Having lived in Newport Beach for more than 50 years, Ralph Rodheim feels certain about one thing: Balboa Village is not having an identity crisis.
The commercial district that stretches between Palm and A streets along the Balboa Peninsula has gone through a variety of modifications — from a new name to style alterations — in its 110-year history.
"It's called the heart and soul of the city," said Rodheim, one of seven committee members assigned to find a way to stimulate economic growth without changing the character of Balboa Village. "People go there as tourists for fun and to remember what their parents and grandparents told them about Newport Beach.