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# Train of thought
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/train-of-thought/
- Published: 2006-06-13T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T18:18:25.000Z
- Author: Carolyn Sackariason
- Tags: Business, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*City eyes Sears property for possible transit station site*

COLORADO AVE. — At a price tag of more than $35 million, Santa Monica citizens may soon become the proud owners of the Sears properties.

After negotiating for nearly three years, it appears city officials are ready to make a deal with Sears Holdings Co. to buy the 108,896-square-foot parcel, which includes a 26,000-square-foot building that currently houses the company’s tire and battery stores.

While it’s been discussed in the past that the property could be used as a future light rail transit station, it also could be used for public parking, affordable housing and other commercial uses,according to city officials.

“It’s a rare piece of property,” said Santa Monica City Councilwoman Pam O’Connor, who also sits on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board. “It has so many linkages to the community, and as we are looking at the transportation plan and mobility issues, we will keep an eye on those uses.”

The City Council tonight is being asked to approve a letter of intent to acquire the property and appropriate $35,450,000 from the Big Blue Bus Railway Reserves account — money that is in City Hall’s general fund and is provided by the MTA specifically for transportation uses.

City Hall’s inclusive offer includes the property acquisition, relocation, loss of good will and severance damage. That means, because Sears operates a business on the site, the deal would waive any claims Sears could seek for additional compensation, said Miriam Mack, City Hall’s economic development manager.

The City Council also will adopt what’s known as a “negative declaration,” which basically says that an Environmental Impact Review is not needed because the use will remain the same as it is now for at least three years. When the property is redeveloped for public uses, a more extensive review will be required, Mack said.

Under the agreement, Sears would lease the property back from City Hall for three years, with two automatic renewals of one year each, according to Jeff Mathieu, director of the city’s resource management. The lease would be subject to termination by either party with 90 days notice.

The Sears property is located on the block bounded by Olympic Boulevard, Colorado Avenue and Fourth and Fifth streets. The purchase would include six parcels — three of which front either Fourth Street or Colorado Avenue, and three parcels that are parallel to Fifth Street. The parcel at the corner of Fourth Street and Colorado Avenue is Sears’ retail and auto service facility that operates within a 7,760-square-foot building.

While there are no immediate plans for the site, any future reuse or redevelopment of the property would be subject to a separate review, city officials said.

Because there are no immediate plans, City Hall’s planning manager Amanda Schachter found that there are no significant negative environmental and neighborhood impacts from the acquisition and lease deals. A 26-page initial study was signed off by City Hall staff that lists a number of potential environmental impacts which cover everything from geology to recreation to noise impacts.

Of course, those impacts will change once plans are solidified for the site. Plans for a light rail project from downtown LA to Santa Monica are still preliminary. Though more than $505 million has been set aside for the first phase of the line, which goes to Culver City and is scheduled to be completed in 2012, no money has been earmarked for the second phase, which would bring the light rail line into Santa Monica.

The property could play a key role in the Civic Center Redevelopment Plan, which includes a $120 million overhaul of the civic area. Officials envision open space, affordable housing and other amenities. The civic center area also would serve as a connection between Third Street Promenade, a renovated Santa Monica Place, the pier and Main Street.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 13, 2006.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/061306.pdf?ref=smdp.com)