Housing project aloft in Lido Village

June Casagrande

LIDO VILLAGE -- Residents will get their first glimpse next week of a

development of 22 live-work lofts and a public walkway planned for the

Cannery Village area.

The proposed Cannery Lofts, which combine residential living area in

lofts overlooking ground-floor professional space, will be the subject of

a public forum Wednesday. The project could give a boost to business and

foot traffic in the area, which might not be popular with everyone.

“It’s a very attractive project, and the public walkway could attract

visitors and business to the area,” said Alan Silcock of the West Newport

Beach Assn., which will host the forum. “Whether it’s desirable to the

residents remains to be seen.”

Cannery Lofts is slated to be built along both sides of 30th Street,

between Villa Way and LaFayette Avenue. Its 22 lofts would be

free-standing, owner-occupied units of about 3,000 square feet. Four will

sit on the Rhine Channel waterfront.

Kevin Weeda, principal of Cannery Lofts Ltd., said the project’s

concept is to build on the area’s potential as a diverse residential and

commercial area centered around the Cannery restaurant. The historic

restaurant is scheduled to reopen Dec. 3 as Cannery Seafood of the

Pacific.

“It’s an eclectic neighborhood with a lot of character and a lot of

interesting people, and our intention is to enhance that and to maintain

that,” Weeda said.

He said that prospective buyers are already expressing interest. They

range from young people in creative professions to “empty nesters” who,

according to Weeda, are attracted to the loft design and lifestyle.

Preliminary plans have been filed with the city. In accordance with

city plans for the area, the project would include a public walkway that

extends from the Cannery across 30th Street and along the waterfront

portion of the lofts project. The developer has also offered, as part of

the project, to create a public park where 30th Street dead ends at the

water.

* June Casagrande covers Newport Beach. She may be reached at (949)

574-4232 or by e-mail at o7 [email protected] .

FYI

* WHAT: Public forum on the proposed Cannery Lofts development

* WHEN: 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday

* WHERE: Newport Beach City Hall, 3300 Newport Blvd.

PHONE: West Newport Beach Assn., (949) 722-6421