1864

James Irvine and three partners purchase 120,000 acres assembled through Mexican and Spanish land grants. The land will form The Irvine Ranch® — what many consider the finest example of master planning in the country.

1897

The Irvine Company makes its first public land donation of 304 acres for Irvine Regional Park, formerly known as the “Picnic Grounds” to Orange County.

1918

James Irvine offers right-of-way for Coast Highway to County. An attraction in itself, the highway runs alongside the coastline, providing access to coastal cities and communities, as well as parks, beaches, and other attractions.

1900

James Irvine sets up permanent residence with a family home on The Irvine Ranch®.

1925

Following the opening of the Coast Highway, Irvine Company® starts development of The Irvine Beach & Country Club Estates, which later will became known as Shore Cliffs & Corona Highlands.

1937

Exemplifying Irvine Company’s history of philanthropy, the James Irvine Foundation is created in 1937 to provide financial aid for privately supported educational and charitable institutions.

1941

The site of Irvine Bowl in Laguna Beach is made possible by a 17.7-acre donation from James Irvine.

1950

The Irvine Company develops Westcliff, Harbor Highlands, Baycrest, Cameo Shores and Cameo Highlands. Irvine Cove is developed with custom lots. Several members of Irvine family build homes there, in “Family Cove.”

1953

The Irvine Ranch® hosts the International Boy Scout Jamboree, welcoming some 50,000 Scouts from all over the world. The gathering takes place just north of Pacific Coast Highway, between Jamboree Road (named after the event) and MacArthur Boulevard in Newport Beach. Today, a plaque at Fashion Island® commemorates the event.

1954

Irvine Coast Country Club constructed between Corona Del Mar and Newport.

1960

Acclaimed architect and urban planner William Pereira is commissioned to create a master plan to guide development and set standards for the entire Irvine Ranch. The original master plan calls for 10,400 acres, roughly 11 percent of the 93,000-acre Ranch, to be set-aside as parks and Open Space land. Master-planning begins. The Irvine Company sells (for one dollar) 1,000 acres to the University of California on which to build UC Irvine.

1963

The first shopping center on Irvine Ranch opens with completion of Westcliff Plaza at 17th Street and Irvine Boulevard

1964

The Irvine Ranch introduces its first village – the Village of Eastbluff

1966

Groundbreaking for Newport Town Center (to be named Fashion Island), a regional shopping center at the junction of MacArthur Boulevard and Jamboree Road, is the most ambitious undertaking yet proposed under the Master Plan.

1968

The Irvine Company® begins construction on its first apartment project, Mariner Square.

1969

The Irvine Company® headquarters in Newport Beach are completed at 550 and 500 Newport Center Drive.

1971

Irvine incorporates, becoming Orange County’s 26th city, population 14,231.

1979

The Company transfers 2,791 acres of land to the State of California, which in turn becomes Crystal Cove State Park, preserving three and a half miles of precious coastline and priceless biological resources in the coastal foothills.

1982

The Irvine Company® acquires its first San Diego buildings in 1982, with La Jolla Gateway in University Towne Centre. Three decades later, the company continues to own and operate office properties in UTC, Downtown, Sorrento Mesa, Del Mar Heights and Mission Valley.

1984

Irvine Spectrum® takes shape, conceived and developed under the Irvine Company’s Master plan to create a balanced district of retail, office, and living space.

1992

The FBI names Irvine “America’s Safest Large City” for the first time, establishing a reputation that will help define the city.

1995

Irvine Spectrum Center opens 1995, becoming immediately popular with the local community as well as with visitors from around the world. The center was anchored by Edwards 21 Cinemas movie theater, largest in the western United States at that time. Host to an array of shopping and dining experiences, this iconic center has become as familiar a site as many long-time Southern California landmarks.

1996

The Irvine Company contributes 21,000 acres to The Nature Reserve of Orange County, thus creating a massive contiguous habitat area containing a wide variety of rare plant and animal species and the vital eco-systems necessary to support their survival.

1998

Pelican Hill Club, a public restaurant and conference facility, opens adjacent to Pelican Hill golf courses, designed by Tom Fazio.

2001

The Irvine Company designates 11,000 acres of pristine Open Space for permanent protection in partnership with The Nature Conservancy. This gift is the final link in a contiguous sweep of Open Space from the coastal mountains to the sea on the historic Irvine Ranch

2002

The Irvine Company’s North Park Apartment Community – the largest apartment community in Silicon Valley – opens in San Jose, California.

2005

The Irvine Ranch Land Reserve Trust is created to help ensure comprehensive protection and public access to the preserved lands. The trust is soon renamed the Irvine Ranch Conservancy, reflecting its increasingly active role in stewardship of the lands.

2006

40,000 permanently protected acres of the 93,000 acre Irvine Ranch® are designated a National Natural Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior, following rigorous scientific review. Two years later, in 2008, the same lands are named a California Natural Landmark — the first such designation — and marks the beginning of a new program for the state.

2008

After its highly anticipated expansion is complete in 2008, Pelican Hill Resort® becomes a world-class destination — featuring two world-class golf courses, five-star amenities, unrivaled customer service, and exquisite dining experiences,

2010

The Irvine Company® designates the final 20,000 acres it still owns to the County of Orange – bringing the total contribution of permanently preserved land to more than 50,000 acres, representing more than half of the original 93,000-acre Irvine Ranch®.

2010

The Irvine Company® announces that Irvine Pacific®, a wholly-owned affiliate, will build a series of homes in the newest Village of Irvine, Stonegate East.

2013

2013

2012

Fashion Island® celebrates its 45-year anniversary adding 22,000-square feet of retail space. As a result of reinvestment, more than 40 stores and restaurants have opened at Fashion Island since early 2010, including Nordstrom, a first-ever Ella Moss, and a relocated Apple Store that’s the largest in Orange County. Now open, Whole Foods Market joins the roster of new stores and restaurants coming to the Center over the next year.

2014

Culminating more than 50 years of open space master planning, the Irvine Company announces a major land gift of 2,500 acres near Anaheim Hills, East Orange, and Irvine Lake. The gift brings the grand total of parklands and open space given by the Irvine Company to nearly 55,000 acres, or approximately 60% of the 93,000-acre Irvine Ranch.