About 70,000 square feet of existing buildings in the Manhattan Village Shopping Center will likely be demolished, paving the way for new retail shops and restaurants, according to the city’s draft environmental impact report on the proposed mall expansion released last week.
With the proposed improvements, mall owners hope to not only attract new tenants, but also become more pedestrian friendly and create more efficiency in traffic flow.
“We need to stay on the cutting edge,” said Manhattan Village Manager Ruth Tewalt. “Like anybody in business and retail, you have to be current if you want to keep and attract top restaurant and retail tenants, which we want to do.”
The expansion proposal for the 44-acre shopping center includes the demolition of existing buildings, including those of Fry’s Electronics, Coffee Bean, See’s Candy and the recently closed Pacific Manhattan Village Theater.
The mall’s last major renovation was in 2000, when the mall’s interior was completely revamped, Tewalt said.
Of the nearly 200,000 square feet of new leasable area, 87 percent will be used for new retail uses and the remainder for restaurants.
“We have number of tenants who want to be in the property, but there’s no room for them,” Tewalt said, of the current design. Since the would-be tenants are still in the negotiating phases with mall management, Tewalt declined to give names of specific businesses looking to move in.
It’s been three years since the public has seen the latest proposal for the shopping center, whose three components include renovating the village shop area, the northeast corner and the northwest corner.
The proposal calls for the village shop area, where a parking lot, See’s Candy and Coffee Bean currently sit, to be transformed into an outside pedestrian promenade surrounding existing California Pizza Kitchen, and to include two, three-tiered parking structures.
“We will be working with those tenants to relocate,” Tewalt said of Coffee Bean and other businesses whose buildings will be demolished.
On the northwest corner, where Fry’s currently sits, the proposal shows the construction of new retail and restaurant space, as well as a roadway connecting the northwest corner and the rest of the village, which Tewalt said would improve traffic flow.
Fry’s is undersized in their current building, Tewalt said, adding that the mall is preparing in the event Fry’s chooses not to renew its lease when it expires in four years. “We can’t just wait until they leave or make a decision, we have to be prepared for that now,” she said.
The recently closed Pacific Theater will be demolished on the northeast corner, giving Macy’s an opportunity to expand its store, as well as provide space for a four-level parking structure.
“There’s not a big change in the amount of new net square footage,” Tewalt said, in comparing the current proposal and the one from three years ago. She added that her team has been working with city staff, landowners and residential neighbors on the updated proposal. “It’s a long process, it takes a long time to arrive on a plan that you think will be workable.”
The changes could also facilitate the expansion of the Apple store, said Manhattan Beach Planning Manager Laurie Jester.
The Apple store alone generates the same amount of sales tax revenue for the city as that of a small car dealership, said Finance Director Bruce Moe.
The public has until July 23 to review the city’s draft environmental impact report.
“It’s important that (Manhattan Village) does remain fresh and…meet the needs of our community by providing the shopping experience that people want here,” Jester said. “Being small enough to have the community feel but large enough to provide services and restaurants and retail shops that the community is looking for.”
The draft report includes an analysis of aesthetics, air quality, hazards, noise, police and fire and traffic as it relates to the proposed construction and mall operation. “With implementation of the proposed mitigation measures, no significant and unavoidable project or cumulative impacts are expected with regard to construction or operation of the proposed project,” wrote Community Development Director Richard Thompson, in a memo announcing the completion of the draft report.
The Planning Commission will have a public hearing on the project on June 27 at 6:30 p.m.
To read the report, click here, or pick up a hard copy from City Hall. Submit your comments to Community Development Department Planning Manager Laurie Jester at ljester@citymb.info, 1400 Highland Avenue, Manhattan Beach, or fax to 310-802-5501.
