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Fabio Conti has begun an comeback project at the Ralphs shopping eye, which he is renaming Mercato del Sole. Staff photo By Doug Spo...

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Fabio Conti has begun an comeback project at the Ralphs shopping heart, which he is renaming Mercato del Sole. Staff photo

By Doug Spoon, Editor

One of the oldest shopping centers in Menifee is getting a facelift, a new name, and extra safety precautions – thanks to a quondam Hollywood restaurateur.

For 25 years, Fabio Conti owned Fabiolus Cucina, an Italian restaurant on Sunset Boulevard. Desiring a change for himself and a better environment for his family, Conti sold the restaurant and moved to Menifee. A year ago, having made a healthy profit on his eating house sale, he purchased what is mostly known equally the Ralphs shopping centre at the corner of Newport Road and Antelope Route.

That eye is officially named Menifee Town Center. The only signage to that outcome is a street sign at the driveway inbound the eye at the Living Spaces shop. According to City of Menifee economic evolution director Gina Gonzalez, the previous owner never bought the rights to that name, yet. That explains why the center nether structure due south of Newport Road and west of Haun Route is the "real" Menifee Town Center.

Focusing on improving the centre he purchased, Conti is renaming it Mercato del Sole – which ways "market place of the dominicus". Renovations from the first phase, which didn't require approval from the urban center, include replacing the tile on columns at the Ralphs market and throughout most of the center. Conti did consult with City planning director Cheryl Kitzerow before last decisions were made well-nigh the tile blueprint, pigment for the buildings and other cosmetic factors.

"The upgrades to Mercato del Sole will provide enhancements for residents, visitors, and tenants," Kitzerow said.

Design drawings show a proposed new look for the shops south of the Ross store.

Conti does not programme structural changes to the current buildings, just futurity phases call for awnings extending from an area s of the Ross store into the parking lot, creating a patio area in forepart of where several small restaurants are located. He hopes to attract a larger restaurant as well.

"The restaurant surface area, I want to brand similar a food court," Conti said." Now you can get some food, just bated from their few tables, in that location'south nowhere to sit down with your kids while the wife buys groceries. There'due south as well an area between Ralphs and Ross that is non used well. There's a Dollar Shop and a little plaza area. We need to have an surface area when people can get together."

To accomplish this, Conti plans a reconfiguration of the parking lot, moving traffic abroad from the front end of the buildings. He also plans a wide pedestrian walkway from the outer parking area to the entrance of Ralphs, making it safer for people to walk to the shop.

All this must eventually be approved by the Urban center, only Conti already has extensive plans. He owns nearly of the center, just not the Living Spaces building or the fast nutrient restaurants, banking company and Automobile Zone store fronting Antelope Route.

"At that place's not a dedicated sidewalk for people going from the parking lot to the stores," Conti said. "We're also going to practise a lot of landscaping. The name of the center is Italian, and we want to give it the whole feeling of the sunday. I want to put olive copse almost everywhere. We'll all the same accept awnings to provide shade and protection from the rain, and we'll accept option-up and drop-off areas.

Design drawings show a reconfigured parking lot, including a pedestrian walkway.

"I desire to enclose the food courtroom area and then in that location's no traffic where you're eating. I'm also trying to bring amend operators for restaurants. I had a eating place in Hollywood for 25 years. Information technology's saturated there. I tell people they need to come out where there'southward a demand for it. I similar a place where the waiter comes out, there are white tablecloths . . . that is not bachelor in this center.

"I want to have a place where people can come and spend some time eating and shopping. The Countryside Marketplace, they take outside seating, a fireplace, areas to have events. There's aught like that on this side of the freeway."

Gonzalez has had several meetings with Conti and said the proposed changes will accept a positive impact on the local economy.

"The investment made at Mercato del Sole is important for the customs, particularly since the original heart was one of the first commercial centers developed in Menifee, long before incorporation," Gonzalez said. "With new development occurring in the metropolis, many quality tenants are looking for new amenities when deciding where to invest and locate their business organisation.

"Mr. Conti understands the value and high demand in Menifee for cute, quality, and affordable space to encourage unique eateries and placemaking opportunities for our residents. This long-term project will take partnership, ingenuity, and vision to continue to run into information technology through in its entirety. Investments like this are what keeps Menifee fresh, clean, and attractive."

Conti already has fabricated a huge improvement at the heart by increasing security from the previous four-hr shift per day to two eight-hour shifts, with a baby-sit on site all day and until 11 p.m. This is a welcome addition for residents who accept complained nigh homeless individuals and criminal activity in the parking lot.

"The place was very rundown," Conti said well-nigh the heart when he bought it. "When I came here, the dorsum parking lot was where everybody dumped stuff. We had a lot of people coming hither to use drugs, have sex activity . . . At present I get a daily study from security on everything that happens. I was able to break the wheel.

"Having a makeover will help to change the image. They won't come here thinking that is OK. When I'chiliad done with a few changes I want to brand at first, I suspect we'll have a better perception with the residents."

A view looking northwest from in forepart of the LL Reptile shop shows more pedestrian infinite.

Conti admitted that keeping the heart safe is an ongoing challenge, and he thanks the Menifee Police Department for its presence.

"Having the constabulary here is a dream," he said. "They come out in no fourth dimension, and they swing by during the day and night. People used to come up to park RVs and trailer trucks in the back. Now security and constabulary become and cite them. They are there no more. People come speeding in the parking lot, practice their donuts. The law get here fast."

Menifee Law Captain Dave Gutierrez said Conti has been quick to make changes that assist the police do their job easier.

"A couple of months prior to united states of america going live on July 1, I personally met with Fabio," Gutierrez said. "Fabio had concerns with the homeless hanging around his property and leaving a mess. People were also utilizing the south parking lot for a hangout.

"We walked the property and conducted a CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Ecology Blueprint) evaluation. We identified some things that would help make the location be less attractive to the homeless population. This included some overgrown shrubbery and a difficult barrier to prevent traffic from being able to access the large, unused parking lot. Fabio was very responsive and immediately took care of the items of concern."

Gutierrez said the Menifee PD crime annotator looked at statistics for that centre between Apr and June as compared to the time period from July 1 until Sept. 18 – the latter period being nether patrol of the new police department.

The study indicated that in that location were 101 calls for service from July i through Sept. 18, which is nine more than the previous period. However, in that location were also 19 fewer criminal calls (a full of 31) after July 1.

In addition, the study showed that since July one, Menifee PD has conducted 56 proactive events (actress patrols, pedestrian checks, traffic stops and vehicle checks) in that centre – 43 more than were conducted past the Riverside Canton Sheriff'south Department from April through June.

"The data seems to validate Fabio's exclamation that he has seen an increased presence by Menifee PD and less law-breaking at the shopping center since July 1," Gutierrez said.

Conti said that past the time the improvements are finished, Mercato del Sole will be a shopping middle of which residents tin be proud.

"This is something where I tin improve the value of the holding and do something for the metropolis," Conti said. "I'm not here to just collect the rent and become away with the least I can. I desire the city to talk well-nigh this identify."

Customers at the Ralphs marketplace this calendar week will see replacement of the column tiles taking place.

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Source: http://www.menifee247.com/2020/09/ralphs-center-gets-makeover-new-name-mercato-del-sole.html

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