Vans plans to relocate to Costa Mesa, city officials say

Vans, the $2-billion action sportswear brand known for its iconic skateboarding shoes, is moving its corporate headquarters from Cypress to Costa Mesa, according to two city officials.

The company is expected to finalize its deal this week to purchase a 15-acre property at 1588 South Coast Drive and 3300 Hyland Ave., across the street from South Coast Collection, said Costa Mesa Mayor Steve Mensinger and Mayor Pro Tem Jim Righeimer.

The commercial building, formerly occupied by ICN Pharmaceuticals, has been vacant for the past few years. The property is within view of the 405 Freeway and has about 178,000 square feet of existing commercial space, according to city records.

When reached Wednesday, Vans officials did not provide specifics but said the company “has entered into an agreement that could lead to the potential purchase of a building” in Costa Mesa that would house more than 500 employees.

“Over the last five years, we have reached $2 billion in revenue with 22 consecutive quarters of double-digit growth and have grown into new territories across the globe,” a Vans spokesperson said in an email statement. “The success of the Vans brand has positively impacted the expansion of our corporate team and we have been looking for a space that could accommodate the needs of our staff.

“The building in Costa Mesa provides an opportunity to support our growing business.”

The firm’s expected relocation to Costa Mesa is significant, Righeimer said, because of the hundreds of skilled employees it will bring to the city’s northern end.

“These are all very high-end employees, everybody from marketing, finance, design,” he said. “Those are the kind of employees we want to be here.”

Vans manufactures its shoes in China. The firm also makes a large line of apparel, including T-shirts, socks and jackets.

Mensinger said Vans’ desire to come to Costa Mesa “just reaffirms that it’s a destination” city with an eclectic mix of manufacturing, distribution and creative headquarters.

The councilmen said the company plans to build thousands of square feet of additional office space but wanted some reassurances from City Hall about being able to do so before it committed to Costa Mesa.

The councilmen, who said they took part in the discussions regarding the relocation, announced the move during Tuesday’s council meeting.

Mensinger said other companies — including Irvine-based Billabong — were interested in the property, as were developers who wanted to change the site to residential housing.

Vans’ roots in Orange County and Costa Mesa run deep. The shoemaker started out of a small shop in Anaheim in 1966 as the Van Doren Rubber Co.

Vans’ president of events and promotions, Steve Van Doren, is a Costa Mesa native and Estancia High School alumnus. Van Doren’s father, Paul, helped co-found the company.

The company also opened its first-ever retail store in Costa Mesa, according to a company spokesperson.

Vans is owned by the VF Corp., based in North Carolina. The $12-billion company also owns Wrangler, JanSport, The North Face, Lee and Nautica.

Vans plans to mark its 50th anniversary in 2016.