and a 7-month-old baby. The San Clemente family visits the harbor multiple times a month.
“This will definitely make it more of a destination for shopping and restaurants,” Cunningham said, looking at the renderings. “I love the gathering spots and the swing sets on the grassy area. That will be our spot. This will be accommodating to a lot of families.”
Others said the architecture reminded them of newer developments near the pier in Huntington Beach and thought the look in Dana Point could be “charmed up a bit.”
In January, construction will kick off on a three-story parking structure to the left of the harbor’s entrance; the structure should add about 960 cars. Construction is expected to take about a year and, in the meantime, work on the waterfront buildings will start in June or July, Ward said.
That construction will be followed by work on Dana Wharf, where all the buildings will be remodeled. The final part of the commercial core project will be a surface parking lot opposite the parking structure. The work is expected to take three years.
Overall, Ward estimates that the harbor will have about 1,700 parking spots. There will also be three valet areas and Uber and Lyft drop-off locations. Water taxis are also being entertained as a mode of transport around and through the harbor.
Ward estimates the investment in the approximately 100,000-square-foot commercial core will add up to about $200 million.
Work on the marina began in August with the demolition and replacement of docks between Baby Beach and the Island Way bridge. The work is the first step in a five-year, 17-phase overhaul of the existing marina and the outer basins. The work is expected to cost about $100 million.
When completed, the new marina will also provide better access for boaters, who can tie up at the dock to enjoy a meal, live music, or a harbor event, the developers said. The new guest docks will be able to accommodate vessels of all sizes, making Dana Point a must-visit destination for boaters from across the state and beyond, Ward said.
The last part of the project, a boutique hotel and a surf lodge, is still awaiting California Coastal Commission approval. They would replace the existing Dana Point Marina Inn.
Among suggestions from the commission is adding 33 more rooms to the surf lodge to encourage more equitable access and including public restrooms near the properties.
“We certainly thought it would be approved by now,” Olson said, adding that he has been working with the commission for more than two years. “They want social justice programs on top of the affordable hotel. We’re trying to develop two hotels that make economic sense. We’re optimistic, but we have to be realistic, too. We just don’t know where we’ll end up.”
Olson said he will submit a new proposal to the commission in December, and he anticipates that the two-hotel project will add up to $150 million.
“We do need that portion of the project to move forward,” Bartlett said. “There have been many discussions with the Coastal Commission.”
Olson agreed the two proposed hotels are “very important” to the project.
“We (are offering) affordable lodging and an additional hotel for visitors to the harbor,” he said. “What I’ve found with the Lido House (built by him on the Balboa Peninsula) is that 25% of the guests come from a 20-mile radius.”
While it isn’t his first choice, Olson said if the commission doesn’t give the necessary approvals, he will have to do a “very nice renovation” of the existing inn.
