REDLANDS, Calif. — KTGY, an award-winning design firm focused on architecture, interior design, branded environments and urban design, announces that The Marketplace, a Whole Foods-anchored retail development designed for Regency Centers, received unanimous approval from the Redlands City Council on Feb. 17, 2026, clearing the way for the development to move forward to building permits and construction. Planned on an 8.18-acre vacant site at the northeast corner of Lugonia Avenue and Tennessee Street, the center sits in the heart of one of North Redlands’ fastest-growing residential areas.
The Marketplace is planned as a 71,400-square-foot neighborhood retail center anchored by Whole Foods and supported by four shop buildings and a dedicated drive-thru pad. Designed to LEED Silver standards, the development reflects Regency Centers’ approach to placemaking, emphasizing retail environments that are authentic to their neighborhoods and foster long-term community connection. KTGY’s design reinforces and complements this vision through context-responsive architecture and a site plan shaped around community needs. The development transforms a long-underutilized site into a neighborhood anchor positioned to serve existing residents and new housing planned to the north and east.
“Working with KTGY and Whole Foods Market on The Marketplace has been a genuinely rewarding process,” said Ray Kayacan, vice president of investments at Regency Centers. “Redlands is a community that’s growing fast, and we’ve been intentional about making sure this development grows with it. Getting unanimous approval from the City Council speaks to the alignment we built with the city early on, and I think it reflects how well the full team executed against a shared vision.”
KTGY’s design team approached the site with the task of balancing client goals, tenant requirements and the needs of a future community while maximizing retail density and flexibility. The site’s proximity to the 210 freeway and its high parking requirements demanded a precise and efficient layout. KTGY allocated the required parking and EV stalls, utilized compact stall allowances and directed truck circulation around the site perimeter. The result is a finely tuned example of suburban retail that serves nearby neighborhoods, attracts customers off the freeway and creates a strong leasing environment for tenants.
The Marketplace is anchored by a 36,000-square-foot Whole Foods and organized around four retail buildings that can be flexibly divided into as many as 18 storefronts. A fifth pad building is planned for a drive-thru use with its own dedicated circulation. Early concepts explored a more industrial character, but to secure the grocery anchor, KTGY adapted the development’s aesthetics to align with Whole Foods’ contemporary brand requirements.
The final design features simple, contemporary building forms emphasized by brick columns and tower elements, with a connective brick treatment carried across the center. Roofline and material variations add visual interest, while industrial accents, including gooseneck lamps and standing seam metal awnings, reference the area’s historic context. The architecture incorporates cementitious siding, stone treatments at key corners and parapet-screened rooftop equipment, creating an earthy, warm palette that responds to the surrounding neighborhood.
“Redlands has a real sense of place, and that shaped how we thought about this project from the start,” said Kayacan. “With one major housing development underway and another planned nearby, this site had an obvious gap to fill. Residents are going to have a Whole Foods, flexible retail that can support a range of needs, and a place to gather.”
KTGY also shifted back-of-house functions and truck circulation away from the main parking field, raised the sidewalk and added a landscaped berm to buffer pedestrians from drive-thru and freeway activity. A lighter entrance structure at the Whole Foods façade breaks up the flat roofline and creates space for outdoor seating, and the development is rounded out by landscaped buffers and a shaded corner plaza where neighbors can gather.
Buildings are arranged around the perimeter with parking in the center, creating a clear and efficient circulation pattern. The site includes five access points: two primary driveways from Lugonia Avenue and Tennessee Street, secondary entries from both streets and a connection to the Tennessee Village development to the north. The drive-thru pad includes its own pocket of parking to support tenant operations.
Two major housing developments — Lugonia Village, with 541 homes, and Tennessee Village, with 460 apartments and commercial space — were approved nearby in 2024, reinforcing the need for neighborhood-serving retail in this corridor.
“Our team approached this site with a focus on maximizing retail density and creating flexible space that can support a range of tenants while meeting the needs of the city, Regency Centers and both existing and future residents,” said Brandon Wernli, associate principal at KTGY. “Balancing a tight site, high parking requirements and a late-stage design shift to meet Whole Foods’ brand standards required precision. The result is a contemporary retail environment that reflects Regency Centers’ commitment to creating neighborhood-serving places that connect with surrounding communities.”
“This development fills a meaningful gap in the built environment,” Wernli said. “With new housing planned nearby, The Marketplace will serve as a neighborhood anchor and a convenient place to shop, dine and gather. It’s a strong example of how thoughtful design can elevate everyday community experiences.”
Construction is expected to begin in late 2026, with completion anticipated in 2028.
PROJECT FACTS
Project Name: The Marketplace
Location: Lugonia Avenue and Tennessee Street, Redlands, California
Developer: Regency Centers
Architect: KTGY
Services: Architecture, Urban Design
Typology: Retail | Landlord Shell
Site Area: 8.18 acres
Building Area: 71,400 sq. ft.
Parking: 357 spaces
Primary Components: Large-format Whole Foods anchor plus four shop buildings to encompass up to 18 tenant spaces and one drive-through pad.
Design Character: The design features an earth-tone palette with parapet-screened rooftop equipment, stone veneer, metal awnings and tower elements that reinforce the center’s contemporary character.
Sustainability: Designed to LEED Silver standards.
Community Context: Positioned to serve existing residents and new housing planned to the north and east, including one development underway and another planned.
About KTGY
Design lives at KTGY. Founded in 1991, KTGY is an award-winning firm of architects, designers and planners that realize new possibilities through inspired design. Everything we do, from architecture and interior design to branded environments and urban design is based on a people-centric storytelling and design process that creates memorable experiences nationwide. Guided by our mission to bring innovative design to all people and places, we partner with our clients to envision spaces that make a positive impact on people and their communities. Visit www.ktgy.com.
Media Contact
Company Name: KTGY
Contact Person: Brianne Wagner, Director, Demand Marketing
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Phone: 18884565849
Address:17911 Von Karman Avenue Suite 200
City: Irvine
State: CA
Country: United States
Website: http://ktgy.com