PETALUMA -- East Washington Place, one of the biggest shopping centers to be built in the North Bay in recent years and the largest in Petaluma, first opened during summer.
The 378,000-square-foot community center situated on 33 acres is anchored by a 138,324-square foot Target store, along with 121,000 square feet of additional anchor space and 118,676 square feet for junior anchors, small shops, restaurants and offices.
Target brought some 200 new jobs to its Petaluma store with its one-stop shopping solution in a convenient design environment, according to Target spokeswoman Anne Christiansen.
Other large tenants include Dick's Sporting Goods, Sprouts, TJ Maxx, HomeGoods and Beverages & More.
A growing number of smaller retailers occupy four smaller building on the property. Among them are Chase Bank, Cheese Steak Shop, Chesapeake Shop, Chipolte Mexican Grill, Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys Burgers & Fries, H&R Block, Kirklands, Pacific Dental, Panera, Red Boy Pizza, Santa Rosa-based Sift Cupcake and Dessert Bar, Sleep Train, Sprint, Sport Clips, Style Bar, Subway, Ulta, Verizon and Yogurtland.
[caption id="attachment_84182" align="alignright" width="450"] East Washington Place in Petaluma features several large stories Dick’s Sporting Goods, TJ Maxx, Sprouts and HomeGoods (seen here) as well as Target, the anchor tenant in the shopping plaza, and Beverages & More.[/caption]
"Demand for space at EWP has been high and the center was more than 94 percent leased by the summer of 2013. This is one of the first centers on the west coast to begin construction and leasing after the recession," said Matthew Kircher, executive managing partner of Cassidy Turley division Terranomics, the listing brokerage for EWP.
Regency Centers, a national owner, operator and developer of grocery-anchored and community shopping centers, invested $60 million in this project and created about 380 construction jobs and some 720 permanent jobs.
According to Regency, East Washington Place (EWP) fills a retail gap in the Petaluma market that they believe was underserved by major retailers.
"East Washington Place has all the key attributes that define a Regency center -- a market-dominant anchor, a prime infill location and superior demographics," said Pete Knoedler, senior vice president of investments for Regency Centers.
"Tenant interest remained high as there were very few location options in this highly desirable market that (at the time) had limited opportunities for future retail development."
The demographics of the area within a three-mile radius of EWP include a population of 62,292 with an average household income of $94,776.
EWP is well-positioned at a primary interchange in Petaluma. It's at the intersection of East Washington Street and Highway 101, with unobstructed visibility for some 92,000 daily freeway passersby.
The site also has a pedestrian bridge over Highway 101 affording ease of access to those living on the other side of the busy thoroughfare.
Construction began in February 2012 under the direction of general contractor Midstate Construction Company, following a concept created by MCG Architecture, a designer and planner of shopping centers and retail buildings.
"This eco-friendly project was designed to exceed California Title 24 green code requirements by 20 percent, giving it enough points to apply for LEED Silver certification," according to Roger Nelson, LEED AP, president of Midstate. "The speed of delivery of this project in about 18 months was based on the architect, owner and the city working well together as a team."
In 2004, Regency Centers bought the land, occupied at the time by Kenilworth Junior High School. The school used the funds to construct a new campus and relocate. In addition, Regency Centers partnered with the Petaluma Little League and the Petaluma City School District to relocate baseball fields and build new ones at the Petaluma Junior High.
EWP is one of Regency Centers' 345 centers across the country.East Washington PlaceEast Washington Street and Highway 101, Petaluma
Owner, developer and construction and property management: Regency Centers
Construction start: February 2012
Completion: July 2013
Cost: $60 million-plus ($23 million to build)
Cost estimator: Patrick Draeger
Architect: MCG Architecture
General contractor: Midstate Construction
Landscape architect and landscaping: Gates & Associates
Civil engineering: AMS Associates
Engineering: Azari Engineering
Geotechnical engineering: Miller Pacific Engineering
Green and LEED project consultant: Glumac
Lighting: MCH
Roofing: Clark Roofing
Windows: Glazing Concepts
Construction framing: Marden, Von Brook, NOW
Glass and glazing: Glazing Concepts
Insulation: Empire Insulation
Site grading and paving: Ghilotti Construction
Drywall: Harrison Drywall
Fire sprinklers: Alpha Fire Suppression Systems
HVAC: Kevin Sullivan Heating & Air
Reinforcing bar: Nehemiah
Doors and hardware: Hardware Tech
Tile, flooring and carpeting: Pinnacle
Stone and tile: Tom Saul's
Masonry and concrete: North Bay Concrete: Randy Haft Masonry
Structural steel: Iron Dog Fabricators
Painting and finishes: DV Pro Painting
Plumbing: Custom Plumbing
Electrical: Denny's Electric
Landscaping: JLP Landscaping
