Part II: Retail and Commercial Development in Palmdale

This is a continuation of February 17th blog entry.

Palmdale residents have an average household income of $73,027, and the discretionary income to attract new retail and restaurant chains and sole proprieterships. Opening this year, we have Wickes Furniture Store at the crossroads of Rancho Vista Blvd. and 10th Street West, an Original Tommy's Hamburger just off the 14 freeway at the Rancho Vista Blvd. exit, and a Hampton Inn in the Lowes/Target shopping center. A Super Wal-Mart opened in August 2005. Wal-Mart will be joined by seven major stores, a Jo-Ann Fabrics and Craft store plus 10 smaller outlet stores.

Antelope Valley Mall, a million-square-foot regional shopping facility, just finished a major renovation and upgrade project that involved new landscaping, palm trees and a water fountain to the exterior, with new marble floors and shop facades to the interior. (It looks great!) A 21-acre expansion will include a Hilton Garden Inn & Suites, a 16-screen Cinemark movie theater (which will save the movie buffs among us in Palmdale the drive over to Lancaster Movies 22 on Avenue I) and new restaurants such as Johnny Carino's (italian chain restaurant), Famous Dave's BBQ, and Ginza Steakhouse. Away from the mall and over on Palmdale Blvd., a new sushi restaurant called Geisha also just opened.

New shopping projects continue to be developed. The new Albertson's anchor store over on Avenue N in Quartz Hill offers a huge, brand new supermarket complete with an "International Section" that offers food brands from around the world. (For those of us Brits who cannot live without our salad cream, HP Sauce and Branston pickle, this is the place to go!)

New neighborhood shopping centers, churches and park upgrades are in the works between 10th Street West and Avenue N West, along Rancho Vista Blvd on Palmdale's West side.

On Palmdale's East side, work is continuing this year to acquire and remove older residential properties in the Courson Connection Project area east of Poncitlan Square. This is an area that has seen some MAJOR improvements recently! More than $1.2 million is budgeted for property acquisition and design. The project plans call for the provision of 300 units of affordable senior housing, a new 12,000 square foot Senior Center (to replace the one just across the way on 10th Street East), a park with senior-oriented activities and space for small commercial establishments catering to senior citizens. The City of Palmdale is working with leading nonprofit housing developers to complete the project by 2008.

Just by looking at the new park upgrades and programs available to the city's children and the robust local economy ... the City of Palmdale is WORKING!

Sandee Conley. ePro REALTOR
www.real-estate-palmdale.com
Thanks to Palmdale News: Barbara La Fata, Editor and Jenny Peterson, Assistant Editor for source information.