Shopping Centers Today is the news magazine of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)
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72 S C T / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 6 A 1980s-era food court makes way for a chef-supervised food hall experience at an Irvine, Calif., center By Ben Johnson Nourishing change D evelopers are hoping that a 1980s-vintage retail center in one of Southern California's most heavily trafficked daytime-office corridors will become a nighttime draw as well, thanks to the opening of a new food hall. Lincoln Property Co. and private equity partner Alcion Ventures purchased Trade Marketplace, a 32,600-square-foot retail center in Irvine, Calif., near John Wayne Airport, in 2014. They have spent the last two years transforming its dated food court into a food-hall dining experience, complete with crafted cuisine from around the world, a full-service bar and indoor-outdoor communal dining. "This property has been known as a lunch spot to thousands of nearby office tenants in the past, and we saw the opportunity to make it a pre- mier food destination not only for lunch, but for nights and weekends as well," said Parke Miller, executive vice president of Lincoln Property. "Trade will draw people seven days a week, and we're excited to see our vision materialize." Eight chef-driven tenants have signed on at the 9,000-square foot Trade food hall, which opens this month following a $5 million renovation. Miller relied heavily on celebrity chef Andrew Gruel to help spearhead the D E V E L O P M E N T D I G E S T F R O M R E N D E R I N G TO G R A N D O PE N I N G