Dana PointCRE

FAQ

Dana Point Commercial Real Estate FAQ

This page covers Dana Point commercial property, from office and retail space to the harbor, the Lantern District, Doheny Village and the building department. Where an answer gives a figure, it names who published it and gives the date or period.

Where a question needs a licensed California professional or a City office, the answer says so and does not guess.

As of October 13, 2026 · Last updated · Published by Daniel Weber, Commercial Real Estate Advisor (TREC License 828133)

Where do the answers on this page come from?

Every number on this page comes from a named publisher: Orange County, the City of Dana Point, Kidder Mathews, the U.S. Census Bureau, California environmental filings or local news outlets. Where a figure covers a larger area than Dana Point, such as Orange County retail or the combined Dana Point/San Juan/San Clemente office and industrial submarket, the answer says so in the same sentence.[12][14]

Dates matter more than they seem to. A planning document from 2006, a zoning notice from 2021 and a vote from August 2026 describe different moments, and the answers give the date. If a source does not give a figure, such as a hotel opening date, the answer says no source gives one rather than estimating.

Which questions need a licensed California professional or a City office?

Questions about a specific building, a specific lease, a value, a tax outcome or a permit status cannot be answered from a research page. Ask a California-licensed professional for leasing, sales and valuation questions, a tax adviser or attorney for exchange and legal questions, and the City of Dana Point's community development and building staff for permits and zoning.

If you are preparing to call any of them, write down the parcel, the use you intend and the date you need an answer. Ask for answers in writing and ask which date each answer applies to.

If your question was not answered here, write down the property, the use you intend and the date each fact applies to before asking a licensed professional or the City.

Prepare a note about what you are weighing

Questions people ask

Is there commercial real estate for sale in Dana Point?

Dana Point Harbor is managed by the County of Orange within city boundaries, and the County says it partnered with Dana Point Harbor Partners in 2018. Ask whether a harbor space is leased or owned. For anything outside the harbor, ask a California-licensed broker, and ask for the parcel's permit history.

How much office space is there for lease in Dana Point?

Kidder Mathews reports 2,468,827 square feet of office inventory in its combined Dana Point/San Juan/San Clemente submarket for 3Q 2026, with 6.1% total vacancy, 7.4% total available and a $2.87 per square foot monthly full-service asking rent. Those figures cover three cities, so confirm any single building's availability directly.

What does retail space for lease in Dana Point cost?

No Dana Point retail rent is sourced here. Kidder Mathews reports Orange County retail at 3.3% vacancy and a $2.77 per square foot monthly asking rent for 3Q 2026, which is a county figure. Orange County also describes a planned 120,000 square feet of new harbor retail, shops and restaurants. Ask each landlord for its own asking rent and rent basis.

Is there restaurant space for lease at Dana Point Harbor?

Orange County describes the harbor commercial core as new retail, shops and restaurants, and says Phase 3 adds more than 100,000 square feet of restaurant and retail space in seven waterfront buildings. The County reported in May 2025 that merchant tenants were relocating to the wharf area. Ask the landlord which phase a space belongs to and what its lease terms are.

What is the status of Dana Point Harbor development?

The Dana Point Times reported a new parking structure and a new entrance into the harbor, with a three-sided structure of 984 spaces, and in February 2026 that construction and demolition were continuing on schedule during Phase 3. Orange County says the marina project will be delivered over 15 phases and is on track for completion in 2028.

Is the Dana Point Harbor shopping area open during construction?

The Dana Point Times reported in February 2026 that construction and demolition continue on schedule during Phase 3 of the harbor project. That report does not describe current access to shops or parking. Check the County's harbor update pages for current access before planning a visit or a lease decision.

When will the new Dana Point Harbor hotels open?

No confirmed opening date appears in the sources. The City's adopted budget assumed the two hotels would be operational in the latter part of FY29, but the Dana Point Times reported on August 28, 2026 that the Board of Supervisors deadlocked 2-2 on leases for the hotels, short of the four votes needed, and that the Marina Inn might be renovated instead.

What is the Lantern District in Dana Point?

The City of Dana Point's budget describes the area north of the harbor as the Lantern District, a vibrant area with multi-family housing and commercial uses. REBusiness reported that Prado West, a three-building mixed-use complex with 109 apartments, anchors the four-block downtown. Ask the City for the exact district boundary.

What is Doheny Village zoned for?

