Neon Screens and Concrete Plans
Irvine Spectrum Center opened on November 22, 1995, as a multi-phase retail and entertainment site developed by the Irvine Company. Its first tenants were a 21-screen Edwards movie theater, Oasis Food Court, and GameWorks arcade.
Planning for the site began in 1985. The earliest structures were two 15-story office towers completed in 1989. Unlike enclosed malls of the same period, the initial build emphasized standalone attractions and leisure-based design…