Moreno Valley to develop downtown center

Moreno Valley has approved the sale of 56.4 acres that will be the site of a mixed-use, master-planned town center.

Lewis Acquisition Corp., a division of the Lewis Group of Companies in Upland, bought the property at Alessandro Boulevard and Nason Street for $5.6 million, according to a statement on the city’s website.

City officials hope Moreno Valley Town Center will attract locals and visitors from outside the city. It will feature entertainment, hospitality, restaurants, shops and offices, as well as 300-700 luxury residential units.

There will also be a civic section, which will include a library and technology center, a police substation, public gathering places to host art shows and outdoor music and entertainment, and an area for a major public amenity. 

“We want a destination town center to serve as both a beautiful new downtown core for residents and an alluring attraction for visitors,” said Mayor Yxstian Gutierrez in the statement. “It will be a beautiful and convenient place to live and work.”

Lewis Acquisition is one of the largest developers of master-planned communities in the Inland Empire. It has agreed to spend $2 million of its own money on Moreno Valley Town Center, according to the statement.