By Susan Motander
Several weeks ago, Homegoods and TJMaxx opened at the renovated shopping center on Huntington Drive at Shamrock in Monrovia. The center, the previously housed the Albertson’s market has been renovated and renamed Monrovia Landing, in honor of the Monrovia Airport that was originally located at the site.
Warner Pacific Properties, the principals of which are brothers Michael and John Odell, were the driving force behind the renewal of the center. John recently spoke in phone interview from the Midwest where he said he did the major share of his new developments.
“I was a bit concerned about working on a development in California,” he said relating that he had heard horror stories from other developers about the restrictions and impediments in dealing with local regulations.
“I had the opposite experience in Monrovia,” he related. “Everyone in the city from the director of community development to the receptionists who answered the phones went out of their way to help. I was surprised.”
His younger brother, Michael also praised the experience of working with the city team. The one thing of which he was most proud in the entire development was the preservation of the mosaic of a vintage plane that graces the front of the complex. “We were able to keep the mosaic and managing the redevelopment without breaking a single tile.”
Huntington Landing, as it has been renamed in honor of the heritage of the site, now sports all new landscaping and a restriped parking lot. Soon the final two stores will open according to Michael. Next to Homegoods, and Aldi supermarket will be opening, probably in the first week of December, with an Ulta, the company specializing in cosmetics opening after that.
