Town Center theater groundbreaking still months away

The oak tree planted as a signature piece in the middle of Menifee Town Center is surrounded by dirt and access roads. Menifee 24/7 photos: Doug Spoon

Never mind that the official Menifee Christmas Tree isn't a fir tree or pine tree, it's an oak tree. Never mind that the snow kids will play in Saturday night is fake. The spirit of Christmas is what counts, and Menifee residents can use their imagination.

What the folks really will be asking as they arrive at the oak tree roundabout on the Menifee Town Center site for Saturday's Christmas Tree Lighting event is this:

Where's the theater?

In Menifee 24/7's unofficial count of reader inquiries, questions about the Krikorian theater complex have finally surpassed pleas for a Trader Joe's in Menifee. It's been 2 1/2 years since the City of Menifee announced that Krikorian Premiere Theaters signed an agreement with developer Regent Properties to build a 12-screen theater complex, bowling alley and sports bar as an anchor to the Menifee Town Center. Yet today, the only things surrounding the oak tree roundabout are a couple of paved roads, construction vehicles and a lot of dirt.

As frustrating as the delay might be, the good news is that Krikorian has not backed out of the project. In fact, they continue to purchase additional property from Regent. This has resulted in the need for a revised site plan and changes in other preparations that require approval from the City of Menifee, according to Gina Gonzalez, economic development manager for the city.

In July, an executive with Krikorian told Menifee 24/7 the company had purchased additional property to add 35,000 square feet of retail space to its holdings at Menifee Town Center, which is located south of Newport Road and west of the new Town Center Marketplace. In September, Menifee 24/7 reported that Krikorian officials decided to purchase an additional acre to expand the size of the theater.

Gonzalez said this week that she received correspondence from Jeff Kristoff of Krikorian saying the company is "resubmitting the revised site plan, elevations, landscape plans, lighting plans, grading plan, water quality management, etc. with all necessary studies (air and noise, traffic and parking etc.) right after the first of the year."

As part of the expanded project, Krikorian has added four theaters for a total of 16 screens, and has expanded the size of the building from 80,000 square feet to 100,000 square feet, according to Gonzalez.

Even if revised plans are submitted early in 2017, the process of review and approval by city officials means construction won't begin for at least a few more months.

As far as the rest of the Menifee Town Center project, Gonzalez said Regent Properties continues to make progress with its plans for other parts of the 172-acre Menifee Town Center project.

Regent has submitted three site maps for projects north of La Piedra Road and south of the movie theater site. Regent has also submitted a plan for a private recreation center, Gonzalez said.

The private recreation center would be located across from a Central Park that is part of the project, whose plans include the theater complex, retail shops and eventually a courthouse and new City Hall.

In addition, Gonzalez said, MBK Homes is considering plans for 330 apartments on the east side of Town Center Drive, the main access road heading south from Newport Road to La Piedra Road. MBK has not yet submitted an application, however.

The oak tree is decorated and ready for Saturday's Christmas Tree Lighting. It is surrounded by vacant land.

A view looking north toward the oak tree roundabout from the La Piedra Road entrance shows the land waiting to be developed.

The Menifee Town Center archway stands behind locked gates at the entrance from Newport Road.

An artist's rendering of the Krikorian Theater complex planned for Menifee Town Center.