Elk Grove Promenade Construction Not Likely to Resume Any Time Soon

Those hoping to go shopping at the unfinished Elk Grove Promenade anytime in the near future are going to have to wait a few more years a...


Those hoping to go shopping at the unfinished Elk Grove Promenade anytime in the near future are going to have to wait a few more years according to information presented at last night's Elk Grove City Council meeting.

The half-built mall, which lies on the city's south side, has become something of an eyesore and annoyance for the city. Aware of the numerous problems presented by the mall, three city council members reported on their individual meetings with the current owner the the stalled mall, the Howard Hughes Co. (HHC)

Council Member Gary Davis said he met with HHC and said he has invited and urged HHC to make a presentation at one of the June city council meetings regarding the their plans for the mall.

"I very strongly suggested they owe it to the community to be here," Davis said. "I am mildly optimistic ... they will get it build someday."

In his individual meeting with HHC Council Member Steve Detrick said HHC told him they are looking at all options and that they may complete the mall in phases.

"Their best guess at this time to phase is probably a phase in 2014, 2015," Detrick said.

Also meeting with HHC was Sophia Scherman who did not comment.

Construction of the mall abruptly halted in July, 2008 when its then owner, General Growth Properties (GGP), got squeezed during the world-wide credit crunch that precipitated the Great Recession. GGP subsequently filed the largest ever real estate company Chapter 11 bankructcy and HHC took control of several properties of GGP as they emerged from bankruptcy.

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4 comments

Anonymous said...

Was Steve Detrick's announcement verified by the Howard Hughes Corp? We have heard comments before from council members during election time that, wait for it, have been false because they craved the press.

Anonymous said...

Yes, you're correct...but Sophia has learned from that lesson and didn't say anything this time.

Anonymous said...

The empty mall...HHC is not in any hurry to move on this project..unless of course our city leaders want to give incentives. I am sure HHC is watching what is going on in the community and are staying abreast of the current economy and the state's financial situation. As identified by our city leaders there are a good number of state workers and school district employees whose earnings are not increasing. Open air malls are not the wave of the future as once was suggested. Shopping online seems to be the wave of now and the wave of the future.

Colonel Walter E. Kurtz said...

"I very strongly suggested they owe it to the community to be here," Davis said.

Um, reality check...HHC doesn't "owe" us anything! The only people they have to answer to are their stockholders. HHC is currently building major mixed use projects in Honolulu, Manhatten area, and the waterfront in South Carolina. Where do you think our cow town and a half built mall surrounded by cow fields ranks in the priority of their stockholders.

Most of our Councilmembers derive their income from public sector tax dollars (or PUC protected monopolies), and so companies that must base their survival on staying competitive and turning a profit is like a foreign concept to them.

Howard Hughes owes it to us? Who are we?

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