New Food, New Homes, New Warehouses

Developing Stories

BY PERRY SMITH Senior Staff Writer

So much for a summer

lull.

The city of Santa Clarita’s Planning Division has been extremely busy these past few weeks, between discussing a variety of housing developments and looking at some of the new businesses coming to the SCV, there’s plenty to discuss and look forward to — especially if you’re a foodie.

Earlier this month, The Signal broke the news that there will be two new options moving into the Valencia Crossroads shopping center at Valencia Boulevard and McBean Parkway.

Philz Coffee is taking the place of the Starbucks that’s right next to the Corner Bakery, and that Starbucks is moving down the street, next to where Village Green, the miniature golf course, used to be.

The burgeoning coffee chain started inside a convenience store in San Francisco’s Mission District in 1978, opening its first store in 2003, according to the company’s website.

Also coming to the crossroads center, Mendocino Farms is moving into the location that was previously a Pei Wei.

“We are working with Mendocino Farms, which is planning to locate in the restaurant space that was formerly Pei Wei,” said Jason Crawford, director of community development for the city of Santa Clarita, in a previous interview. “We are excited to be adding them to our communi- ty. They will be making some facade improvements to the building to freshen it up.”

The menu reminds me of a place I used to visit in a previous life, Sequoia Sandwich Co., so I’m looking forward to giving the place a try. The company’s site notes that it first opened its doors in 2005 as a family business, so it’s always nice to support one of those, too.

Just down the street from Valencia Crossroads, the Regal theaters at Westfield Valencia Town Center mall is getting a facelift. It’s not exactly clear when it might be happening, but the permits have been secured.

Speaking of, rumors regarding a pending sale of the mall involving a certain Dallasbased real estate firm that rhymes with Schmentennial, persist ... . Neither side has said anything.

The other new retail announcement that’s been circulating on social media is of course a pair of Chick Fil-A locations that are being slated for the west side and the east side — “Fried chicken for all.”

The county is in the middle of processing an application for a location on The Old Road, a location known for being so many things to so many people. A quick-anddirty chronology of the location indicates that prior to 27340 The Old Road slated for Chick-Fil-A’s, it first opened as Yin Yang’s Chinese restaurant. It became a Hamburger Hamlet, then Rio Rio, then Bella Cucina, then Beef O’ Brady’s, then Gameday Sports Grille, then Valencia Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation

The other Chick Fil-A location is slated for next to Valencia Lanes, which would be at 21613 Soledad Canyon Road.

It turns out the Bed, Bath and Beyond location in the Golden Valley shopping center anchored by the Target won’t be empty for long. The city confirmed that a Daiso has been approved for the area.

The Japanese dollar store offers more than 100,000 products, according to its website.

There’s also a pair of housing projects that are being looked at: one for Cinema Drive and another for Flying Tiger Drive.

As both projects involve housing, there’s not much review that the city’s Planning Division can do to impact either project, according to state law.

The first project is a fourstory apartment building with a roof level, which is being planned for right behind the International House of Pancakes on Bouquet Canyon Road. It will include 26 onebedroom units and four worklive units.

The other project is a lowincome housing project slated to be built off of Flying Tiger Drive and Sierra Highway, next to where the city formerly hosted its Canyon

Country Community Center.

The 128-unit complex is expected to have 20% of its units for very low income, which is defined as people making 15% to 50% of the average median income, and 80% or 102 units for those making 50% to 80% of the AMI, which is listed as being approximately $60,000 according to 2023 data from the California Housing and Community Development Department.

In terms of industrial space, a development known as the Springbrook project is expected to alleviate some of the local demand. Less than 3% of the area’s industrial warehouse space is vacant, according to local officials.

The plans, which are going to be built next to the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station on Golden Valley Road, would include about 400,000 square feet of industrial space.

The first building would be a total of 260,000 square feet, including 10,000 square feet of office space. The other buildings would vary in size from about 50,000 square feet to 78,000 square feet. 