The Shops at Tanforan

The Shops at Tanforan
Name	The Shops at Tanforan
Location	San Bruno, California, United States
Opening date	1971 (original), 2005 (reconstruction)
Developer	Taubman Centers (original), CenterCal (redevelopment)
Manager	Brookfield Properties (past), CenterCal (recent)
Number of stores	~100
Number of anchors	Formerly 4
Floor area	~900000sqft
Floors	1–2

The Shops at Tanforan is a regional shopping mall and mixed‑use complex located in San Bruno, California, near San Francisco International Airport. Opened originally in the early 1970s and rebuilt in the 2000s after a major fire, the center has been a focal point for retail, entertainment, and community activity on the San Francisco Peninsula. The site has historical associations with a former race track and wartime facilities, and it has attracted national and regional retailers, dining chains, and entertainment operators.

History

The site of the center occupies the former Tanforan Racetrack, which hosted events and horse racing in the early 20th century and is connected historically to figures such as Mickey Welch and institutions like the Pacific Coast Association of Racetracks. During World War II the racetrack grandstand and grounds were repurposed as the Tanforan Assembly Center, an assembly site in the context of Presidential Executive Order 9066 and linked to broader topics such as Internment of Japanese Americans and the War Relocation Authority. Postwar land uses included redevelopment debates involving local entities such as the San Bruno City Council and developers like Taubman Centers and Forest City Enterprises. The mall opened in 1971, attracting anchors from chains like Macy's, JCPenney, Sears, and later Target; its lifecycle echoed retail trends involving companies such as Federated Department Stores and The Bon Marché. A major fire in 2004 devastated large portions of the original structure, prompting involvement by insurers, contractors, and municipal agencies, and culminating in a reconstruction and reopening in 2005–2006 with modernized facilities and new ownership arrangements involving firms like CenterCal Properties and later managers including Brookfield Properties.

Architecture and Layout

The reconstructed complex adopts a low‑rise, horizontal mall plan with interior corridors, anchor pads, and exterior-facing façades typical of late 20th and early 21st century American retail planning influenced by projects like Southland Mall and design precedents from firms associated with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill‑era commercial architecture. Features include a central common area, skylights, clerestory elements, and tenant bays accommodating national chains such as Best Buy, Old Navy, and Figaro's Pizza-type operators. Parking fields and structured lots surround the center, with pedestrian access points aligning with adjacent arterial streets like El Camino Real (California) and transit nodes near San Bruno BART station. The site design had to reconcile historical remnants of the racetrack and assembly center with contemporary zoning overseen by agencies such as the San Mateo County Planning Department.

Tenants and Retail Changes

Anchors and inline tenants have shifted over decades in patterns reflecting retail consolidation among corporations such as Sears Holdings, Target Corporation, Macy's, Inc., and Costco Wholesale Corporation. Smaller specialty retailers included fashion brands tied to conglomerates like Gap Inc., L Brands, and Zumiez; electronics and lifestyle tenants mirrored offerings from Apple Inc.‑era specialty shops, GameStop, and Best Buy. The center hosted discount and fast‑fashion entries from retailers related to H&M, Forever 21, and similar chains. Tenant turnovers followed national bankruptcies and restructurings involving firms such as Toys "R" Us and Kmart Corporation, with local leasing responses by property managers and regional brokers in the manner of transactions seen in centers managed by CBRE Group and Jones Lang LaSalle.

Entertainment and Dining

Entertainment venues at the complex have included multiscreen cinemas operated by chains akin to AMC Theatres and Regal Cinemas, family entertainment centers similar to Chuck E. Cheese and dining options spanning national restaurants associated with Yum! Brands (like Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut) and casual chains from corporations such as Darden Restaurants and Brinker International. Food court vendors hosted fast casual concepts influenced by operators like Chipotle Mexican Grill, Panera Bread, and regional bakeries; sit‑down dining and regimen pivoted toward experiential offerings paralleling trends at centers such as Westfield San Francisco Centre.

Transportation and Access

The mall's proximity to San Francisco International Airport and linkage to regional corridors like U.S. Route 101 in California and Interstate 280 positions it within Bay Area travel patterns. Public transit access includes connections to SamTrans bus routes and the nearby San Bruno station on the Caltrain corridor and Bay Area Rapid Transit network, facilitating patronage from municipalities like South San Francisco and Daly City. Parking infrastructure follows American shopping center norms with large surface lots, ADA ramps, and drop‑off zones; circulation planning referenced practices used in redevelopment projects overseen by agencies similar to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.

Economic Impact and Redevelopment

Economic impacts include employment generation, sales tax receipts to jurisdictions such as San Mateo County, and catalytic effects on neighboring commercial strips and hospitality businesses tied to corporate travel near Millbrae and Burlingame. Redevelopment phases responded to market forces driven by e‑commerce competitors including Amazon (company) and big‑box consolidation, prompting property owners to pursue experiential retail mixes and mixed‑use entitlements similar to projects by Brookfield Asset Management and Macerich. Public‑private negotiations involved entities such as the San Bruno Redevelopment Agency and financial stakeholders including regional banking institutions like Wells Fargo and investment partners comparable to Harrison Street Real Estate Capital.

Incidents and Controversies

Notable controversies involve the site's wartime history with the Tanforan Assembly Center and attendant community discussions regarding memorialization and historical interpretation alongside advocacy from groups such as the Japanese American Citizens League. The 2004 arson and subsequent legal disputes engaged insurers and contractors and paralleled litigation patterns seen in major commercial fires involving firms like AIG and legal counsel from firms akin to Latham & Watkins. Tenant disputes, store closures, and redevelopment approvals generated public hearings before bodies like the San Bruno City Council and planning commissions, echoing contentious processes observed at other regional developments such as Candlestick Park redevelopment.

Category:Shopping malls in California Category:San Bruno, California