BUENA PARK : Shopping Center Redevelopment OKd

Ron Burns isn’t looking forward to moving about 60,000 used books.

But Burns is anticipating a more prosperous business by relocating Sunshine Books from the neighborhood center at Lincoln Avenue and Valley View Street to a busier shopping center down the street.

The independently owned bookstore is among 11 small businesses that will move to make way for redevelopment of the 30-year-old center.

“Since we don’t have a choice, we’re making the best of the situation,” said Burns, the store’s manager.

Burns said the bookstore plans to move to a remodeled center at Lincoln and Knott avenues.

“We’re hoping it’ll help business,” he said. “It’s going to be a positive move.”

The City Council, acting as the Community Redevelopment Agency, Monday approved a plan that is expected to cost between $700,000 and $1 million of the agency’s funds to relocate tenants.

The shopping center is within a redevelopment project area, and plans are to demolish the existing buildings, including Sav-On drugs. However, the 40,000-square-foot Pic ‘n’ Save will be remodeled.

“It’s been a dilapidated center for many years,” said May Hui, the city’s assistant director of development services.

With its high vacancy rate and blighted condition, the aged center needs to be renovated, Burns agreed. Builders Emporium has moved out, the Security Pacific Bank building is empty and other small businesses have closed their doors.

“The center’s been going downhill,” Burns said. The bookstore, which sells new and used books, moved in 14 years ago.

Redevelopment plans include building a Sav-On drug store, a Lucky supermarket, a bank and other services all under one roof, said Dave Weigel,director of real estate for American Stores Properties Inc., a subsidiary of American Stores Co., which owns Sav-On and Lucky Stores.

American Stores Properties Inc. will redevelop the center in a joint partnership with the Community Redevelopment Agency.

Weigel declined to elaborate on the store’s concept except to say that the 100,000-square-foot building will offer a variety of services and will be the first of its kind in the country.

“It’ll be a one-stop, convenience-oriented” store, Weigel said. “Hopefully it’ll take the supermarket and drugstore industry into the 21st Century.”

Weigel said the revamped center will also include 12,000 to 15,000 square feet of specialty retail shops.

Demolition is tentatively scheduled to begin in January. Construction is expected to start in February, Weigel said. Completion of the center is expected late next summer or early next fall.

During construction, Sav-On and Pic ‘n’ Save will be open.

Weigel said the rebuilt center, which borders Cypress, is intended to become a showplace for Buena Park.