FULLERTON — Bulldozers and medical patients are meshing at Laguna and Bastanchury roads as work moves forward on the $50 million Providence Center.
With the five-story parking structure and 90,000-square-foot medical office building completed, construction workers are starting to demolish the final northeast part of the 6.5-acre site.
Accretive Realty Advisors CEO Tom LeBeau said Sushi Momo restaurant was expected to vacate this week, and lease space in downtown Fullerton in the former Century 21 location.
“Once the last buildings are down, we’ll start widening the north side of Sunnycrest Drive,” LeBeau said.
The medical building, which is 40 percent occupied, opened last week. In addition to contracting with more physicians, Accretive is working on leases with a “high-end” weight loss clinic, an optometry shop and Peet’s Coffee. LeBeau said his office is also looking for a juice store.
The 15,000-square-foot second floor of the medical building is dedicated to women with the women’s clinic from the Val Mesa building taking up residence.
Leases have been signed with Panera and Z Pizza restaurants for the food court area, he said. A 2,100-square-foot site remains for an upscale restaurant and full bar.
An outdoor fireplace and fire pit will also offer a gathering place.
The ambience has changed dramatically since Kae Thomas moved into an adjacent neighborhood in 1960. She remembers a market and barber shop drew a minimal amount of traffic from Harbor Boulevard and Bastanchury Road.
“Now they’re looking at a nine-story parking structure and another medical building next to the Bank of America at Valencia Mesa and Harbor,” Thomas said. “The traffic will really increase.”
