$50 million make-over. Construction underway. Here’s what we know about the tenants. Complete Summer 2028. Demolished Red Lobster site will be Soapy Joe’s car wash.
LA MESA, Calif. — The major revitalization of Grossmont Center began, with developers speaking out on Wednesday about the future plans for the La Mesa mall.
There have been rumors circulating for years and ramped up this week, with Macy’s set to close its doors, but now CBS 8 can confirm that phase one of what they’re calling a “multi-year transformation” is now underway.
“It’s fantastic real estate, East County is so vibrant and growing all the time, and getting better and better, that community deserves this gathering place,” Jeff Kreshek, the Chief Operating Officer and Western Region President for Federal Realty Investment Trust, said.
Grossmont Center has been a cornerstone of the community for decades. It opened in 1961, and now all 925,000 square feet are undergoing a major $50 million transformation. Phase one of three includes facade upgrades, like modern store fronts, refreshed landscaping and new outdoor seating. All existing businesses will remain open during construction.
“Target and Walmart are staying for the long term, Barnes and Noble has extended their lease, we’ll be pivoting to a different movie operator, but will retain a theater, Casa de Pico and BJ’s will be staying,” Kreshek said.
Phase two will start in October, which includes the new movie theater, and phase three mainly involves the official closure of Macy’s on March 31.
“We think we’ve got something that’s going to be replacing Macy’s that’s going to be really transformational for the entire community,” Kreshek said.
Federal Realty says they will announce new tenants in the coming months and will also keep some of the mom and pop shops. A grand re-opening is also expected in the summer of 2028.
“Nostalgia is really important – there’s a balance between giving a nod to the past and giving it a new future,” Kreshek said.
Like Claim Jumper, the traditional food court will also be a thing of the past, but they promise several new options. However, they are still exploring the idea of the center being a mixed-use development. For example, housing on top of stores, but this will not happen in this first phase.
“It really isn’t a mall, it’s an open-air lifestyle center and needs to be updated to where shopping centers have evolved,” Kreshek said.
The Director of Marketing, Collette Navarette, added that “It’ll really become a destination and an experience for families, for days to grab a coffee and work out.”
While the site of the old demolished Red Lobster is not a part of the Grossmont Center property, CBS 8 checked with the City of La Mesa, where they said plans are still under review, but it’s set to be a Soapy Joe’s Car Wash.
link
