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The Krikorian Entertainment Complex in Menifee is being torn down before it was ever competed.
The project, which was under construction but abandoned not long after the pandemic began five years ago, was declared a public nuisance in June by the city council.
Demolition of the dilapidated structure began Jan. 24 and is expected to be finished this spring, said Philip Southard, city spokesman.
The 13-acre parcel at the southwest corner of Newport Road and Town Center Drive contains three partially completed commercial structures and what was to have been a multiplex.
All three will be soon be leveled, and the site – which Menifee officials hope will one day be home to major commercial development, will be returned to open space, said Philip Southard, city spokesman.
Several retail destinations are located east and west of the site, the Menifee Justice Center immediately to the south. Much of the theater building, which was going to include a 6,000-square-foot movie screen, has been removed, according to Southard.
“The contractor has 40 working days to demolish the theater, and an additional 10 days for the retail buildings,” Southard said in an email interview.
Demolition, which is expected to cost about $265,000, came after months of legal battles and a series of inspections. The theater building has been “significantly removed,” according to Southard.
Removal of the decaying structures is a major disappointment for Menifee (pop. 116,834) which hoped the Krikorian Entertainment Complex would become a regional shopping and entertainment destination and a major revenue generator for the city.
“We share in the community’s frustration that this project has not moved forward and that the site does not represent the high standards we hold for the Menifee community,” said City Manager Armando Villa in the statement.
“As this is a private project on [private] property, it was necessary for us to follow the right legal process to be successful in having the structures removed and the site restored to its original condition to allow for future development opportunities that will benefit our residents.”
Krikorian Premiere Theatres first proposed building the entertainment complex in Menifee seven years ago. The 14-screen complex was to be part of a larger commercial development on Newport Road next to Interstate 215.
The property is owned by Showrprop Menifee LLC, an entity that was formed by Krikorian Premiere Theaters. Construction began but was suspended in early 2020 after the pandemic hit and the economy slowed.
Work on the project never resumed, even after the economy recovered and the threat of COVID-19 waned.
“The city worked very closely with the developer to provide accommodations to move the project forward,” Southard wrote. “However, the developer ultimately failed to make forward progress, and the city was compelled to act to protect the health and safety of the community.”
Several years of inaction followed, during which ShowProp Menifee failed to meet building and safety deadlines that would have allowed construction to resume, according to a statement on the city’s website.
In October 2023, Menifee issued a notice requiring ShowProp Menifee to return the property to its original state, which meant removing the theater structure. A similar notice was issued regarding the retail buildings, located on land next to Newport Road and Town Center Drive.
Showprop Menifee appealed both notices, but a hearing officer – a government employee who presides over hearings and issues rulings but operates outside of the courts – upheld the city’s actions.
Last April, with no end to the stalemate in sight and the structures deteriorating, Menifee officials ordered an inspection of the property. A court-issued inspection permit was required because the city doesn’t own the land.
The inspection team included structural engineers and fire department inspectors. It was required to asses the property’s overall safety as well as its possible fire, environmental, and health hazards, according to the statement.
Based on the results of the inspection, staff recommended that the buildings be declared a public nuisance and removed. The city council then ordered Showprop Menifee to level the buildings, remove all debris, construction materials and equipment from the site and secure the property from any unauthorized parties.
The court granted a stay on those orders to give the property owner a chance to sell the land, but no buyer was found. The city council approved a demolition contract in November.
Showprop Menifee has agreed to allow the demolition to move forward. In the meantime, Menifee plans to recover the cost of removing the buildings and returning the Krikorian project site to its original state. There are several ways it can do that: placing a lien, assessment, or both on the property, or by trying to recover the site directly from Showprop Menifee.
Finally, it still wants revenue-generating commercial development on that site.
“The site is private property, and we are hopeful that any future proposals will include retail, restaurant dining, and entertainment offerings, which remain a high priority for our residents,” Southard wrote. “If a theatre doesn’t occur at this location, we are confident that our market demand and economic development efforts will attract a theatre within our city.”
