Property History
The Village at Orange, previously the Orange Mall, has a robust development history, spanning decades. The timeline below outlines key dates and activities on the site. The history of this site can help to inform decision making for future development opportunities.
1967
A standalone Sears department store opens at North Tustin Street and East Meats Avenue in Orange, on what was then an empty commercial lot.
1970
Plans are announced to build an enclosed regional shopping mall attached to Sears on a 63 acre site, with an estimated cost of about 30 million dollars and the name “Orange Mall.”
1971
Developed by Newman Properties, the Orange Mall opens to the public as one of Orange’s first modern shopping centers, with roughly 900,000 square feet of space, about 80 stores, and parking for around 4,700 cars.
The mall is anchored by key stores including Sears, Woolworth’s and the Broadway.
1977
Woolworth’s closes; its space is later occupied by JCPenney.
Mid-1980s-1990s
The center competes with newer malls and begins to struggle with vacancies and changing retail patterns.- 1977 Brea Mall opens, serving as a new primary regional mall
- 1986 Crystal Court opens adjacent South Coast Plaza, and is later fully incorporated as an extension of South Coast Plaza
- 1987 Main Place Mall opens
- 1998 The Block at Orange opens
1996
The Broadway department store closes following that chain’s acquisition by Macy’s; the building is subsequently demolished and replaced with Walmart that becomes a new key anchor.
1996
Trader Joe’s opens its 46th location on site.
Early 2000s
The property undergoes a major renovation and rebranding. In 2003, a reported 57 million dollar renovation updates the architecture, furnishings, and interiors, adds a food court, and is intended to attract a younger demographic; during this era the mall operates as The Mall of Orange and then The Village at Orange.
2004
The mall is sold to Passco Real Estate Enterprises.
2009
A Sprouts Farmers Market opens in July. Paired with the Trader Joes, the opening of Sprouts represents a shift toward necessity retail and grocery anchored tenants.
2013–2015
Vestar acquires the center in 2013 and initiates another round of renovation work around 2015, further repositioning the property as The Village at Orange with a focus on updated retail and services.
Late 2010s
Broader trends in brick and mortar retail, competition, and the rise of e-commerce contribute to declining tenancy and increased vacancies at The Village at Orange.
2020
COVID-19 and jurisdictional stay-at-home policies further affect brick-and-mortar retail, leading to additional vacancies.
January 31, 2024
The Village at Orange/Orange Mall officially closes as a traditional enclosed mall, with interior mall space largely vacated while some exterior anchors, including Walmart, remain in operation.
2017
TRC Retail purchases the mall property from Vestar.
2020
A portion of the mall site (the previous JCPenney) is purchased by Integral Communities.
2024
Saunders Properties purchases the old Sears portion of the site but TransformCo (Sears) maintains the long-term lease.
2020
The North Tustin Street Specific Plan is launched with a goal to revitalize the Tustin Corridor, including planning for new opportunities on the Village at Orange Mall site.
2022
City Council cancels the City’s efforts related to its North Tustin Street Specific Plan and forms an Ad Hoc Committee to re-envision the N. Tustin St. Corridor.
2025
A plan is advanced to demolish approximately 158,000 square feet of interior mall space, reconstruct and reskin exposed walls, and prepare portions of the site for new uses, marking the start of large-scale physical transformation of the former mall.
2025
Ulta moves from the former interior mall to the old Party City on site.
2025
Trader Joe's expands.
2025-2026: New leases are signed, including:
- Rounds Korean BBQ
- Sourdough & Co.
- Kura, Revolving Sushi Bar
- Mr. Moto Pizza
Early 2025
Integral Properties submits a preliminary “Builder’s Remedy” application to build townhomes with affordable accessory dwelling units (ADUs) on the former JCPenney site.
Per state law, “Builder’s Remedy” allows for housing on a site, regardless of the underlying zone, so long as the project reserves 20% of the units for lower-income households.Mid 2025
The builder’s remedy project is set aside, and the City enters a contract with Integral, TRC Retail and Saunders Properties to develop a city-led specific plan on the mall site.
A city-led effort means the community has the opportunity to provide guidance, feedback and ideas about what should be included in the Specific Plan.2026
The Meats to Heim Specific Plan kicks-off.
