MANY WANT RITZY SHOPS NEW RETAIL HUB BEING PLANNED.

Byline: JIM SKEEN Staff Writer

LANCASTER -- Lancaster residents have a message for the city on a proposed shopping center -- think upscale or don't bother.

Lancaster is working with consultant RTKL Associates to lay the groundwork for a commercial center officials hope will be a unique shopping environment and a social gathering spot.

The city and the consultant are working to produce an environmental impact report and a planning guideline for about 150 acres bounded roughly by Avenues K-8 and L and by Fifth and 10th streets west.

To prepare the documents, the city has been soliciting public opinions. One of the recurring themes in those opinions is a desire for upscale shopping.

``This is our last opportunity for higher-end anchors,'' businesswoman Sandra Paez said. ``We want Macy's and the Cheesecake Factory. We all go to L.A. for these things. We all go to Santa Clarita for these things. We need to think high-end.''

City officials and RTKL representatives said common themes emerging from their discussions with residents include a desire for better shopping and dining, a unified development, and a casual, pedestrian experience.

``There is a re-emergence of commercial centers as more than places to shop,'' said Brian Ludicke, Lancaster's community development director. ``They are destinations, places for people to gather.''

Among those who have provided input to the city are Dan and Rhonda Pratt. The couple said the city needs to focus on upscale stores and not on big-box retailers.

``We need new, we need better,'' Rhonda Pratt said. ``Bringing in another Target would be completely useless.''

Dan Pratt said he and his wife often shop out of the area because they don't feel secure at the shopping centers in the Antelope Valley.

``This is our last chance to have something we can be proud of, a place where we can go and shop with our families,'' he said.

City officials and the consultant have been showing residents design concept options to see what kinds of elements people want. The options range in retail space from 50to 75acres, covering anywhere from about 600,000 to 800,000 square feet of floor space.

The options include anywhere from 15to 35acres of what officials call ``flex space,'' areas that could be used for office space, additional retail or some other use.

``These options are either/or,'' said Kurt Nagle of RTKL. ``There is a certain amount of flexibility with these options.''

The first layout option is organized in a north-south manner with a town square in the center and anchor stores -- larger, major retail stores -- at either end. The commercial portion of the development, totaling about 600,000 square feet, would be located on the western side of the site.

The second layout option, and the one preferred by the city staff at this point, is referred to as a ``pinwheel organization'' with a town square focus. The layout accommodates both pedestrian and auto-oriented elements that emanate outward from a central town square.

The auto-oriented traffic would be located to the south and an east-west ``main street'' would run from either end of the town square. That layout would accommodate 715,000 square feet of floor area and expands the commercial development farther to the east than the first option.

A variation of that option calls for a big-box store, about 180,000 square feet, on the southern end of the site that would be geared more toward shoppers in cars. The variation includes a string of pedestrian-oriented stores going east to west across the site.

Another option has a diagonal organization and a pedestrian mall focus. Anchor stores would be located on the edges of the commercial center and would typically have dual orientation -- a focus on auto traffic on one side and a pedestrian orientation toward the center.

That layout resembles, on a smaller scale, the Victoria Gardens project in Rancho Cucamonga. The commercial footage would be 670,000 square feet.

The fourth layout option resembles the Valencia Town Center mall in Santa Clarita. It has an east-west, serpentine main street layout. Anchor stores would be oriented toward 10th Street West. That layout could accommodate 715,000 square feet of floor area.

A variation of that option includes a central plaza as a gathering area.

Vice Mayor Ed Sileo said he likes elements of each of the plans.

``The more commercial space and the more walkability, the more I like it,'' Sileo said. ``It has to have a pedestrian component to it or it'll just be another shopping center.''

Sileo said he thinks the site's location, adjacent to the Antelope Valley Freeway, City Park and transit routes and a park-and-ride lot will make it attractive for upper-end stores.

``If we don't shoot for the highest quality we can, then we have failed,'' Sileo said.

Plans call for having a preferred option selected in January. A meeting to scope out issues to be addressed in the environmental impact report would also be held that month.

Officials said they want to have a final environmental document and the specific plan ready for consideration by the planning commission in mid-July followed by a decision by the City Council in August.