Larkspur Landing means many things to local residents. First, it is a regional ferry terminal with an enormous parking lot and high-speed boats that whisk commuters back and forth to the City.
Jim Rosenfield’s plans include bringing in more local and independently owned shops to create a “country mart” feeling.
By Wes Starratt PE
Published: February, 2010
Recently, the real estate developer J. S. Rosenfield & Co. acquired the shopping center at Larkspur Landing for $65 million and announced plans to give it a “country mart” theme. Intrigued, Bay Crossings contacted company principal Jim Rosenfield at his Santa Monica office and found him to be as interesting as his ideas for the project.
Rosenfield immediately discussed his ties with the Bay Area, pointing out that he went to UC Berkeley, where he became interested in government and politics. “In my first job, I went to work for Senator Ted Kennedy and later for Congressman Tom Lantos. But, when you get older, you start thinking of making money, and I began looking for a business where I could do things that I was proud of and be socially responsible and creative,” he said.
Eventually, Rosenfield settled on shopping centers. “One of the places that inspired me as a kid was the Brentwood Country Mart in southern California. Eventually, I got control of the mart via a long-term lease, and in the last seven years have revitalized it with stores, eateries and nice shops. It has been such a success that it has inspired me to do it again.”
Rosenfield wanted an excuse to return to the Bay Area, and a few years ago decided that the country mart idea would work here. “I found myself standing at the Larkspur Landing Shopping Center. I thought that the place has a great potential, with a big courtyard, but obviously with lots of vacancies. The buildings are not really great, but the location is good and it has potential.”
The Purchase
Rosenfield began the process of trying to acquire the property, consummating his purchase in January 2009. “Since then, I have been getting to know the shops and re-acquaint myself with the community,” Rosenfield said. “I have been involved in a very intense study and have met more talented people than ever before.”
Rosenfield put together an all-star team to realize his vision. “Our architect is Hans Baldauf of BCV Architecture, which was the firm for the revitalization of the Ferry Building. We have a wonderful landscape architect from Sonoma named Gary Roth, and one from the City named Bill Smith,” Rosenfield said. “We got many great ideas from the last two years of work, and have presented most of them to the City of Larkspur, which has approved them.”
The Schedule
Rosenfield has established an aggressive schedule for the project. “By the Fall of 2010, not only do we want to have all of the work completed, but at least a dozen new stores open and operating,” he said. Rosenfield also plans on changing the name of the center to the “Marin Country Mart.”
Rosenfield explained the concept further: “It will bring shops, services, some of the great food that is produced in Marin, and independently owned and operated boutique shops together in one place. It will also provide services like a barber shop, a post office, a shoe-repair shop, a book store, a toy store, and other shops that make a ‘place’ a ‘village.’”
The Plan
Rosenfield said that the plan does not involve constructing new buildings or significantly altering the existing ones, other than updating paint, signs and awnings. “What we are doing is creating a great space between the buildings,” Rosenfield explained. “The courtyard area will be transformed and have a children’s playground with a grass lawn, picnic tables and benches.”
Rosenfield also plans to make the waterfront location an asset. “Unfortunately, when the center was built, the developer turned his back on the Bay, and we think that was one of the most significant mistakes that was made,” Rosenfield said. “So, we hope to build a boardwalk along the Bay side of the property. It will run about 1,000 feet and have park benches and a crushed rock walkway. So, you can imagine coming home on the ferry and being welcomed by goose-neck lamps on posts and benches with a view of Mt. Tam.”
The City
Joan Lundstrom, mayor of the City of Larkspur, commented on the plans: “The project to date is upgrading the landscaping and doing some painting, which the Planning Commission recently approved. The project does not rise to the level of approvals that come before the City Council, since no changes to the structure footprints or uses have been requested.”
Lundstrom was encouraged by the project. “With five million people now riding the Larkspur Ferry annually, plus its site characteristics, Larkspur Landing is now reaching its full potential. A new owner with new ideas is indeed promising,” she said.
The Larkspur Landing shopping center, located across from the Larkspur Ferry Terminal, was recently purchased by real estate developer J. S. Rosenfield &Co. Photo by Wes Starratt
