The popular Commons at Calabasas shopping center is about to get an extreme makeover, including the demolition of its popular movie theater.
On Dec. 6, the Calabasas City Council gave final approval to developer and former Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rick Caruso’s ambitious plan for the center.
It involves the demolition of the Regency Calabasas multiplex to help make way for 24,000 square feet of mixed-use development, including 119 apartments, new buildings, new stores and restaurants.
According to the local newspaper, The Acorn, some residents who attended the Dec. 6 council meeting expressed concerns about the size and density of the project.
One of the new buildings will reach as high as 85 feet and others to be constructed in The Commons parking lot will be as tall as 46 feet – far taller than any current structures.
Of the roughly 30 residents who spoke at the meeting, however, most expressed support for the expansion and the measure passed unanimously, the Acorn reported.
The Commons, which opened in 1998, already features several large and established anchor tenants including Barnes & Noble, Rite Aid and a Ralphs supermarket.
The 33,000-square-foot movie theater, however, suffered the same fate as many other theaters during the COVID pandemic. It briefly closed after Regal went bankrupt in early 2023 and then reopened under the ownership of Regency Theaters.
No timeline for the construction has been announced.