Newport Center is a business, shopping, and entertainment district located on a high bluff overlooking Newport Harbor in Newport Beach, California, centered around the Fashion Island regional shopping mall. It was created in the early 1960s as part of William Pereira's master plan for the Irvine Ranch. Newport Center was created as the unofficial "downtown" of the Irvine Ranch, which at the time extended all the way down to Pacific Coast Highway.
It was the site used for the 1953 National Scout Jamboree of the Boy Scouts of America.[1] The event was held where Newport Center and Fashion Island now sit. It was the third international jamboree; the first jamboree held west of the Mississippi River and had with 50,000 scouts from all 48 states, Alaska, Hawaii, and 16 foreign countries.[2] It was one of the first sites considered for Disneyland. During excavation of the site for the first buildings, a considerable amount of petrified wood was discovered, indicating that a small forest once existed in the area.
The center was the brainchild of architect William Pereira and Irvine Company planner Ray Watson, with many of its buildings designed by Pereira and Welton Becket. The first building, at 400 Newport Center Drive, went up in 1967, with the majority of the center's buildings following in the 1970s, designed primarily in the International Style. Pereira's futurist Pacific Mutual building was added in 1972, which became one of Newport Beach's most well-known architectural landmarks. Newport Center and Fashion Island were named by Orange County advertising pioneer Leland Oliver Co., Inc. which also created the advertising and public relations for many years.
The strip of land between Avocado and MacArthur roads was originally slated to be an exit spur of the Pacific Coast Freeway, which was never built. It sat largely empty until the late 2000s when a library and park were constructed on the site.
Main entrance to Newport Center and Fashion Island at intersection of Newport Center Drive and Highway 1
The center of the circle is occupied by Fashion Island regional shopping mall. Adjacent to the complex is the very upscale Big Canyon Country Club community.
Transportationedit
Newport Center Drive is accessed from the outside by five roads, which are named after the Channel Islands of California. These roads split the center into "superblocks", each of which were built and leased as separate properties.
Galleryedit
Newport Center with Balboa in the foreground
Newport Center from Balboa Peninsula
Newport Skyline
Irvine Company's HQ in Newport Center
Fashion Island in Newport Center
Pacific Life's HQ
Referencesedit
^Newport Beach 100 – Landmarks and Legends 2007-09-28 at the Wayback Machine
newport, center, newport, beach, california, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Newport Center Newport Beach California news newspapers books scholar JSTOR January 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message Newport Center is a business shopping and entertainment district located on a high bluff overlooking Newport Harbor in Newport Beach California centered around the Fashion Island regional shopping mall It was created in the early 1960s as part of William Pereira s master plan for the Irvine Ranch Newport Center was created as the unofficial downtown of the Irvine Ranch which at the time extended all the way down to Pacific Coast Highway Newport CenterBusiness district of Newport BeachNewport Center DriveCountryUnited StatesStateCaliforniaCountyOrangeCityNewport BeachTime zoneUTC 8 PST Summer DST UTC 7 PDT Contents 1 History 2 Economy 3 Fashion Island 4 Transportation 5 Gallery 6 ReferencesHistory edit nbsp Satellite view of Newport Center taken in 2005It was the site used for the 1953 National Scout Jamboree of the Boy Scouts of America 1 The event was held where Newport Center and Fashion Island now sit It was the third international jamboree the first jamboree held west of the Mississippi River and had with 50 000 scouts from all 48 states Alaska Hawaii and 16 foreign countries 2 It was one of the first sites considered for Disneyland During excavation of the site for the first buildings a considerable amount of petrified wood was discovered indicating that a small forest once existed in the area The center was the brainchild of architect William Pereira and Irvine Company planner Ray Watson with many of its buildings designed by Pereira and Welton Becket The first building at 400 Newport Center Drive went up in 1967 with the majority of the center s buildings following in the 1970s designed primarily in the International Style Pereira s futurist Pacific Mutual building was added in 1972 which became one of Newport Beach s most well known architectural landmarks Newport Center and Fashion Island were named by Orange County advertising pioneer Leland Oliver Co Inc which also created the advertising and public relations for many years The strip of land between Avocado and MacArthur roads was originally slated to be an exit spur of the Pacific Coast Freeway which was never built It sat largely empty until the late 2000s when a library and park were constructed on the site Economy editThe center occupies a large city block between Jamboree MacArthur and San Joaquin Hills roads and Pacific Coast Highway In the center of this block is a circular road called Newport Center Drive with high rise buildings encircling the outside edge of the road Numerous businesses are located along Newport Center Drive including insurer Pacific Life PIMCO Janus Capital Group Acacia Research Corporation Irvine Company Blackwood and law firm Stradling Yocca Carlson amp Rauth Fashion Island editMain article Fashion Island nbsp Main entrance to Newport Center and Fashion Island at intersection of Newport Center Drive and Highway 1The center of the circle is occupied by Fashion Island regional shopping mall Adjacent to the complex is the very upscale Big Canyon Country Club community Transportation editNewport Center Drive is accessed from the outside by five roads which are named after the Channel Islands of California These roads split the center into superblocks each of which were built and leased as separate properties Gallery edit nbsp nbsp Newport Center with Balboa in the foreground nbsp Newport Center from Balboa Peninsula nbsp Newport Skyline nbsp Irvine Company s HQ in Newport Center nbsp Fashion Island in Newport Center nbsp Pacific Life s HQReferences edit Newport Beach 100 Landmarks and Legends Archived 2007 09 28 at the Wayback Machine Orange County 1946 to 1962 33 36 58 N 117 52 34 W 33 616 N 117 8761 W 33 616 117 8761 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Newport Center Newport Beach California amp oldid 1125839273, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
