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flurry of small apartment buildings in Orange County changed hands recently, with several transactions closing within weeks. One of the most significant deals occurred on May 16 in Costa Mesa, where a property at 553 Victoria St. sold for $8.6 million. The 13-unit complex fetched $661,538 per unit and features eight two-bedroom cottages and five three-bedroom townhomes built in 1991.

    In Santa Ana, the 51-unit Imperial Apartments sold on June 4 for $15 million or $294,118 per unit as part of a 1031 exchange. The property at 1722 North Bush St. includes studios, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom floor plans and has undergone recent upgrades with new paint, vinyl flooring, granite countertops, custom cabinetry, and appliances.

    A nine-unit apartment property in Fullerton sold on June 13 for $4.1 million or $455,555 per unit, making it the highest price-per-unit sale this year in the city. The complex at 3169-3175 Quartz Lane includes one two-bedroom/two-bathroom townhouse and eight two-bedroom/one-bathroom units.

    A seven-unit apartment complex in Anaheim sold on May 12 for $2.264 million or $323,428 per unit. In Newport Beach, a freestanding retail property at Balboa Island's shopping district sold for $2.2 million, setting a record price per square foot of $1,692. The property is leased to Blue Canoe and has been owned by the same family for 30 years.

    C.W. Driver Cos. broke ground on a $54 million Engineering & Computer Science innovation hub at Cal State Fullerton in early June. The facility will host engineers, computer scientists, and technology students and faculty, featuring dry labs, classrooms, and makerspaces. Construction is expected to be complete by spring 2027.

    Ware Malcomb is expanding its design team with the addition of CBRE's U.S. Design Collective team, which joins the firm on July 2. The team of 75 professionals specializes in interior design, architecture, structural engineering, and experiential design and will work across the US.