Posted July 2026 | Updated October 21, 2026 | By Eric Engelbert | Updated as the project progresses.

The stretch of Bristol Street North near John Wayne Airport is becoming one of the most active apartment corridors in Newport Beach. The Picerne Group, a Newport Beach-based developer, has two approved projects here that will replace aging office buildings with 422 new apartments, linked by a pedestrian bridge: 193 at 1300 Bristol and 229 at 1400 Bristol.

They are part of an even larger Picerne pipeline in the Airport Area, which also includes 312 apartments at 4400 Von Karman and 444 apartments at the Residences at Airport Village, more than 1,100 homes in all.

October 2026 Update: Corrected Unit Counts and Status

Topic Latest
Correction Earlier versions of this post listed 312 apartments at 1300 Bristol. The city's Housing Element and project list show 193 apartments there; 312 is the count at 4400 Von Karman. Combined Bristol Street total: 422 homes
1300 Bristol Approved March 22, 2022; building plans in city plan check
1400 Bristol Approved by the City Council in spring 2024
Construction No completion dates announced; we will update this post when construction begins

The Two Bristol Street Projects

Detail 1300 Bristol Street North 1400 Bristol Street
Apartments 193 229
Affordable 24 lower-income units 46 affordable units
Former use Office building Office building
Building Six-story podium with parking below Podium apartments with a 422-car garage
Approved March 22, 2022 Spring 2024 (City Council)
Connection Pedestrian bridge linking both buildings Pedestrian bridge linking both buildings
Total 422 apartments across both buildings  

Both projects were approved over the objection of the Orange County Airport Land Use Commission, which cited aircraft noise. The City Council overrode that determination, pointing to the state housing mandate and a softening office market.

About the Picerne Group

The Picerne Group was founded in 1988 by Kenneth Picerne and is headquartered in Newport Beach. It handles development, construction, and property management in-house through Picerne Construction Company and generally holds its communities long-term. Its Southern California portfolio includes Blu in Laguna Niguel, Eleven10 in Orange, Aria in Cerritos, Kaia in Lomita, and Vistara in Ontario, plus communities in Nevada.

Closer to home, Picerne built the first phase of apartments at Uptown Newport on Jamboree Road with Shopoff Realty Investments: 458 apartments, including 92 affordable units, that opened in 2019. See our Uptown Newport and Park Palm post.

Picerne's Airport Area Pipeline

Project Apartments Status
1300 Bristol 193 (24 lower-income) Approved 2022
1400 Bristol 229 (46 affordable) Approved 2024
Residences at 4400 Von Karman 312 plus a one-acre public park Approved 2021; cleared litigation
Residences at Airport Village 444 (37 very low-income) Approved April 2024
Total 1,178  

The city's Housing Element plans for at least 2,577 homes in the Airport Area through a housing overlay, and Picerne alone accounts for nearly half of that. Other Airport Area projects include Intracorp's 67 condos at 1401 Quail, Lincoln Property's 100 townhomes at 1500 Quail, the 132 Redstone townhomes on Dove Street, and the Irvine Company's 700 apartments at MacArthur Court.

What This Means for Renters, Buyers, and Investors

If You Are... What It Means
A renter Hundreds of new luxury apartments near the airport, Koll Center jobs, and a short drive to Fashion Island and the beach
An investor New supply at this scale can soften nearby rents during lease-up, while strong airport-area employment has historically supported rents
A buyer Most Airport Area projects are rentals; for-sale options include 1401 Quail condos, 1500 Quail and Redstone townhomes
A nearby owner Office-to-housing conversions are steadily turning the Airport Area into a residential neighborhood

Looking to Rent, Buy, or Invest in Newport Beach?

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