After tweaking two towers, the project proposed for the former Sears building in Santa Maria received Planning Commission approval, a development city leaders say will provide another big boost to efforts to revive the downtown core.

The action moves the project to the City Council with a hearing planned for May 6. 

“I think that corner will substantially be improved by you being there,” commission chair Robert Dickerson said.

“I’m really happy with the changes that have been made, and I feel comfortable with the project at this point,” Commissioner Tim Seifert sad. 

Shasta 2020 LP proposed remodeling the former Sears building, one of the key anchor slots that has sat empty at the north end of the mall since early 2020. A terrace also will be added as part of the remodel of the 114,000-square-foot, two-story building.

A significant portion, or about 50,000 square feet, of the building at 226 E. Main St. will become home to El Super market, which has 64 stores in California, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona and Texas.

Former bays for the Sears Auto Center will be remodeled to house between one and four businesses ranging from 780 square feet to 3,000 square feet.

The second level of the Sears site also will be renovated to house a pair of businesses, each 25,000 square feet. The old escalator inside the building will be removed.

Two weeks ago, planning commissioners praised the project overall but delayed approval, calling the design’s three exterior architectural towers stark and visually unappealing.

Suggestions ranged from reducing the height of the towers on the corners or replacing the cornices, or decorative features that crown a building.

The revised design reduced the height of the corner towers by 2 feet. 

Planning commissioners agreed to allow the developer to pay in-lieu fees, instead of installing a bus shelter after representatives expressed concern about delays caused by the requirement.

The applicant asked the city to drop the requirement for the bus stop.

“We believe that there is a proper nexus and that the bus shelter is appropriate. We believe that this use of a grocery store will draw lots of people, many of which will use transit,” Assistant City Attorney Heather Witham said.

The developer expressed concern that building a bus stop could delay getting the certificate of occupancy.

“We’re very concerned about being held up,” applicant representative Sarah Magana-Withers said.

The applicant also asked to bypass the Planning Commission and City Council for future improvements related to future tenants to shorten the process.

“It’s not so much the review, but it’s how long does it take to get to getting our permits and being able to get our tenants open,” Magana-Withers said. “Time kills deals.”

Uncertainties related to the current economic climate have tenants dropping plans, so the developers want to avoid additional levels of review to reduce the approval time, she added.

With the timing concerns, the applicant requested only administrative review for improvements related to future tenants — the only concession the applicant sought as allowed under the Downtown Specific Plan.

Dickerson said planning commissioners’ preference to review future tenants stems from concerns about the prevalence of discount stores. 

Earlier this month, Commissioner Esau Blanco also asked if the project had a name, leading to the applicant to return with a logo and its own name of Marketplace. 

Magana-Withers noted that because the project exists as part of the Santa Maria Town Center, a separate name may not be allowed under rules and restrictions.