Redlands Mall

Redlands Mall was a small enclosed shopping center in central Redlands, California. It occupied approximately 12 acres between Orange Street and Eureka Street, bounded by Redlands Boulevard and Citrus Avenue, in an area that the city hoped to revitalize during the 1970s. Developed by The Hahn Company, the mall opened on March 10, 1977, after the removal of several existing buildings, including the La Posada Hotel. Its original format included more than 173,000 square feet of enclosed leasable space, a separate 12,586-square-foot retail building, two levels, and two principal anchor stores. The center's initial anchors were Sav-on Drugs and Harris'. Sav-on later became a CVS Pharmacy, while Harris' was replaced by Gottschalks after the two department-store businesses were combined in 1998. The mall's architecture used a largely cinder-block and brick design. Local criticism held that the building did not adequately reflect the historic and architectural character of the structures it replaced or of the surrounding downtown area. By the mid-1990s, the property was showing signs of commercial weakness. Several popular tenants had departed and were replaced by independent businesses, reducing the center's appeal as a destination. Conditions worsened in the early 2000s as sales declined. Gottschalks, which had served as the principal department-store anchor for roughly twelve years, entered bankruptcy in 2009 and closed its Redlands location. The mall's owners, identified in the historical record as Howard Hughes and General Growth Properties, announced the center's closure on September 30, 2010. Remaining leases were terminated, and the mall ceased operating permanently. After closure, the property became a redevelopment site rather than an operating retail brand. Brixton Capital LP acquired it in 2014 and proposed a mixed-use project, but its plans depended on acquiring the surrounding city-owned parking area. The city sold that parking property to Brixton for $1.95 million in 2017. Brixton subsequently abandoned its concept and sold the site to Village Partners Inc. Village Partners announced the State Street Village project in 2020. The proposed redevelopment combined housing, offices, retail, public space, structured parking, rooftop amenities, pedestrian paseos, and public art. Its published concept called for approximately 700 apartments and condominiums, over 12,000 square feet of office space, 72,000 square feet of street-level retail, and a 23,000-square-foot private plaza. A replacement building was planned for the existing CVS operation. The design was intended to draw from Redlands' Spanish, Mediterranean, Victorian, and Craftsman traditions and connect with commercial areas along West State Street. The redevelopment became part of a broader local dispute about downtown density, historic character, transit-oriented development, and California housing policy. Measure F, placed before voters in response to concerns about building heights near downtown rail stations, was defeated in November 2022. In May 2022, the City Council and Planning Commission had approved the Village Partners plans, which the developer said would generally remain within three to four stories. The project later encountered financing problems. County filings reported in early 2025 indicated that Village Partners had defaulted on business loans and that the property faced a possible foreclosure auction. The lender, Hankey Capital LLC, postponed and ultimately withdrew the auction in May 2025 after the loan was restructured. Village Partners retained ownership under revised conditions, but the timing and viability of State Street Village remained uncertain. By the end of 2025, the site had reportedly been sold to Town Square Development LLC, owned by Jack Dangermond. Demolition reportedly began during the week of March 16, 2026, marking the physical removal of the former mall and the end of the property’s existence as a shopping center.

Redlands Mall was conceived as a downtown revitalization project for Redlands, California, during the 1970s. The Hahn Company developed the center on roughly 12 acres between Orange and Eureka streets, in a block bordered by Redlands Boulevard and Citrus Avenue. Construction followed the demolition of several existing properties, including the La Posada Hotel. The mall opened on March 10, 1977, with two floors, more than 173,000 square feet of enclosed leasable space, and an additional freestanding retail building of approximately 12,586 square feet. Its initial anchor tenants were Sav-on Drugs and Harris'. Sav-on was later rebranded as CVS Pharmacy. Harris' departed in 1998 and was replaced by Gottschalks after the two department-store companies were combined. The mall's utilitarian cinder-block and brick architecture generated criticism because many residents felt it did not complement the historic buildings and design traditions of central Redlands. The property began losing commercial momentum by the mid-1990s. Popular retailers were replaced by independent tenants, and the center increasingly struggled to maintain the customer traffic associated with a successful regional mall. The deterioration accelerated in the early 2000s as sales fell. Gottschalks filed for bankruptcy in 2009 and closed its Redlands store. Without that anchor, the mall's prospects worsened substantially. The owners announced the permanent closure on September 30, 2010, terminated the leases, and ended the mall's retail operations. The closed center was subsequently treated as a redevelopment opportunity. Brixton Capital LP bought the property in July 2014 and proposed a mixed-use conversion with housing and retail. The developer said it would not proceed without control of the city-owned parking area around the mall. Redlands sold that parking property to Brixton for $1.95 million in 2017, but Brixton later abandoned its concept and sold the site to Village Partners Inc. In 2020, Village Partners presented State Street Village, a plan for approximately 700 apartments and condominiums, more than 12,000 square feet of offices, and about 72,000 square feet of street retail. The concept also included rooftop bars, pedestrian passages, structured parking, a 23,000-square-foot private plaza, public art, and a connection to West State Street businesses. CVS was expected to move into a newly constructed building south of the original mall location. Village Partners described the architecture as a contemporary interpretation of Redlands' Spanish, Mediterranean, Victorian, and Craftsman influences. The proposal prompted debate over building heights, downtown preservation, transit-oriented development, and housing capacity. Local residents led by former mayor Bill Cunningham raised concerns about density and the planned Arrow rail service. Measure F sought to limit building heights near downtown stations to three stories, with specified exceptions. Supporters argued that the measure would preserve the city's character, while opponents warned that it could limit housing and potentially conflict with California development law. The measure was defeated in November 2022. The City Council and Planning Commission approved the State Street Village plans in May of that year, and Village Partners said it generally intended to keep buildings within three to four stories. Implementation did not proceed as announced. By early 2025, county filings showed that Village Partners had defaulted on business loans and that Hankey Capital LLC was pursuing a possible foreclosure auction. The auction was postponed several times and withdrawn on May 6, 2025, after the loan was restructured. Village Partners retained the property under new conditions and reportedly received several years to begin construction, although the status of State Street Village remained uncertain. By the end of 2025, the former mall property had reportedly been sold to Town Square Development LLC, associated with local businessman Jack Dangermond. The new owner stated that no specific redevelopment plan had yet been finalized. Demolition work reportedly began during the week of March 16, 2026. Redlands Mall therefore survives primarily as a former local retail center and redevelopment site rather than as an operating commercial brand.

