The proposed “Shops at the Triangle” project has long been viewed as key to Murrieta’s growth.
MURRIETA, CA — Plans continue to develop a massive outdoor retail center between the 15 and 215 freeways in Murrieta.
A development agreement for “Shops at the Triangle” is expected to get final approval during Tuesday night’s Murrieta City Council meeting.
The anticipated green light for the development agreement is just a formality. Last month, the Murrieta Planning Commission reviewed the document and recommended that City Council approve it, which councilmembers did during a first review on Sept. 2.
The massive proposed retail project is slated to be constructed on 64.3 acres between the freeways, on the south side of Murrieta Hot Springs Road. The project targets land long eyed as the city’s “golden triangle” — an ideally located large vacant spot with the potential to generate millions of dollars in future tax revenues.
The property is owned by one of the oldest pioneering families in the region — the Domenigoni family. They are behind the proposal that could include over a million square feet of retail, restaurant, hotel, entertainment, and commercial space, along with other possible uses like medical, office and warehousing.
Environmental review for the project has already occurred, and the first phase of development, which entails approximately 279,500 square feet of new retail and commercial buildings, could happen as early as 2027.
The project has long been viewed as key to the city’s growth. Talk of the Triangle’s development stretches back to 1990, when the county approved a specific plan for the property. A development agreement was eventually approved, but it expired in 2023. The current agreement, set for final approval Tuesday night, has a 10-year term, so it will not expire for another decade.
The city is working with the developers — Tres Estrellas, LLC and Domenigoni Barton Properties, LLC — to help move the project forward via the updated development agreement. For example, the city has negotiated to help offset costs for the developers, including for digital billboards and property acquisition for required traffic improvements related to the project.
According to city documents, the project would bring hundreds of permanent jobs to the region and would generate significant tax revenues for the city.