Back in early 2015, I wrote about the plan to add retail space to the corner of Alameda and Salisbury in the form of two buildings-- one along Alameda, the other facing Salisbury. I later heard was that the existing infrastructure (sewer, power, water, etc.) of the location wasn't up to the needs of two buildings, and that as a result the plan would run substantially over budget if built.
The plan never went away, however, and now looks close to approval by the City of Lakewood. The biggest change has been to reduce the number of buildings from two to one-- only the building fronting Salisbury will be built, while a pedestrian path will connect the stores to the rest of Belmar.
Renderings of the planned building show a one story structure fronting Salisbury but with its facade turned toward the parking lot behind it. There will be room for outdoor seating, ideal for "fast casual" restaurants.Indeed, Starwood appears to have leases already in hand for the entire space, with Zoe's Kitchen, R Taco, Pieology, and Mad Greens being the expected tenants.
Underwhelming...
ReplyDeleteThe tenants or the design? Or both? Because I'm lukewarm on both...
DeleteAll of the above.
ReplyDeleteThe layout and the design make it a strip mall, not a cohesive part of Belmar, as it is quite segregated and too peripheral. I think restaurants will draw in traffic from Alameda, but not from inside the Belmar, its businesses and its residents. Single story seems like an opportunity lost.
And 2 of the 4 tenants will cannibalize the business of the existing business. Zoe's Kitchen Mediterranean theme is welcome, as we do not have enough of that around Lakewood, chain or local. The rest are meh. Feels a bit like Starwood is adding a food court to a mall, not enhancing a neighborhood.