Retail Center Holds Opening in Valencia

A weeklong celebration that will end Saturday marks the opening of the $21.5-million, 263,274-square-foot River Oaks community shopping center in Valencia.

The 22.6-acre project at the northeast corner of Magic Mountain and McBean parkways is the fifth and largest retail project developed so far by the Newhall Land & Farming Co., according to Donald L. Puente, Newhall’s director of real estate. The firm is also the developer of the master-planned community of Valencia.

The largest retail development in the Santa Clarita Valley, River Oaks is anchored by a 77,590-square-foot Mervyn’s department store and a 101,730-square-foot Target department store. Target also operates an adjacent 10,332-square-foot garden and patio store. Other major tenants include House of Fabrics and Big 5 Sporting Goods.

Designed by the Los Angeles-based architectural firm of Kober, Cedergreen & Rippon in a Spanish Colonial style, River Oaks also includes four free-standing pads for a bank, fast-food restaurant, sit-down restaurant and an importing firm.

The general contractor for the mall shops was Turner Construction Co. Construction of Mervyn’s was done by Whiting-Turner Construction, with McKee Construction handling the construction of the Target store.

Puente said Newhall Land still plans to build a regional shopping center across the street from River Oaks on a 100-acre triangular site bounded by McBean and Magic Mountain parkways and Valencia Boulevard.

He said that River Oaks will complement the regional center, as well as serving as a major shopping facility for the entire Santa Clarita Valley.