The Muller Company Starts Construction on $3 Million Transformation of Landmark Building in Orange County

LAGUNA HILLS, CA – March 8, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — The Muller Company, a full service real estate company specializing in management, investment and development of commercial real estate in the western United States, announced today that the firm has recently started construction on the $3 million renovation of its “mid-century modern” landmark building, the Taj Mahal Medical Center building, formerly known as the Taj Mahal, located at 23521 Paseo de Valencia in Laguna Hills, Calif.

The renovation of the 90,000-square-foot, four-story building will take place over the next 15 months and is scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2012. The initial phase of construction is already underway to rebrand the mid-rise building as the Taj Mahal Medical Center with new signage, a new website (www.tajmahalmedicalcenter.com), and a new corporate identity.

“With the increasing demand for state-of-the-art medical office space, The Muller Company wants to create a building that is solely dedicated to the needs of medical professionals and transform the already exceptional building into one that truly stands out amongst the rest due to its specialized amenities, in addition to its iconic architecture and premier location,” said Jon M. Muller, Principal.

The Muller Company plans to add approximately 80 parking stalls while converting existing “compact-sized” parking stalls to “full-sized” parking spaces. The number of handicapped parking spaces will also be increased and all handicapped ramps will be simplified and updated. Parking will be available on all sides of the building to make entering the building convenient from any entrance. A 6,000-square-foot public access plaza will be created on the east (main) entrance of the building to add to the overall visual appeal of the building and to make a more convenient entrance into the Taj Mahal Medical Center. The addition of a new gurney elevator will be located close to the west entrance providing convenient elevator access to all floors from either the west or east entrance.

An exterior signage program will be completed, creating a better building identity and to allow for easier building navigation by visitors. Striato Olimpico marble, imported from Greece and manufactured in Italy, will be used to re-clad the entire podium perimeter of the Taj Mahal Medical Center, further highlighting the well-recognized exterior arches that span the entire height of the building.

Some of the GREEN features that will be included in the Taj Mahal Medical Center renovation will be new eco-friendly landscaping with California native drought-tolerant plants, which will attract and support local wildlife such as birds, bees and butterflies and reduce water consumption. Surface runoff water will be captured in Bioswales that are designed to trap silt and pollution before releasing it to the storm sewer.  Exterior lighting around the perimeter of the building and in the parking lot will be upgraded using state-of-the-art low energy LED lights. The inside of the Taj Majal Medical Center will be cleaned using environmentally-friendly cleaning agents and approximately 50 percent of the waste will be recycled.

“We are excited about the future of the Taj Mahal Medical Center as it has been our desire for many years to turn the building into 100% medical use, as it is situated across the street from Saddleback Memorial Hospital in Laguna Hills. With the modern talents of Nadel Architect, we are confident that the Taj Mahal Medical Center will be the prime destination for any medical professional,” noted Muller.

“The Taj Mahal Medical Center is an excellent example of neoclassical contemporary architecture as exemplified by buildings such as the Dorothy Chandler Music Center in Los Angeles, the Avery Fisher Symphony Hall in New York and the American Embassy in Athens, Greece,” said Nadel Architect’s David Jacobson, AIA, one of the designers on the project. “These were all timeless, monumental buildings, designed by prominent architects of their time.”

“The current design improvements not only help identify the main entrance points to the building in a manner that reinforces the building’s relationship to parking and the overall site development, but bring the Taj Mahal into the 21st Century with contemporary design elements such as the striking new glass canopies,” said Richard Fragapane, Director of Construction and Development.

Fragapane added, “The site circulation has been strengthened with clear vehicular paths and way finding signage. A striking new landscape design enhances the presence of the building while creating a warm inviting environment. A new plaza with artful water features creates a delightful ‘people space’ while enhancing the symmetry of the neoclassical buildings design.”

“The Taj Mahal Medical Center differentiates itself from other medical centers by providing high quality and attractive tenant improvements as a standard, and offers, on average, more than most medical centers in the surrounding areas for tenant improvements,” said Sue Donahugh CPM, LEED GA, Director of Tenant and Capital Improvements. “We also understand that relocating or starting a medical practice is a big undertaking, therefore our onsite team handles leasing, design, construction and management. This integrated service approach provides a seamless experience for clients.”

Donahugh added, “The Taj Mahal Medical Center has an onsite director of construction and tenant improvements dedicated to making sure the tenant improvement phase is seamless; and an onsite property manager, assistant property manager, property administrator, day porter and a building engineer.”

The Muller Company has owned the building since 1997 and has been a tenant in the building since 1998. The Taj Mahal Medical Center was originally designed by Burke, Kober & Nicholais of Los Angeles and was completed in 1964. The building reportedly served as the sales office for Leisure World, now known as Laguna Woods. Conveniently located, the Taj Mahal Medical Center is situated within easy walking distance to the Laguna Hills Mall, which features three department stores, 100 specialty stores, and a variety of restaurants and banks. It is also less than half a mile from Saddleback Memorial Hospital in Laguna Hills and is in the heart of Orange County with easy access to I-5 and 405 freeways.

For more information about the Taj Mahal Medical Center, visit www.tajmahalmedicalcenter.com.

About The Muller Company
The Muller Company has over 30 years of experience in developing, acquiring and managing a diverse portfolio of over 20 million square feet of office, industrial and retail real estate throughout the western United States, with nearly 11 million square feet currently under management in the California and Phoenix markets.  Over the years, The Muller Company has partnered with institutional owners such as GE Capital Real Estate, Capmark, Rockwood Capital, BlackRock, ING Realty and Metlife. Empowered by an entrepreneurial spirit and guided by an owner’s perspective, The Muller Company excels at mining the long-term value from every asset that it manages by adding value through leasing, capital improvements, refinancing, operational audits and repositioning. For more information, contact Jamye Jack at 949-680-9777 or JamyeJack (at) themullercompany (dot) com.

Contact:
Jamye Jack
The Muller Company
949.465.0177

Anne Monaghan
Monaghan Communications
949.677.2933