The expansion plan for Westfield Shoppingtown Santa Anita raises traffic concerns with City Council members. Kenneth Wong, president of Westfield America maintains composure as he answers. The proposed expansion is called The Promenade, an outdoor 100,000 square feet area that would be between Nordstrom and Macys.
The City Council will likely approve Westfield Shoppingtown Santa Anita's mall expansion for the outdoor section known as The Promenade if Westfield can resolve parking issues that will arise during construction.
Westfield Group, owner of Westfield Shoppingtown Santa Anita, plans to sue the City of Arcadia and developer Caruso Affiliated to prevent The Shops at Santa Anita, the outdoor mall, from being built.
Rick Caruso faces off with Westfield Group's Kenneth Wong at a City Council meeting. Some 350 Arcadia residents came to hear about the proposed expansion of Westfield Shoppingtown and Caruso's outdoor lifestyle center.
Developer Rick Caruso's $400 million open-air mall at the Santa Anita Park race track may be stiff competition for retailers at Westfield Shoppingtown. City leaders hope the two malls can coexist.
Westfield Group has vowed not to donate to City Council campaigns in the April 2006 election, joining mall rival Rick Caruso and Caruso Affiliated, who made a similar pledge in September.
An outdoor courtyard, a 1220 space parking structure, and numerous shops would be added to Westfield Shoppingtown - Santa Anita under an expansion plan under review by the City Council.
Judge James C. Chalfant stands by his July decision that the environmental impact report (EIR) that Arcadia officials relied upon in approving the mall was faulty in 11 areas and that it would have to be revised before the Caruso mall project, proposed for the Santa Anita Park race track parking lot, known as the Shops at Santa Anita, can move forward.
Westfield Group, owner of Westfield Shoppingtown Santa Anita, has proposed two ballot measures for the November election. Westfield is gathering signatures for the two initiatives: 1) to mandate free parking at all large retail projects and 2) to ban large billboards. A poll of 300 registered Arcadia voters in February showed 74% support the free parking initiative and 62% support the billboard measure.
Westfield Shoppingtown has hired one of the largest law firms in Los Angeles--Latham and Watkins, to slow developer Rick Caruso's proposal to build a mall on he grounds of the adjacent Santa Anita Park race track.
Arcadia's City Council approved design guidelines for expansion of the Westfield Shopping mall. The expansion will increase the mall size by 276,000 square feet, in a two-level extension and an open-air mall, in the northeast quadrant of the center.
The Westfield Group will acquire 15 department stores which are owned by Federated Department Stores, Inc., including stores in Arcadia and West Covina. Robinsons-May in Arcadia and Macy's in West Covina will become property of Westfield and converted for other uses.
A court hearing today will provide clarification on Judge James Chalfant's July ruling that stopped progress on an upscale mall proposed by developer Rick Caruso at the Santa Anita Park parking lot. The proposed mall is known as the Shops at Santa Anita. In July, Judge Chalfant ruled that the environmental impact report (EIR) that Arcadia officials relied upon in approving the mall was faulty in 11 areas and would have to be revised before the project can move forward. Chalfant could modify his ruling today, or allow the existing ruling to become final judgment.
Arcadia City Council voted unanimously to give the final approval on Rick Caruso's The Shops at Santa Anita mall. The City Council also approved an expansion project for the Westfield mall with one condition.