FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the vision for Village at Buena Park?
Our vision for Village at Buena Park is a vibrant housing community in the heart of the city that is walkable to surrounding restaurants, shopping, and entertainment amenities. Village at Buena Park will offer newly built residences in the form of trendy apartments for rent and fresh, modern townhomes for sale. In addition, our plan includes a central park, courtyards, and other resident amenities. We believe a residential project will revitalize this area by creating 24/7 activity and bringing new people to the surrounding entertainment, retail, and dining establishments. Merlone Geier has submitted a plan to the City of Buena Park for this contemporary housing project to be built on the former Sears property, next to the landmark Buena Park Downtown Mall.
Who is Merlone Geier Partners?
Merlone Geier Partners is a private real estate investment company focused on the acquisition, development and redevelopment of retail and mixed-use properties on the West Coast. While demonstrating sensitivity to the community’s unique needs, Merlone Geier brings creative solutions to the complexities of creating urban and suburban places and destinations.
Where is this project in the planning process?
We are in the early stages of the planning process. Merlone Geier submitted a project application to the City of Buena Park in November. We are currently seeking input from the community and the City on our proposal. As part of the entitlement process, the project will undergo a thorough environmental review.
How many residential units will there be?
Our proposal includes approximately 1,176 apartment homes and 126 for sale townhomes.
Will all of the residential units be for rent?
Not all of the units will be rental units. The approximately 126 townhome units at the south side of the property will be available for purchase. The approximately 1,176 apartment home will be available for rent.
What will the monthly apartment rents be and what will the townhome sales prices be?
We have not yet determined what the rents and sales prices for these units will be. These amounts will depend on market conditions at the time that these units are completed, which will be several years from now.
How large will the units be?
Unit types and square footages will vary within the project. The apartments will offer studio, 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, and 3-bedroom unit types. The townhomes will include both 2-bedroom and 3-bedroom options. The unit mix and size of each unit type is still being determined. More information will be available as we get further into the design process.
Are there plans for affordable housing within the Village at Buena Park?
This project will include an affordable housing component, but the number of units and level of affordability are still being determined.
Who will live at Village at Buena Park? Do you anticipate families will live there?
Yes, we do expect that families will choose to live here. We anticipate that the property will house a mix of families, couples, and individuals of many different ages. We would expect the property to reflect the diverse makeup of the City of Buena Park as a whole.
How will enough resident and guest parking be provided?
Ample parking will be provided for both residents and guests. Each of the four apartment buildings includes a central parking garage to serve resident and guest parking. All of the townhome units include an attached two-car garage. Additionally, the project will include surface parking stalls along the street. Our proposed plan includes approximately 2,747 parking stalls (over two stalls per unit). Approximately 2,468 stalls are located within garages and approximately 279 stalls are located along the streets within the project.
How many stories will the residential buildings be?
Building heights vary throughout the project. The apartment buildings range from five stories to seven stories. The townhome buildings will all be three stories.
Is there any retail planned for this project?
No, Village at Buena Park is 100% residential.
What will happen to the former Sears building?
The former Sears building will be removed prior to construction of the Village at Buena Park.
Will the Buena Park Downtown Mall be torn down?
No, Merlone Geier does not own the remainder of the Buena Park Downtown Mall. That area is not included in this project.
What other amenities will be included as part of Village at Buena Park?
Village at Buena Park will include a central park that will be open to the public. This park will include a lawn area, walking paths, a playground, and dog park. The project will also offer private amenities for Village at Buena Park residents, including resident lounges and courtyards, pools, fitness centers, and other amenities typically found within residential properties.
Who will be able to use/access the central park?
The central park will be open to residents and the public for all to enjoy.
Will the wall between this project and the adjacent single-family homes be raised to restrict views into the neighborhood? What else will be done to ensure privacy?
We are looking into the possibility of increasing the height of the existing wall between this property and the homes to the south. With the single-family neighborhood in mind, we have designed the project so that the building heights are lowest at the south side of the property. Our project design also includes building setbacks and landscaping buffers to help screen the homes to the south.
Will the entire project be built at once?
All of the buildings will not be constructed at the same time. This project will be built in phases. Construction timing and phasing will depend on market conditions.
What are the plans for controlling dust and noise during construction?
During the environmental review process, we will study construction activities and the potential impacts of those activities. Any significant impacts identified will be mitigated. For example, frequent watering helps to control dust during construction.
How will potential flooding on the site be mitigated?
The project will be designed to appropriately handle the detention and treatment of stormwater and runoff from this site. As a part of this redevelopment, any existing drainage issues on this property will be corrected.
Is solar energy being incorporated into the project?
The buildings will be designed to California Green Building Standards, which require that 15% of the roof area can accommodate future solar installation.
Will you be looking at potential traffic impacts for the surrounding neighborhood?
During the environmental review process, we will study the project’s impact on traffic and determine whether any traffic mitigation measures are necessary.
Are tax dollars helping pay for this project?
We are not seeking public funding for this project.
Will you be using local skilled labor during construction?
At this stage in the process, we have not determined who will perform the construction work. We will look into the possibility of using local labor as we get closer to starting construction.
How can the public stay informed about the project?
Sign up via the website to receive email updates. We will keep the community informed about updates and milestones as the project progresses. You can reach us by email at info@villagebuenapark.com.
Downtown
Living
Reimagined
Buena Park, CA 90620
