Grand Avenue and 17th Street

Purpose, Intent, and Objectives

Purpose and Intent

The Grand Avenue and 17th Street Focus Area will foster the development of an urban mixed-use corridor connecting to the city’s downtown and transit core. The intent is to create opportunities for a new mix of land uses and design to transition Grand Avenue from a series of auto-oriented shopping plazas to a series of community-serving, dynamic urban spaces.

Objectives

  • Create mixed-use corridors and urban villages
  • Realize a more intense, multistory frontage along the corridor
  • Promote infill development while respecting established neighborhoods
  • Foster community spaces and neighborhood-serving amenities
  • Develop opportunities for live-work, artist spaces, and small-scale manufacturing
  • Maintain compatible nodes of commercial activity


Envisioned Character

The following images are illustrative, intended to convey the desired design and character of new development, improvements to the public realm, and general atmosphere envisioned for the focus area.

The building and site design will incorporate dynamic spaces that enhance walkability throughout the public and private realm.

Ground-floor architecture and details will be human scaled, and new projects will engage the sidewalk to create an inviting walking experience.

New mixed-use projects, encouraged in the District Center and Urban Neighborhood land use districts, will activate the urban street with commercial uses on the ground floor and residential above.

Proximity of the Regional Transportation Center allows for an intense mix of uses in the District Center land use district south of Interstate 5.

New development throughout the focus area will establish public and private outdoor space.

Community amenities and temporary installations, like sidewalk gardens, street festivals, and farmers markets, will contribute to the sense of community in the new urban villages.

Mixed-use housing projects, up to 4 stories tall, are encouraged in the Urban Neighborhood land use district.


Land Use and Urban Form

The majority of land is planned for Urban Neighborhood or District Center land use designations, which will allow a blend of residential and commercial uses to develop simultaneously, as market conditions allow. An intense mixed-use area is envisioned adjacent to the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center, along the east side of Grand Avenue south of Interstate 5. This part of the focus area will support larger, more visually dynamic buildings and urban spaces that complement and benefit from the adjacent regional transit center.

North of Interstate 5, the buildings and spaces must be sensitive to the surrounding low- density neighborhoods while still emphasizing the creation of active and attractive urban spaces. A mix of residential, retail, and office will be interspersed along the frontage of Grand Avenue, with a concentrated node of commercial and mixed-use residential uses at Grand Avenue and 17th Street. A small portion of the focus area is designated for Industrial/Flex and General Commercial to support small-scale manufacturing, live-work, and retail opportunities.

The building and site design will incorporate dynamic spaces that activate and engage the public realm, particularly along the ground floor fronting Grand Avenue, the intersection of Grand Avenue and 17th Street, and near the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center. New development will also establish public and private outdoor space that works in tandem to improve the experience of walking and living along and around Grand Avenue.

District Center

The District Center land use district encourages the development of dynamic spaces that activate and engage the public realm, particularly along the ground floor fronting key activity centers.

District Center Medium (DC-2)

Transit-oriented urban village with a wide range and mix of residential, live-work, commercial, and employment-generating uses

Urban Neighborhood

The Urban Neighborhood land use districts allow for a blend of residential and commercial uses and provide a transition between existing neighborhoods and the commercial corridor.

Urban Neighborhood Low (UN-20)

Medium-high density urban neighborhoods with a mix of attached single- and multifamily housing; mixed-use residential with ground- floor retail, services, and restaurants; cultural uses; public and open spaces

Urban Neighborhood Medium Low (UN-30)

Medium-high density urban neighborhoods with a mix of attached single- and multifamily housing; mixed-use residential with ground- floor retail, services, and restaurants; cultural uses; public and open spaces

Urban Neighborhood Medium (UN-40)

Medium-high density urban neighborhoods with a mix of attached single- and multifamily housing; mixed-use residential with ground- floor retail, services, and restaurants; cultural uses; public and open spaces

Industrial Flex

The Industrial Flex land use district allows for a variety of development types, including live-work units.

Industrial/Flex Low (FLEX-1.5)

Office/industrial flex spaces, small-scale R&D, clean manufacturing

General Commercial

General Commercial Medium (GC-1)

Shopping, restaurants, entertainment, service commercial


Photo Simulations

The following are artistic interpretations of how new development could support the purpose, intent and objectives of the Focus Area. These illustrations do not reflect any proposed projects.

Grand and 17th District Center

Public Spaces

New development will establish public and private outdoor space that improve the experience of walking and living along and around Grand Avenue.

Urban Village

Four-story buildings should be compatible with the surrounding single-family neighborhoods.

Human-Scale

Human-scale landscaping and ground-floor architecture improve the pedestrian experience and activate the street.

Grand and 17th Urban Neighborhood at Major Intersection

View of 4-Story Grand and 17th Urban Neighborhood from Adjacent Neighborhood

  1. Activate Key Intersections Commercial uses may wrap around the corner, transitioning from more urban areas to lower-density homes.
  2. Landscape Screening Careful landscaping provides a transition between single family homes and adjacent urban neighborhood lots.
  3. Height & Massing Step-backs in taller buildings transition between existing low-density neighborhoods and new higher-density development.