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IRVINE, CA—Customization and branding aren't common in Orange County's office stock, but Harbor Associates has seven projects in various stages of renovation that prove there's a market for office space that isn't cookie-cutter, company principal Joon Choi tells GlobeSt.com. Each asset (five in Tustin, one in Irvine and one in Lake Forest) is in different stages of renovation. We spoke with Choi about the projects and some of the firm's operational wins in this market.

Since our discussion with Choi, the firm has acquired Tustin Corporate, a 43,517-square-foot office building located at 18302 Irvine Blvd. in Tustin in an all-cash transaction with the Bascom Group LLC. Harbor acquired the asset through a distressed on-line auction bid process from an out-of-state special servicer. This transaction marks the eighth value-add office acquisition for Harbor in the last two years and second acquisition for the firm in the last two weeks, coming on the heels of the firm's acquisition of Bespoke Century City in West L.A. The acquisition expands the firm's existing footprint in Orange County to seven buildings across five different projects and represents the firm's third acquisition in Tustin, where it owns close to 300,000 square feet. CHoi describes the project further in his description of the fifth project the firm is working on, below.

Harbor is planning to reposition the asset through a comprehensive rebranding and renovation program that includes cosmetic upgrades to the exterior of the building, upgrading lobbies and restrooms, installing new creative-office spec suites and including new outdoor seating spaces. As part of the repositioning, the project will showcase 15-foot first-floor ceiling heights, authentic brick architecture and private patios for individual tenants on the third floor.