By Eric Heinz
On Monday, the city’s Design Review Subcommittee, a supplemental branch of the Planning Commission, met to review plans for the Miramar Theater, now being called the Miramar Events Center.
The plans include renovating the old bowling alley to develop seven restaurant sites and the main theater to allow for a variety of events.
In order for the plans to go through, the owners of the Miramar need to obtain a cultural heritage use permit, a conditional use permit and a minor site plans permit.
There are also plans to increase the vegetation surrounding the old theater. Wayne Eggleston, a subcommittee member and Planning Commissioner, said the designs will return to the subcommittee for further review.
“The courtyard area needs more vegetation because initially it was going to be like Cedar Creek in San Juan Capistrano,” Eggleston said. “It’s going to be hot out there.”
Some of the plans include enclosing the front ticket office, adding ramps to the bowling alley entrance, elevation specs and possibly creating a sun roof over the former bowling alley.
Plans also have been made to repair the exterior of the facility.
“It’s following the ideas of a study that was done years before, except it doesn’t have any retail,” Eggleston said. “Retail is not, in my opinion, going to be very successful there, but other than that, they’ve followed the plan all the way through. It’s proceeding very well and smoothly at this point, and there’s always new suggestions and ways things can be done differently.”
According to city documents, the Miramar Theater was opened for the public in 1938. Its historic significance is seen as very important among groups such as the San Clemente Historical Society. It hasn’t been operational since 1992.
The plans for the Miramar Events Center will have to receive Planning Commission and City Council approval. Eggleston said he thinks the plans will come before Planning Commission by December or January. To view the full plans, click here.
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