The site is already owned by the city, is much more central in the city, and, most important, is a spectacular site that is grossly under used today.
The site of which I write was formerly known as Upper Bayview Landing, and now named Back Bay View Park, at the northwest corner of Jamboree and East Coast Highway, in the very center of Newport Beach. It is large enough for a city hall (at least as I envision it); and could be a location for a truly world-class hall, befitting what we like to consider a world-class city.
How do I envision such a city hall? I envision a partially underground garage (open on the north and west), taking access from the intersection on East Coast Highway now serving the Promontory Point complex, with a driveway that would immediately turn right into the garage. At the surface level (which would be slightly lower than the level of East Coast Highway, so that cars passing by could see the magnificent view of the Back Bay and the mountains behind) would be a people-friendly plaza on top of the garage, surrounded by real landscaping, and interrupted only by the elevator structure and the pillars supporting the building above.
In my vision, the building would have it's length parallel to East Coast Highway and a narrow width facing Jamboree. It would be several stories high, sheathed in reflective glass so as to reflect the sky and clouds around it. It would be slightly curved, to enhance those reflections. All of the floors would have magnificent views to the north; and the upper floors would also have magnificent views to the south, over the harbor and the Balboa Pavilion to the ocean beyond.
The top floor would be a community meeting room and gallery that would be the most spectacular such room in the western United States! It would be a magnificent structure, attracting recognition to Newport Beach from around the world.
Are there problems with such a vision? You bet! Among them are the following:
