Bringing Open Space and Community to Ontario

Ontario, CA - The Grand Park is coming to life at the heart of Ontario Ranch, and it’s set to become a new focal point for family fun, fitness, and nature within the community. Spanning 340 acres over a stunning 3.7-mile stretch, this transformative park will serve as the region’s new epicenter for outdoor recreation, bringing abundant green space and exciting new amenities to Ontario, including a 5,000-seat amphitheater. Leading the design and planning of Ontario Grand Park is SWA Group, with Bickel Group providing critical architectural support to bring this vision to life.

Phase I of the project, covering 130 acres, kicked off with grading in October 2024, with a grand opening planned for November 2027.

Bickel Group is proud to be part of this incredible project, contributing our architectural expertise. Along with the amphitheater, we’re working on several key buildings to support the park’s operations, including a community hall barn, operational staff offices, and other essential facilities to ensure the park is successful for years to come.

Stay tuned for more updates as this groundbreaking project unfolds!

Designing for a Healthy Community

San Juan Capistrano, CA – Bickel Group Architecture is pleased to see Fermentation Farm open for business at their new location in San Juan Capistrano.  The Bickel Group team worked closely with Dr. Yasmin Mason and Miller Contracting to bring this vision to life in a way that would support the brand’s core values.  As the project’s architect, Bickel Group worked to translate Fermentation Farm’s commitment to handcrafted, nutrient-dense foods and wellness into a dynamic space that enhances the dining experience while supporting the restaurant’s holistic philosophy.  Expansive floor-to-ceiling windows bathe the interior in natural light, while an entire wall of windows opens fully to allow fresh air and natural ventilation to flow through the space, mirroring the restaurant’s emphasis on health and sustainability. With abundant outdoor seating integrated into River Street Marketplace, the space invites guests to enjoy a meal or kombucha in a bright, airy atmosphere that fosters well-being.

River Street Marketplace continues to grow as a hub for community-oriented businesses, and the addition of Fermentation Farm is an exciting addition in its development. With the restaurant’s focus on wholesome food and gut health, Fermentation Farm is sure to be a valuable addition to San Juan Capistrano’s vibrant dining scene.

Life Imitates Art in San Juan Capistrano

Bickel Group’s theory on 21st century retail design proves successful at River Street Marketplace in San Juan Capistrano.

The goal: get people off their couch and off Amazon to engage with the physical retail world.  Bickel Group, with design partners SWA, RSM, and tK1sc, all supported developer Almquist in creating an environment unique and compelling enough to attract thousands on a sunny Sunday afternoon, even though only about half of the project’s tenants are fully open. 

The project sits on approximately six acres in the heart of historic downtown San Juan Capistrano in Orange County, CA.  With over thirty curated tenants in seven buildings surrounding a large “central green, the project took nearly three years to construct but is now open to the public allowing them to enjoy six restaurants and a dozen or so retail shops. Remaining tenants will continue to open weekly.

Bickel Group is proud to have helped bring Almquist’s vision to life and to have been part of such a dynamic and progressive-design-focused team of consultants. The result is a place the community has clearly immediately accepted and will continue to enjoy for generations to come.

 Contact Bickel Group to learn more about 21st century retail design theory and how we can help take a vision from concept, to rendering, to real life.

Celebrating 20 Years of Partnership with Lancaster Baptist Church

Lancaster, CA – Bickel Group Architecture proudly celebrates two decades of collaboration with Lancaster Baptist Church, a partnership marked by innovation, community impact, and spiritual growth. Over the past 20 years, Bickel Group has provided long term master planning and architectural services to support the church's expanding mission and diverse programs. 

As Lancaster Baptist Church continues to grow in service to its congregation and the broader community, Bickel Group has been instrumental in designing and implementing a strategic expansion of the campus. Notably, the firm has overseen significant enhancements to the existing auditorium/sanctuary, ensuring it meets the current and future needs of a vibrant and expanding worship community.

In response to the church's commitment to children and families, Bickel Group has successfully repurposed the original 30 year old worship center into the dynamic Kid City. This dedicated space offers a safe and engaging environment for children, fostering their spiritual growth and development.

