The news is that movie theaters are going out of style. Folks are no longer paying big bucks for bad movies, for movies that are propaganda or tell us we are racist, haters, misogynists or “phobes” of one sort or another.
Instead, apartment complexes will be built. This is a sign of the times. The free market is working. Developers know where the money is in these times.
“Before removing the central fountain at The Marketplace, new owners of the shopping center along Ming Avenue recently announced big changes are in store. They hinted at a “comprehensive reimagination plan” that will begin with artificial turf and eventually lead to additional space for concerts and other community events.
But modifications planned for The Marketplace may go significantly further than that. Earlier this summer, the company won a zoning change that could lead to the construction of apartments in place of the center’s Regal Edwards Bakersfield cineplex.”
Watch as current malls close and are turned into housing. See government excess property turned into housing, mostly stack and pack, soon to be slums.
New owners of The Marketplace get permission to add apartments in place of movie theaters
John Cox / The Californian, 9/15/24 https://www.bakersfield.com/news/new-owners-of-the-marketplace-get-permission-to-add-apartments-in-place-of-movie-theaters/article_b0c961ae-72b2-11ef-b252-2b8b6b61d2ae.html
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Artificial grass is only the start.
Before removing the central fountain at The Marketplace, new owners of the shopping center along Ming Avenue recently announced big changes are in store. They hinted at a “comprehensive reimagination plan” that will begin with artificial turf and eventually lead to additional space for concerts and other community events.
But modifications planned for The Marketplace may go significantly further than that. Earlier this summer, the company won a zoning change that could lead to the construction of apartments in place of the center’s Regal Edwards Bakersfield cineplex.
Exactly what the plan looks like remains unclear, as the company and its local leasing representatives did not respond to requests for comment. Beyond the zoning application, nothing specific has been filed with the city of Bakersfield.
It’s not a surprise that one of the city’s premiere shopping centers is undergoing some level of redesign. Stubborn vacancies at prominent storefronts have frustrated shoppers and tenants alike, just as the broken fountain and neglected maintenance have for months generated concern.
Robson Jewelers has been located at the shopping center’s western extension for about 30 years. Owner Donald Robson said he was aware the artificial grass was coming to the courtyard but that he hasn’t been notified of any other changes planned for the site, let alone any housing at the cineplex. His concern is foot traffic.
Storefronts on both sides of his store sit empty, which Robson said is bad for business.
“There’s less foot traffic for sure,” he said.
Northwest Bakersfield resident Michelle Robertson was strolling the Marketplace Friday, having just finished lunch at Chef’s Choice Noodle Bar. She said she doesn’t visit the shopping center often, noting the Regal Edwards is “getting grungy.”
When asked for her opinion of the possibility of apartments that might replace the cineplex, she sounded intrigued.
Robertson recently visited a shopping center that featured movie theaters and apartments built right into the complex. The combination struck her as complementary and inviting.
“How nice would it be to have a little date night and walk back to your apartment?” she asked.
A sign next to the former fountain, now a dirt lot fenced in along with a portable toilet, directs visitors to an online statement about work to come.
“We’re excited to share that The Marketplace courtyard is getting a fresh new look,” it stated. “The fountain has reached the end of its lifespan, is no longer repairable and will be removed in late September 2024.
“This is the first step of a comprehensive reimagination plan for the courtyard and will incorporate amenities that are environmentally friendly and energy efficient. We will be temporarily adding artificial turf to the area to maintain a welcoming environment. This change will create more space for the community to enjoy, including additional concerts and community events. Thank you for your continued support as we reimagine our community space.”
The Marketplace’s former owner, Costa Mesa-based Donahue Schriber Realty Group Inc., sold the property in 2022 to Bethesda, Md.-based First Washington Realty, which acquired the shopping center as part of a larger sales transaction.
Though at least half a dozen vacancies have lingered for months at The Marketplace, it still boasts strong anchor tenants that include Vons, Rite-Aid, Starbucks, Tahoe Joe’s and Applebee’s.
First Washington initiated the zoning change earlier this year. It was approved by Bakersfield’s Planning Commission in June before going to the City Council, which signed off on the change on July 24 as part of a wider action involving 66 parcels comprising 433 acres.
City records show the new zoning designation, called MX-2, provides for transit- and pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use development such as high-density, multi-unit developments like low- and mid-rise apartments and condominiums.
“This zone is intended to encourage high quality integrated development consisting of residential and commercial uses in a horizontal and or vertical arrangements to maximize open space of active and passive use and provide opportunities for place making,” city records state. “The residential density range for this zone is 30.1 to 100 dwelling units per acre.”
City spokesman Joe Conroy said by email there has been no word from First Washington as to what the company’s intentions are.
“As for what is planned for the area,” he wrote, “we have not received any proposals at this time.”
