Orange Circle may remain open for outdoor dining on a permanent, seasonal basis

As the Orange City Council debates pursuing a permanent outdoor dining scene at the Orange Plaza Paseo, business owners reflect on whether the street closure is helpful or harmful. DANIEL PEARSON, Staff Photographer

To Chapman students, the Orange Circle is a central part of university culture. From Bruxie’s directly across Glassell Street down to Urth Cafe and beyond, the Orange Plaza Paseo is crawling daily with Chapman students with a Philz or Contra coffee in hand.

Now, the Paseo may soon become permanent for Chapman students and Orange community members to enjoy year-round.

The Orange City Council originally voted to close Glassell for outdoor dining temporarily in July 2020. However, the council is considering making the closure permanent on a seasonal basis after conversations this summer.

The council voted in August for staff to research potentially creating a seasonal, recurring outdoor dining space in Orange Plaza Paseo, following a unanimous vote in December 2020 to keep outdoor dining open on Glassell Street through the end of 2021.

However, not all Orange residents are in favor of the new long-term outdoor dining options at the Orange Plaza Paseo.

Tony Trabucco, the president of the Orange County Preservation Association, said a permanent closure would take away from the historic district’s image — in addition to being a tourist hub, the plaza’s legacy dates back to its initial construction in 1871.

“Traffic and noise have increased in what were once quiet residential neighborhoods — and those residents never signed up for that, let alone on a permanent or semi-permanent basis,” Trabucco said. “There are businesses along Glassell and outside of the Paseo area that rely on drive-by traffic and door-front parking who have not thrived due to the closure of North and South Glassell.”

For some local restaurants on Glassell Street, the closure has benefited their business greatly. Wassim Dadsi, a manager at Pandor Artisan Bakery and Cafe on Glassell, said the outdoor dining options allow for more space and fresh air at the French-inspired boulangerie.

“It helps having people outside,” Dadsi said. “Just like in Paris.”

Similarly, Adelina Perez, a manager at Jaxon's Chix Tenders, said the outdoor dining extension has only helped business.

“It brings a lot of people together,” Perez said. “We get more busy with the tables out front. It feels good when people come around outside.”

In contrast, some residents argue the closure negatively affected business owners in the area due to the increased traffic.

Greg Steinmann, owner of It’s About Time Antiques on Glassell, said at the July 13 council meeting the creation of the Paseo has hindered his sales.

“The Paseo has not been good for my business, and I don’t think it’s safe … We have a lot of down time,” Steinmann said. “There are no customers coming in. It hasn’t been good. I used to be on a street with traffic, and now I’m essentially in an alley where no one is seeing me.” 

Later in the Aug. 10 meeting, Sue Vars, an 18 year Orange resident, told the council the Paseo takes away from Old Towne Orange’s historic feel.

“I’m asking that you restore the plaza to it’s historic configuration,” Vars said. “Now, downtown looks like a carnival and a food court … You must consider the local homeowners.”

The council voted 5-2 to consider seasonal use of the Paseo, with council members Arianna Barrios and Ana Gutierrez voting against the idea due to concerns of the Paseo disturbing residents or harming other businesses in Old Towne Orange.

“The only people who seem to benefit are the restaurants,” Barrios said at the Aug. 10 meeting. “That unfairness weighs on me.”

The Paseo will remain classified as temporary until the end of the year, and the issue will be revisited again after to determine further long-term use.

“When the pandemic hit, the City of Orange — to their credit — created the Paseo as a temporary means to assist the local restaurants in overcoming the restrictions on indoor dining,” Trabucco said. “It was successful, well received, and (it) was the right thing to do on a temporary basis. But, the time has come to return the plaza to its original configuration.”