Temporary Permits Will Allow Six More Tenants to Open

Jimmy John's is one of six tenants given approval to open by mid-August in the Town Center Marketplace, joining three businesses that already are open. Menifee 24/7 photos: Doug Spoon

Big commercial development projects and major road work almost always are long-term projects with unexpected delays. The process of getting city and county permits, passing inspection and dealing with multiple utility companies result in long waits that often test the patience of residents.

Menifee's case may be an extreme example, if only because the city's growing pains all seem to be coming at once. While work on the Newport Road Freeway Interchange continues and other commercial centers in Menifee are under construction, a primary focus these days is the Menifee Town Center Marketplace at the corner of Newport and Haun Roads.

As with many of the other projects, the estimated opening dates for tenants in the center have come and gone. Residents have expressed frustration in the delays, as have some of the tenants. One major business planned for the center, Kirkland's, pulled out as the timeline of the project was extended.

Yet according to Gina Gonzalez, economic development manager for the City of Menifee, extra commitments by the city, the developer and specific tenants have allowed three businesses to open recently and have resulted in the approval of six more openings by mid-August.

Petsmart's opening is scheduled for Monday, Gonzalez said. The other confirmed date is for Aldi market, which will open Aug. 17. Other openings approved for dates to be announced in early August are The Habit, Jimmy John's, Rubio's and European Wax Center.

Although the City has not announced an official opening for Rubio's, the business has announced a Grand Opening event for Aug. 10, with a fundraiser for the new Harvest Hill STEAM Academy planned for that day.

"The City of Menifee has been working diligently with the developer, Rich Development, and the incoming tenants, to ensure that the new Menifee Town Center Marketplace opens to the public as soon as possible," Gonzalez said. "City staff have assisted, since day one, with trying to expedite this project, even through an ongoing array of concerns with the development, such as engineering, landscaping, building and safety requirements, not to mention including outside agencies issues with Fire, EMWD, Frontier, and Edison."

According to Gonzalez, city officials cannot give the businesses a permanent certificate of occupancy until all state and local building regulations are met, utilities are in place and landscaping is completed. She said the reason Buffalo Wild Wings, El Pollo Loco and Sonic were able to open earlier than the others was the fact each put up a $10,000 surety bond. The City has issued temporary certificates of occupancy and will release the bonds when final regulations are met, she said. Meanwhile, there are no health and safety concerns regarding those businesses as they open with minor completions outstanding.

All other businesses in the 100,000-square-foot center have been given the same option, she said, although each is dealing with its own specific last-minute issues before being ready to open. The six businesses mentioned previously have been given approval to open upon the same conditions of posting the bond and receiving a temporary certificate of occupancy. Rich Development is working to resolve any remaining issues as quickly as possible.

"We are very proud of the fortified partnership with Rich Development and the collective efforts to open this to the public very soon, as the developer has committed to working through the last hurdles for their occupancy certificates," Gonzalez said. "Residents should expect to see the remainder of the tenants at Menifee Town Center Marketplace open to the public sometime in the middle of August."

The other businesses in the center hoping to open sometime in August are:

Party City
Krispy Kreme doughnuts
Sprint
Niki Nails
SportClips haircuts
Pieology Pizzeria
Yogurtland
Active Ride Shop
Ono Hawaiian BBQ
Crème de la Crème bakery
Creamistry Ice Cream
China One Restaurant
West Coast Dental

Krispy Kreme will be one of the businesses located in the building that is set up as a drive-thru along Newport Road at the west end of the center, next to the flood channel and walking trail.