Run-down Sunrise Mall in Citrus Heights to get revitalized into multi-use destination

CITRUS HEIGHTS — There are big dreams to bring big development and business to Citrus Heights.

The Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan will transform the run-down Sunrise Mall into the community's new central hub with a main street, hotels, housing and more. The city is hopeful for the economic boom it will bring becoming the new town square, Sunrise Commons.

Many of the shoppers I spoke with enjoy the simplicity of the mall, even though they have been watching it go downhill for years.

"It's kind of sad, pathetic and depressing," said Suki Snyder, who lives in Citrus Heights.

Inside the mall is vacant store after vacant store with a practically vacant parking lot.

"It's just dormant and it's like, what?" said Donald Kendrick, who lives nearby. "What happened to this mall?"

The Sunrise Mall is no longer the neighborhood shopping destination it once was.

"Back then, you couldn't have even found a parking space," said Snyder, who has been living in the area since the 1970s.

Now there are almost too many spots to choose from in the parking lot with about half the mall inside closed off because of no businesses. Two department stores, JC Penny's and Macy's, are helping the nearly 100-acre space survive.

"Look at those silly trees," Snyder said. "It's another reminder of how desolate this place is."

The City of Citrus Heights's Sunrise Tomorrow Specific plan will transform this mall into a modern-day multi-use destination.

Early renderings of the plan show high-rise buildings, outdoor common-use areas, hotels and housing.

The City of Citrus Heights said there is no current application or project for a high-rise in Citrus Heights. However, the plan allows for these types of buildings if the mall is redeveloped.

"I'm excited to have more options, not excited for the crowds it may bring," said Markita Terry, who lives in Citrus Heights.

The 20-year plan is laid out in four phases. Phase One of the plan will start with redeveloping the old Sears building into a dining entertainment district, retail, hotel and open space area.

A school is also proposed to take over the nearby vacant Sears appliance repair building.

"To see this turn into a multi-use place, it concerns me a little because where are all these cars going to park?" said Donald Kendrick, who has been going to the Sunrise Mall for 35-plus years. "How are all these people going to impact getting into our community?"

That is why creating paths and streets to make it easy to walk and bike around are all part of the plan that the city approved in 2021.
The ambitious dreams for the desolate mall will not happen without the cooperation of the Sunrise Mall's multiple property owners.

"I don't believe anything, nothing until something concrete comes up," Snyder said.

I reached out to the property owners to learn what their goals are for this major redevelopment but have not heard back.

The City of Citrus Heights said there is no plan to demolish the Sunrise Mall, and it will use the 75 acres of surplus parking for the project.

Last month, the city council approved a tentative parcel map for the future development of a hotel as part of the Specific Plan. The Parcel Map will allow the property owner to sell any of the three parcels to another interested party to construct future projects on the resulting parcels.

The city encourages the community to continue shopping at the Sunrise Mall and gave CBS13 this statement about the project:

"The Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan establishes the regulatory and design framework for the future redevelopment of the Sunrise Mall property. The City leveraged planning tools and proactive economic development strategy to create a vision to eventually transform the 100-acre retail center into a vibrant and diverse community hub and economic engine."