CenterCal Mall would block 80% of ocean views

In February, CenterCal's CEO, Fred Bruning, spoke to the Beach Reporter about their mall plan for Redondo's waterfront.  "The design, he said, would be "open, inviting and green," and efforts would be taken to keep the new layout from obstructing ocean views."  The plan CenterCal recently delivered to the City shows otherwise.  A view analysis of the CenterCal Mall plan for our harbor reveals that bicyclists, runners, and drivers will lose 80% of the ocean views along Harbor Drive in the mall area.  CenterCal’s mall plan includes only two narrow view corridors to the ocean and harbor.  And that is an optimistic assessment as it does not account for the landscaping CenterCal shows in its plan.  Accounting for landscaping, the loss of public ocean harbor views would climb to more than 90%. 

The views on the north end of Harbor Drive have long been blocked by Spectrum, the boat yard and the Sea Lab building.  If the CenterCal mall goes through, the only remaining views of the Harbor would be through the Port Royal Marina parking lot, the Blue Water Grill parking lot and between the two buildings of the new Shade Hotel. 

In other words, the CenterCal Mall would cut off residents from the last stretch of public open harbor views and replace it with a three story parking structure, a movie theater and one and two story retail and restaurant development. 

It will be a sad day if our Council approves such an affront on our beloved Harbor.  If this mall goes forward the Chamber will have to change their byline from “More to Sea” to “Where’s the Sea?”