The county’s tallest building? The return of the streetcar? According to presenters at the 2016 GROW Economic Development Conference, Santa Ana will soon be home to both. The event, hosted by the Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce and the Santa Ana Economic Development Council, located at Discovery Cube Orange County, featured a mix of live speakers and video presentations, and featured entertainment by students from Orange County School of the Arts.
Attendees learned that developer Michael Harrah has broken ground on his One Broadway Plaza, a state-of-the-art office tower that will soar to 37 stories and bring 2,000 jobs to the downtown area. Hassan Haghani, Executive Director of Planning and Building for Santa Ana, talked about the status of the OC Streetcar, which in a few years will link the Civic Center and downtown with Santa Ana’s transportation center. Third generation Santa Ana developer Ryan Chase revealed that he is adding loft-type living space above his landmark dining destination, the 4th Street Market. He spoke of the live-work-play “vibe” that is his vision for Downtown Santa Ana. Speakers Dr. Susie Lopez-Guerra, Paula Garcia-Arsenault, and Randy Barth helped to spotlight the city’s investment in the area’s youth, and spoke of the creative collaborations and opportunities within Santa Ana that are helping to develop tomorrow’s leaders and innovators.
The energy and enthusiasm exhibited by the presenters left conference attendees with an optimistic outlook for the future of the city.
As members of the Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce for many years, LSL is proud to be a part of Santa Ana’s past, present and future.
Written by: Carolyn Bryant, CPA
