Shopping Center at Menifee and McCall Finally Will Be Reality

A local developer Friday announced plans to build a 15-acre shopping center, including a 43,830-square-foot supermarket, at a site in Menifee where one has long been awaited -- the northwest corner of McCall Boulevard and Menifee Road.

In a news release, The Rancon Group announced plans for the Heritage Square center, with more than 133,500 square feet of retail space, including a supermarket. Plans have not yet been submitted to the City of Menifee, but this is an important first step in the project, which has been on the list of several prospective tenants since it was approved for development by Riverside County in 2007.

Although signs on that corner and the southwest corner have advertised the locations as commercial centers for years, prospective developers backed off during the economic recession. Rancon, based in Murrieta with an office in Menifee, moved forward with plans after completion of the "Missing Link" portion of Menifee Road provided access to more residents in the every-growing population on the city's east side.

This will be the only shopping center anywhere close to residents of Heritage Lake, located right across the street.

"Mayor Scott Mann and City Council Member John Denver in particular have been very supportive of our project and both have been instrumental in getting the ball rolling," said Jeff Comerchero, president and CEO of the Rancon Group. "Without Council Member Denver's help and support, it is doubtful we would have gotten to this point in the development process."

Mann said he was excited for the city and especially the residents in the east part of Menifee. This is the second major commercial center announced for east Menifee in recent months; Stater Bros. will anchor a center at the southeast corner of Newport Road and Menifee Road.

"I couldn't be happier for the people who live on that side of town," Mann said. "It's so exciting to have a group like this move the project forward, understanding the marketplace and costs of construction."

What is now an open field on the northwest corner of McCall Boulevard and Menifee Road will become the Heritage Square shopping center.