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Tag: palisades village

  • Rick Caruso Eyes Run For… Well, Something – LAmag

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    The real estate mogul signals a major political move as he reflects on the Palisades fire and his future in public life

    Developer Rick Caruso spent his 66th birthday last Jan. 7 watching helplessly as a hurricane of flames devoured his beloved Pacific Palisades, a community where he both worked and lived. His home was heavily damaged, but it is still standing. His daughter, Gigi, and son, Justin, were not as fortunate, with each of them losing their homes in the flames.

    On Wednesday, Caruso’s birthday celebration was decidedly more hopeful. Surrounded by his wife Tina and their four children, along with his Saint Monica’s Catholic Parish Monsignor, and a rabbi to “cover all the bases,” he joked, Caruso dedicated a display similar to the one that lights up the night sky in lower Manhattan every September 11 to commemorate the tragedy at the twin towers. Only “Three Beams of Light,” which Caruso calls a symbol of “reflection, gratitude and hope,” commemorate the 31 lives lost across Los Angeles County – a dozen of those victims killed in the Palisades fire that ravaged his neighborhood – along with all of those whose possessions, memories and livelihood remain in limbo after wind-fueled firestorms ripped through their lives in fires that began on Jan. 7 and were not completely extinguished until Jan. 31, 2025.

    The three beams represented symbols of unity between the impacted communities and of the strength and resilience of all Angelenos. 

    “Three Beams of Light” will illuminate the night sky until Jan. 31 at Palisades Village
    Credit: Irvin Rivera

    Wednesday evening’s dedication ceremony in Palisades Village, which was completely unscathed by flames, came on a day that hundreds of the Caruso family’s neighbors took to the street for protests and fury. During a “They Let Us Burn” event, one of its organizers, lifelong resident of the Pacific Palisades Spencer Pratt, announced that instead of complaining about Mayor Karen Bass and pointing out the city’s failures in handling the Palisades fire, he was going to run to replace her. “I wish him all the best,” Caruso told Los Angeles in an interview on Wednesday night about Pratt’s Mayoral candidacy. “I think it’s great that people are getting into races.”

    But when asked about his own political aspirations, Caruso said that the grim anniversary of the deadly fire was “not a day for politics,” but that an announcement is imminent. All signs are pointing to a Gubernatorial run for the billionaire real estate developer. He has hired a political staff that works primarily in state, not local politics, and has indicated to deep-pocketed donors that he is eyeing a seat in Sacramento.

    In the Los Angeles interview, Caruso seemed to support that he plans to run for California’s highest office, saying: “If I am going to go do this, I want to go to a place where I am going to get the most done and have the greatest impact to help people.” Caruso added that his announcement will be made within the next two weeks. “When I announce, I will give up my logic.”

    One thing that is off the table, however, is not running for anything at all, Caruso said.

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    Michele McPhee

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  • Erewhon and others shut by fire set to reopen in Pacific Palisades mall

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    Fancy grocer Erewhon will return to Pacific Palisades in an entirely rebuilt store, as the neighborhood’s luxury mall, owned by developer Rick Caruso, undergoes renovations for a reopening next August.

    Palisades Village has been closed since the Jan. 7 wildfire destroyed much of the neighborhood. The outdoor mall survived the blaze but needed to be refurbished to eliminate contaminants that the fire could have spread, Caruso said.

    The developer is spending $60 million to bring back Palisades Village, removing and replacing drywall from stores and restaurants. Dirt from the outdoor areas is also being replaced.

    Demolition is complete and the tenants’ spaces are now being restored, Caruso said.

    “It was not a requirement to do that from a scientific standpoint,” he said. “But it was important to me to be able to tell guests that the property is safe and clean.”

    Erewhon’s store was taken down to the studs and is being reconfigured with a larger outdoor seating area for dining and events.

    When it opens its doors sometime next year, it will be the only grocer in the heart of the fire-ravaged neighborhood.

    The announcement of Erewhon’s comeback marks a milestone in the recovery of Pacific Palisades and signals renewed investment in restoring essential neighborhood services and supporting the community’s long-term economic health, Caruso said.

    A photograph of the exterior of Erewhon in Pacific Palisades in 2024.

    (Kailyn Brown/Los Angeles Times)

    “They are one of the sexiest supermarkets in the world now and they are in high demand,” he said. “Their committing to reopening is a big statement on the future of the Palisades and their belief that it’s going to be back stronger than ever.”

    Caruso previously attributed the mall’s survival to the hard work of private firefighters and the fire-resistant materials used in the mall’s construction. The $200-million shopping and dining center opened in 2018 with a movie theater and a roster of upmarket tenants, including Erewhon.

    “We’re honored to join the incredible effort underway at Palisades Village,” Erewhon Chief Executive Tony Antoci said in a statement. “Reopening is a meaningful way for us to contribute to the healing and renewal of this neighborhood.”

    Erewhon has cultivated a following of shoppers who visit daily to grab a prepared meal or one of its celebrity-backed $20 smoothies.

    The privately held company doesn’t share financial figures, but has said its all-day cafes occupy roughly 30% of its floor space and serve 100,000 customers each week.

    Erewhon has also branched out beyond selling groceries.

    Its fast-growing private-label line now includes Erewhon-branded apparel, bags, candles, nutritional supplements and bath and body products.

    Erewhon will also open new stores in West Hollywood in February, in Glendale in May and at Caruso’s The Lakes at Thousand Oaks mall in July 2026.

    About 90% of the tenants are expected to return to the mall when it reopens, Caruso said, including restaurants Angelini Ristorante & Bar and Hank’s. Local chef Nancy Silverton has agreed to move in with a new Italian steakhouse called Spacca Tutto.

    In May, Pacific Palisades-based fashion designer Elyse Walker said she would reopen her eponymous store in Palisades Village after losing her 25-year flagship location on Antioch Street in the inferno.

    Fashion designer Elyse Walker announced the reopening of her flagship store

    Fashion designer Elyse Walker announced the reopening of her flagship store at the Palisades Village in May.

    (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)

    “People who live in the Palisades don’t want to leave,” Walker said at the time. “It’s a magical place.”

    Caruso carried on annual holiday traditions at Palisades Village this year, including the lighting of a 50-foot Christmas tree for hundreds of celebrants Dec. 5. On Sunday evening, leaders from the Chabad Jewish Community Center of Pacific Palisades gathered at the mall to light a towering menorah.

    A total of 6,822 structures were destroyed in the Palisades fire, including more than 5,500 residences and 100 commercial businesses, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

    Caruso said he hopes the shopping center’s revival will inspire residents to return. His investment “shows my belief that the community is coming back,” he said. “Next year is going to be huge.”

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    Roger Vincent

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