California Apparel News

Southern California’s next retail hot spot may be Arcadia. The town, located 21 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles and best known for the Santa Anita Racetrack, is scheduled to become the home of two neighboring shopping centers.

In May, Los Angeles–based Caruso Affiliated announced the company will build a luxury shopping center on the 80-acre tract behind the racetrack.

On Oct. 1, the Los Angeles office of the Westfield Group debuted its $113 million redevelopment of the northeast corner of the Westfield Shoppingtown Santa Anita, adjacent to the racetrack.

The centerpiece of the Westfield renovation is a carousel in an enclosed atrium courtyard that is similar to Main Street or lifestyletype shopping centers. The city-street style is credited in part with attracting mall-weary crowds to The Grove in Los Angeles, owned by Caruso Affiliated, and will be the look of other major new malls, including Victoria Gardens in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., owned by Cleveland-based Forest City Enterprises and scheduled to open Oct. 28.

Westfield Vice Chairman Richard Green said his company will add the lifestyle look to some of its other malls, including the University Town Center in San Diego. “It’s taking the opportunity to bring retailers to where the demand is,” he said.

Green said leases for every space in the renovated Arcadia mall have been signed or are in the process of being signed. New fashion retailers at the mall include d.e.m.o., Hollister, American Eagle Outfitters, No Fear and Frederick’s of Hollywood. Other parts of the mall are dedicated to a Dave & Buster’s arcade and restaurants.

The city of Arcadia’s General Plan, the town’s guide to municipal development, maintains that the Westfield shopping center and the Caruso Affiliated project will be connected by a road, said Don Penman, development services director of the city of Arcadia.

Penman said the Caruso project has not yet broken ground. Caruso Affiliated did not return phone calls for comment.

—A.A.