* * Plans are now being processed by the City of San Diego.
* *
Flower Hill Promenade is
planning to expand into a near regional sized mall, using a 35,000 SF Whole Foods Supermarket as the carrot, with an additional 40,000 SF of retail, restaurant, office, storage space and a 4 story above ground parking structure.
Expansion from 112,116 Square Feet (SF), to an over-built commercial expansion of 173,097 SF
94,275 SF four story, above ground parking structure
Total square footage of 267,372
44 foot tall building peaks (No other area building is over 30 feet.)
Termination of the Ultra Star Theaters lease, our only local independent movie house.
And, we believe there is a secret Phase 2 to follow, that will add another 100,000 SF.
Here is what that means to you (local residents and business owners):
Significantly increased traffic on Villa De La Valle and neighborhood streets.
(Yes, it will get worse Via De La Valle already has a Level F grade for traffic volume.)
Say goodbye to the country coastal, low profile, quaintness and sophistication of our community.
Say hello to Mission-Valley-ization with congestion and an over commercialized atmosphere.
Area pollution & runoff into the newly restored San Dieguito River Valley.
Added vagrants, panhandlers, and homeless.
Crime, both neighborhood and on-site, especially with the parking structure adjacent to I-5.
Excessive and unwanted added commercialism, signage and clutter.
Lost sales tax revenue from Del Mar and Solana Beach retailers.
Further drain on city resources including sewer, water and power.
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An
open letter to the developer.
Mr.
Essakow, stop the "Mission Valleyization"
of our river
valley and greater Del Mar!
Jeffrey
Essakow is a partner of Protea Properties, the owners and
developers of Flower Hill Mall.
So, you are kicking out the Ultra Star Theater, and planning to "Mission Valley-ize" our country, coastal valley.
Your plan is unfolding, just as you conceived it back in 2002, when you purchased the mall. The theater was on a month-to-month lease then, and you kept them in limbo ever since, while you sought out a bigger, national credit tenant, all the while telling the community that you were going to keep the theater, build a lifestyle center, and listen to our opinions.
You signed a lease with Whole Foods Supermarket, for a store that will be triple the size of the theaters, and will overwhelm all of the parking, while further exacerbating our area traffic congestion. We don't need another supermarket, with 6 major markets within a 2 mile radius, a Henry's across the freeway, and an existing Whole Foods just a few minutes down the road. Congratulations, you have now shown your true colors!
You now claim you're the "good guy developer", having reduced your plans from over 250,000 square feet, to just 171,872. But, do you really expect us to believe you won't be back for a Phase 2 lick of the entitlement ice cream cone? Why don't your plans provide for any improvement or upgrade to the existing
buildings?
We have heard you are now only providing month-to-month leases. This is always a sign that the landlord intends to kick out his tenants when it is convenient for him. Apparently, some, like Madison Leather, aren't waiting for that inevitable event. It doesn't take a psychic to read the tea leaves and predict that this is just Phase 1 of your dastardly 250,000 SF plan to commercialize our valley, with more piecemeal development.
Why should your gain, be at our loss? Yes, your mall needs "renovation" and a major face lift. So, get out the paint, the termite man, the carpenters and the masons, and spend a few dollars on the existing dilapidated structures. Limit your expansion to a maximum 25% floor area to land ratio, commensurate with all other respectable shopping centers in this area. Keep your structures under the Coastal Commission's limit of 30 feet high. But most importantly, do not build the excessive, over-scaled, urban shopping center that you have been promoting.
So the process begins. You will spin your plans and pitch how wonderful Whole Foods (the carrot) is, while you stick it to the community.
Mr. Essakow, you have found no support in the community for this ill-conceived plan. You clearly only represent you and your investors interests. Stop the gratuitous pitch, and start listening to your concerned and very disappointed neighbors ... the same neighbors that have been the faithful patrons of your merchants, for far more years than you have owned this center. Don't spoil a good thing. It would be shame to see that support wilt away due to your own actions.
-- The Stakeholders of Flower Hill
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