Additionally, Bickel Group has worked on the site’s West Coast Baptist College, including a multi-purpose building that features a basketball arena, fitness gym, restaurant, library, and other essential resources, providing students with a comprehensive environment for both academic and recreational pursuits.

The 20 year partnership with Lancaster Baptist Church has been a rewarding journey for Bickel Group Architecture as we have been challenged to create innovative architectural experiences while being good stewards with the church’s budget and resources. We are honored to contribute to their vision of serving the community and meeting the needs of their growing congregation.

Bickel Group Architecture remains committed to its vision of creating dynamic and engaging spaces that enhance the lives of individuals and communities. The firm looks forward to continuing its partnership with Lancaster Baptist Church and exploring new opportunities for collaboration in the future.

Elena Mashin Promoted to Senior Project Manager

Newport Beach - Bickel Group is pleased to announce the promotion of Elena Mashin to Senior Project Manager, recognizing her outstanding contributions and dedication over her nine years with the firm. Throughout her tenure, Elena has worked on a diverse range of projects, showcasing her versatility and expertise in managing both large scale developments and smaller projects.  Her commitment to meeting and exceeding client expectations has consistently resulted in successful project outcomes, earning her the trust and respect of clients and colleagues alike.

 Elena's promotion underscores Bickel Group Architecture's dedication to excellence and its investment in the professional growth of its team members and the firm looks forward to seeing her continue to excel in her new role.

The Terraces at Walnut

Walnut, CA– Bickel Group Architecture is proud to announce the imminent completion of The Terraces at Walnut commercial center that will serve as a vital hub for the surrounding housing development of over 200 single-family homes and 79 townhome units. The project, which commenced in 2018, consists of three buildings which will offer a range of restaurants, shopping, and services that cater to the growing community, creating a vibrant atmosphere that complements the new housing development.

The Terraces at Walnut Center showcases innovative architectural design that emphasizes a diverse color palette and thoughtful design elements, creating an engaging and inviting environment for residents and visitors alike. This approach not only enhances the aesthetic appeal but also fosters a sense of community within the development.  This project exemplifies Bickel Group’s commitment to quality design and dedication to creating spaces that enhance the lives of the people who use them. We are proud to partner with Sunjoint Development and Consolidated Contracting Services to bring this vision to life.

The Terraces at Walnut is set to become a cornerstone for the area, providing not only convenience but also a welcoming space for social interaction and local commerce.  As construction wraps up, Bickel Group Architecture invites the community to join in celebrating the completion of this exciting project.

Bickel Group Architecture Celebrates 15 Years of Collaboration with McDonald's

Southern California – Bickel Group Architecture proudly marks a 15 years of partnership with McDonald’s, highlighted by innovative design and significant contributions to the brand's expansion throughout Southern California.

The collaboration began in 2009 with Bickel Group’s first ground-up project, paving the way for a fruitful relationship that has since included new buildings as well as rebuilds and remodels of almost 400 McDonald’s locations in the region.  Throughout the years, Bickel Group has worked closely with the McDonald’s team and stakeholders to enhance the customer experience through thoughtful renovations and updates that align with the brand’s commitment to quality and service. Each project has focused on modernizing dining spaces, bettering the customer experience, improving operational efficiency, and ensuring McDonald’s remains a valued community member for each neighborhood they’re located in.

Bickel Group has been fortunate to collaborate on some unique and sometimes challenging sites which utilized their creativity including a mid-century modern style rebuild in Buena Park that was almost double the size of a traditional McDonald’s restaurant, a rural more country-style small format store in Alpine, a two-story store in North Hollywood, and even a LEED certified building.

As McDonald’s continues to innovate and constantly adapt to customer needs, Bickel Group remains dedicated to providing cutting-edge architectural solutions that align with the brand’s vision for growth and sustainability in the quick-service restaurant sector.

Beach Boulevard McDonald's Opens

Buena Park, CA – The Beach Boulevard strip just got a little more exciting with the grand opening of this new and improved McDonald’s!

Bickel Group was thrilled to team up once again with the McDonald’s team on this amazing rebuild just steps away from the famous Knott’s Berry Farm. Over the last five years, our team has worked closely with the City of Buena Park to refine and perfect the design. By pulling inspiration from mid-century modern architecture, we were able to break the mold and create a modernized McDonald’s like no one has ever seen.

