The public-private partnership between FivePoint, Riverside Charitable Corp. and Related California brings 157 affordable housing units to Parasol Park in Great Park Neighborhoods.

By Irvine City News staff

More than 100 city leaders and elected officials gathered on Thursday to celebrate the grand opening of Luxaira, a new 157-unit affordable housing community located in the Parasol Park community at Great Park Neighborhoods.

Luxaira is the second affordable senior community in the Great Park Neighborhoods developed in collaboration by the public-private partnership between FivePoint, Riverside Charitable Corporation and Related California. The first was Solaira in 2015.

Luxaira is the fourth affordable community to open within the Great Park Neighborhoods—each developed by FivePoint and Related—totaling more than 500 units. The apartments are the latest milestone in a commitment by FivePoint to build 1,056 total affordable units within its larger development of approximately 9,500 housing units planned around the Great Park on the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Station. 

Irvine Mayor Donald Wagner and Irvine Councilmember Melissa Fox were among the city officials to attend the grand opening ceremony and applaud the project.

“Creating quality affordable housing is a major challenge, and one that the City of Irvine is proud to continue to support,” said Mayor Wagner. “This grand opening is another important step in our ongoing efforts to create vibrant, inclusive, sustainable and affordable neighborhoods.”​

Located on 4.65 acres, Luxaira consists of two residential buildings with on-site services reflecting the interests and needs of its residents. Miles of trails that connect the communities to the Orange County Great Park are also in close proximity to Luxaira.

Amenities at Luxaira include a quilting workroom, art studio, demonstration kitchen, fitness center with yoga studio, and outdoor pavilion with saltwater pool, spa, gazebo and barbecue area.

Residents also have access to an on-site community garden, two rooftop decks, two dog parks, 181 parking stalls, and complimentary Wi-Fi in common areas. Its social services center also hosts educational classes and preventive health screenings.
​
New residents moved into the community in recent weeks. The complex is fully leased, with a waiting list that was capped at 1,000.

Managing change
John Russo is Irvine’s new city manager, replacing Sean Joyce, who retired in February after a nearly 13-year career in Irvine. Russo was a city councilman and city attorney in Oakland, served four years as city manager for the city of Alameda, and most recently was city manager of Riverside. Russo is “a forward-thinking manager who helped shore up the city’s financial position and brought more openness to city government,” according to Riverside City Councilman Mike Gardner, who was quoted in the OC Register. The new city manager says he plans to publish meeting agendas 12 days ahead so the public and the city council have more time to read and analyze them, and he hopes to move Irvine to a two-year budget cycle. “Among our priority goals, this city council will turn to him to forge traffic improvement initiatives; support of public safety and our schools; the opening of large sections of the Orange County Great Park; and the continued high service to our community,” says Mayor Don Wagner in a statement about Russo’s hiring. 
 
Dining debuts
The city’s culinary scene is seeing a wave of anticipated new openings this month. The second location of the always-busy 85°C Bakery Café is opening at Irvine Spectrum Center, part of the $200 million remodel there to replace a shuttered Macy’s store. Other foodie finds coming to the center include Hello Kitty Café, Falosophy, Afters Ice Cream, Robata Wasa and BLKdot Coffee (which has another new location at Irvine Market Place). Several of the new dining options will be in a family-friendly area near Target where the carousel has been relocated. Also opening soon are Pizza Press, a welcome addition to the Woodbridge Village Center, and JimBoy’s Tacos coming to Oak Creek. The taco shop offers old-school ground beef tacos in a corn tortilla shell that’s griddled, not fried, and dusted with Parmesan. They’re delicious and addictive, and just like those first created at the original location in Lake Tahoe in the 1950s. Pizza Press may seem like another build-your-own pizza place, but we love the 1920s newspaper ambiance, complete with signature pizzas named after major newspapers. We plan on creating an Irvine City News selection soon. Go to thepizzapress.com/gpg to register for a free pizza voucher redeemable at the Great Pizza Giveaway event on Aug. 2, the opening of the Woodbridge location.