The Tustin City Council has selected Almquist Development, an Orange County-based firm led by Tustin native Dan Almquist, to potentially turn 52 vacant acres of the Tustin Legacy into a mixed-use project on Red Hill and Warner Avenue.
The council recently agreed that the city should enter into an exclusive negotiating agreement with Almquist for the development of that gateway corner for the 1,600-acre Tustin Legacy neighborhood with a project expected to include a mix of retail, entertainment and open space with for-sale housing units. That agreement will next be drafted and returned to the council later this year, with expectation a final development agreement could be ready early next year.
Almquist is the developer behind several high-profile projects in Orange County, including The Canopy shopping center under construction in the Great Park Neighborhoods in Irvine and the River Street Marketplace that opened in late 2024 in San Juan Capistrano.
“On a Friday afternoon, there were families playing, there were restaurants open, there were shops open… there was a huge amount of community going on there,” Tustin Councilmember Lee Fink said at a recent council meeting of a visit to River Street Marketplace. “That’s the project that Almquist has developed… and it’s a great model for what I hope to see in Tustin.”
The months-long selection process for a potential developer for the 52 acres the city owns began with 12 proposals, which were narrowed down to three finalists before Almquist was chosen to enter into the negotiation process. The recommendation was made by an Ad Hoc Committee of Councilmember Ryan Gallagher and Mayor Austin Lumbard, before the decision was approved unanimously by the council on March 17 — Councilmember Ray Schnell recused himself due to a financial conflict of interest.
For Almquist, a Foothill High School graduate, the opportunity carries personal significance, he said.
“I just saw it as an opportunity to really go into a community that I care a great deal about and create something special,” he said this week. “Tustin reminds me of my family, my parents, my dad … before he passed, we talked a lot about this site and the opportunity to come home and do something special.”
Almquist said his proposal aims to create a curated retail experience that is representative of Tustin and caters to the community. Part of that vision draws on Americana-inspired design, he said, with the goal of creating a more walkable, village-type environment.
While the preliminary components are bound to be refined during the remaining process, city staffers said in their report to the council that the concept also includes housing, some of it designated as affordable, and some improvements to Tustin Legacy Park.
“Tustin is a family focused community,” Councilmember Gallagher told Almquist at the recent council meeting. “I know your project will help strengthen that. My only comment is, go fast.”