News Summary
The Santa Ana City Council has approved a major redevelopment project for South Coast Plaza’s The Village, which aims to create a mixed-use urban community. With plans for 1,583 new homes, extensive retail and office space, and parks, this transformation is expected to enhance local economic development. The project will take around 20 years for completion and includes significant financial contributions to support affordable housing initiatives in the area.
Santa Ana — The Santa Ana City Council unanimously approved the redevelopment project for South Coast Plaza’s The Village during a public hearing held on September 16, 2025. This decision marks a significant step in the transformation of the aging 17.2-acre South Coast Plaza Village shopping center, with a final vote expected on October 7, 2025. Councilmembers expressed optimism about the project’s potential to enhance local economic development.
The Village is designed to be a mixed-use urban community that will introduce 1,583 new homes, 80,000 square feet of retail space, and 300,000 square feet of office space. It also includes plans for 14 acres of parks and open space, with approximately half of that area, or 7.5 acres, accessible to the public. This ambitious project is proposed by South Coast Plaza, under the ownership of the Segerstrom family, and has received a prior unanimous recommendation from the city’s Planning Commission in August.
Located at the busy intersection of Bear Street and South Plaza Drive, The Village project is ideally situated near existing landmarks such as South Coast Plaza and the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. The area is gearing up for extensive development that aims to revitalize the south Bristol Street corridor as part of a larger initiative to modernize Santa Ana.
During the council meeting, around 200 supporters, including members of the Western States Regional Council of Carpenters and LiUna! Laborers’ Local 652, gathered to show their backing for the project. The community’s active participation underpins the local demand for improved amenities and housing options.
Construction for The Village is anticipated to span approximately 20 years, similar to the timeline for the Related Bristol project, which was approved last year and is touted as one of Santa Ana’s largest redevelopment efforts to date. The Related Bristol development includes an extensive 42-acre site planned to house nearly 4,000 apartments, a 250-room hotel, a senior living facility, and numerous retail units.
Despite the significant scale of these redevelopment projects, neither The Village nor Related Bristol plans to provide affordable housing units onsite. Instead, both projects agreed to contribute financially through in-lieu fees to support affordable housing initiatives elsewhere within Santa Ana. The Village is expected to contribute approximately $7.1 million towards affordable housing construction, in addition to a community benefit payment of $9.3 million. The Related Bristol project anticipates a community benefits payment of $22 million.
The proposed redevelopment of The Village represents a critical moment for Santa Ana, reflecting both the city’s ambition to revamp its economic landscape and the pressing need for enhanced housing and communal spaces. As urban centers evolve, the Santa Ana City Council’s decision reveals a commitment to balancing growth and community needs, paving the way for a new urban lifestyle that embraces quality, accessibility, and sustainability.
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Additional Resources
- OC Register: Mixed Use Project Approved
- Google Search: Santa Ana Development
- OC Register: Development at City Council
- Wikipedia: Santa Ana, California
- OC Business Journal: Santa Ana Planning Panel OKs The Village
- Google News: Santa Ana Mixed Use Projects
- LA Times: Mixed Use Projects in Santa Ana
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Santa Ana
- GlobeSt: Urban Village Redo for Santa Ana
Author: STAFF HERE COSTA MESA WRITER
COSTA MESA STAFF WRITER The COSTA MESA STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HERECostaMesa.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Costa Mesa, Orange County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as the OC Fair, Concerts in the Park, and Fish Fry. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce and Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Orange Coast, plus leading businesses in retail, fashion, and technology that power the local economy such as Vans, Experian, and South Coast Plaza. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREAnaheim.com, HEREBeverlyHills.com, HERECoronado.com, HEREHollywood.com, HEREHuntingtonBeach.com, HERELongBeach.com, HERELosAngeles.com, HEREMissionViejo.com, HERESanDiego.com, and HERESantaAna.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into California's dynamic landscape.
