A possible future for “the mall”

By Jim Tortolano/Orange County Tribune

Once the biggest and most prosperous enclosed shopping center in Orange County, Westminster Mall has declined to the point where its drooping sales tax revenue is weighing on the city treasury and a stroll through its halls is a journey down corridors of empty, dark, silent storefronts.

Six years ago, city officials began the process of trying to turn the fortunes of the 100-acre center at Bolsa Avenue and Goldenwest Street around. Six years and nearly that many city managers – not to mention a worldwide coronavirus epidemic – later, wraps are finally coming off the distilled concept for the center in the form of the Westminster Mall Specific Plan.

The plan is not likely to be turned into reality in every detail, but it represents a step forward toward turning that freeway-close development into a potentially lucrative asset.

There are challenges. As the report states, “the project site provides a unique opportunity to reposition the mall into the thriving activity it once was and to accommodate the future growth of the city.”

But – as was also pointed out – “the site is owned by five different owners” whose interests and needs may not match the others. Additionally, the Mall is located one freeway offramp away from its principal competitor, Huntington Beach’s Bella Terra, itself a former enclosed mall modernized into an open-air mixed use center with many restaurants and shops, a large movie complex and anchors such as Costco, Kohls and Barnes & Noble.

The vision for the “new” mall is seen as evolving into an open-air mixed use center. Here’s a summary:

• Most of the “edge” along Edwards Street on the west would be for mid-rise residential, three to four stories high, elevated “at grade” with a landscaped parkway.
• Also most of the center facing Bolsa Avenue would be for retail as a priority use. The second priority would be for residential, hotel and office space with heights similar to Edwards Street.
• The triangle along the San Diego (405) Freeway would have a retail core with building heights up to 10 stories high. Residential uses would be “buffered” from the freeway,” when “feasible.”
• Additionally, the plan calls for interior streets, a neighborhood park and an “iconic” entry architecture.
• The “retail core” could preserve some of the existing footprint with certain anchor stores as well as residential, office, hotel and entertainment uses up to 10 stories high.

A community workshop is scheduled for Sept. 22 at the Community Services building in the civic center, 8200 Westminster Blvd.

For a closer look at the proposed specific plan, go to: https://www.westminster-ca.gov/departments/community-development/planning-division/specific-plans/westminster-mall-specific-plan .