A rendering of the Nestlé USA, Inc. distribution center planned for Tejon Ranch Commerce Center. TRCC photo

Located on Interstate 5 in Kern County, the Outlets at Tejon see about 80,000 daily travelers driving by the 320,000-square-foot retail space, welcoming Valley residents as they head into Southern California.

Six new stores have joined the nearly 50 existing brands at Outlets at Tejon, including Lacoste, Forever 21 and Under Armour.

Much more than retail, the Tejon Ranch area is developing in a big way with plans for 495 multi-family units and 700,000 square-foot, automated distribution center.

A tribal-owned Hard Rock Casino also broke ground in December.

Developer Tejon Ranch Co. announced early this year that construction had begun on the new Nestlé USA, Inc. distribution center. The multi-story building will have more than 700,000 square feet on about 58 acres on the east side of the Tejon Ranch Commerce Center (TRCC). Nestlé is the world’s largest food and beverage company.

Nestlé’s new, fully automated facility will serve its “ambient” portfolio, or shelf-stable products, with flexibility for future expansion. No official opening date has been announced, but Nestlé targets 2025 for the initial completion of construction and 2026 for the commencement of operations. 

Nestlé’s automated distribution centers use all manner of robotic arms, vehicles and cranes to move and sort products.

More than 8 million square feet of commercial and industrial space at TRCC is already used, approximately 40% of the development’s 20 million square feet of entitled space. Four building sites have been involved in transactions in the last 24 months. TRCC represents more than 2.5 million square feet of industrial space either under construction or completed. 

TRCC will also have a multi-family development arriving adjacent to the outlets. Tejon Ranch is developing 495 multi-family units called Terra Vista at Tejon.

The project will consist of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartment homes with amenities including a clubhouse, dog washing station, fitness facility, community pool area, and paseos to provide walkable connectivity. 

Terra Vista at Tejon is the first residential development. It will complete TRCC’s progression to a fully integrated real estate development organization and begin its transition to a mixed-use master-planned community, according to a news release.

“This is a significant step for the Company as we begin our first residential community,” said Tejon Ranch Co. President and CEO Gregory S. Bielli in a news release. “It marks the next stage of a constant progression that will see Tejon Ranch eventually become home to more than 35,000 homes, both single-family and multi-family, for rent and for sale.”

Construction on the 228-unit first phase of Terra Vista at Tejon began in late January 2024, with the first units becoming available in the first half of 2025 and the remaining units in this first phase coming online soon after that.

In a separate effort not involved with TRCC and just north of the mixed-use project, Hard Rock International and the Tejon Indian Tribe broke ground in December on a casino resort at Highway 166 and Sabodan Road near the community of Mettler.

The Penta Building Group, a Southern California Company, is overseeing the project expected to create approximately 5,000 direct and indirect jobs.

The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tejon will span more than 700,000 square feet, with 150,000 square feet dedicated to gaming space. It will feature 2,500 slots, 48 table games, and video poker. The casino will be the second closest class III casino to Los Angeles.

Phase one will include multiple dining options, a signature Hard Rock Cafe, a fine dining restaurant, and Council Oak Steaks and Seafood. The second phase will bring a 400-room hotel, additional fine dining, a pool, spa, cigar lounge, and a 2,800-seat Hard Rock Live event venue. 

Phase one’s completion date is expected in the fall of 2025. This will culminate in the grand opening of the entire hotel and casino.