Abella Center

Abella Center is a mixed-use urban development in San Pablo, California, that evolved from a conventional suburban shopping mall into a combination of civic facilities, retail space, housing, public services, and transit connections. The property was originally known as El Portal Shopping Center and opened in the 1960s. Its initial retail identity was anchored by Simon's Department Store, which was later replaced by a Mervyn's department store. Other major occupants included a HomeBase home-improvement store and a Safeway supermarket. The original mall experienced a long decline as its anchor tenants disappeared or relocated. Safeway left during the 1990s, Mervyn's moved to the newer Pinole Vista Shopping Center, and HomeBase's bankruptcy and store closures removed another important draw. Although Interstate 80 passes close to the area, the center was relatively inconvenient to reach from freeway entrances and exits. Competition from the much larger Hilltop Mall in nearby Richmond further weakened its position as a regional shopping destination. During the early 2000s, San Pablo pursued a redevelopment strategy intended to revive the underperforming property. The city hired a consulting firm specializing in distressed shopping centers and repositioned the site as International Marketplace, an ethnic-oriented shopping and service destination. The former Safeway building was remodeled and reopened as an Asian supermarket. The former HomeBase structure was converted into a two-story bazaar containing smaller shop units. Parts of the former department-store space and the eastern side of the mall were demolished to make room for a mixed-use urban village called Abella, which included apartments, condominiums, and attached single-family homes. The redevelopment broadened the site's function beyond retail. San Pablo added its city hall, while Contra Costa County social-services facilities and library locations were brought into the center. A gateway structure over San Pablo Avenue was built to identify the development. The site also became a venue for community activities, including public Halloween events. The gateway's original design drew criticism because it did not prominently identify San Pablo. By the late 2000s, the city remained dissatisfied with persistent vacancies and with the consulting firm's failure to secure a multiplex cinema that had been part of the redevelopment vision. The San Pablo City Council subsequently approved a revised plan that called for additional demolition, a strip of restaurants and commuter-oriented services along San Pablo Avenue, and more housing integrated with the rest of the development. The city also changed the gateway wording to “Welcome to San Pablo” and adopted the Abella Shopping Center name. In later civic branding, the surrounding area has also been referred to as the Abella District. Abella Center's current identity is therefore less that of a traditional enclosed mall and more that of a neighborhood-scale mixed-use and civic district. Its location next to Contra Costa College and a transit center gives it access to student, commuter, feeder, and late-night bus services. AC Transit routes connect the area with Richmond, El Cerrito del Norte BART, and other nearby communities, while WestCAT provides additional service. A bus rapid transit station is located on San Pablo Avenue near the center. The development's significance lies in its attempted transformation from a declining retail property into a transit-linked cluster of housing, local government, social services, shopping, and community infrastructure.

Abella Center originated as El Portal Shopping Center, a conventional shopping mall that opened in San Pablo during the 1960s. Its early tenant mix included Simon's Department Store, which later became a Mervyn's department store, as well as HomeBase and Safeway. These anchors gave the center a conventional suburban retail profile. The property declined after key tenants disappeared. Safeway departed during the 1990s, Mervyn's relocated to Pinole Vista Shopping Center, and HomeBase stores closed following the company's bankruptcy. The center was also disadvantaged by its indirect freeway access despite being near Interstate 80 and by competition from Hilltop Mall in Richmond. These factors reduced both customer traffic and the site's regional importance. In the early 2000s, the City of San Pablo attempted to reverse the decline through a comprehensive redevelopment program. A mall-revitalization consulting firm was engaged, and the center was renamed International Marketplace. The former Safeway building became an Asian supermarket, while the former HomeBase site was converted into a two-story bazaar for smaller businesses. The former department-store location and parts of the eastern mall area were demolished and incorporated into a new mixed-use residential and commercial village known as Abella. Housing included apartments, condominiums, and attached single-family homes. The redevelopment also made the site an important civic and public-services location. San Pablo added city-hall facilities, and Contra Costa County social-services and library operations were established at the marketplace. A gateway over San Pablo Avenue helped establish the new identity, although the design was criticized for failing to display the name San Pablo clearly. The city also used the center for community programming, including Halloween events. By the late 2000s, high vacancies remained a concern. The city was additionally frustrated that the consulting firm had not delivered a promised multiplex cinema. San Pablo dismissed the firm, and the city council approved a revised redevelopment concept. That plan proposed removing more of the older shopping-center fabric, adding restaurants and commuter services along San Pablo Avenue, and increasing the amount of housing while improving internal connections. The gateway was later changed to say “Welcome to San Pablo,” and the property was renamed Abella Shopping Center. The broader locality has also been promoted as the Abella District. Adjacent Contra Costa College, the local transit center, AC Transit routes, WestCAT service, and a bus rapid transit station on San Pablo Avenue give the development a strong transportation and institutional context. Abella Center is consequently best understood as an evolving mixed-use district rather than simply as a former enclosed mall.

