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Caruso Development to Alter the Face of the Palisades ...next >

Photos: Eric M. Appleman

By Eric M. Appleman/Sept. 22, 2018 Draft* - On September 22, a warm and sunny Southern California day, Rick Caruso's Palisades Village project opened in Pacific Palisades¹ with a ribbon cutting ceremony that featured Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, honorary mayors Billy and Janice Crystal, and Councilman Mike Bonin. Hundreds of Palisadians and others came for the ceremony and a first look at the boutiques, shops and restaurants. A celebratory mood prevailed, and residents and business owners alike lavished praise on the Caruso team for bringing together this unique project.

Palisades Village brings a marked change from the modest shops, eateries, banks and gas station that formerly occupied the site. In their place residents and visitors from out of town will find what Los Angeles magazine describes as a "shopping-lifestyle utopia,"² including a gourmet market, a theater, high-end, luxury shops and restaurants, as well as residences and offices encompassing 116,215 square feet of floor area in "nine new buildings on three properties totaling approximately 3.11 acres."³

Caruso Affiliated agreed to buy Swarthmore and Sunset properties from Palisades Partners, owned by the Wilson Family Trust, in Nov./Dec. 2012. However, in April 2013 soil contamination was found on the site in the form of perchloroethylene or PCE from Emerson LaMay Cleaners, a dry cleaners which had operated on Swarthmore from 1968 to 2000, so a plan had to be worked out to address that. On Nov. 25, 2014 Caruso Affiliated announced it had closed escrow on the site, and that it was also under contract to acquire the Mobil gas station site at the corner of Sunset and Swarthmore.

On Dec. 4, Rick Caruso held a public meeting in Mercer Hall at Palisades High School where he outlined his vision for the project and fielded questions from the many residents who had packed the auditorium. Caruso, who founded his development company in 1987 and is perhaps best known as developer of The Grove, gave a very polished presentation. The Swarthmore block had become somewhat run down, and the prospect of a movie theater and a market such as a Trader Joe's or Fresh Fields were positive elements, but residents also had many concerns, including the disruption the construction would cause, whether there would be adequate parking, the effect of more traffic, and possible loss of the village atmosphere.

The lengthy process of environmental remediation on the site was begun. According to the California Department of Toxic Substances Control, "Remedial excavations began on February 18, 2015 and were completed on June 26, 2015. A total of 23,203 tons of soil were disposed of as non-hazardous waste."⁴ Meanwhile more than a hundred residents, particularly from areas adjacent to the site, formed an organization called Protect Our Village to try to limit possible negative impacts of the project. On April 27, 2016 Caruso and Protect Our Village signed an agreement covering such matters as parking, retail hours, deliveries and signage.⁵ On June 21, 2016 the Los Angeles City Council approved the project. The Palisades Village website notes, "The project was also the subject of 12 public hearings, including the Pacific Palisades Community Council, the City Planning Commission, the City Council’s Planning & Land Use Management Committee and the full City Council." Demolition of existing structures continued into Oct. 2016; Caruso Affiliated reported it "recycled over 95% of the material on the job, including wood and metal." Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Councilman Mike Bonin were among those participating in the groundbreaking ceremony for the project, held on the afternoon of Oct. 28, 2016.

Is the Palisades Village project a good fit for the Palisades? Pacific Palisades, with a population of about 25,000, is derided by some as an out of touch, wealthy enclave. Of 93 neighborhoods in Los Angeles, Pacific Palisades ranks third in median household income.⁶ To cite a more concrete example, there are at least five salons in town. In recent years, many modest-sized one-story family homes have been replaced with two-story, 4,000-plus square foot Cape Cod (or "Pali Cod") lot fillers. While new money is moving in, there are a lot of working folks—professors, pilots, nurses, lawyers, and architects—who have lived in the neighborhood for decades.

