The Streets of Brentwood September 2006

by C. Ehling
Image by POD Design
Provided by Retail West Inc.

Things seem to keep changing in our area, even while we watch. Cindy describes a few of the new things that are coming to Brentwood and especially the new outdoor mall, called “the Streets of Brentwood.”

Good things continue to be planned for Brentwood development. We’re going to get our own Trader Joes, which will be opening near Home Depot in November. My editor will finally be able to buy his special sweet-and-sour salad dressing instead of waiting for his in-laws to bring it to him from Arizona. A new Babies R Us will be opening in the same area.

Sunset Plaza, between Brentwood Boulevard and Nancy Street, will include a new eating establishment called My Girlfriend’s Kitchen where people can plan a week’s worth of meals and take the fixings and recipes home with them.

A Best Buy, Walgreen’s, and First Bank are scheduled to open in 2007 at Brentwood Junction at the corner of Lone Tree Way and Empire.

Best of all, I am waiting with baited breath for the arrival of the Streets of Brentwood next year! This new mall will be located across from Raleys Retail Center. When completed, the project will boast almost 400,000 square feet of retail space and a 63,000 square foot multi-screen theater.

The Streets of Brentwood will offer high-end retail shops; none of the big box stores will be included in this project. The upscale shops will nestle together in an open air outdoor mall much like the shops in Walnut Creek or Santana Row in San Jose! Parking will be along the perimeter of the mall and the shops will face an interior courtyard complete with gardens, benches, and a beautiful fountain.

I confirmed with Robert Kashian, who is with Continental Retail Development and in charge of the Streets of Brentwood leases, that the developer is entering into negotiations with a number of prime retailers including Charlotte Russe, Aeropstale, Abercrombie & Fitch, Victoria’s Secret, Banana Republic, Borders Books, Talbot's, Lane Bryant, Clark shoes, Chico’s, Coldwater Creek, Gymboree, Ann Taylor, Gap Kids, Children’s Place, Limited Too, Vans, Zumiez, Forever XXI, Anchor Blue, and many more. The developers are not forgetting to add some nice restaurants such as P.F. Changs and The Island.

The Streets of Brentwood will be built in two phases. The first phase, which according to Robert will open in the fall, will include the majority of the retail spaces. Plans have been submitted and changes are still being made in discussions between the developer and the city. The goal is for final approval sometime this month.

Linda Mauer, who is the Economic Development Manager for the City of Brentwood, told me that the new mall will incorporate a retro design based upon early Twentieth Century Architecture featuring an Italian Influence known as Italianate – a common San Francisco style that took its name from the appearance of rambling, Italian farmhouses. Linda went on to say that the mall was following a Lifestyle Center theme that is the wave of the future for suburbia!

Look up www.retailwestinc.com and click on Streets of Brentwood for more information.

This is going to be great! I can hardly wait!