Utah Firm : San Fernando Picks Retail Center Builder

The San Fernando Redevelopment Agency Monday night chose a Salt Lake City company to develop a shopping center on the site of the former San Fernando Airport.

Price Development Co. was selected from six companies that expressed interest. The firm is involved in two projects in Southern California, the Anaheim Plaza Development and a redevelopment project in Chino.

City officials want to turn part of the 83 acres of the former airport into a shopping center, which would generate sales tax revenue. The owner of 52 acres of the land put that property on the market a year ago.

Officials granted Price Development the exclusive right to begin lining up tenants for a shopping center.

Not Required to Sell

The owner of the 52-acre parcel, the estate of F. Patrick Burns, is not required to sell to the Utah developer. However, city officials said they hope the developer will be able to negotiate for purchase of the land.

To ensure that part of the land will be designated for retail development if the property owner refuses to work with the city’s chosen developer, the redevelopment agency voted Monday to begin researching ways to block industrial development. These would include initiating zone changes or a building moratorium.

But city officials said they might consider industrial development on the site if the developer is unable to find tenants for a shopping center.

Any development proposal for the old airport property must be submitted to the Redevelopment Agency for approval.