In designing and building Palisades Village Caruso has paid attention to the surrounding community. For example, the website notes, "The Specific Plan, which guides development within Pacific Palisades, would have allowed us to build approximately 275,000 square feet, however, that scale felt too large for the community and wasn’t consistent with our vision." The three-level underground parking area has 30 percent more parking than required. The project will have a park with "approximately 5,600 sf of grassy area" and there is a community center. The company engaged the community in a number of ways during the development. For example, a "Why I Love Pacific Palisades" student art contest in May 2017 drew over 300 entries. The company entered an American flag float and small group of musicians in the July 4, 2018 parade. During construction, several traffic guards protected and aided pedestrians and workers crossing streets near the project, notably the busy intersection at Sunset and Swarthmore, and during late phases, when lanes on Sunset had to be closed, Caruso brought in traffic officers to help the flow of traffic.

Speaking to Los Angeles magazine Caruso stated, "Palisades Village focuses on what the residents want and have asked for—it is the very definition of localism.” According to the Palisades Village website, the project "blends timeless sophistication with irresistible coastal charm, offering locals and their families the very best in fashion, food, entertainment and more."

There are many enthusiastic supporters. Steve Dickey, a tireless promoter of the project on the Nextdoor social network, was ever-ready to weigh in with arguments that, "The rising tide of Palisades Village will raise all boats in town." Donna Nowicki wrote on Nextdoor, "I am thrilled to finally have a place where visiting extended family and walk to and hang out without my having to drive them, and having a movie theater that I can roll my elderly mom to that doesn’t involve a drive and remote parking, and having a place that I can meet friends for breakfast without a drive, and having a place to walk to and hang out for a bit. Not a bad deal." Alicia Albek commented on the Palisades Village facebook page, "Counting MINUTES!!! THANK YOU so much for coming to the Palisades' rescue. After living in this gorgeous and fabulous town for 24 years, it was depressing to walk thru the dilapidated Swarthmore! Can't wait for the new Rejuvenation of our perfect town!!!And getting better!!"

Some Palisadians are skeptical of "Carusoville." The offerings at Palisades Village seem more appropriate to Beverly Hills or Malibu. In Sept. 2016 residents learned that they would not be getting the hoped for Trader Joe's or Fresh Fields, but the Malibu-based gourmet market Vintage Grocers. There will be a movie theater, but adult tickets at Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas run $22.50. A haircut at Gornik & Drucker will set you back $65. Indeed many of the tenants emphasize "luxury" or "lifestyle" offerings. (To cite a few examples there will be "a luxury active apparel company," "a luxury Australian fashion brand" and "a leading global liifestyle brand," while other boutiques will be offering "luxurious staples" or "redefining luxury.") Commenting on Palisades Village facebook page, Nina DeCew Madok wrote, "Can we please add some non millennial, non chic and practical places in this development that non rich people can actually use? Please?" Coincidentally, in July as work continued on the Palisades Village project, the Palisades lost one of its truly useful stores when Norris Hardware, a pillar of the community located just down the street from the Caruso project, closed due to increased rent (+).

As of September 22 there were 41 known tenants⁷; more than two dozen were open on ribbon cutting day and the rest will open in the coming weeks and during the fall. A significant number of the businesses, said to be over half, are women owned. Businesses in Palisades Village include, in addition to the gourmet grocery and luxury cinema, 20 clothing/fashion outlets, six restaurants, six other eateries/food shops, as well as Amazon Books, stores selling funishings, and the barbershop. Whether the Palisades can support so many high-end boutiques remains to be seen. It will be interesting to see if the mix of tenants has changed a year or two from now.

The effect the development will have on traffic remains a major question. Three dozen-plus businesses will generate traffic from employees, deliveries, and out of town visitors. Another concern is how existing local businesses will fare, as some of the Caruso tenants will be direct competitors. Some residents have also raised questions about music being piped through speakers around the project.

