Orange County restaurant and bar owners Mario Marovic and Andrew Gabriel, today announced the development of their latest project, a new restaurant and drinking establishment called The Country Club. The venue will be located along a stretch of Costa Mesa’s bustling 17th Street, rapidly becoming the new heart of the city for dining and entertainment.
Key to the project in the development of the mostly ground-up construction was saving an iconic architectural feature of the 1950s-era structure; a steeply raked two-story A-frame roofline, which runs the total depth of the building with its side peak facing 17th street. In addition to its inherent aesthetic and architectural significance, the decision to maintain this section of the building was a conscious effort, in part, to keep alive memories of decades past and further foster a sense of community.
“Keeping the arch portion of the building in the new construction was a must,” said Marovic. “Not only does it house decades of memories having been a bar since the 50s, it is the most significant and redeeming quality of the old building. It’s also become a familiar part of the 17th street landscape over the years. It has character, and the vaulted interior beams, which had been covered all these years, are absolutely beautiful. That’s something we’re really excited to showcase as the building’s signature focal point.”
Premier restaurant developer Dorado Enterprises was tapped for the project, along with nationally acclaimed restaurant architectural design firms, Hatch Design Group and Robinson Hill Architecture. The companies have completed design and development on a number of notable projects, including Angel Oak at Bacara Resort in Santa Barbara, Eddie Merlot’s in Scottsdale and the newly opened Water Grill in Costa Mesa.
In addition to shoring the foundation of the A-frame, the entire remaining portion of the building will be restored in a manner that allows its original architecture to be seen and fully appreciated. This includes exposing the vaulted ceiling beams and rafters, as well as replacing the formerly closed off solid section of the front wall entirely with glass, further enhancing and revealing the iconic roofline to the street.
“Since beginning the demolition, Andrew and I have had dozens of people throughout the community ask about the building and its iconic roofline. All were very pleased to hear that it would be kept, and become very integral to the overall warmth and ambiance of The Country Club,” added Marovic.
The new construction will expand the venue’s footprint to nearly 6,000 square feet with the addition of a large state-of-the-art kitchen and related service areas. The main dining and bar areas will feature a mix of banquet, bar and table seating, with additional dining on a spacious covered patio with intimate sections including an outdoor fireplace. Large bi-folding doors will allow an open and seamless transition to and from the patio. The venue will also feature a stage for live entertainment and spacious dance floor.
In addition to The Country Club, the Newport Beach based restauranteurs own and operate a number of restaurants and bars throughout Orange County, such as Wild Goose Tavern in Costa Mesa, Dory Deli, Malarky’s Irish Pub and Stag Bar + Kitchen, each in Newport Beach.
The Country Club is scheduled to open for dining, drinks and dancing in late 2017. The chef-driven menu will celebrate traditional American cuisine at its finest, while served in an intimate upscale yet casual setting reminiscent of a social club. Scheduled hours of operation are 12 noon to 2am daily with Cocktail Hour from 12 noon to 6pm, dinner from 4:30pm to 10:30pm, and weekend brunch 10am to 3pm. The Country Club is located at 330 E. 17th St, Costa Mesa, CA 92627. For more information, visit countryclubcm.com.
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