The new retail center will be adjacent to Marketplace Village, a 112-unit gated townhome community, also being developed by the Empire Cos. According to Wana Sims, director of leasing for Empire Commercial Real Estate, the company is "focusing on attracting specialty retailers and unique services that are not found in other neighborhood centers."

In addition to the tenants already lined up for the project, "We are hoping to bring more dining and shopping options to the area," Sims says. The Moreno Marketplace will be located on the corner of Cactus Avenue and Moreno Beach Drive, in an area where "There is a strong need for diverse housing products and commercial real estate in Moreno Valley," says Rick Miranda, senior vice president of Empire Commercial Real Estate.

Moreno Marketplace and Marketplace Village are both scheduled to open in early 2008. They will join a host of other developments by Ontario-based Empire Cos. The four Empire Cos. business units include Empire Land, Empire Residential Sales/Prestige Homes, Empire Commercial Real Estate and Guardian Air Services, which manages the Guardian Jet Center at the Ontario International Airport and operates a charter service.