Will Moorpark's planned High Street Depot kickstart a sleepy downtown?

A 2-acre lot on Moorpark's High Street stands vacant, but city officials and entrepreneurs say it’s going to be a game changer for downtown.

In fact, the future High Street Depot — a retail, restaurant and apartment complex matching High Street's mid-20th century Main Street, USA look — has inspired "a momentum of investments," Mayor Chris Enegren said.

It's what drew some businesses to downtown Moorpark and gave other business owners already there hope their investments will result in success.

“We saw the development on High Street and wanted to be a part of it,” said Phil Adler, who recently opened Freda’s Farm to Fork Kitchen.

Next door to Freda’s is a vacant lot with a sign promoting Jeff Brodsly and Danny Margolis’ High Sweet Creamery. Margolis said they hope to begin construction of the ice cream and pastry shop at the former gas station site early this year and open it in the summer.

Brodsly said High Sweet Creamery will combine the concepts of two former, popular Moorpark businesses — The Creamery and Sweet Cins.

"With a flair of added treats like pastries, tea, coffee and candy," he said.

Projects also include The District on High, Brodsly's proposed upscale, outdoor food court for family gatherings and an outdoor bar. Brodsly said customers will walk up to the windows of food vendors, with cuisine to be determined, in a location that also features existing restaurants Luna Llena and Bobas Cuz.

Brodsly said the city of Moorpark has approved the conditional-use permit and that work is being done on acquiring building permits. He said plans are to start construction in mid-2024, with completion expected around the same time as the High Street Depot in 2025.

By far, High Street's biggest development is the High Street Depot and its seven buildings, which the Moorpark City Council approved in 2020.

The Daly Group purchased the site from the city for $40,000, which reflected costs the developer faced to prepare the site this year, said Doug Spondello, the Moorpark deputy community development director. That included an estimated $800,000 in soil remediation and other costs, according to the city.

Developer Vince Daly said work thus far covers water, sewer and drainage infrastructure. He said foundations will be poured in January, with the project expected to be completed in 2025.

Adler predicted the High Street Depot's stores and restaurants will draw more foot traffic to Freda’s and other businesses on High Street.

Bringing back the heart of High Street

Economists and longtime observers say that after decades of attempts, changes in shopping habits and projects in the works, downtown Moorpark finally has serious interest.

“I applaud it,” said Dan Hamilton, director of economics at the California Lutheran University Center for Economic Research and Forecasting. “I think revitalization is good. Any kind of shopping activity that is going to generate eating and dining is going to benefit the city.

“I will say there will be an economic boost — how big, I don’t know,” Hamilton said.

Mark Di Cecco, the architect behind the High Street Depot, said downtown Moorpark is going through a resurgence after a decline that started in the 1980s. Past efforts to build as many stores as possible on Los Angeles Avenue — away from downtown — fell flat.

“It took the heart away from the city. We're trying to recreate the heart,” said Di Cecco, a Moorpark planning commissioner who has recused himself from decisions about the High Street Depot.

“Over time, we finally got enough serious interest in trying to revitalize High Street,” Di Cecco said. “The depot project is just one piece of the puzzle.”

But it's a big piece.

The seven-building site will feature 13,628 square feet of retail and restaurants on the first floors and 79 apartments on the second floors. Under a Moorpark ordinance, 15% of the apartments must be set aside as moderate, more affordable rentals.

Daly said he decided to build the High Street Depot in Moorpark because High Street is one of the last true downtowns that can be controlled.

"A lot of downtowns are spread out, but High Street is compact," he said. "I felt that because of that, we could make a substantial difference to High Street.”

Daly added the High Street Depot benefits from being located in front of the Metrolink train station, which could bring out-of-town visitors. He named it “High Street Depot” because of the station.

Decades in the making

The High Street Specific Plan was adopted in 1998 and amended several times to accommodate projects, said Spondello, the deputy community development director.

“The consensus has been that the specific plan was helpful in setting a little bit of a vision for High Street, but it hasn’t really driven development in a way that the community expected."

He said the plan was amended in 2022 to accommodate the High Street Depot, but noted the city is going further thanks to a $250,000 grant it recently received from the Southern California Association of Governments for a consultant and a comprehensive update of the 1998 plan. The update is intended to align with Moorpark's recently approved General Plan 2050 and encourage housing in existing neighborhoods and mixed-used development.

John Bandek, Moorpark's economic development manager, said the rejuvenation of High Street is more than a facelift.

“It’s a strategic move to amp up our local economy," he said. "More foot traffic means more opportunities for Moorpark businesses to thrive.”

The idea of developing the High Street Depot site has been discussed for more than 30 years, said Ken Rayzor, general manager of the High Street Arts Center.

“But now, it’s a real thing. It’s going to definitely bring in a new chapter to High Street," Rayzor said. "We’re excited about that.”

Donna Borzone, CEO of the Moorpark Chamber of Commerce, said she hopes the High Street Depot will revitalize downtown.

“I would like to see it be a destination where people could go on the train and come here and do wine tasting and enjoy beer and entertainment — kind of like Santa Barbara is now,” she said

Borzone said many people were originally opposed to the High Street Depot because they thought a historic train station was on the site. Actually, the station was demolished in 1964 and replaced in the 1970s with a granary with a train station facade, which Borzone said became infested with rats.

Daly said the community asked many questions on topics such as residential density when he started to seek the city’s approval.

“People wanted us to get this right," he said. "We haven’t gotten any complaints since we started construction.”

Di Cecco said downtowns have seen a resurgence in cities such as Camarillo and Santa Paula partly because of the decline in big box stores, which he attributed to online purchases. He added the High Street Depot will include a park-like plaza for events such as concerts and outdoor movie nights.

“It’s going to be a great place to hang out with the kids,” Di Cecco said.

A different type of resident

Enegren said the High Street Depot will attract residents who want to live downtown. The mayor noted they’ll be able to walk from their homes to restaurants downstairs or across the street.

Sevag Harmandarian, co-owner of Vegiterranean Kitchen on High Street, is counting on it.

He said that when the High Street Depot opens, he will likely extend his vegan restaurant’s closing time to 11 p.m. from 8 p.m. He said he has seen a demand for restaurants to stay open later and that the additional foot traffic will make that feasible.

The High Street Depot won’t have any chain stores. The Moorpark City Council banned them on High Street in favor of locally owned businesses.

Daly said he hopes to have businesses such as a wine shop, a sushi restaurant or a jazz club. He said he doesn’t want to duplicate High Street eateries such as the Cactus Patch. The developer added that he would love to have boutiques and stores selling specialties such as olive oil.

Margolis, who opened the M on High Street restaurant in 2021, said he expects Moorpark to become more of a destination for out-of-town visitors once the High Street Depot opens. For now, he noted the High Street Arts Center is bringing customers who want to grab dinner at local restaurants before or after a play.

Attendance has grown at the plays, and last month’s Christmas shows were sold out, said Rayzor, the arts center's general manager, as he stood outside a piece of Moorpark history on a sunny afternoon as occasional motorists drove by.

The arts center, which is nearly a hundred years old, stands ready for the High Street Depot rising across the street.

"I'm looking forward to getting to know the new audience that comes here and certainly will make them feel welcome," Rayzor said.

Dave Mason covers East County for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at dave.mason@vcstar.com or 805-437-0232.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Will Moorpark's High Street Depot spur a sleepy downtown?