Palisades Village represents a very significant upgrade from the rundown buildings, gas station and parking lot that were on the site before. The project has been recognized for environmental efficiency and design with LEED Gold certification. Envisaged as a community gathering place, Palisades Village has the potential to add a new vibrancy to the Palisades. Much attention and thought has been paid to details in the design and construction of this project. For example, the two cupolas, which add a distinctive touch on the main building, were not pre-fab units tacked on, but took many hours of work to build. Another nice touch is "Steadfast," a nine-foot tall, 1,000 pound sculpture of man standing, hand over his heart, looking in the direction of the flagpole. The landscaping includes numerous trees and lavish vegetation throughout the site. And at the center of the project there is the movie theater and its distinctive sign. With such attention to quality and detail, Palisades Village won over some of the skeptics and early critics, and as the project opens its doors, it is being welcomed with a broadly enthusiastic response.

Sept. 15 - Letters for the Bay Theater sign arrive from Anaheim and are moved to the site.

Sept. 18 - Days before opening Rick Caruso, landscape designer Lisa Zeder, and Caruso's son Alex look over last minute details.

Notes:
* Edits, corrections, suggestions and clarifcations welcome. Photos of the ribbon-cutting and opening day should be up by the end of the month. Email me at action08@gmail.com.

1. Opening was originally scheduled for Summer 2018. One problem, as reported by Caruso Affiliates in March 2017 was that "due to an unexpected amount of heavy rain this season, we have been delayed in our dirt hauling activity." Even the Sept. 22 opening looked doubtful to many observers, but workers swarmed over the site in a flurry of activity in the closing months. In addition to the formal ribbon cutting, Caruso also staged a black-tie gala complete with Hollywood stars and fireworks on the evening of Sept. 19.

2. Gwynedd Stuart. "An Early Look at More of What's Coming to Palisades Village," Los Angeles, Aug. 17, 2018.

3. Sunset Coalition. "Residents and Associations Concerned about Traffic on Sunset Boulevard," [undated]. http://sunsetcoalition.org/caruso-palisades-village-project/ ...This article has an excellent collection of documents at the bottom of the page.
See also: City of Los Angeles. Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration, Feb. 2016.

4. Letter from State of California Department of Toxic Substances Control to City of Los Angeles Deptartment of Public Works on "Soil Confirmation Sampling Report...," Aug. 18, 2016.

5. Bill Bruns. "Editorial: Mr. Caruso and the Protect Our Village Agreement," Palisades News, Sept. 27, 2017.

6. Statistics on Pacific Palisades population and income from https://statisticalatlas.com/neighborhood/California/Los-Angeles/Pacific-Palisades/Overview

7. A few announced tenants bowed out along the way.
- Benton's Sports Shop, long a fixture on Swarthmore, had been pegged to reopen in Palisades Village (per July 2016 Caruso Affiliated announcement), but in a Feb. 2018 letter to the local newspapers Bob Benton, while lauding Caruso, said he had decided to retire from the business.
- FdeiM by Madeo was the first restaurant announced for the project, on Aug. 7, 2017. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the Italian restaurant was to occupy 4,000 square feet.
- Miller's Oath, a New York-based tailor which sells such items as pink linen trouser ($425), unstructured mini check blue suit ($1,795) and unstructured dark tan cotton suit ($1,525) was announced as a tenant on Nov. 17.
- Marysia, which offers "a fresh, modern swim and effortless beachwear collection." was also announced on Nov. 17.
- max-bone "the first branded pet label," announced on Dec. 14. According to its website, "max-bone follows culture, not trends, combining influences from fashion, art and architecture with upscale functionality to deliver apparel, toys, beds, leashes and more that are effortlessly elegant."

Key Dates
Nov./Dec. 2012 - Caruso Affiliated agrees to buy Swarthmore and Sunset properties comprising "10 retail properties on three parcels."

April 2013 - Soil contamination found on the site.

Nov. 25, 2014 - Caruso announces that Caruso Affiliated has closed escrow on the Palisades site.