Bickel Group is extremely proud of the end result, and is excited to see this McDonald’s bring new life to Beach Boulevard. A big thanks to the McDonald’s team and West Coast Construction for all of their hard work!

Riverside Restaurant Building

A Bickel Group designed contemporary restaurant building that celebrates interplay of a curving façade with a traditional cubist massing is well underway in Riverside, CA.

A multi-tenant end-cap building with a drive-through, the building is approximately 4,400 square feet and will be home for three restaurant tenants.  Tenants under lease so far include Mountain Mike’s Pizza and Mojo’s coffee.

Completion is scheduled for the first quarter of 2024 and we look forward to seeing this one to the finish line.

Dermacare Grand Opening

San Juan Capistrano, CA –  Well-known throughout the greater San Diego area, Dermacare Laser & Skin Care Clinic is excited to be opening up their newest location in Orange County.

 Bickel Group had the pleasure of working with Dr. Birchall and the Dermacare team for this remodel. We worked side by side to transform what was once a dated office space into a newly renovated, high luxury clinic where clients can enjoy skincare and cosmetic treatments. When it came time for construction, we could not have asked for a better partner than the general contractor Commercial Builders Inc.; their team worked swiftly to turn our designs into a reality.

As evidenced at the Grand Opening, we could not be more thrilled with the end result. We hope Dermacare settles in nicely to their new space, and hope to continue our partnership on future expansions

Celebrating our newest Project Manager

Newport Beach, CA - Bickel Group is proud to announce the promotion of Logan Gillis to Project Manager. Since joining the company three years ago, Logan has become a trusted member of the team, working with clients, consultants, and jurisdictions on a variety of project types and sizes. Congrats, Logan!

US Auctions Groundbreaking

Colton, CA – Bickel Group celebrated with US Auctions the groundbreaking of their new office building in Colton, CA.  The groundbreaking was well attending by many key US auctions staff, the mayor of Colton, and representatives from the city of Colton and their chamber of commerce, as well as Van Ryder Construction, McKeever Civil Engineering and Timberline Construction who have been and will continue to be key design and construction team members through the project’s completion.  All are thrilled to see this next step for this certified minority business come to fruition.  This has been a few years in the making with Bickel Group joining the team in 2021 and the includes over 10,000 sf over two levels and a site large enough to house much of the US Auctions inventory.  The final design even includes a viewing deck.  We look forward to seeing the finished product and celebrating the grand opening in mid-2024.

Coastline Baptist Grand Opening

Oceanside, CA – The remodel and addition of Coastline Baptist Church was completed this summer, and Bickel Group joined Pastor Chappell and the rest of the congregation in celebrating the grand opening on August 6, 2023.  The church building was originally a building for restaurants and retail shops which posed some challenges along the way.  The project began in 2018 and has complete with a more modern exterior façade with large sectional doors bringing the outside in, additional daycare and teaching spaces, and enlarged sanctuary and community space.  The project also included significant upgrades to the lighting and AV systems to support worship, celebration, and teaching.  Bickel Group is very proud to have been a part of the project and wishes the Coastline community continued success and many blessings in their new and improved space.

Kid City Opens at Lancaster Baptist Church

Lancaster, CA - The long awaited opening of “Kid City” occurred April 30, 2023, at Lancaster Baptist Church.  This two-story facility will accommodate the Sunday School classes for children from two years old through 6th grade.  There are 24 separate classrooms, each with a distinctive and unique design theme.  They range from the animals depicted in children’s Bible stories, to a picnic table sized just for the toddlers.  As the children enter the building their senses will be heightened with a playful three dimensional “Kid City” mural spread across the entry foyer.   Walking through the mural leads to a “rally room” including a 20’ wide full LED video screen.  This room can accommodate over 100 children for group activities and sharing.  At the far end of the building is a two-story tall “playroom” including a slide that takes kids from the top of the 2-story ceiling to the ground floor.

Jim Bickel was the Principal in Charge, and Kate Curtin was the Project Manager for this unique and exciting project which began design and production drawings prior to the pandemic.  Labor shortages, supply chain issues, and bad weather nearly doubled the initial schedule.  But the building is now complete.  Jim Bickel was invited to join the ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony. He and his team were recognized by Senior Pastor Paul Chappell for the excellence in design and administration of the project that Bickel Group provided.

