Palisades Village Aiming for 2026 Reopening

Palisades Village, the Rick Caruso-owned mall in the heart of the Palisades fire burn zone, is headed for reopening sometime next year after previously promising an early 2026 comeback.

Caruso confirmed the reopening of the shopping center, which didn’t suffer extensive damage in the disaster, in a press conference with fashion designer Elyse Walker, the Santa Monica Daily Press reported.

Walker’s boutique on Antioch Street was destroyed in the wildfires in January and will now move into a 5,000-square-foot flagship space at the Village’s entrance at Sunset Boulevard and Swarthmore Avenue, according to Westside Current.

“Just five months ago, we watched our beloved community experience incredible loss,” Walker said, standing next to Caruso. “But I have always believed in the Palisades. Today marks the beginning of our rebuilding efforts.”

The nearly 125,000-square-foot mall, located at 15225 Palisades Village Lane, houses more than 40 businesses and has been closed since wildfires ripped through the Palisades at the beginning of the year. The shopping center emerged largely scot-free from the fires thanks to the Los Angeles Fire Department and private firefighters hired by Caruso.

“This is not only about bringing back a shopping center. This is about accelerating recovery,” Caruso said. “When a retailer chooses to invest here, it is a powerful voice of confidence in a bright future.”

The area surrounding the mall was badly damaged in the disaster.

Caruso, a mayoral candidate in 2022, hasn’t minced words about Mayor Karen Bass’ response to the fires. Bass has laid the blame for the outbreak at the feet of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and the Los Angeles Fire Department, relieving former fire chief Kristin Crowley of her duties in February.

According to the city’s permitting progress dashboard, only one rebuilding permit has been issued in the Palisades in the nearly five months since the fires. In Altadena and environs, 15 rebuilding permits have been issued so far.

— Chris Malone Méndez