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CALIFORNIA 48 • SHOPPING CENTER BUSINESS • August 2016 T he addition of new experiences to retail developments — be it through entertainment, restaurants or services — continues to drive many development and redevelopment efforts throughout Southern California. The city of Buena Park has spent the last several years plan- The city of Buena Park has spent the last several years plan- ning and beginning the development process for an entire district devoted to entertainment. "Our entertainment district, which we've been concentrat- ing on for some time, will run from the freeway to the south city boundaries of Buena Park, just past Knott's Berry Farm," city boundaries of Buena Park, just past Knott's Berry Farm," says Ruben Lopez, economic development administrator for the City of Buena Park. the City of Buena Park. A number of projects are currently underway in the district — including The Source, a mixed-use development featuring retail, office, hospitality and multifamily space. retail, office, hospitality and multifamily space. "The Source will be the anchor at the North end of the district, and it is setting the goal for the skyline," says Lopez. "The mixed-use development has been under construction for two years, with a portion of the retail set to open later this year two years, with a portion of the retail set to open later this year and a full-service, Hilton hotel under construction." A residential component — currently in the early stages of conceptual design — will complete the project, bringing the development skyward. development skyward. Buena Park also has several entertainment and restaurant projects underway near Knott's Berry Farm — the district's anchor on the South City boundary. "We have Porto's Bakery anchor on the South City boundary. "We have Porto's Bakery under construction, which is due to open in the fall," says Lopez. "That's a 23,000-square-foot bakery and café, and it will have a separate building for a 5,000-square-foot, sit-down restaurant." Alongside Porto's, a new Rock & Brews location will also be added to the mix at the South City boundary. will also be added to the mix at the South City boundary. One of the highlights of the entertainment district will be a new Butterfly Pavilion development. "The Butterfly Pavilion project will likely be breaking ground before the end of the year, and that's a 58,000-square-foot butterfly atrium," says Lopez. "You walk into a beautiful lobby with a huge aquarium for jellyfish — it will be the largest in the world. There will be meeting rooms, party rooms, retail and a restaurant accom- meeting rooms, party rooms, retail and a restaurant accom- panied by a 3D movie theater, which will show you the flight of the monarch butterfly." The centerpiece of the Butterfly Pavilion development will be an all-glass atrium filled with thousands of butterflies. A section for hummingbirds and a bee colony will also be lo- cated on the property, providing visitors with a full range of cated on the property, providing visitors with a full range of wildlife to enjoy. To accompany the growing list of attractions in Buena Park's entertainment district, three hotels will be built to provide visitors and tourists with a place to stay on-site. Con- struction on a 150-room, five-story Aloft hotel and a 10-story, 150-room Hotel Stanford — a Korean boutique hotel concept — is underway. A full service hotel will also be located at The Source, providing ample hotel space for each segment of the new entertainment district. A streetscape project rounds out the development plans for the entertainment district, taking the appearance of the city to a new level. "We're planting palm trees that will be lit city to a new level. "We're planting palm trees that will be lit up in the medians, and we're also lighting up the palm trees on the private properties on either side of Beach Boulevard," says Lopez. "It's going to be something to see and for people to visit. We want Buena Park to be a destination, and we're hoping to increase the number of visitors from about 4.5 mil- lion to almost 8 million with these projects." The entertainment district is set for completion within the next few years, with a new project for the city on the horizon. next few years, with a new project for the city on the horizon. "Our next project will be the redevelopment of the Buena Park Mall," says Lopez. "The shopping center on La Palma has a Sears and was developed in the 1950s. We're looking to con- vert it to mixed-use development, and maybe add a residential component. One idea is to connect it to Knott's Berry Farm, which would provide a continuation of the development from the mall into the amusement park itself. It's a dream, it's been discussed, but that's a long-term development." — Katie Sloan Construction Continues on Buena Park's Entertainment District The Butterfly Pavilion in Buena Park will include an all-glass atrium filled with thousands of butterflies and jellyfish, hummingbird and bee colony exhibits, alongside retail, a restaurant and party and meeting space. A new Porto's Bakery is under construction in the entertainment district of Buena Park, California. The property will include a 23,000-square-foot bakery and café and a separate 5,000-square-foot, sit-down restaurant.