The Gap at 1931 Wilshire Boulevard in Santa Monica, a neighborhood staple for decades, is set to close later this month so the building can be torn down and rebuilt as an eight-story apartment complex. The store's final day is scheduled for July 23, 2026, and the project would bring roughly 260 apartments plus new ground-floor retail to the Wilshire corridor. The news is stirring up nostalgia among longtime shoppers and reigniting arguments over how fast Santa Monica's commercial strips are changing.
As reported by the New York Post, Gap said the lease at the Santa Monica location "comes to an end this summer" and that the company is helping employees look at transfers to nearby stores. The Post noted that the Wilshire shop has been open for more than 50 years and that former staffers have been trading memories, including celebrity sightings, on social forums.
City Files Show the Project Scope
City of Santa Monica planning records identify the redevelopment as project 24ENT-0183 and show administrative approval for an eight-story building with 260 units and 26 affordable units under the city's pilot program, according to the City of Santa Monica. The filing lists a prior approval date of July 31, 2025 and notes that the proposal uses density bonus incentives to reach the higher unit count. Those entitlements would allow the existing single-story retail building to be demolished if construction proceeds.
Design, Retail and Parking
Updated plans presented to the Architectural Review Board show roughly 21,500 square feet of ground-floor commercial space and a subterranean garage designed for more than 320 vehicles, with renderings that feature a stepped, contemporary facade and recessed balconies. The concept credits Tighe Architecture as the designer and Cypress Equity Investments as the developer, as detailed by Urbanize LA and on Cypress Equity Investments. The project is one of several Wilshire-area proposals the same developer has pursued in recent years.
What It Means for Staff and Shoppers
Gap's official store listing still shows regular hours and the Santa Monica address, but customers should expect the location to close when the lease runs out later this month. The public listing continues to display the Wilshire address and contact information. The company told the New York Post that it is helping employees explore opportunities at nearby stores as the property transitions, while neighbors have already started sharing stories about the longtime shop online.
For now, the project remains in the entitlement and plan-check pipeline, and timelines for demolition and construction will hinge on final permits and financing, according to developer materials and local coverage. If built, the 1931 Wilshire project would join a wave of density-bonus-backed developments reshaping Santa Monica’s commercial corridors, a trend documented in regional coverage and city filings. Residents, merchants and transit riders will be watching as the proposal continues through the city's review process.
