After closing on February 19, due to several Life Safety and Fire Protection violations, the Moreno Valley Mall is now permitted to reopen. Mall tenants have been allowed to reopen their businesses and invite employees to return to work to serve Mall shoppers.
In mid-February, the City’s Building Official issued a notice ordering the Mall to be immediately closed and vacated, due to the nine critical Life Safety and Fire Protection violations identified by the City’s Fire Marshal. The violations included failure to provide inspection, testing, and maintenance documentation for the Mall’s fire sprinkler systems, fire alarm system, smoke control system, fire doors, fire standpipe systems, fire/smoke dampers, emergency generators, emergency lighting, and emergency exit lighting.
The Mall made incremental progress toward resolving the violations since the ordered closure, and the Fire Department made itself available on a daily basis to the Mall’s staff, consultants, and contractors to perform any necessary inspections and provide technical information. This was a joint effort to expedite the reopening of the Mall in a manner that would be safe for the Mall’s tenants, the tenants’ employees, shoppers, students, and other Mall visitors.
On Wednesday, March 4, following on-site inspections, the Fire Department determined that the Mall could be safely opened under certain conditions, which include posting Fire Watch personnel at two designated fire-rated doors, to ensure that they are operational and functional during a fire emergency or evacuation - and sealing two other fire-rated doors, to ensure that they resist smoke and hot gases from passing through, during a fire emergency. The Mall owner has until March 31, 2026, to ensure all four doors are in compliance with all applicable fire codes. Otherwise, the closure order will automatically be reinstated. The Mall also has until the end of its Temporary Generator Permit, which was issued for a 90-day period, to bring its permanent emergency generators in compliance, or else the closure notice will be automatically reinstated.
“I’m very pleased that we were able to reach a resolution that protects public safety and allows the Moreno Valley Mall to reopen,” said Mayor Ulises Cabrera. “From the beginning, our priority has been ensuring the safety of our residents, workers, and businesses. I know this closure created real challenges for many small businesses, employees, and families who depend on the mall, and I’m glad they can now reopen their doors, return to work, and continue serving our community.”
“This day could not come soon enough,” said District 1 Councilmember Elena Baca-Santa Cruz. “I applaud the Riverside County Fire Department/CAL Fire team on a job well done, and I also find it very gratifying that the Mall owner expeditiously addressed the issues so that the many hard-working shop owners inside the Mall can reopen their businesses and welcome back their employees.”
While the Mall is permitted to reopen, the Mall’s owner remains responsible for resolving, correcting, and abating a multitude of pending Municipal Code violations, including citations for unpermitted construction; lack of required certificates of occupancy; deteriorated parking areas due to cracked pavement and curbing; inadequate parking and lane striping; and others.
The Mall must also pay all accumulated fines and penalties associated with each violation, and is legally obligated to reimburse the City for Law Enforcement Services, in the amount of $465,858.76, or the current outstanding balance, pursuant to the Mall’s 1991 Original Conditions of Approval, which requires reimbursement for City-provided on-site law enforcement services. The Mall also has outstanding fines of $280,188 owed to the City in Code Enforcement citations.
For more information regarding the Moreno Valley Mall's approval to reopen, please visit moval.org/mall.