News Release

Several retail developments taking root in Perris

11:48 PM PDT on Sunday, July 22, 2007
By LEEZEL TANGLAO
The Press-Enterprise

PERRIS - Along the Interstate 215 corridor between Moreno Valley and Sun City, several major retail centers have started to take shape in the Perris Valley.

For Perris residents, it means more places to shop and eat. For the growing city with a population of more than 45,000, it means revenue.

"We're starting to get stuff little by little," Perris Planning Commissioner Matthew Buck said. "(Perris) is not the pastures anymore."

One of four large shopping centers has already broken ground and structures are going up.

At the 80-acre Perris Crossing shopping center on Case Road between Ethanac and Watson Roads, the shell of a WinCo Foods store has been completed.

"There's a lot still left to do but everyone (tenants) is on board," said Bob Cahan, owner of the San Diego-based Cahan Properties, developer of the center.

Cahan said they expect to open the WinCo Foods store in October and Home Depot in December. Several fast-food restaurants, a Starbucks, a dental office and a bank also are included in the plan.

Across I-215 is the Towne Center project off Ethanac, McLaughlin and Trumble roads.

Project manager Mike Naggar said an environmental impact study is nearing completion and he expects public hearings to be held in September.

Leasing contracts with big-box store tenants are still under negotiation, Naggar said.

The center will include stores, hotels and restaurants.

North of the Towne Center project is the proposed Venue at Perris, at Highway 74 and Redlands Avenue.

A Super Target is planned for this 700,000-square-foot shopping center. Officials said earlier that improvement work must be completed on the adjacent freeway interchange before the project can move forward.

The plan is to widen the Redlands Avenue and Highway 74 freeway interchange.

A study was recently completed to determine what modifications were needed and the project will begin its design phase in the coming months, Perris City Engineer Habib Motlagh said.

He added that construction could start in two years.

The $30 million interchange project calls for restripping and widening lanes and is funded through Transportation Uniform Mitigation Fees and Measure A bond money.

According to the Web site for the Venue's developer, Lewis Retail Centers, the development is scheduled to open in mid-2009.

Farther north is the 40-acre Perris Marketplace, on the west side of Perris Boulevard and north of Nuevo Road, which will be anchored by a Wal-Mart Supercenter and a Lowe's Home Improvement store.

Earlier this month, the City Council adopted a resolution certifying the final environmental impact report despite some opposition raised at the meeting about environmental concerns. Andrew Trachman, president of Trachman Indevco, the developer for the Perris Marketplace project, said he expects to open the center in early 2009.

New Developments

The influx of major developments to the area is recent, according to city officials.

Through demographic studies, marketing, infrastructure improvements and general assistance in the development process, the city has been able to bring in more retail business, said Michael McDermott, Perris's city redevelopment and economic development manager.

"Those efforts have attracted experienced major shopping center developers," McDermott said. "Furthermore, we ... are working actively with those shopping center owner/developers to help facilitate attracting national tenants."

McDermott said the standard big-box or home improvement anchor store brings in about $600,000 to $1 million in sales tax revenue to the city annually.

He expects the new projects will bring in about eight major anchors and additional retail subanchors. Along with the four major shopping centers in the Interstate 215 corridor, there are several smaller centers planned in North Perris.

Ramona Crossroads is proposed for 16 acres on the southwest corner of the Ramona Expressway and Perris Boulevard. It would contain 135,000 square feet of retail. A drug store and a major supermarket are planned for the site.

The Ramona Marketplace is proposed for the northeast corner of Ramona Expressway and Evans Road. The 400,000- to 500,000-square-foot project is still in preliminary development stages.

McDermott said a Target and possibly a home-improvement store will be at the center.

Reach Leezel Tanglao at 951-375-3728 or ltanglao@PE.com