Posted July 2026 | By Eric Engelbert | Updated as the project moves toward completion.
Two City Blocks of Apartments Are Coming to Downtown Santa Ana's 4th Street
A mixed-use apartment development called 4th and Mortimer is in the works for two city blocks along East 4th Street in downtown Santa Ana. The project will bring 169 apartments and over 11,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space to the blocks at 409 E. 4th Street and 509 E. 4th Street, straddling Mortimer Street and the OC Streetcar line that runs through the corridor. Building permits are issued, and the lots have been cleared through demolition.
The development is a joint venture between Red Oak Investments, an Irvine-based urban redevelopment company, and Northgate Gonzalez Real Estate. The project replaces the former Northgate Gonzalez Market that occupied the 409 E. 4th Street block, a store that had been a fixture of downtown Santa Ana for nearly 25 years. This blog covers what is being built, the history of the site, and where the project stands today.
What Was There Before: The Northgate Market on La Cuatro
The blocks at 4th and Mortimer have a layered history that goes back to a contentious chapter in downtown Santa Ana's story. In 1995, Northgate Gonzalez proposed a 36,000-square-foot grocery and market complex on the two lots, but the Santa Ana City Council rejected the plans in a 4-3 vote. A smaller version was approved in January 1996, and the store opened in May 1997. Known inside the company as "Number 8" because it was the eighth Northgate location, it was the first store the Gonzalez family built from the ground up.
The downtown store quickly became a central fixture in the community. Locals came for affordable produce, an in-store tortilleria, and the street food vendors that gathered in and around the block. The store operated at 409 E. 4th Street for nearly 25 years before closing when Northgate began consolidating its smaller urban locations. In August 2018, Northgate and Red Oak Investments announced plans to redevelop the site into apartments, generating significant community reaction. The City Council approved the project in December 2020, and demolition of the former market site was completed in 2025.
The site sits along East 4th Street, one of the most active pedestrian and restaurant corridors in Santa Ana, directly on the OC Streetcar alignment. The location gives future residents walkable access to downtown restaurants, shops, the transit stop at 4th and Sycamore, and the broader arts district that has developed along the street over the past decade.
Project Details: Block A and Block B
4th and Mortimer spans 2.7 acres across two separate blocks. Each block has its own building design and scale, though both draw from Santa Barbara and Spanish Revival architectural styles to fit the historic character of downtown Santa Ana. Combined, the two buildings provide 169 apartments, 11,361 square feet of commercial space, and 422 parking spaces.
Block A — 409 E. 4th Street
| Stories | Seven |
|---|---|
| Commercial Space | 3,847 SF ground-floor retail / restaurant |
| Density | 86.4 units per acre |
| Parking | Tucked away from street; screened by residential units along Mortimer Avenue |
| Ground Floor | Retail and residential amenities activating the 4th Street and Mortimer frontage |
Block B — 509 E. 4th Street
| Stories | Five |
|---|---|
| Density | 85.1 units per acre |
| Ground Floor | Landscaped courtyard; transitional scale moving from downtown to adjacent single-family neighborhoods |
Combined Project
| Total Units | 169 apartments (studio, 1BR, 2BR, 3BR, 4BR) |
|---|---|
| Unit Sizes | 458 to 1,325 SF |
| Co-Living Option | 3BR/2BA and 4BR/3BA units rentable per unit or per suite |
| Total Commercial | 11,361 SF |
| Total Parking | 422 spaces (2.49 spaces per unit) |
| Total Site Area | 2.7 acres |
| Overall Density | 62 units per acre |
| Construction Type | Type IA and Type IIIA |
| Architect | KTGY Architecture + Planning |
| Amenities | Pool deck, roof deck, fitness center, game room, club room, co-working space |
The co-living configuration is worth noting for renters looking at attainable options downtown. The three- and four-bedroom units can be rented either as whole apartments or suite-by-suite, giving individual renters the option to secure a private room and shared common areas in a larger unit at a lower per-person rent.
Where the Project Stands: Permitted and Demolition Complete
The project has a long approval history. A community meeting was held in August 2018 when the project was first publicly announced. The Planning Commission held a work study session in September 2020 and a formal hearing in October 2020. The Santa Ana City Council approved the project on December 1, 2020. The approval required a Site Plan Approval, a Variance Application, an amendment to the Transit Zoning Code, and an addendum to the Transit Zoning Code Environmental Impact Report.
As of the City of Santa Ana's September 2025 project update, building permits have been issued and lot demolition is complete. The cleared sites at both 409 and 509 E. 4th Street are ready for vertical construction. No confirmed completion date has been released publicly. The KTGY project page still lists it as "On the Boards" as of early 2026, which may indicate design development is ongoing in parallel with early construction work. We will update this page as the project moves forward.
About the Developers: Red Oak Investments and Northgate Real Estate
Red Oak Investments is an Irvine-based urban redevelopment company with offices at 4199 Campus Drive. The firm focuses on converting underutilized commercial properties into multifamily and mixed-use communities across Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego County. Red Oak was co-founded by Alex Wong, formerly the Managing Director at Trammell Crow Residential responsible for a Southern California region that produced 1,300 market-rate apartments and condos across Greater Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego. Prior to Trammell Crow, Wong directed development staff at Community Corporation of Santa Monica. Other Red Oak projects include the Irvine Brownstone and Baker Block developments in Orange County.
Northgate Gonzalez Real Estate is the property development arm of Northgate Gonzalez Markets, the Anaheim-based Latino supermarket chain founded by the Gonzalez family. Northgate operates dozens of stores across Southern California and has been part of the fabric of Santa Ana for decades. The Fourth Street joint venture reflects a broader strategy by Northgate to monetize urban store sites as grocery competition and changing consumer habits reshaped the market for smaller neighborhood grocery stores.
KTGY Architecture + Planning, one of the more active multifamily design firms in Southern California, is the architect of record. The firm's design draws on Spanish Revival and Santa Barbara architectural styles to anchor both buildings within the downtown character of East 4th Street.
Rental Rates: Not Yet Released
No rental rates or leasing information have been published for 4th and Mortimer as of July 2026. The project has not yet opened. I keep up on new apartment developments like this across Santa Ana and Orange County and will update this page when leasing details become available. Reach out if you want to be on the list when the building opens up for leasing.
Looking for Apartments or Homes in Santa Ana or Orange County?
4th and Mortimer will add one of the largest new rental options to come to downtown Santa Ana in recent years. We track new development across Orange County and can help you understand how new inventory is affecting rents and home values in neighborhoods you are watching. If you are looking to buy, rent, or want a read on the Santa Ana market, reach out.
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