Luxury department store chain Nordstrom will anchor an ambitious outdoor shopping and entertainment complex planned near the Agua Hedionda Lagoon in Carlsbad, the project´s developer said Tuesday.
Caruso Affiliated has signed an agreement with the Seattle-based retailer to build a two-level, 123,000-square-foot store in the 585,000-square-foot promenade-style shopping center planned at the intersection of Cannon and Interstate 5, said Bryce C. Ross, Caruso´s vice president of acquisitions and development.
There´s already a Nordstrom at the Westfield North County mall in Escondido, but coastal North County has long pined for a store of its own. The retail chain was mentioned by an overwhelming number of residents during hundreds of focus meetings Caruso has held to gather input on the project, officials said.
“We´re excited that our plan will deliver,” Ross said Tuesday.
Before anything gets built, however, the shopping center needs approvals from a series of city, county and state agencies.
Caruso Affiliated founder Rick Caruso – the builder of The Grove shopping center in Los Angeles – officially unveiled his plans for the Carlsbad property May 12, but focused mainly on how it would preserve the region´s beloved strawberry fields and agricultural heritage.
The plan calls for 85 percent of the 200-acre site to be set aside as permanent open space, with agriculture, public trails, picnic and scenic view areas, and an outdoor classroom and amphitheater.
The remaining 15 percent, or about 27 acres, would be developed as a high-end shopping center with dining, entertainment and recreation.
The company has filed the “Agua Hedionda South Shore Specific Plan,” also called the “85/15 Plan,” as a citizen-led initiative with the Carlsbad city clerk´s office.
Paid solicitors began gathering signatures for the initiative last week. If they collect valid signatures from at least 15 percent of Carlsbad´s registered voters, the initiative will be presented to the Carlsbad City Council, which can either approve the measure without changes or place it on a special election ballot.
In recent weeks, Caruso has raised the stakes with an extensive publicity campaign of letters, glossy mailers, television and social media ads.
Company representatives continue to meet with Carlsbad residents six times a week to publicize the plan, gather feedback and collect signatures for the initiative, said Liz Jaeger, senior vice president of public relations for Caruso. And Rick Caruso hosts a weekly “town hall” meeting, as well as bus trips to Los Angeles so Carlsbad residents can see The Grove.
While the plan has widespread support – including the backing of the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation – not everyone is on board.
Carlsbad resident Barbara Tice said Tuesday she´s been “impressed by how much thought and planning has gone into this,” but that she also finds it “a bit disingenuous” for the developer to say he´s preserving land that´s already been preserved.
Preserve Calavera, a nonprofit formed in 2001 to preserve open space in coastal North County, opposes Caruso´s initiative. Group President Diane Nygaard, said last week that Caruso is using the initiative process to buy approval for his project, instead of subjecting it to the city´s planning process.
Jamie Nordstrom, president of stores for Nordstrom Inc., said in a written announcement that the company is thrilled at the chance to open a store in Carlsbad.
“We have a long-standing relationship with Caruso Affiliated and look forward to working closely with Caruso´s team and the Carlsbad community to offer our customers a great shopping experience,” Nordstrom said.