Demolition of abandoned Westminster Mall begins as new development breaks ground

NBC Los Angeles reports that Shopoff Realty has begun demolishing the Westminster Mall, a shuttered shopping center that opened in 1974, to make way for an 80-acre mixed-use development featuring approximately 2,305 residential units (855 homes and 1,450 apartments), retail, dining, a hotel, and green space, with completion targeted for 2031 at a cost of $2.5 billion. The reporting is sourced from named officials including Westminster City Manager Christine Cordon and Bill Shopoff, CEO of Shopoff Investments, with expert context from UC Irvine economist Jan Brueckner explaining the decline of enclosed malls due to e-commerce and shifting consumer preferences; the article notes that 10% of units will be designated for low-income housing. Corroboration from Orange County Register and Orange County Business Journal confirms the demolition launch and project timeline under the name "Bolsa Pacific," adding credibility to the development plans and scale. Readers should monitor the project's progress toward its early 2027 delivery of the first phase and watch for any zoning or community considerations that may affect the multi-year buildout.