Prices, and Buildings, Going Up in Foothill Ranch

Foothill Ranch, which has faced years of fierce competition for corporate office tenants in South Orange County, is suddenly hopping.

Within the past several weeks, a string of new developments have taken place in the Lake Forest masterplanned, mixed-use development.

Besides previously announced projects, more than $100 million in new investment and leasing deals are in the works.

Among those are:

n The Foothill Ranch Co. and Bob Searles are moving forward with plans to co-develop a new $40 million, three-building office complex in the area. The 290,000 square feet to be developed will be called Foothill Plaza.

n Opus West Corp. has entered negotiations with Black