Fountain Valley / Central Orange County
Medical users in Fountain Valley have settled into the grocery centers on Brookhurst Street at Ellis Avenue. Callens Corner alone lists about 14,450 sq ft of medical and allied health tenants in six suites from 1,400 to 4,050 sq ft (two dental offices, optometry, physical therapy, hearing care and a weight loss clinic), and Fountain Valley Promenade, just to the north on the same side of Brookhurst, adds optometry and a dental office. MemorialCare's primary care office at 18785 Brookhurst shows that health system users are on the same stretch of road.
Population
56,258
Median HHI
$115,237
Median age
44.4
Homeownership
64.8%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates.
Primary retail corridors
Brookhurst Street · Magnolia Street · Warner Avenue · Talbert Avenue · Edinger Avenue
Specific shopping centers in Fountain Valley that already carry credible co-tenancy for this use. Listed in approximate order of fit.
NWC Brookhurst Street and Ellis Avenue
Anchors / key tenants: Ralphs, T.J. Maxx, Mimi's Cafe
First Washington Realty-owned community center on Brookhurst. Daily-needs grocery and value-tier soft goods anchor steady weekly traffic.
Existing operators are the most honest comp for whether a use can support Fountain Valley rents. These are publicly visible medical retail space businesses currently trading in the market.
Bright Now! Dental & Orthodontics
18633 Brookhurst Street, Fountain Valley, CA 92708 (Callens Corner)
Smile Brands dental office. Bright Now's page describes it as 'in the center with Albertson's and Stonefire', and EDENS' directory shows it in 3,600 sq ft (suite 300).
Isight Vision Care
18693 Brookhurst Street, Fountain Valley, CA 92708 (Callens Corner)
Optometry in 4,050 sq ft (suite 120), the largest medical space on the Callens Corner directory.
Lindora Clinic
18665 Brookhurst Street, Fountain Valley, CA 92708 (Callens Corner)
Medical weight loss clinic in 2,100 sq ft (suite 170) on EDENS' directory.
Core Physical Therapy
18597 Brookhurst Street, Fountain Valley, CA 92708 (Callens Corner)
Physical therapy in 1,400 sq ft (suite 430). The same center also lists Elite Dental (1,500 sq ft, 18625 Brookhurst) and AudioNova hearing care (1,800 sq ft, 18643 Brookhurst).
Brookhurst Optometric Center
Fountain Valley Promenade, 18279-18461 Brookhurst Street (space 1D), Fountain Valley, CA 92708
Optometry in 1,800 sq ft on First Washington Realty's tenant list. The Ralphs anchored center also lists a dental practice, Robert F. Childs, D.D.S., in 1,200 sq ft (space 1G).
MemorialCare Medical Group, Fountain Valley (Niagara)
18785 Brookhurst Street, Suite 200, Fountain Valley, CA 92708
Primary care office (family medicine, internal medicine and pediatrics) per MemorialCare's location page, a few blocks south of the two grocery centers. Whether the building is a retail center was not confirmed.
01
Zoning: Table 2-6 in FVMC 21.10.030 lists Medical services, clinics, offices and laboratories as permitted by right in CP, C1 and C2 and not allowed in CM or M1. Chapter 21.90 defines the use to include medical, dental and psychiatric offices, outpatient care, medical and dental labs and other allied health services, so a dental or therapy user in a C1 or C2 center does not need a use permit.
02
Parking is the real test: Table 3-3 (FVMC 21.22.040) requires 1 space per 200 sq ft for clinics and medical or dental offices, against 1 per 250 for retail. Converting a 3,600 sq ft shop like Bright Now's suite raises the requirement from about 14 to 18 spaces, and 21.22.040(b) adds up every use on a multi-tenant site. If the center has no surplus, the options are a shared parking CUP with a parking study under 21.22.050(a) or a variance under 21.22.050(c).
03
ADA work can cost parking: medical build-outs often add accessible stalls, and FVMC 21.22.050(b) lets the director administratively reduce the parking requirement for spaces lost to ADA work tied to tenant improvements. Ask for that reduction during plan check rather than after.
04
X-ray: Title 17 CCR 30108 requires a practice that acquires an X-ray machine to register it with CDPH's Radiologic Health Branch within 30 days, and the registration runs two years. Dental, optometry and urgent care users should put the shielding design in the landlord work letter and settle in the lease whether shielded walls stay or come out at the end of the term.
05
Co-tenancy: Callens Corner already has two dental offices (Bright Now 3,600 sq ft, Elite Dental 1,500 sq ft) and optometry (Isight, 4,050 sq ft), and the Promenade has Brookhurst Optometric Center and a dental practice. Ask EDENS and First Washington whether any of those tenants hold a use exclusive before proposing dental or eye care in either center.
Zoning, licensing, and demographic figures on this page come from the public records below. Codes and licenses change, so confirm with the city and the licensing agency before you sign.