Review of Kohl’s plans up for vote

Lolita Harper

City Council members on Monday will consider launching

environmental studies for a department store slated to replace a

vintage bowling alley, vacant ice skating rink and empty movie

theater at the Mesa Verde Shopping Center on Harbor Boulevard.

Renovation plans for the southern half of the Mesa Verde Shopping

Center, where the lively Kona Lanes and the empty Ice Chalet and

Edwards movie theater sit, call for all three buildings to be

replaced by a Kohl’s retail store.

Kohl’s representatives have submitted an application for a

95,000-square-foot store on the Segerstrom-owned property, according

to a staff report. The square footage is up from previous

applications that called for an 88,000-square-foot store.

To bring Kohl’s to Costa Mesa, a series of studies must be

conducted to evaluate how the development will affect traffic, air

quality, noise and neighbors. City staffers are recommending the

council members approve a $59,000 contract to LSA Associates to fund

the study.

Kohl’s will pay for the study and has deposited the cost, plus

10%, to cover internal costs of administering the contract, a staff

report shows.

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

clothing, shoes, home accessories and more, company representative

Susan Henderson said. Henderson said there is a companywide strategy

to enter the Southern California market by spring of 2003.

C.J. Segerstrom & Sons spokesman Paul Freeman said the project is

the second phase of the overall rehabilitation of the Mesa Verde

center. The northern end of the center is anchored by a Vons and has

a Sav-On Drug, Starbucks Coffee, Boston Market and Hollywood Video.

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

years, said alley manager Juanita Johnson, who said she thinks it

would be a great loss to the community to demolish it. But the final

decision lies with the Segerstrom company because it owns the land,

she said.

* LOLITA HARPER covers Costa Mesa. She may be reached at (949)

574-4275 or by e-mail at [email protected].