A 95-acre mixed-use community will soon be making its way to Anaheim. Following its approval from the City last month, the project will bring a mix of entertainment, residential, hotel and commercial space to the site near Honda Center.
The project, also referred to as ocV!BE, is a $4 billion project by the Samueli Family, owners of the Anaheim Ducks and longtime manager of the 18,000-seat Honda Center.
“The project will bring the kind of excitement and experiences seen around arenas and stadiums in San Diego, Sacramento, Los Angeles and other cities while also being uniquely Anaheim,” a landing page for the project on the city of Anaheim’s website states.
In total, the community will consist of a 5,700-seat concert venue, 1.1 million square feet of office space – including a new 325,000 square foot office tower –, 1,500 residential units, more than 30 dining options, two hotels with 550 guest rooms and approximately 8,000 parking spaces.
In addition, the project will add 20 acres of public space including four plazas and 10 acres of parks. Each plaza will have its own focus, according to the project’s website. The western plaza, which will be anchored by the new 5,700-capacity entertainment venue, will also include a 50,000 square foot market hall and several floors of creative office space as well as pedestrian walking space, retail and dining options. Likewise, the southern-facing plaza will feature multiple walkways and additional dining opportunities. A plaza to the north will offer even more entertainment space with several smaller venues, while the eastern plaza will offer gardens and public art.
Included in the park space will be a four-acre wellness park and a five-acre riverfront park. The public space will also feature a number of pedestrian bridges and paths, including a landmark pedestrian bridge over Katella Avenue. A portion of Douglass Road near the Honda Center will also close in order to make room for a new pedestrian entryway to the site.
The pedestrian bridges will also offer a connection from the Honda Center to the Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC), which is located across the way at 2626 E Katella Ave. According to project plans, the connection to ARTIC will help increase public transit ridership while diminishing vehicle traffic near the entertainment district.
While plans for the 95-acre district were submitted in June of 2022, the first phase of ocV!BE is set to open in 2024. The rest is likely to follow by 2028, according to the project’s website.
