Construction Lags on Retail Center

New ownership and a design change have slowed plans to build a retail and entertainment center across from the new police station.

But the developer said the Simi Valley Civic Center Plaza project is “definitely going to be moving forward here” and that a 16-screen movie theater is on track.

Contractors working with the theater’s owner, Regal Cinema, have been at the site in recent days, according to Bob Kraus of Simi Valley Civic Plaza LLC, which owns the site. Because Regal will build the theater, Kraus could not say exactly when construction would be finished other than to narrow the time down to next spring.

The project originally was approved this spring when the property was still owned by Robert Selleck of Selleck Properties. At the time, Selleck planned to build a 170,000-square-foot center. Plans now call for the center to be about 140,000 square feet, Kraus said. It will include a food court, a shopping area as well as several separate store buildings.

Among the stores committed to the center are a Men’s Wearhouse, a Starbucks coffeehouse and Ben and Jerry’s ice cream shop. Other restaurants and retailers include a TGI Friday’s, a Carl’s Jr., a La Jolla Patio Furniture store and a Baja Fresh restaurant.

“It will set a tone for future retail in Simi Valley,” Kraus said.