City of Richmond pushes plan to replace defunct mall with high-density housing

The “greedy developer” trope is being turned on its head in the East Bay, where the City of Richmond wants to pack more apartments into a former mall site but developer Prologis and many residents disagree.

The Eastbay city has hatched a plan to redevelop a 143-acre region that includes the defunct Hilltop Mall at 2200 Hilltop Mall Road, the San Jose Mercury News reported.

Its Hilltop Horizon Specific Plan, in the works for three years, calls for a core with homes, offices, shops and restaurants in buildings up to 135 feet tall, with housing density at 80 to 200 units per acre.

Two zones surrounding it would include a reduction in building heights, with the lowest density at 30 to 80 units per acre.

The broad vision, which includes the 77-acre mall that closed in 2021, calls for parks, paths, gardens, paseos and public art, along with a transit hub.

“Hilltop Horizon will be a vibrant mixed-use community that blends innovation, commerce and culture, incorporating sustainable design, diverse housing and green infrastructure,” Richmond Senior Planner Michele Morris said during a city meeting.

“The plan redefines it as a dynamic and welcoming place for all.”

Not so fast, some residents and Prologis said.

Bhavin Khatri, president of the Hilltop District Neighborhood Council, and Arto Rinteela, chair of the Fairmede-Hilltop Neighborhood Council, said the plan includes far more homes than residents want.

Both said they’d like to see less housing density, with more focus on retail and commercial growth. If built, Rinteela said a denser development would cause “quality-of-life issues” for current residents.

“The density you’re showing here is disrespectful to the community,” Rinteela said. “You don’t have to live here, so you don’t have to deal with the quality-of-life issues.”

Prologis, which paid $117 million for the 1.1-million-square-foot mall property in 2021, agreed, said company representative Cyrus Sanandaji.

Sanandaji implored city staff to consider a lighter density vision that Prologis could feasibly meet, saying the city’s plans are out of step with the community’s wishes and are unrealistic of what could actually be built.

Last June, Culver City-based Primestar bought a 245,900-square-foot shopping center across the street for $36.5 million. The deal for the Hilltop Plaza at 3190-4251 Klose Way worked out to $148 per square foot.

— Dana Bartholomew