Bolsa Row is finishing final designs now that it is approved to build in Little Saigon
The Orange County Register
July 18, 2018
With a bundle of plans and permits approved by the Westminster City Council, Bolsa Row is just about ready to build on 6-acres of undeveloped land at Bolsa Avenue and Brookhurst Street – though at the reluctance of some of its neighbors.
With a 144-room, five-story hotel, a 201-room, five-story apartment complex and an about 37,550 square feet of retail space, Westminster officials are touting Bolsa Road as one of the major development projects for the area.
The buildings will be joined by what the developer, IP Westminster, is calling “Festival Street,” a plaza space that can host up to six events per year.
Ken Ryan, a principal with KTGY Architecture + Planning, said his favorite feature of Bolsa Row is the landscaped Celebration Bridge, which connects an event hall and the hotel’s garden space.
“There’s something kind of magical about this place and people are going to want to be there whether they call it home or are just visiting,” Ryan said. “It’s a mix of different experiences from activity to serenity. We’ve incorporated elements that touch the human experience.”
RELATED: The next big thing in tourism could be Little Saigon
Residents in nearby neighborhoods told the City Council they were concerned about parking, traffic congestion and light pollution from the project would affect their homes.
Ronald Hamamura said he likes the Bolsa Row project, but the parking doesn’t seem adequate for the hotel and the central plaza. He and his neighbors, he said, worry the overflow will end up on their streets, especially during popular events such as the Tet parade or festival held for Lunar New Year.
“The planned hotel is roughly 150 rooms; a restaurant and bar; banquet hall for up to 650 people. The city’s own development report expects 190 on-site, permanent jobs to be created,” Hamamura said.
