Flower Hill Mall (Promenade) is planning to expand an additional approximate 70,000 SF with an anchoring Whole Foods Market, office and more retail, as well as a 4 story parking structure in full view of the freeway and surface roads. The new architecture will not blend in, nor match the existing 1970's wood frame buildings that are now functionally obsolete. The developer is making no effort, or plans to renovate the existing architecture to match the new. The materials and finishes, as well as the bulk, scale, vertical (in your face) orientation, and general "big box" commericial style of the architecture is not appropriate for the Del Mar neighborhood, nor a small 14 acre property of this type, formerly featuring very high-end boutique shops.

Many believe the developer has a secret plan to build this current phase, then return shortly thereafter to tear down the existing 1970's structures and build phase 2. This would be deceptive and misleading, as the entire project should be reviewed and approved at one time.Whole Foods is known as a "category killer" tenant in that they sell virtually everything edible, assuring that at least 7 existing 30 year tenants will be put out of business, such as the wine shop, cheese shop, candy shop, bath shop, flower shop, and more.

This developer is greedy and attempting to overbuild this site with a floor area density that is typically only found in urban areas, not a country coastal, low rise area such as Del Mar. He is unwilling to scale back his plans and renovate this shopping center a style, character and size befitting the community. He refuses to design and build a lower profile, higher quality specialty center like the internationally award winning, nearby Del Mar Plaza.

The community is outraged about this project. A significant effort of opposition has been spearheaded by the Citizen's Against Flower Hill's Excessive Expansion at http://www.stopflowerhill.com, now representing over 250 neighbors.Greed is not good, nor is bad design taste!

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