Dec. 4, 2014 - Public meeting at Palisades High School.

Feb. 18-June 26, 2015 - Remedial excavations remove a total of 23,203 tons of contaminated soil.

April 27, 2016 - Caruso signs agreement with Protect Our Village.

June 21, 2016 - Los Angeles City Council gives final approval to the project.

Oct. 28, 2016 - Groundbreaking ceremony.

Sept. 22, 2018 - Palisades Village scheduled to open.

Key People
Caruso CEO and Founder: Rick J. Caruso
Caruso Vice President, Development: Michael Gazzano
Site Manager (Overseeing Construction): Kevin Wheeler, Caruso Affiliated
Head of Construction: Mark Wix, Caruso Affiliated
Project Principal (Design Consultant): Rob Jernigan, Gensler
Construction: Tutor Perini Building Corp.
Landscape Design: Lisa Zeder, LZ Design Group, Inc.

Online
Palisades Village | fb/PalisadesVillageCA
Caruso

Tenants by Type

Clothing/Fashion	Restaurants/Eateries/Food	Other
A.L.C.* Alo Yoga* Anine Bing Brunello Cucinelli* Carbon 38 Chanel Beaute* Cynthia R owley* Cuyana Faherty* Fleur du Mal mini mioche PAIGE Rachel Zoe Sephora Tamara Mellon* TOWNE BY Elyse Walker Vince* Zimmermann Jennifer Meyer Jewelry Village Optic	Blue Ribbon Restaurants - Blue Ribbon Sushi - Hank's edo little bites [ebaldi.com] Porta Via Palisades The Draycott* Tocaya Organica* General Porpoise Donuts McConnell's Fine Ice Creams See's Candies Sumo Dog (cart) SunLife Organics Sweet Laurel Bakery	Vintage Grocers Cinépolis USA* Amazon Books Bonjour Fête Botanica Bazaar Gornick & Drucker* The Little Market Serena & Lily* St. Frank

*coming soon or very soon

Clothing/Fashion

A.L.C.
"Founded in 2008 by Andrea Lieberman, A.L.C. is inspired by the individuality, intuition and strength of modern women who carry themselves with confidence and ease. Chic, stylish and wearable, A.L.C. is known for bold prints, versatile dresses and modern tailoring."

Alo Yoga
"We are relentless about making the best yoga clothing in the world explicitly to inspire yogis (and yogis to be) to have more yoga in their life. Inspiring mindful movement is at the core of why we do what we do at Alo—it’s our calling. Because mindful movement leads to better living. This is the real meaning of studio-to-street: Taking the consciousness from practice on the mat and putting it into the practice of life." ...co-founders Danny Harris and Marco DeGeorge.

Anine Bing
"ANINE BING was launched in 2012 with headquarters in downtown Los Angeles, CA. Inspired by the fusion of Scandinavian heritage and American spirit, ANINE BING offers luxurious staples, wardrobe basics and statement pieces that are current and timeless. Creative director Anine Bing thoughtfully curates each piece in her 'see now buy now' monthly collections where she marries edgy and feminine in a soft meets hard design approach."

Brunello Cucinelli

Carbon 38
"Carbon38 is a luxury active apparel company. The company was started with the vision that women should live their lives on their own terms, build careers on their own terms, raise families on their terms, run companies on their own terms and dress on their own terms." ...founders Katie Warner Johnson and Caroline Gogolak; chief marketing officer Lisa Kraynak.

Chanel Beaute
“'Fashion passes, style remains…' This simple statement captures the essence of her revolutionary contribution to culture. CHANEL continues, after almost a century, to inspire women of all ages all over the world with its timeless modernity."

Cuyuna
"We design premium women's essentials, inspired by a philosophy of fewer, better things."

Cynthia Rowley
"Cynthia Rowley is a leading global lifestyle brand sold in branded collection boutiques, as well as in department, specialty, and online stores worldwide."

