Westfield Santa Anita mall sells for $537.5 million to an undisclosed buyer. The property at 400 South Baldwin Avenue and now known as The Shops at Santa Anita, is 1.48 million s.f. and nearly 100% leased. French-based Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW), which has owned and operated the mall since 2007, has been selling off big-name mall properties in Southern California. IKEA Arcadia will open at the mall bringing a smaller version of IKEA with its design studio concept.
Westfield sues Los Angeles County over "unjustifiable" mall closures due to COVID-19. Westfield operates indoor malls in Canoga Park, Culver City, Sherman Oaks, Valencia and Arcadia. The suit alleges monetary losses and non-monetary losses.
Mall buyer a local resident. Wen Shan Chang, 71, of Bradbury, is new proprietor of The Shops at Santa Anita, formerly owned by Westfield. It was sold in August for $537.5 million. The property is at 400 South Baldwin Avenue and is now called The Shops at Santa Anita. Mall is 1.48 million square feet. Chang purchased it from France-based Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield in a sale considered the largest for a mall in the U.S. since 2018. The Arcadia mall site has been thriving through Asian retailers catering to the large Asian community in Arcadia and San Gabriel Valley.
Malls taking different paths with operations. San Gabriel Valley: some in the region are bucking trend and staying open, with reduced hours during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Westfield Santa Anita (in photo) is mostly empty, with only a few stores and food places open in Arcadia. While malls in many parts of Southern California have temporarily closed because of the possible spread of the novel coronavirus, Westfield in Arcadia, the Shops at Montebello, and Plaza West Covina have remained open, but with reduced hours.
Merrill Shindler reviews restaurants for Mother's Day meals. One in Arcadia that is recommended is Din Tai Fung at the mall (now named The Shops at Santa Anita, formerly Westfield Santa Anita) at 400 South Baldwin Avenue.
Sriracha lovers feel the heat as shortage persists. Huy Fong Foods, Inc. reports no relief in sight because of drought in Mexico. The hot chili sauce with the rooster logo is experiencing a shortage of red jalapenos peppers. This week the Arcadia branch of 99 Ranch Mareket had the 17-ounce bottle on sale for $5.98, down from $7.99. Huy Fong Foods is located in Irwindale.
The Shops at Santa Anita (formerly Westfield Santa Anita mall, changed name in 2022) hosts a holiday winter wonderland with synthetic ice rink, hot cocoa, and face painting, 6-8 PM today. Event is on the Promenade area. Skating rink is free but donations accepted. Proceeds benefit the Arcadia High School Marching Band. The Shops at Santa Anita is at 400 S. Baldwin Avenue.
San Gabriel Valley elections come to a close. Board of Supervisors set to officially declare election over, ballots still being counted. In Arcadia, as it stands, as of December 2:
District 2--Sharon Kwan won with 40.04%. Bob Harbicht had 30.13%, Tracy Jensen Han had 29.83%.
District 3--Eileen Wang won with 64.21%. Sheng Chang had 35.79%.
District 5--Dr. Michael Cao won with 42.60%. Jason J. Lee had 31.6%, incumbent Michael Danielson had 23.05%, and Daniel Malki had less than 2.76%.
Ashley Reagan Dunster is the new principal at Holy Angels School in Arcadia. She is the youngest granddaughter of President Ronald Reagan. By columnist Anissa Rivera.
L-Line Extension. Claremont Councilman Ed Reece to chair light rail line board, the Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority Board of Directors. The extension of the L-Line (formerly Gold Line) from Glendora to Pomona is 40% finished and scheduled for completion in early 2025. Reece will oversee the extension to Claremont and Montclair. The light rail line serves Arcadia, Pasadena, East Los Angeles and Los Angeles's Chinatown.
Pasadena native and World War II veteran Weston Embree celebrates 100th birthday. Embree's father Guy founded Embree Buses Inc., a Pasadena institution. Weston Embree met his wife Shirlee, originally of Arcadia, at the Methodist Church.
Swifties are beyond excited. Singer Taylor Swift's fans are taking Metro transit trains and shuttles to see her perform at Inglewood's SoFi Stadium. Fans Viridiana Gonzalez and Victoria Kravitz took the A-Line from Arcadia.
Coronavirus restrictions. Malls kick up their heels to be open. Shopping malls throughout Los Angeles County were given the okay to resume indoor operations yesterday after months of being closed. A smattering of shoppers showed up at malls in Redondo Beach, Torrance, Montebello, Sherman Oaks, and Arcadia.
Gold Line has a new name. Now it is called the L Line, but it will be split to become the A Line or the E Line in 2022 after Metro's Regional Connector Project is finished.
Bradbury man Steve Chen, CEO of U.S. Fine Investment Arts, Inc. Gem Coin, and other companies, allegedly conspired to commit fraud with his Arcadia-based marketing company, to plead guilty. He promised potential investors gemstones from their mines along with valuable digital currency. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 4, February 27, 2020.
Arcadia resident and philanthropist Charles Huang donates $7.5 million to Methodist Hospital of Southern California. Huang is a global entrepreneur who owns Pasadena-based private equity company Pasaca Capital Inc. His gift will fund a high-tech operating room. Representative Judy Chu is in the photo with Charles Huang. See also Mountain Views News, p. 8, July 2, 2022.
Arcadia man's 100th birthday to be family affair. Art Del Rey turns 100 this weekend. He is a World War II veteran (United States Navy). He had a successful career in real estate and started his own business in 1963, Art Del Rey Realty, Inc. in Arcadia, which thrives to this day.
Los Angeles County saw its biggest bump in coronavirus cases within recent weeks Friday (yesterday). LA County reported 1,401 new cases and 34 new deaths, bringing the official human toll of the virus to 265,776 and 6,488 deaths, not including Long Beach and Pasadena, which operate their own public health departments. Photo: an empty Westfield Santa Anita mall that is closed because of the coronavirus pandemic, is seen in March.