Inside Santa Monica’s 3rd Street Promenade vacancies

The once vibrant 3rd Street Promenade and Santa Monica Place, located just a few blocks from the famous Santa Monica Pier, now stand as deserted malls with empty storefronts.

Reports suggest that the vacancy rate at the Promenade is around 25%, but some shoppers believe it could be closer to 50%.

“It’s nice and quiet and relaxing,” said Kevin Taylor, a visitor from England. “But you’ve got to add businesses, or there’s no point in coming.”

Watch our special video on the deserted mall in the player for more.

At the beginning of the century, the Promenade was a popular destination in Los Angeles, attracting tourists, local families, and even celebrities like Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, and Joe Montana.

The decline in the popularity of the Promenade and Santa Monica Place started around 2018, partly due to the homeless issue in the area.

The Covid-19 pandemic and instances of looting further exacerbated the situation, leading to a 15% increase in homelessness in Santa Monica in 2023 alone.

A city study on foot traffic showed a significant decline from 875,000 in July 2017 to half of that number seven years later.

Renowned publicist Michael Levine described the current state of the Promenade as “heartbreaking,” attributing the decline to signs of disorder like graffiti and unchecked vagrancy.

Efforts are being made to revitalize the area, with plans for a new police substation, street improvements, and relaxed restrictions on businesses like alcohol permits and music.

Santa Monica is also collaborating with Coachella producers Goldenvoice to host a music festival and has been organizing monthly social events to attract more visitors.

“They’ve done a lot to improve the place,” said Nick Paschal, a Santa Monica resident. “Having more events to bring people in will help with bringing more stores back.”

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