The postmodern complex that dominates the horizon along the San Diego Freeway in Irvine officially is known as Park Place Office Campus. But for the last 23 years, the project--an Orange County landmark--has been home to its first Fortune 500 company, Fluor Corp.
The rectangular glass buildings and tower have become so well-linked with the nation's largest engineering and construction firm that many think of the site simply as "the Fluor building."
But after more than two decades as Park Place's most visible tenant, Fluor is leaving at month's end for a campus-style complex in nearby Aliso Viejo. Left behind will be a crater-sized hole in the heart of Orange County, about 600,000 square feet of space. It is the single-largest vacancy ever to hit the market here.
Faced with the equivalent of leasing a 24-story tower--which would be taller than any building in Orange County--Janine Padia, head of Park Place's leasing for Winthrop Management, is confronted with a massive task.
But the opening may be coming at an opportune time. The region's vigorous economy has created the strongest demand for office space in years. At the end of 1998, the county's vacancy rate was 8.4, the lowest since Grubb & Ellis Inc. began tracking the office market in 1984.
"If we kept it leased when things were so bad, hopefully we can keep it leased when times are good," said Padia, whose employer manages and partly owns the sprawling complex.
Completed in 1981, Park Place is spread over more than 100 acres. It consists of 1.8 million square feet, including six four-story buildings, a 10-story tower, and single-story offices, with a concourse that connects the structures.
As in many campus projects, Park Place features attractive gardens and fountains. But it also contains the amenities found in high-rises, such as a dry cleaners, florist and travel agency.
Its hallways gently curve like rivers, flowing into a 1,500-seat cafeteria, a full-service restaurant and a 120-seat auditorium. Across the parking lot are a dozen eateries and a 10-screen movie theater.
The building's futuristic look--in particular, a mushroom-shaped steel and glass tower and Tinkertoy-shaped structures that house the complexes' mammoth heating and air conditioning system--has caught the eye of motorists and filmmakers alike. The main office complex has been a backdrop to films such as "Demolition Man" and "Defending Your Life."
