RETAIL : Atrium Court, After Face Lift, to Reopen at Newport Center

After $6 million and a long summer of construction, the revamped Atrium Court is due to reopen Friday at Fashion Island in Newport Center.

The biggest change will be in the Farmers Market, which will be consolidated into a 16,000- square-foot wedge on the ground floor of the three-story shopping court. The face lift also includes a new fountain, several new food stands and 100 new seats, bringing seating capacity to 450.

Rick Oliver, Fashion Island’s general manager, said the new Atrium Court will be unusual enough that it will be marketed separately from the center as a whole.

The reopening comes none too soon for retailers on Atrium Court’s upper two floors, who have seen their business dwindle since the construction began in June.

“I can’t wait,” said Bill Quiris, assistant manager of the Caswell-Massey toiletries shop on the second level. “Newport Beach people will stay home and listen to their own remodeling rather than come here and hear ours.”