Faherty
"Our life-long dream has been to create clothing for life's great moments, the ones spent by the water, around a bonfire, catching waves or watching sunrises... We're proud to design clothing made from unique and sustainable fabrics, and develop close, personal relationships with our manufacturers to craft high quality goods." ...Mike and Alex Faherty

Fleur du Mal
"Fleur du Mal is a luxury lingerie, ready-to-wear & swim brand founded in NYC by Jennifer Zuccarini. Feminine, chic and slightly subversive, Fleur du Mal embodies a woman’s strength, intellect and sexuality while exploring the notion of desire and artful provocation."

mini mioche
"organic and eco-friendly Canadian-made baby and kids apparel and accessories" ...founded by Alyssa Kerbel in 2008.

PAIGE
"PAIGE is dedicated to designing the pieces you’ll live in. Explore our lifestyle collection of premium denim jeans and apparel for men and women." ...founder and creative director Paige Adams-Geller.

Rachel Zoe
"Unapologetic glamor."

Sephora
"Sephora is a leader in global prestige retail, teaching and inspiring clients to play in a world of beauty. Owned by LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the world's leading luxury goods group, Sephora has earned its reputation as a beauty trailblazer with its expertise, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit."

Tamara Mellon
“I co-founded Jimmy Choo in 1996. Today, I'm still obsessed with shoes, but not the traditional way of doing things. So I’m starting over. This is my reboot (pun intended). I'm redefining luxury and doing what I do best: designing shoes and breaking rules.”

TOWNE BY Elyse Walker
"A hybrid of astute fashion stylist and fastidious entrepreneur, Elyse Walker is serious about the business of fashion without ever taking fashion itself too seriously." TOWNE BY Elyse Walker will be her second store in the Palisades, not far from her intial store on Antioch.

Vince
"Effortless Style. Iconic Essentials. Modern Luxury."

Zimmermann
"A luxury Australian fashion brand embracing relaxed femininity, optimism and effortless sophistication." ...founded by sisters Nicky and Simone Zimmermann in 1991.

Jennifer Meyer Jewelry
"Founded on the idea that jewelry could be more than an accessory, the Jennifer Meyer collection is designed to become an extension of the woman wearing it."

Village Optic
"a full-service optical boutique for high-end frames and lenses, focuses on quality, craftsmanship, and attention to detail."

Restaurants/Eateries

Blue Ribbon Restaurants Bruce and Eric Bromberg.
- Blue Ribbon Sushi: "an extensive selection of fresh fish flown in daily from the Sea of Japan as well as both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans."
- Hank's: "a casual modern American burger concept."

edo little bites [ebaldi.com]
Chef Edoardo “Edo” Baldi runs e. baldi, the Beverly Hills restaurant.

Porta Via
"a contemporary California bistro serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner." – based in Beverly Hills

The Draycott
"a California-inspired family-friendly Brasserie, featuring wholesome, classic and seasonal dishes using locally sourced ingredients. We wanted to create a place that married all the things we love about Southern California and all the things we miss about London."

Tocaya Organica
"Modern Organic Mexican restaurant offering tacos, burritos, salads, & bowls, served in a friendly, fast-casual atmosphere for non-vegans and vegans alike." Founded in Venice in 2016.

General Porpoise Donuts
"Wholesome doughnuts filled with handmade curds, custards, creams, and jams, made with farm-fresh eggs, and paired with remarkable coffees." – based in Seattle

McConnell's Fine Ice Creams
"At McC’s, we’re out to produce the finest ice creams in the world, in the most responsible and sustainable way possible. In the process, we hope to enrich and enliven the communities in which we live and work, and leave the world just a little bit 'sweeter' than we found it."

See's Candies
"See's Candies has been making quality chocolate and candy Mary See's way for over 95 years. From the beginning, Mary took pride in her recipes and insisted on only the finest, freshest ingredients. Today, we're still just as committed to making candy the right way."

