The next time you lie flat during a business class flight, remember this name: Elevate Aircraft Seating.
The luxury airplane seat maker is expanding in Huntington Beach, leasing a 280,460-square-foot facility at the McDonnell Center Business Park at 5701 Skylab Road.
Elevate, formerly Adient Aerospace, signed the lease with owner Prologis, according to Savills, which represented the airplane seat manufacturer.
“This is a rare manufacturer expansion in Southern California that will provide Elevate the ability to grow quickly and efficiently by immediately occupying the new facility,” said Steve Card, Savills vice chairman .
Elevate will continue to occupy its 80,000-square-foot facility next door at 5511 Skylab Road, according to the brokerage.
Previously occupied by Hybrid Apparel, the two-story industrial property at 5701 Skylab was built in 2000 and features 40,000 square feet of office space, something Elevate was seeking.
Founded in 2018, Elevate Aircraft Seating is based in Bothell, Washington, and has facilities in California and Germany.
NB office building converting to medical use
A 78,000-square-foot office building at 3300 Irvine Ave. in Newport Beach will be transformed it into a medical outpatient building.
The project is a joint venture between Archer Property Partners and Real Estate Development Associates, both based in Newport Beach, which acquired the property in 2023 for $18.5 million.
The Newport Beach Planning Commission approved the conversion plan in January 2025.
Originally developed by The Koll Company in 1980, the building was long used as general office.
“Newport Beach is one of the most sought-after locations for medical office space in Southern California,” said R.J. Sommerdyke, principal at Archer. “Medical office vacancy in the city is exceptionally low — less than 5% — with a severe lack of large blocks of contiguous space. Currently, there is only one space larger than 10,000 square feet available citywide. Many existing MOBs are aging and no longer meet the needs of today’s providers, making redevelopment projects like this essential.”
A recent report by NAI Capital shows Orange County office space continues to lean into subleasing. “Smaller deals and rising sublease demand are shaping the early 2025 office market in Orange County, as vacancy continues to decline,” author J.C. Casillas wrote in the report released May 13.
“Direct leasing activity in Orange County’s office market lost momentum in Q1 2025, with tenants leasing approximately 1.6 million square feet on a direct basis — a 31.0% decline quarter over quarter and 23.8% below Q1 2024,” the report states.
In terms of sales, roughly 1.2 million square feet traded in early 2025 — a 32.1% drop from late 2024 and 6.3% below the year-ago quarter.
Workplace ‘lab’ opening in Costa Mesa
The workplace provider Serendipity Labs is opening a 39,000-square-foot location on the 14th and 15th floors of the 3200 Park Center Drive at the Pacific Arts Plaza in Costa Mesa.
It’s a first for Serendipity Labs in Orange County.
The space will provide private offices and team suite options for one to 100 employees. The company also offers drop-in coworking club memberships and meeting room access on demand.
Serendipity said it’s aiming for a mid-July debut with membership rates starting at $449 for a one to two person interior office and $370 monthly per person for a larger team office.
The unlimited coworking offer with access to an open layout lounge is $199 a month.
The expansive workspace includes small offices, various open seating lounge areas for coworkers and seven meeting rooms for groups of two to 14 people, 2 café areas, a member services area and quiet rooms.
On the move
John Leffler was recently promoted to associate vice president at Western Retail Advisors in its Irvine office. He joined the firm in 2022 as a senior associate The Phoenix-based brokerage provides full-service brokerage services for the retail and restaurant sectors.
Curtis Ellmore and Dillon Knight recently moved to Newport Beach-based Redwood West. Formerly with JLL, they will work with Orange County companies on their office and industrial real estate needs locally, regionally and nationally. Ellmore was hired as a managing director and co-brokerage lead, and Knight as a senior vice president.
Jacqueline Thompson, founder of the Jacqueline Thompson Group, recently joined Coldwell Banker Realty in its Newport Beach office as an affiliate agent. She also recently marked 20 years in the business, where she specializes in luxury estates and the Shady Canyon community.
Kim Arial and Bill Roberts recently were named associate principals at Ware Malcomb in Irvine, which is recognizing their “individual contributions and leadership.” Arial, as AP of Building Measurement Services, will lead the firm’s business segment expansion. Roberts, who joined the firm in 2022 as its first general counsel, will continue his oversight of Ware Malcomb’s legal functions while providing counsel to its offices in the Americas.
The real estate roundup is compiled from news releases and written by Business Editor Samantha Gowen. Submit items and high-resolution photos via email to sgowen@scng.com . Please allow at least a week for publication. All items are subject to editing for clarity and length.