With subcontractors finally at work in the long-dormant Cottonwood Plaza in Bishop, residents’ hopes for a revitalized center returned this week.
Rudolph Construction had earlier taken the job as general contractor for the reconstruction of the center. Rudolph has now hired local subcontractors to do the work to upgrade infrastructure. The City of Bishop had required upgrades to electrical, water, sewer, fire sprinklers and alarms.
Ray and Liz Eslamiyeh bought the center a few years ago. Ray became ill and passed away, and the project was put on hold. Now, owners include Liz Eslamiyeh, her parents Peter and Susan Denman and Ray’s sister. Peter and Susan Denman are in Bishop now to get acquainted with the area and prospective tenants. Susan Denman told Sierra Wave Media that reconstruction is underway with focus on upgrades of the infrastructure. She said that plans include keeping the same buildings with improvements like painting, resurfacing the parking lot, repairs and new signage. She said that they’re keeping an eye on costs but want to upgrade the appearance of the building.
Denman said improvements in electrical service will lead to significantly reduced power bills for tenants. She said they also hope to connect with the fiber optic line of the Digital 395 project for service at the center. Denman said she and her husband are interviewing prospective tenants and are “heading more toward June for occupancy.”
Asked about earlier reports of an El Pollo Loco restaurant in the center, Denman said that’s still a possibility. She said plans include a common grease trap to accommodate any restaurants that move into the center. How does she feel about this ambitious project? Denman said, “We’re glad. Ray’s death,” she said, “set things back, but now we’re putting all the pieces together. It’s a long process,” she said. Denman said that she and the family have found the Bishop community to be very supportive. She said they want feedback from locals about what kinds of businesses they would like to see in the center. Contacts are Peter and Susan Denman, 760-662-7878 or cell phone 310-999-2205.
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Looking at it from So Cal., two of us agreed that for the short-term, as money is not flowing up and down Hwy. 395, the new owners are in for hard times financially. I think most folks would agree that more variety in the cuisine dept. would be welcome, but in order to get/stay solvent, I would first look to utilities, public services, BLM, USFS, County services, etc. to provide an immediate solid financial base… like it used to be.
Trader Joe’s, In & out, TJ’s?
I feel that a lot of are missing Southern California
Patronize our exsisting local businesses
Dollar Tree or similar on smaller scale? Ditto for Grocery Outlet? Baskin Robbins (again, please)? a real steakhouse restaurant that doesn’t serve what I can buy @ S&F and drizzle a sauce on it and charge $27 bucks for!! The first two’ll never happen. Maybe we’ll get a B&R back, or some kind of ice cream. El Pollo Loco would be nice – there ARE other places to get ff burgers.
I spoke w/ someone from marketing/ developemnet at In N Out…it wont happen. The population and the shoulder seasons dont fit the business plan
Same with T.J’s. Has to be a college town.
B. Richter
No 2 buck chuck i guess. I kind like sierragrl’s panda express idea.
Mammoth is a nascent college town — Cerro Coso is the zygote but it’s not receiving proper nourishment from the host.
With only a little effort, there could be ten thousand students at Cerro Coso. The community college I went to in San Diego has thirty five thousand students. UCSD has over thrity thousand students. San Diego State must be over forty thousand students — I haven’t checked enrollment figures lately.
People are hungry and desperate for education. Would you have been eger to go to school ten minutes away from a ski hill like MMSA?
The idiots that run this town think that alcohol consumption events are the way to our economic future. That’s the half dead, zombie past. Education is the future for Mammoth Lakes.
Ken- I agree in full with you, but I think you’re floating a little off topic here.
How about a bakery that doesn’t charge nine bucks for 10 cents worth of dough. 🙂
Sounds great. When are you opening one, Trouble?
As soon as hell freezes over , or Cottonwood reopens. Thanks for asking NewDay.
In N Out
Trader Joe’s
Yeah!!!!!!
The improvements and the revitalization of the Cottonwood Plaza is a wonderful and an exciting sight to behold. It is one of the things that makes me realize that things are improving, that everything is going to be all right. I for one have seen better days than the last 4-5 years and I thought to say thanks to Liz Eslamiyeh and her family for having the courage, strength and resources to take on this enterprise. Your efforts are just starting and will in the future, do a lot more in our community, than just “fixin’ up the place”. Your efforts go way beyond of what I look to and hope for, that being, having things back to normal. Great success and thanks again.
my wife Julie misses her Hallmark store!
Panda Express please!
It’s great to hear there is a target date. I vote for a El Pollo Loco. My kids want Burger King back. Guess I’m out voting myself. This is really good news for Bishop.
Trouble, your kids are right. We need our whoppers back.
Drove by there on Monday, and I was surprised to see men and equipment working,FINALLY. When it was first reported a few years back that the complex was to be demolished, I was thinking WTH ? Glad they finally got everyone on the same page & are moving forward.
It’s about time.