Sumo Dog (cart)
"Runaway Pop-Up Sensation from Jeffrey Lunak."

SunLife Organics
"...a place where people could go for organic juices, organic smoothies, organic salads, organic everything really...." – based in Malibu. ...founder Khalil Rafati, with Hayley Gorcey.

Sweet Laurel Bakery
"Sweet Laurel is a whole foods baking company, meaning, no filler, no weird stuff. Just the best organic, whole ingredients going into delicious grain-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free baked goods... All of our treats are paleo, and some are vegan and raw too. Most of the items are made with less than five ingredients..." ...owner Laurel Gallucci.

Other

Vintage Grocers
"At Vintage Grocers, we stock only the freshest produce and seafood, the finest wines and gourmet items, and the very best meat, poultry and pork selections. Vintage Grocers embraces all food beliefs— offering a vast selection of products that serve the diverse needs of shoppers." Stores in Malibu and Westlake Village.

Cinépolis USA
"Bay Theatre by Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas will feature five screening rooms each with approximately 40 – 60 luxury seats, reserved seating and call buttons for full food and bar service, all from the comfort of automated leather recliners."

Amazon Books
[the online giant has been opening an number of brick and mortar bookstores around the country...this is the 17th such store]

Bonjour Fête
"French inspired premium party boutique and event business...carries a curated selection of party tableware and decorations to make your celebration perfect."

Botanica Bazaar
"Botanica Bazaar is inspired by European Apothecaries, and healing approaches from around the world, with our added personal approach to wellness." ...Bethany Mayer and Leilani Bishop.

The Little Market
"Shop fair trade handmade goods from around the world. Each purchase empowers artisans and preserves culture." ...founded by Lauren Conrad and Hannah Skvarla.

Serena & Lily
"At Serena & Lily, we combine our love of breezy California style with our passion for great design. Our look is casual and coastal, relaxed yet refined. Our designs blend classic influences with modern lines; eclectic inspiration with great American style. We love spaces that feel put together, yet livable – well-traveled with a personal point of view. We believe home should be a welcome oasis – your favorite place to retreat, to gather, to live well everyday."

St. Frank
"We provide our customers with beautiful and authentic home luxuries by partnering with artisans from around the world and sharing the story of their incredible work."

_____________________

Timeline of Announcements and Reports of Tenants

2018
Aug. 30 PP	Tamara Mellon
Aug. 23 PP	Cuyuna
Aug. 17 LA	Gornick & Drucker
Aug. 17 LA	PAIGE
Aug. 17 LA	St. Frank
Aug. 17 LA	Village Optic
Aug. 16 PP	Blue Ribbon Sushi Blue Ribbon Restaurants
Aug. 16 PP	Chanel Beaut
Aug. 16 PP	mini mioche
Aug. 16 PP	See's Candies
July 30 WWD	Rachel Zoe ("residency" through Spring 2019)
July 26 PP	Serena & Lily
July 12 PP	Anine Bing
June 19 PP	Vince
June 7	Hank's Blue Ribbon Restaurants
May 31	The Draycott
May 9	Porta Via
May 3 PP	Sephora
April 20	A.L.C.
Mar. 13	Amazon Books
2017
Dec. 19	General Porpoise Donuts
Dec. 19	SunLife Organics
Dec. 19	edo little bites ebaldi.com
Dec. 14	max-bone
Nov. 21 PP	Botanica Bazaar
Nov. 21 PP	Carbon 38
Nov. 21 PP	Marysia
Nov. 21 PP	Miller's Oath
Nov. 21 PP	The Little Market
Nov. 21 PP	Zimmermann
Oct. 13 PN	TOWNE BY Elyse Walker
Sept. 11	Jennifer Meyer Jewelry
Aug. 9	Sweet Laurel Bakery
Aug. 9	FdeiM by Madeo
June 29	McConnell's Fine Ice Creams
June 22	Cinepolis USA
2016
Sept. 21	Vintage Grocers