What’s happening with Sunrise Mall?

By Sara Beth Williams–
Hardship has plagued an already barely breathing Sunrise Mall throughout the last year, with roughly 25 percent of possible storefronts currently operating at Sunrise Mall.

A year ago, both Taco Bell and Pretzelmaker closed up shop, followed soon after by Najia Cuisine and clothing retailer Tilly. The Sentinel previously reported that Zumiez closed in December of 2023. The popular clothing chain location was previously closed for several weeks following a rainstorm in late October 2023. In May 2024, another small watch and jewelry repair shop left the mall and relocated to a storefront at the Marketplace at Birdcage across the street.

In July, store employees and shoppers were reportedly harassed by juveniles riding bikes through the open thoroughfare of the Sunrise Mall. Several signs have now been situated in the corridor, prohibiting the use of bike riding, skateboarding, scooters, and other forms of mobile transportation.

Volunteers with the Underground Clothing Connection reported that sometime in July, a black, expandable security gate was pulled across the corridor to block off the south side of the mall where no stores reside except the Underground Clothing Connection. Sunrise MarketPlace Executive Director Kathilynn Carpenter confirmed the gate is in place to keep people from going into the vacant portion of the mall and that the gate is pulled aside on the days when the Underground Clothing Connection is open for those wishing to donate clothes for unhoused families in the San Juan Unified School District.

In November 2024, a burglar stole $91,000 in jewelry from JCPenney. The suspect was found and arrested shortly after fleeing the scene on foot.

Also in November, an espresso bar, which had been the last eatery to operate in the mall’s food court, closed unexpectedly following the owner’s sudden departure due to a medical emergency. The Sentinel was not able to confirm whether the kiosk would permanently close or reopen at a later date.

Pro Image Sports and Lin Den Massage have storefronts that have appeared vacant on multiple occasions during Sentinel staff visits to the Sunrise Mall in late 2024. Sunrise Mall management did not respond to a request for comment regarding the apparent closure of Pro Image Sports and Lin Den Massage. The stores are still listed on the mall’s online store directory.

Most recently, on Dec. 15, an unidentified man rammed a stolen pickup truck through the exterior entrance to JCPenney and then proceeded to steal jewelry and leave in the same vehicle, causing significant damage to the bottom floor of the store. On the same morning, one of the entrances to the Macy’s Men’s storefront was closed due to a leak that caused flooding to occur on the first floor. Both JCPenney and Macy’s reopened shortly afterward.

Adding to the years-long struggle to retain businesses and combat crime and public safety issues, a recent proposed amendment to the Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan was announced in October 2024. The amendment, which has been re-scheduled to be heard by the City Council this January, was submitted by Ethan Conrad Properties and includes a possible Home Depot, In-N-Out, as well as multiple other unnamed quick-service restaurants with drive-thrus, which have been a source of contention among City Council members in the past.

Capping off another year of uncertainty and instability for the mall is Macy’s Inc.’s recent announcement of 150 store closures nationwide and unconfirmed rumors online of Macy’s at Sunrise Mall closing this year. Macy’s remains one of only two anchor stores left at Sunrise Mall.

Plans to redevelop the nearly 100-acre Sunrise Mall property have been in the works since 2021, with the city’s adoption of a 147-page Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan to guide redevelopment at the mall. Initial indications estimated that the redevelopment plan could take up to 20 years to implement. In June, a parcel on the corner of Sunrise Boulevard and Greenback Lane, which was subdivided to provide a tentative hotel footprint ready for future developers, was approved by the City Council. The potential hotel footprint represents the first step in moving toward the Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan, city council members said at the time.

The focal point of the Specific Plan is a walkable “21st Century Main Street,” with five big ideas guiding it: creating a community and regional destination with a range of shopping and entertainment options, creating connected greenspaces throughout, including parks, plazas, and streets with shade trees and sustainable landscaping, creating safe, low-speed streets for people that cater to pedestrians, bicyclists, and vehicles, creating livable neighborhoods for various housing options within walking distance to transit, retail, entertainment, and employment opportunities, and creating an environment that promotes economic activity and job creation.

Overall, the plan anticipates the potential of tripling the development previously allowed at the site, with a maximum of 480 hotel rooms, 2,220 residential units, 320,000 square feet of retail, 960,000 square feet of office space, and 450,000 square feet of community and institutional uses.