|
New photos
of the Bella Terra Mall
Outdoor Bella Terra Shopping District
in Huntington Beach
Huntington Surf and
Sport (HSS) joined the ranks of stores and
restaurants at Huntington Beach's newest shopping
attraction, Bella Terra mall (formerly Huntington
Beach Center). Aaron Pai, owner of HSS, said his
company will launch its largest shop to date,
featuring more than 7,000 square feet of floor
space. It is accessible from the main plaza
near Century Theaters. HSS owner Aaron Pai decided
to open a store at Bella Terra to provide customers
easier access to the the store's extensive inventory
of merchandise that includes surfboards, surf wear
and fashion apparel targeting youth, teens and those
seeking contemporary fashion styles. This new outlet
will become the fourth store for Huntington Surf &
Sport, a company that's been in business since 1978.
Pictured above are
scenes in the development of Bella Terra
Huntington Beach Mall. Huntington Beach Chamber
of Commerce President Joyce Riddell joins hands
with mall management director Pat Rogers,
California Pizza Kitchen manager Jesse,
Huntington Beach City Council members Cathy
Green, Dave Sullivan and more. Also pictured are
Kohl's , Islands and the new 6-story parking
structure at the mall.
The mall also
recently secured a deal with the Cheesecake Factory
to lease a 10,000-square-foot space adjacent to the
movie theater.
Recent grand
openings of new businesses at the mall include Jos
A. Banks men's clothiers, Kabuki Japanese
Restaurant, Century Theaters and a massive, 4-story
parking structure.
With a 1,540-space parking
structure completed on the former site of the
Huntington Beach Center, Bella Terra, the 800,000-sq.-ft. entertainment-retail
village is open for business. It includes a 20-screen Century Theatres
complex and when finished, will have 71 shops and restaurants.
The recent trend of converting indoor shopping malls
to open-air, retail-entertainment districts in
Southern California has reached the beach.
Bella Terra, a $170 million development of J.H.
Snyder Co., Ezralow Co. and the city of Huntington
Beach, officially broke ground on April 22, 2004,
occupying the footprint of the mostly shuttered
Huntington Beach Center, an enclosed mall that
opened in 1966.
Similar re-use projects have been completed this
decade in Pasadena—the $225 million Paseo
Colorado—and in Sherman Oaks—the $100 million
Galleria. The open-air centers take advantage of
Southern California's mild year-round climate and an
opportunity to engage thoughtful landscape
architecture with themed, outdoor retail.
Triple A Demolition performed selective demolition of the former indoor
shops at the 63-acre Huntington Beach Center site,
which is bordered by busy Beach Boulevard and Edinger Avenue.
Wisconsin-based Kohl's opened a store in March 2003
in the two-story shell of the former Broadway
department store. Existing tenants Burlington Coat
Factory and Mervyn's will remain open during
construction of the new center.
Bella Terra is comprised of
800,000 sq. ft. of retail—including a 20-screen,
80,000-sq.-ft. Century Theatres complex—and a
1,540-space parking structure.
Bella Terra had been on the drawing board for
several years, but a soft retail leasing market and
the complexities of programming a public parking
structure with a major private development delayed
the start of construction for nearly two years.
Venice-based Jerde Partnership was the master plan
architect. Long Beach-based Perkowitz + Ruth is the
executive architect; LA. Group is the landscape
architect. Dolan Construction is the general
contractor for retail core-and-shell work.
Rendering of Bella Terra retail and restaurant
village in Huntington Beach. The open-air complex
replaces the former Huntington Beach Center, an
enclosed mall that opened in 1966. Bella Terra is a
$170 million development of J.H. Snyder Co., Ezralow
Co. and the city of Huntington Beach.
The mall's demise began in earnest when major tenant
Montgomery Ward went out of business in the past
decade. Burlington Coat Factory took over the
building vacated by May Co. and will initiate its
own re-design this year.
Triple A recycled as much concrete and steel as
possible from the old mall. Pettigrew said that
salvaged Class 2 concrete can be used under roads
and buildings.
A Tuscan village-inspired Bella Terra (the name
means "beautiful earth" in Italian) will have 71
shops and restaurants, including
California Pizza
Kitchen, Pomodoro Cucina Italiana, Islands and La
Salsa.
Romano's Macaroni Grill is a current tenant. Bed,
Bath & Beyond and REI have been added to the center's
existing stores, a roster that includes Circuit
City, Staples and Barnes & Noble.
Fifteen restaurants encircle an outdoor
amphitheater that showcases a variety of
entertainment. "The amphitheater has a 75-ft. radius
with a cascading water display as a backdrop for
performances," Snyder said.
Seventy trees planted in 1966 have been potted and
replanted on site.
Limestone, tile and other materials in natural
colors have been used on the facades of the new and
existing buildings, in a facelift to
fit with the new Tuscan Village motif.
# # #
Bella Terra
Groundbreaking – J.H. Snyder and the Ezralow
Company hosted a groundbreaking ceremony on
Thursday, April 22, 2004 for the initiation of the
next phase of the redevelopment of Huntington Center
into Bella Terra. The ceremony featured donations to
the Therapeutic Riding Center and the Orange County
Chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).
Mayor Cathy Green and City Administrator Ray Silver
participated in the ceremonial ribbon cutting. Site
work is already underway, with the parking areas
being demolished to make room for the staging of the work.
|
