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Shopping center in Oxnard is sold for $13 million
The future for Carriage Square site is unclear
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More from Local NewsOxnard's Carriage Square has been sold to a Calabasas developer for $13 million.
The future of the rundown shopping center on the northwest corner of Oxnard Boulevard and Gonzales Road is unclear, said Sean Baker, president of Upside Investments LLC, the property's new owner.
"It was a relatively quick acquisition for us," he said. "We don't have firm plans in place."
Baker said the 188,082-square-foot shopping center, which once included a movie theater and grocery store that are both now shuttered, could be demolished and new retail brought in, or it could be remodeled for use as a car lot or swap meet. Which avenue the firm pursues will largely be based on the outcome of the city's latest traffic initiative, Baker said.
"We're kind of waiting on that," he said.
Baker said the firm was attracted to the property because of its location and because "the price was right either to go low end if the traffic initiative passes, or to go high-end."
Proponents of the traffic initiative, which seeks to reduce congestion by restricting commercial and residential development, are now gathering signatures to get the measure placed on the November ballot. Backers failed to qualify an earlier version of the measure for the ballot.
Oxnard City Manager Ed Sotelo said he recently learned of the sale and hopes city officials could arrange a meeting with the new owner soon to discuss plans for the site.
"Our whole intent is to have that center revitalized," Sotelo said.
Carriage Square's previous owner, SDC-CT Properties LLC of Newport Beach, had received approval in 2006 to demolish the existing center and build a Lowe's and other retail and restaurant space on the property. That deal apparently fell apart.
Baker said he's still talking with Lowe's officials but said he didn't know whether that home improvement store could resurface for the site.
Upside Investments' other projects have included a number of multiple-family apartment buildings and retail developments throughout Southern California, Baker said. This is the company's only project in Oxnard, he said.
Posted by archtmf on February 28, 2008 at 12:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Oh great. I was looking forward to seeing the start of demolition of that whole blighted joint and subsequent construction of the Lowes. Now that old garbage dump is going to look that way for more years to come, and may eventually turn into some low end crap like a used car lot or swap meet. Or worse yet, lots of high density condos or apartments.
What happened to the Lowes project??? I hope the new land owner can cut a new deal with Lowes.
Posted by tinkerbell_trish on February 28, 2008 at 7:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)
the LAST thing Oxnard needs is a used car lot or swap meet. That would be such an eye sore and would attract more poverty to the area. Im sure the people down the street in River Ridge would just LOVE to own a multi-million dollar home down the street from a swap meet. I think building either of these will be a huge step backwards for Oxnard when we should be trying to move forward. With 2 high schools in the immediate area, they would be smart to build retail stores and restaurants. Something like the Esplanade would be perfect and attract a lot of people.
Posted by ILuvOxnard on February 28, 2008 at 9:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
FYI River ridge is not down the street. Instead of thinking about damn River ridge, you should think about the regular people who live in the houses accross the street or in the apartments just around the corner!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by UdontKnowMe on February 28, 2008 at 9:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Lets just hope that it will be something siutable for the area that doesn't become crime infested by losers tagging or fighting like the old Carriage square theatre.
Posted by noclrlynz on February 28, 2008 at 9:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I live about 1 mile from the area and ABSOLUTELY DO NOT want some used car lot or swap meet! We don't need to "dumb down" the area anymore. How about relocating the soon to be gone Wagon Wheel Skating Rink and Bowling Alley so families do have some activites, as well as retail and restaurants.
Posted by archtmf on February 28, 2008 at 10:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I like the skating rink idea. I think that would be fantastic.
Posted by szampese-perez on February 28, 2008 at 3:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Why don't these developers ever think of the kids in these areas. Why don't they build something to keep the area looking nice and allow kids to have a place to go and spend time. A skating rink and Bowling alley are two really good ideas... Come on people we can think of something better than a stupid car lot or another home improvement store I am sure we don't mind driving another mile or two to go to Home Depot.
Posted by michael on February 28, 2008 at 4:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Your collective responses are precisely what the new owner is seeking: the upcoming attempt to stall all new development with the threat of a traffic initiative is why Mr. Baker tosses out the alternative no one wants to see: he threatens to put a used car lot or a swap meet there if the traffic initiative passes.
The same will be true throughout much of Oxnard, which is so desparately in need of revitalization in many parts of the city. It's possible, depending upon the language and restrictions, that no development or revitalization of tired/blighted shopping centers (too many to count)will occur if the traffic initiative is passed by the voters.
I believe that there are alternative solutions and hopefully some logic and cool-headed thinking will occur between now and November.
Posted by ironwoman on February 28, 2008 at 7:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Whatever they do,,,,,just leave KFC there!
Posted by CamarilloMan on March 1, 2008 at 10:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
michael, great comment! This is the perfect place to build a place similar to the Commons in T.O. Take the lead Oxnard and ask for an activity center! Can you imagine a state of the art Bowling Alley, Roller Skating Rink and even perhaps an outside ice skating rink in the winter. Upside Investments LLC, you found a great deal, capitalize on this cheap investment and set a great model.
Posted by YaitsmeJennieG on March 3, 2008 at 9:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This needs to be turned into something family friendly to generate revenue for oxnard. We have nothing of interest in oxnard My family & I always go to downtown Ventura because Oxnard has nothing "pretty" you want to spend time at. How about an old fashion town square with an Ice cream parlor,Charming shops,Cafe's,Deli,Small park in the center with a gazebo,and benches,give it an old fashioned quaint feel, & lit walkway for evening strolls. COME OXNARD CITY COUNCIL LISTEN TO YOUR RESIDENTS WE WANT SOMETHING MORE NOT SOMETHING LESS(Car lot-Swap meet)
Posted by Galatea on March 11, 2008 at 12:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What has happened to the Carriage Square Project is a tragedy... Not just for the local neighborhood.. but also for the New Life Church that killed the whole deal. In my opinion and from good sources... this project would not have been dumped if not for the Church that refused to take a nice bail out on their lease prior to the sale of this property to Upside LLC. Good sources say that the local church turned down over one million dollars as a "buy out" deal on their remaining "short-term" lease of under 3 years and they cost the local community the entire re-development of this shopping center into a Lowes because they were greedy christians and wanted more money... some say their quote to the folks that offered up the big bucks was that it wasn't enough and that "God would provide". This reader remembers the story about the fellow that was drowning and prayed that God would send him a way to be rescued and then when the fellow saw an inner tube and refused it because he felt it wasn't good enough for him... how he was amazed when he drowned and asked God why he let him drown and God said... "What are you talking about... I tried and you refused the inner tube". Well... From what this reader hears... over a million dollar deal is off the table and the church lost their over one million dollar inner tube and cost the local community a really nice project. Meanwhile this same Church seems to think they are immune to filing permits for special events that they have every Wednesday and the big March 15th Easter party in the parking lot... sure hope they pulled permits because it is required.. This reader asks that the City of Oxnard... whether some of the higher ups at the city are parishoners or not step up to the bat and require the Church to march to the same drum as all the rest of the Oxnard citizens. It would be nice if the church leveled with their parishoners and told them about the inner tube they refused and how 2 1/2 years down the road they may well be sleeping in the street.
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