• 2026

  Demolition begins

  [1]Redlands Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Demolition reportedly began in March, ending the physical presence of the former mall.

• 2025

  Loan restructuring and ownership transition

  [1]Redlands Mallen.wikipedia.org

  A threatened foreclosure auction was withdrawn after restructuring, and the site was reportedly sold to Town Square Development LLC later in the year.

• 2022

  Redevelopment approvals and Measure F vote

  [1]Redlands Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Local planning bodies approved State Street Village, while voters later rejected Measure F's proposed downtown height restrictions.

• 2020

  State Street Village announced

  [1]Redlands Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Village Partners introduced a mixed-use redevelopment concept for the closed mall site.

• 2017

  Surrounding parking acquired

  [1]Redlands Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The city sold its parking property surrounding the mall to Brixton for reported redevelopment purposes.

• 2014

  Brixton Capital acquisition

  [1]Redlands Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Brixton Capital acquired the former mall site and proposed a mixed-use redevelopment.

• 2010

  Permanent closure

  [1]Redlands Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The owners announced the mall's closure and terminated all remaining leases.

• 2009

  Gottschalks files for bankruptcy

  [1]Redlands Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The anchor's bankruptcy and store closures removed a major source of traffic from the struggling center.

• 1998

  Gottschalks replaces Harris'

  [1]Redlands Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Gottschalks took over the mall's department-store anchor after the Harris' acquisition.

• 1977

  Mall opens

  [1]Redlands Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The Hahn Company opened Redlands Mall on March 10 as a two-level enclosed shopping center intended to help revitalize central Redlands.

A neighborhood-oriented enclosed shopping center intended to support the revitalization of central Redlands. Over time, it became a declining local retail property and ultimately a redevelopment site.

• Pharmacy and health retail · 1977

  Sav-on Drugs / CVS Pharmacy

  The mall's original drugstore anchor operated under the Sav-on Drugs name before being rebranded as CVS Pharmacy. It represented the center's everyday convenience and health-retail component and was expected to relocate to a purpose-built building in the proposed State Street Village redevelopment.

• Department store · 1977

  Harris'

  Harris' was one of Redlands Mall's two original anchors and supplied broad department-store merchandise during the mall's early operating period. The store closed in 1998 and was subsequently replaced by Gottschalks.

• Department store · 1998

  Gottschalks

  Gottschalks replaced Harris' in 1998 and became the mall's principal department-store anchor. Its bankruptcy filing in 2009 led to the closure of the Redlands location and removed a central traffic generator before the mall itself closed.

• 2025

  Loan restructuring after threatened foreclosureOther

  Background

  Village Partners reportedly defaulted on loans secured by the property, prompting preparations for a public foreclosure auction.

  Action taken

  Hankey Capital withdrew the auction after the loan was restructured and Village Partners retained ownership under revised terms.

  Aftermath

  The redevelopment schedule remained uncertain, and the property was reportedly sold later in 2025.

  Reported purchase price for surrounding city-owned parking property. $1.95 million (2017)

  Source

• 2020

  State Street Village redevelopment proposalStrategy

  Background

  Village Partners acquired the former mall property after Brixton Capital abandoned its earlier redevelopment concept.

  Action taken

  Village Partners proposed a mixed-use district with housing, offices, retail, public space, parking, and architectural references to Redlands.

  Aftermath

  The proposal received local approvals in 2022 but was later delayed by financing problems.

  Source

• 2010

  Permanent closure of the shopping centerStrategy

  Background

  Declining sales, tenant turnover, and the loss of the Gottschalks anchor left the mall commercially weakened.

  Action taken

  The owners announced the mall's permanent closure and ended all remaining leases.

  Aftermath

  The property ceased operating as a shopping center and became a redevelopment site.

  Source

1. 1Redlands Mallen.wikipedia.org