Bill Shopoff, the man behind the new Bolsa Pacific project

By Jim Tortolano Orange County Tribune

Westminster Mall, the now-fading shopping center that was once the retail jewel of its namesake city, was originally a cutting edge development that was anchored by four – four! – department stores.

Now, its planned replacement, Bolsa Pacific at Westminster, is intended to once again place that location at the forefront of modern development and –incidentally – help restore its place as a major tax generator for the city.

William “Bill” Shopoff, 65, is the man behind the plan. As head of Shopoff Realty Investments, he’s built the sprawling Uptown Newport development combining residential, commercial and retail uses, as well as two parks.

Now he and his firm turn their attention to Westminster and its mall. “We recognized the opportunity to add much-needed housing to the City of Westminster, removing the underutilized department store space and replacing with housing, a muchneeded element for the community,” he said. “We believe the re-birth of this area will start with this incredible mixed-use development that will once again become a gathering point for the community for decades to come.”

The 26-acre project would include:

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