The City's 2021 update created Village Commercial/Industrial, Village Commercial/Residential and Village Main Street districts, with the stated aim of preserving the mix of commercial, light industrial and residential uses. CEQAnet lists the project area at about 80 acres around Doheny Village Road and Victoria Boulevard. Ask the City which district a given parcel falls in.

What does the industrial market look like near Dana Point?

Kidder Mathews reports 3,062,216 square feet of industrial inventory in the combined Dana Point/San Juan/San Clemente submarket for 3Q 2026, with 6.8% total vacancy, 13.2% total available and a $2.09 per square foot monthly triple-net asking rent. It is a three-city figure, not a Doheny Village figure.

Who manages Dana Point Harbor?

The City of Dana Point's budget document says the harbor is situated within city boundaries but managed by the County of Orange. OC Parks calls it a County park located within the City of Dana Point. Orange County says it partnered with Dana Point Harbor Partners in 2018.

How do hotels affect Dana Point's budget?

The City's financial report lists Transient Occupancy Tax first among its largest annual revenue sources. Its adopted budget projects Transient Occupancy Tax at $17.4 million in FY26, which is 33.8% of General Fund revenue, and says four resorts produce about 89% of it. Voice of OC reported the bed tax generated over $16 million in 2024. These are citywide figures.

How do I find the Dana Point building department?

Ask the City of Dana Point's community development and building staff. This page gives no address or phone number; take those from the City's current page, along with hours and any appointment rules. Confirm you are on the official City site before sending documents.

How do I search Dana Point building permits?

Ask City of Dana Point staff how to search permits by parcel or address, and ask for the permit history of any property you are weighing. Ask whether any older permit was never finaled before you sign a lease or purchase.

How many people live in Dana Point?

The U.S. Census Bureau's Vintage 2025 estimates put the city of Dana Point at 32,232 people in 2025, down from 33,076 in the 2020 base and 32,485 in 2024. These are city figures for the whole of Dana Point, not for a district or a trade area, and they say nothing about daytime visitors to the harbor.

Who publishes this site?

The publisher is Daniel Weber, Commercial Real Estate Advisor, a Texas real estate sales agent (TREC License 828133). He is not licensed in California. Ask a California-licensed professional for leasing, sales and valuation questions, and ask City staff for permit and zoning questions.

Sources

  1. Dana Point Harbor Revitalization, Orange County, 2026. Accessed October 13, 2026.
  2. Harbor adjustments continue during Phase 3 construction and demolition, Dana Point Times (Picket Fence Media), 2026-02-20. Accessed October 13, 2026.
  3. Dana Point Harbor Advisory Committee update, County of Orange, Supervisor Foley's office, 2025-05-07. Accessed October 13, 2026.
  4. Harbor hotels officially named The Doheny and The Salt Haus, Dana Point Times (Picket Fence Media), 2026-06-12. Accessed October 13, 2026.
  5. Harbor hotel plans still alive but running out of time after supervisors deadlock, Dana Point Times (Picket Fence Media), 2026-08-28. Accessed October 13, 2026.
  6. Adopted FY26 and FY27 budgets, City of Dana Point, adopted 2025-06-03. Accessed October 13, 2026.
  7. Going local for retail success in Dana Point, California, REBusiness, 2024-06-18. Accessed October 13, 2026.
  8. Doheny Village notice of preparation (SCH 2020030428), California OPR CEQAnet, City of Dana Point, 2020-03-12. Accessed October 13, 2026.
  9. Doheny Village notice of determination (SCH 2020030428), California OPR CEQAnet, City of Dana Point, 2021-07-23. Accessed October 13, 2026.
  10. Dana Point streamlines short-term rental approvals, cracks down on unpermitted ones, Voice of OC, 2025-05. Accessed October 13, 2026.
  11. Ocean Institute home page, Ocean Institute, 2026. Accessed October 13, 2026.
  12. Orange County Office Market Report, 3Q 2026, Kidder Mathews, 3Q 2026. Accessed October 13, 2026.
  13. Orange County Industrial Market Report, 3Q 2026, Kidder Mathews, 3Q 2026. Accessed October 13, 2026.
  14. Orange County Retail Market Report, 3Q 2026, Kidder Mathews, 3Q 2026. Accessed October 13, 2026.
  15. Vintage 2025 subcounty population estimates and 2025 Gazetteer place file, U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 to 2025. Accessed October 13, 2026.