By Clyde Noel

As many as three of the 10 Foothill Plaza storefronts were vacant before Tom Harrington purchased the center. Now, regional and national corporations are showing interest in possible vacancies.

The 60,000-square-foot shopping center will go through a complete renovation once Trader Joe’s opens on Oct. 23. The name of the center will also change, to Foothill Crossings.

“This location is where the freeway crosses, and the old railroad tracks used to be located here,” said Harrington, who has been redeveloping property in the area for more than 30 years.

At present the entire parking lot is being repaved, and 20 more parking places will be added to the present 235. Extensive landscaping will improve the look of the parking areas, and additional lighting will be installed.

Immediately visible are the Canary Island date palms being planted around the center. They are 40 feet high and will be lighted. A concrete riser is being built around the trees for seating.

“The only way you can get these trees is by transplanting. Nurseries do not carry them,” Harrington said. “These came from Orland and were purchased and installed from Junglescape in San Diego.”

The Trader Joe’s building is in its finishing stages. The showcases are installed and the freezers connected. Restrooms are being installed, and the stucco and tile is being finished on the outside. The 11,400-square-foot building will be the anchor tenant for Foothill Crossings.

After Trader Joe’s is opened, the mansard roofs on the other stores will be removed to provide a similar appearance throughout the center. When surface paving is completed, the original entrances to the shopping center will be restored.

Steve Jacoubowsky, owner of Chain Reaction Bicycles, said the improvements would bring more foot traffic to the center and let more people know about the store. “I sure like the addition of the palm trees,” he said.

Several stores in the eastern portion of the center are under the jurisdiction of the city of Cupertino, while the major portion of the shopping center is in Los Altos.

“The owner of the Cupertino portion lives in Hong Kong and will not sell,” Harrington said. “I have offered him numerous opportunities, but he will not sell or update his portion of the center. It is not a part of Foothill Crossings.”

The Los Altos City Council approved the project last March, giving Harrington the green light to move forward on the project. The project required a special use permit for the operation of a food store and a sign variance that will become the vertical element advertising the center.

“This will bring life to a dead shopping area. It will make a great deal of difference to this area of Los Altos,” Harrington said. “I’m really impressed with all the questions people ask when the project will be completed.”

Gary Ross, developer for Trader Joe’s and the shopping center, said without the willing help of the city of Los Altos building department and their quick issuance of building permits, he couldn’t have met Trader Joe’s opening date.