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Rancho Bernardo Town Center to get $6 million remodel

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A $6 million renovation to the Rancho Bernardo Town Center is starting this week.

The project — estimated to take 10 months — will include renovating the exterior for three of the center’s buildings, “significant changes” to its outdoor eating area and construction of a new 5,000-square-foot building on its southern side, said Ron Bamberger, president of Boardwalk Development, which oversees the center.

“All stores will be open throughout the entire process,” he said.

The three buildings to be renovated are the ones with Peet’s Coffee & Tea, Postal Annex and Kahoots Animals and Supplies. Vons is not part of the project since that building is owned by the grocery store chain, though Bamberger has been told by company officials that they intend to make exterior renovations on the building, he said.

The new building, which might house a couple restaurants, will go in the space between San Diego County Credit Union and The Plaza, the adjacent shopping center, he said.

“It will connect the two shopping centers,” he said. “It is landscaped (now) and people think it is one shopping center. Now it will be more connected.”

According to Bamberger, the Town Center has never undergone extensive exterior remodeling since it was built in the 1970s. He said plans also call for Americans with Disabilities Act compliance measures and parking lot lighting enhancements.

“The new look of the buildings will seek to maintain the early California mission architectural theme,” Bamberger said, adding, “Although the design theme is based on timeless California mission architecture, the newly designed project incorporates contemporary elements and proportions for a rich, modern interpretation.

“Significant enhancements include authentic clay mission tile and natural stone towers,” he said. “Heavy timber trellis members will provide much-needed shade for the patio dining and plaza courtyards. Traditional white smooth stucco walls will be accented by the dark wood rafters and decorative wall light sconces. Pendant light fixtures will provide soft lighting to the underside of the interior canopy colonnades.

“To highlight the building architecture, drought-tolerant landscaping (will) enhance the newly-upgraded façade and add additional shading for the patrons.”

Bamberger said the goal is to “provide patrons a unique shopping and dining experience ... (through) pedestrian scale amenities and plazas for dining and communal gathering.”

For example, he said the current outdoor food court — in front of Subway — will look completely different. The remodeled area will include a sunken eating space and fire pits.

“We hope to encourage full-service restaurants to utilize the space,” he said, adding that as tenants change in the food court, the goal is to replace them with full-service restaurants.

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