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Orange County economic growth picks up

Off the 405 Freeway in Irvine, hundreds of workers are busy erecting a 20-story glass office tower, a stark symbol of Orange County's economic expansion.

This year, the county is expected to add the most new jobs in 17 years, outpacing the growth rate of California and the nation. Businesses are leasing so much space that the county's biggest landlord is running out of offices to offer tenants.

“We have customers that we can't accommodate, because we are so full,” said Irvine Co. office executive Steven M. Case. “That is the premise of building this building.”

The construction of 200 Spectrum Center, which will be the county's largest building, underscores a local economy that's finally revving into high gear, following a recession that decimated two of its leading industries: construction and the mortgage business.