• 1990

  Major retail anchors leave

  [1]Abella Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Safeway departs, Mervyn's relocates to Pinole Vista Shopping Center, and HomeBase later closes after its bankruptcy, accelerating the center's decline.

• 1960

  El Portal Shopping Center opens

  [1]Abella Centeren.wikipedia.org

  The original shopping center opens in San Pablo with Simon's Department Store as an initial anchor and later adds Mervyn's, HomeBase, and Safeway.

• International Marketplace redevelopment begins

  [1]Abella Centeren.wikipedia.org

  San Pablo launches a mall-revitalization initiative, rebranding the property International Marketplace and converting former anchor spaces for new retail and mixed-use purposes.

• City changes the redevelopment strategy

  [1]Abella Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Following continued vacancies and the failure to secure a promised multiplex theater, the city dismisses its consulting firm and approves a revised development plan.

• The site adopts the Abella identity

  [1]Abella Centeren.wikipedia.org

  The gateway is changed to “Welcome to San Pablo,” and the shopping center is renamed Abella Shopping Center; the surrounding area is also promoted as the Abella District.

A neighborhood-scale mixed-use and transit-oriented district combining retail, housing, municipal services, county services, community facilities, and transportation access.

• Retail and small-business bazaar

  International Marketplace

  A redevelopment-era commercial concept that repositioned the former mall as an ethnic and international shopping destination. It included a remodeled former Safeway building used by an Asian supermarket and a converted former HomeBase structure containing smaller shop spaces.

• Mixed-use housing

  Abella residential village

  A mixed-use residential component created from portions of the former department-store site and the eastern edge of the mall. The village includes apartments, condominiums, and attached single-family homes integrated with commercial and civic uses.

• Municipal and community services

  Civic and public-services center

  The development incorporates San Pablo city-hall facilities along with Contra Costa County social-services and library locations, making the property a public-service destination as well as a retail and residential site.

• Transit-linked urban development

  Transit-oriented commercial district

  Abella Center is adjacent to Contra Costa College and a transit center and is served by numerous AC Transit routes, WestCAT service, and a bus rapid transit station on San Pablo Avenue. Later planning emphasized restaurants, commuter services, housing, and stronger connections within the district.

• International Marketplace repositioning

  San Pablo, California

  San Pablo promoted the declining mall as an ethnic-oriented shopping destination called International Marketplace. The initiative combined retail conversions, a shopping bazaar, new housing, civic facilities, and a gateway structure.

  Outcome. The redevelopment expanded the property's uses but did not eliminate vacancies or produce the planned multiplex theater.

  Source
• Community public events

  San Pablo, California

  The City of San Pablo used the center as a venue for public activities, including Halloween events, to encourage community engagement and foot traffic.

  Source

• Rebrand the former mall as International MarketplaceStrategy

  Background

  The original shopping center had lost important anchors and faced competition from larger nearby retail properties.

  Action taken

  San Pablo engaged a mall-revitalization consulting firm and repositioned the property around international retail, smaller shops, housing, and civic uses.

  Aftermath

  The site gained new functions, including an Asian supermarket, a shopping bazaar, housing, city-hall facilities, county services, and library locations, but vacancies continued.

  Source

• Replace the initial redevelopment planStrategy

  Background

  The city remained dissatisfied with high vacancies and with the consulting firm's inability to attract a promised multiplex movie theater.

  Action taken

  The city dismissed the consulting firm and approved a plan for additional demolition, more housing, restaurants, commuter services, and better internal connections.

  Aftermath

  The gateway was changed to “Welcome to San Pablo,” and the property adopted the Abella Shopping Center name.

  Source

1. 1Abella Centeren.wikipedia.org