Dana Rene Bowler / Star staff Crews from Southern California Pipeline Construction work on the site of the future Promenade retail development. The developers and the city expect the project to be completed by the spring of 2009.

Jim DeStefano couldn't help but notice the scene on his way to work in the morning and coming home in the evening.

"Whatever it is, it's a big project," said the Camarillo resident and father of three. "I just assumed it's another part of how Camarillo is growing."

What DeStefano and other commuters have been seeing on the east side of Las Posas Road and south of Highway 101 is earth moving — the beginning of one of the largest and most visible projects along the highway in Camarillo.

Chelsea Property Group, owner of Camarillo Premium Outlets, is finishing grading the area with an eye toward building 264,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space along Ventura Boulevard, west of Edwards Cinemas.

The Promenade has been in the process of laying down utilities and creating building pads for foundations. After soil compaction is checked, the next stage of construction will start as building permits are issued and structures begin going up, officials said.

"They have to be able to demonstrate that they've got their grading compaction verified" before building permits can be issued, said David Anderson, assistant director of the city Community Development Department.

The developers and the city expect completion of the project in the spring of 2009.

Brian Hassett, general manager of Camarillo Premium Outlets, explained the company's plan for the new Promenade.

"While there will be more outlet center tenants for the project, it's still going to be considered a different type of shopping experience," he said. "We did try to focus the project's use to have a good deal of tenants such as sit-down restaurants that will more aptly function alongside a theater, which is currently going through a major renovation."

No details are yet available as to what stores or restaurants will be in the center, which will be about half the size of the 450,000-square-foot Premium Outlets.

The Promenade is being designed with a California Mission style of architecture.

"Chelsea worked extensively with the city of Camarillo, to create a signature architectural look specific to this project," Hassett said.

"There'll be some free-standing restaurants as well as the main center," said Anderson. "We worked with them to really sort of beef up the pedestrian traffic use. (Chelsea) has designed a large plaza with walkways and a different theme than the Outlet Center."

The courtyard was designed as a multi-use area, not just a brief respite for shoppers.

"The thought was that the plaza would not only be an amenity for the shopping center and its customers but could also be jointly used for potential functions the city may participate in," Hassett said.

More of Camarillo's building projects of late have involved walkways, paths and pedestrian traffic areas in attempts to cut down on auto traffic congestion.

According to Hassett, Chelsea "understood the desire of the city to have a project that was not only pedestrian friendly but would provide for connectivity and synergy between the proposed project, the existing theater and the existing Camarillo Premium Outlets."

Chelsea officials also had to work with Ventura County and federal officials to make the project a reality.

The county allowed the nearby Camarillo Airport's aging water system to be transferred to the city as part of an arrangement to secure approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to change a decades-old military flight-path easement that restricted building heights on the shopping center site.

"We worked over a three-year period in a cooperative manner in what became a win-win-win situation for the city of Camarillo, the county of Ventura and Chelsea Property Group," Hassett said. "Ultimately, all three entities will end up with a very fine project that will be an amenity to the community and generate jobs and sales tax revenue for the city and county."