ALHAMBRA, CA—Shea Properties has broken ground on Alhambra Place, a retail and multifamily mixed-use complex in Alhambra, CA. In an earlier story, GlobeSt.com reported that the developer purchased the 10.5-acre site from an undisclosed seller and for an undisclosed price. The complex will feature 140,000 square feet of retail space and 260 luxury apartment units.

“Alhambra Place is located on Main and Garfield, the heart of activity for the City of Alhambra,” Andres Friedman, VP of acquisitions and development at Shea Properties, tells GlobeSt.com. “This urban infill location has strong demographics, being only eight miles outside of Downtown Los Angeles, and is surrounded by the affluent communities of South Pasadena, San Marino, San Gabriel and Monterey Park. The existing retail center had been largely vacant for the better part of a decade. Introducing the multifamily component allowed us to make sense of the deal while building in a ready population of future retail patrons.”

The first phase of development will focus on the retail portion of the project, and is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2015. Shea Properties is seeking specialty retailers and a mix of sit-down and take-out restaurants for the space. “Interest has been extremely strong, and we feel the center will fill quickly. We are actively in discussions at this time with future tenants,” says Friedman.

Construction on the multifamily portion of the project will break ground in the spring of 2015, and is scheduled for completion in fall of 2016. The property will combine woods, metals, ambient lighting and plants to create a modern and contemporary look to the area. Friedman declined to comment about the development costs and financing methods for the project.