Two Large Shopping Centers Set to Open in 2013

Two large shopping centers are set to open in Petaluma this year, which means a major boost for city finances starting winter of 2014.

The Target shopping center on East Washington is scheduled to open in July or August, with tenants such as BevMo, Ulta Cosmetics, Panera Bread, Chipotle, Chase, TJ Maxx, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Sprouts, a health food grocer.

The 378,00 square foot center is expected to bring in $1 million a year in sales tax revenue, according to Petaluma’s finance director Bill Mushallo.

Seventy five percent of available space has been leased, according to an article in Thursday’s Argus Courier.

The second development is the Friedman’s-anchored Deer Creek shopping center on North McDowell, scheduled to break ground in April and open by the end of the year. Contracts with other tenants have not yet been announced, although they will include a gym, a pharmacy and eateries.

Friedman’s home improvement store now headquartered in Santa Rosa is looking to make its Petaluma location a flagship store. (The company previously had a location in Petaluma, but left in 1976.)

The Deer Creek project is estimated to bring around $700,000 a year from sales tax.

Both projects have been criticized as auto-centric by opponents who say there are already too many commercial vacancies and those who worry about traffic impacts. The Target shopping center is expected to generate more than 14,000 car trips a day, while the Friedman's an estimated 10,000 car trips a day. 

To read more about the two upcoming projects, pick up a copy of today’s Argus Courier.

Tell us: Are you looking forward to the two shopping centers? Concerned about traffic and other impacts?