Whole Foods coming to Coffee, Rosedale
High-end grocer Whole Foods Market plans to anchor the more than 25-acre shopping center proposed for the southwest corner of Coffee Road and Rosedale Highway.
The property’s owner, Newport Beach-based Sage Investco, announced Thursday that the Austin, Texas-based retailer will lead an undisclosed list of tenants expected to include a gym, coffee shops and banking services on 250,000 square feet of retail and restaurant uses.
Bakersfield has one Sprouts grocery store, with another under construction, but the city has no Whole Foods. The chain’s nearest stores are in Fresno, San Luis Obispo and Santa Clarita.
“The project proposed by Sage represents the long-awaited opportunity for the city to turn this vacant property into a community asset,” Bakersfield Mayor Karen Goh said in a morning news release. “The city of Bakersfield’s leadership and community are excited about this project and want to see it succeed.”
The release said the project will create more than 1,000 jobs and generate about $209 million in sales, more than $2 million in city sales taxes and $1 million in property tax revenue.
“The proposed project by Sage will not only assist with job creation and the attraction of significant investments into the community,” state Sen. Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield, said in Thursday’s release, “but will also serve as a valuable addition to the neighboring communities.”
The release did not state when the project will begin construction or operation.
Materials released earlier stated the project will measure 375,194 square feet. Possibly owing to plans to phase the development over time, Thursday’s update cited a different figure, saying it will encompass
more than 250,000 square feet of retail and food service opportunities.
It notes Sage Investco wants to deliver a “transformative retail destination, elevating the Bakersfield community’s quality of life while providing exceptional opportunities for businesses and consumers alike.”
Information posted online as of late October showed agreements were pending on five of the largest spaces in the project’s first phase. Smaller spaces, including three drive-thru spots, were classified as pending as brokers worked to sign up retailers to fill the center’s smaller locations and medium-size vacancies.
At least three of six in-line spaces measuring between 25,000 to 30,000 square feet were listed as pending a signed lease, while almost a dozen other spaces were listed as being in negotiations to be leased, each listed as being less than 5,000 square feet in size.
The developer’s manager, Patrick Charriou, said in Thursday’s release that Sage Investco was thrilled to confirm Whole Foods’ tenancy on property that used to house a power plant owned and operated by San Francisco-based utility Pacific Gas and Electric Co. Inc.
“This project aligns with our commitment to curate dynamic retail spaces that cater to the needs of the community while fostering economic growth and job creation. The site has been vacant and blighted for nearly 40 years and we appreciate PG&E’s critically needed support toward ensuring that this prominent corner becomes the amenity the community has long desired.”
Whole Foods did not respond to a request for comment.