10 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY july 18-24, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com The demise of the American mall was well-chronicled even before the Covid-19 pandemic—a growing number of shoppers prefer to buy what they want online without getting off the couch. When pandemic-related regulations forced indoor spaces to shut down, many thought that spelled doom for malls. But a recent study shows that malls have not only rebounded post-pandemic, but are growing. According to Coresight Research, traffic at “non-top-tier malls,” or those described as having a less-affluent customer demographic, increased by 10 percent in 2022 compared to 2019 levels, while revenue grew by nearly 9 percent to $6.5 billion. Physical store openings in malls exceeded closures in 2022 for the first time since 2016, according to the study. Occupancy rates at these malls rebounded from the pandemic, yet still remain below 2019 levels, standing at 89 percent in 2022, the study showed. Northridge Mall in Salinas, fresh off its 50th anniversary celebration, appears to be on an upward trend. The southern end of the mall is undergoing a renaissance after the Sears department store, a two-story, nearly 134,000-square-foot building, closed in 2020. Permitting is underway to renovate the building, which will house Burlington, Dave & Buster’s, Gohan Buffet, O’Reilly Auto Parts and Smash n’ Axe, according to building owner Ethan Conrad Properties. A new building for Raising Cane’s is planned to be built in the parking lot, near Big 5 Sporting Goods. Macy’s, an anchor tenant in the mall since the 1990s, announced that while it is closing 150 stores nationwide, Salinas is not one of them. In 2022, Steerpoint Capital and Bridge Group Investments purchased the mall. Steerpoint CEO Bo Okoroji said in a press release that Northridge “has the potential to become a dominant asset in the regional retail arena and the broader marketplace.” In 2023, discussions were underway to rezone the Sears property to allow housing. While the previous owner of the building was receptive to the idea, according to a city staff report, a representative of new owner Ethan Conrad Properties said rezoning the property to mixed use would prevent certain businesses that they were in talks with, namely vehicle service establishments. The rezoning plan is not being pursued at this time, says city spokesperson Sophia Rome. The Northridge Mall began as a collection of shops in the early 1970s. When Sears was added in 1974, the center was rebranded and unified under the Northridge Mall name. It experienced a growth in footprint in the 1990s and 2000s. Today, it includes more than 120 stores. For the second year in a row, winter storms and flooding impacted the local agriculture industry, Monterey County’s largest. The annual crop report, released on Tuesday, July 16 by the Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office, shows a 6-percent dip in total production value in 2023 compared to 2022, a reflection of a challenging year for many farmers. Planting and harvesting schedules were delayed due to flooding in the Pajaro and Salinas valleys. In February of that year, farmers reported $336 million in damage; at the time, Ag Commissioner Juan Hidalgo anticipated gross production losses could reach 15 percent compared to 2022. With that in mind, the 6-percent drop—gross production was $4.4 billion, compared to $4.6 billion in 2022—is good news. “The prices and demand for our commodities really made a big difference in helping to close that gap,” Hidalgo says. For a third year in a row, strawberries were reported as the top crop in Monterey County with a value of $903.8 million (down by $55 million from the previous year). Leaf lettuce and head lettuce claimed second and third place respectively, at $782.1 million and $493.5 million. A wet winter benefited wine grape production, which increased in value by 12 percent in 2023. At $194.6 million, grapes were the sixth-most valuable crop, ahead of celery and spinach. Cannabis remained in fifth place. Revenue for cannabis increased by 28 percent compared to 2022 with $362.6 million. However, the number of licenses for cannabis decreased by nearly half and the number of acres in cultivation was reduced from 74.6 to 41.3. Hidalgo is exploring the expansion of the ag pass program, granting growers access to farms during emergencies, potentially minimizing future losses. Mall Walk Northridge Mall in Salinas is celebrating 50 years, and filling a vacant building. By Erik Chalhoub news Tax Talk Salinas’ Measure E Oversight Committee meets to discuss the finances of the 2005 voter-approved tax measure. Learn how the money is being spent and what’s on tap for the next year. 4pm Thursday, July 18. Salinas Rotunda, 200 Lincoln Ave., Salinas. Free. 758-7381, cityofsalinas.org. Safe Roads The City of Seaside is creating a plan to improve safety on its roads. A meeting is scheduled to gather feedback and present information on collision trends and proposed projects. 6-7:30pm Friday, July 19. City Council Chambers, 440 Harcourt Ave., Seaside. Free. 899-6700, ci.seaside.ca.us. Serving the Arts The Arts Council for Monterey County seeks feedback on how it can better serve the arts community countywide. Public input meetings are held in each supervisoral district throughout the year. 9:30am-1pm Saturday, July 20. Sol Treasures, 519 Broadway St., King City. Free. RSVP at bit.ly/SolTreasuresCIW. Police Gear Gonzales Police Department discusses the military equipment in its inventory and related training and costs. The annual report is required by state law. 6pm Monday, July 22. City Council Chambers, 117 Fourth St., Gonzales. Free. 675-5000, gonzalesca.gov. Job Hunt Monterey County Works hosts a job fair to give employers a chance to meet job seekers. 1-4pm Wednesday, July 24. America’s Job Center, 344 Salinas St., Suites 205-206, Salinas. Free; advance registration is required. 796-3335, montereycountyworks.com. Run for Office The candidate filing period for the Nov. 5 election opened on Monday, July 15. Those interested in running for office must submit forms by 5pm on Friday, Aug. 9. Nomination documents available 8am to 5pm, Monday-Friday at the Monterey County Elections Department, 1441 Schilling Place, North Building, Salinas. 796-1499, candidateservices@countyofmonterey.gov. Higher Education The Monterey Peninsula College Governing Board of Trustees meets to discuss college business and accept public comment. 4pm Wednesday, July 24. MPC Library & Technology Center, Sam Karas Room, 980 Fremont St., Monterey. Free. 6464000, mpc.edu. Top Crop Ag production value in Monterey County was down by 6 percent in 2023 due to winter storms. By Celia Jiménez Northridge Mall shoppers browse the stores and stop for a bite to eat on a recent weekday. The Salinas mall is celebrating its 50th anniversary. e-mail: toolbox@montereycountynow.com TOOLBOX “It has the potential to become a dominant asset.” Daniel Dreifuss Salinas at 150
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