City Lights Approved at Planning Commission

Bakersfield, California - Bickel Group Architecture is thrilled to have another large project secure entitlements with the recent Planning Commission approval for the City Lights project. The former site of East Hills Mall, City Lights will have almost 350,000 sf of leasable area spread across 36 acres and will transform the currently vacant site into a vibrant retail and food destination for the region, including gathering areas that showcase the view towards the city lights of Bakersfield that the site affords.

This project is a prime example of finding a way to improve a previously developed site and making it work for all invested parties, as evidenced by strong leasing interest from many national and regional brands. Bickel Group is proud to be part of the team, along with McIntosh & Associates, the ownership team, and various jurisdictional authorities, to bring this project to life and construction documents will be beginning soon.

Northgate Market Opens in Fontana

Fontana, California - Working as part of a multi-disciplinary team, Bickel Group is proud to share images of the recently completed Northgate Market in Fontana. Acting as lead architect for the overall development of a former auto dealership site into a new commercial center, this project is the result of balancing stakeholders’ interests while working with local officials and neighbors to ensure the project is a source of pride for the community. Northgate Market was thrilled with the opening of this store, the best in company history. Meanwhile, Bickel Group continues work with Frontier Real Estate Investments, Northgate Market, and multiple other tenants on the remaining pads on-site.

Newly Licensed Architects at Bickel Group

Newport Beach, CA - Bickel Group Architecture is pleased and proud to announce that two team members have recently completed their national and state license exams. Congratulations to Michelle Liu and Elena Mashin!

In addition to being licensed architects in the state of California, Michelle is a LEED AP and member of the American Institute of Certified Planners, and Elena is also a licensed architect in the European Union.

'Fox Block' Entitled in Fullerton

Fullerton, CA - An exciting public-private partnership project secured entitlements with unanimous support from both Fullerton’s Planning Commission and City Council. Located next to the historic Fox Theater, this adaptive reuse project will see an existing restaurant and former dance studio building converted into multiple food and beverage uses, and an existing surface parking lot transformed into an outdoor food hall concept with a microbrewery. Perhaps most interestingly, this project also includes the transition of a vehicular street to a fully pedestrian thoroughfare and gathering space with outdoor amenities for the community.

Working closely with Frontier Real Estate Investments, Urban Advisory & Building Group, SWA, C3 Civil Engineering, TJW Engineering, Acoustics Group, Inc, Moran Utility Services, Studio tK, and the City of Fullerton, Bickel Group is proud to be a part of this exciting addition to Downtown Fullerton.

More Retail Buildings Open at The Groves

Whittier, CA – Three more retail/restaurant buildings in Whittier are complete joining Stater Brothers, In-N-Out and Raising Canes which are open for business at The Groves thanks to the great work by general contractor CM Corp.  The Groves is a result of another partnership between Frontier Real Estate Investments and Brookfield Residential which includes various residential types, amenities, retail, restaurants, public art, and adaptive reuse of multiple buildings from the original Fred C. Nelles School which date back to the early 1900s.

Bickel Group came into the fold in 2016 working on the retail component of the project alongside Frontier, Ridge Landscape Architects, and SWA through entitlements, historical review, and now permitting and construction.  These three buildings mark the completion of Phase 1 with Phase 2 already under construction which will includes five more buildings housing a brewery and public market/food hall as well as the Heritage Court outdoor plaza space. 

Redevelopment Entitlements for Well Known San Juan Capistrano Site

San Juan Capistrano, CA - After years of submittals, resubmittals, stakeholder meetings, and coordination with a multitude of jurisdictional and discretionary bodies, Bickel Group Architecture has secured entitlements for a new commercial mixed use project in historical San Juan Capistrano. Consisting of a two-story building with over 27,000 sf of retail, restaurant, and office space, a parking structure with ground level retail space, and outdoor gathering/open spaces, this project will help strengthen the sense of place and arrival as residents and visitors enter the historic downtown area of San Juan. Particular emphasis was placed on ensuring the project aesthetically fit with the heritage of the city, paying respect while also reflecting the needs of current residents and business.

This project is the latest in partnership with Frontier Real Estate Investments to secure entitlements, and one of many in San Juan Capistrano.