Redlands Mall demolition expected to begin week of March 16

REDLANDS, Calif. — Demolition of the long-vacant Redlands Mall is expected to begin the week of March 16, according to a notice posted on the city of Redlands website.

Town Square Development Group LLC, which owns the downtown property, informed the city that demolition will begin with the former Denny’s building located at the northeast corner of the site. That portion of the project is expected to take about two weeks.

Afterward, demolition crews are expected to begin removing the main mall structure, a process anticipated to take two to three months. The CVS pharmacy located on the property will be preserved, according to the city.

Demolition work is scheduled to occur on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The city said the work may be audible in the immediate area but that staging areas for demolition debris will remain within the fenced construction site and are not expected to affect available public parking downtown.

The city's Development Services Department sent a letter to downtown business owners March 11 notifying them of the upcoming demolition. The letter indicated that city staff are available to address any concerns.

Demolition and development timeline

The city did not provide additional details regarding the timeline for redevelopment of the site.

“The city does not have information regarding the developer's timeline or plans to begin new construction activity,” city spokesperson Carl Baker said Thursday in an email responding to questions from Community Forward Redlands.

Large building demolitions typically require permits issued by a city’s building and safety division. Demolition activities may also be subject to environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act, known as CEQA.

Officials said the demolition activity is covered under the environmental review conducted for the previously approved State Street Village redevelopment project, which the Redlands City Council approved in 2022. They also said no new development applications or revisions to the previously approved project have been submitted.

City officials also confirmed that Demolition Permit No. 355 has been approved for the project site. Additional permits related to demolition of the former Denny’s building and the mall structure are also being processed by the city’s Development Services Department.

A long-vacant downtown site

The mall property, which sits along State Street in the heart of downtown Redlands, has been vacant for several years as redevelopment plans have changed hands between developers.

Town Square Development Group, owned by local business owners Jack and Laura Dangermond, acquired the property in November 2025. While no redevelopment plans have been announced, a representative of the owners told CFR in November that they plan to move quickly.

“The current property needs to be improved in a manner that contributes to the community rather than detracting as it does today,” he said. “There are no specific plans yet, but the goal is to move reasonably quickly and develop designs that will complement our beautiful City of Redlands, with a focus on creating a wonderful environment that provides a great experience downtown as well as uplifting the community."

The demolition marks a major milestone in clearing the site for future redevelopment. The Redlands Mall opened in 1977 as an indoor shopping center anchored by major department stores and smaller retail shops. Over time, changing retail patterns and the growth of shopping centers in nearby cities led to declining occupancy.

Much of the mall closed in the 2010s, leaving the large downtown property largely vacant. Multiple redevelopment efforts have failed over the past decade.

The most recent developer, Village Partners, Inc., acquired the property in 2019. The city approved a mixed-use development in 2022 that included up to 700 housing units alongside about 65,000 square feet of retail, commercial and restaurant space.

The project never moved forward, and Village Partners sold the site to Town Square Development Group in November 2025.

Update March 12, 2026 at 11:26: This article has been updated to include additional information from city officials regarding demolition permits and environmental review for the Redlands Mall site.