Most of my life, I have lived within 2 miles of the Valencia Town Center. Currently in my business travels, I pass the mall several times a day. Like anyone, I have concerns about traffic anywhere in our city. However, I am curious why an out-of-town attorney is claiming to represent myself and others in opposing the current proposed Costco expansion at the mall.
Sears is gone and has been vacant for over a year. JC Penney and Macy’s continue to close stores. Retail is changing and our mall needs to change to survive. Prior to the opening of The Canyon with its concerts, I rarely went to the mall. The Canyon changed that as there is something there for me now.
Now enter Costco. The store is beloved by many. They provide jobs that start above minimum wage, company-sponsored benefits to employees and have a low employee turnover of 6%. There is a lot to love about Costco and I cannot wait for them to open. This is a major win for our city and the future of our mall.
Finally, I am always concerned about traffic. However, I doubt this $100 million project would be moving forward if investors or developers thought traffic would be an issue. Would anyone want to spend this kind of money only to have their investment be made inaccessible by traffic? Is the city going to allow this to move forward and have a traffic nightmare literally in front of City Hall? I don’t think so.
I say stop the delays and let construction begin!
Larry McClements
Valencia
