If you’ve driven by the corner of Victoria Avenue and Channel Islands Boulevard recently, you’ve probably noticed a lot of activity.

The former Fisherman’s Wharf site is being demolished as the next chapter of the property begins. You may have heard a new name associated with the project: Karls.

What is Karls?

Karls is a family-owned German company that began as a strawberry farm and grew into a collection of family-oriented destinations throughout Germany.

Known as Karls Erlebnis-Dörfer, or “experience villages,” the destinations combine food, shopping, entertainment, attractions and hands-on experiences in one place.

And now, the company is bringing its first U.S. destination to Channel Islands Harbor in Oxnard, with plans to open in Spring 2028.

So, Is It a Theme Park?

Not exactly. The size and character of Karls locations vary.

Some Karls locations in Germany have significant attractions and rides. Others have a different mix of food, shopping, crafts, activities and family experiences.

Karls itself describes its locations as experience villages, and its current locations offer hundreds of individual experiences across its various sites.

That’s important to understand when looking at photos from Germany. A photo of one of the larger German locations doesn’t necessarily represent what will be built in Oxnard.

The Channel Islands Harbor project will occupy an approximately 11-acre leasehold at the intersection of Channel Islands Boulevard and Victoria Avenue. The project is planned as a visitor-serving waterfront destination featuring an estimated 60,000 square feet of retail, dining and recreational attractions.

So, while there will be entertainment and recreational experiences, the Harbor project is envisioned as a waterfront experience village, not a traditional amusement park.

What Will Make the Harbor Karls Different?

The Oxnard location won’t simply be a copy of a Karls location in Germany.

The project is being designed specifically for Channel Islands Harbor, incorporating nautical features that reflect the Harbor’s coastal identity as well as elements celebrating the region’s maritime and agricultural culture.

Plans include a market-style building, restaurants, a café and bakery, family entertainment areas and recreational amenities. The waterfront itself is an important part of the project.

The site includes public waterfront areas, and the redevelopment will maintain public access while improving portions of the existing property.

Of the approximately 11-acre lease area, nearly 6 acres will be actively redeveloped. The remaining 5 acres, including the southern parking lot, public park, bioswale, public restroom and existing transient boat slips, will remain in their current uses, with improvements planned for portions of the site.

How Did Karls Get Approved?

This project didn’t happen overnight.

The process began in 2022, when the Ventura County Harbor Department issued a Request for Proposals for the Fisherman’s Wharf property. Four proposals were reviewed, followed by a public meeting in September 2022.

Karls was selected to move forward, but the project then went through an extensive public outreach and review process.

In 2023, 12 community workshops were held after public concerns were raised about the proposal. In 2024, another 10 workshops were held to allow the community to review and comment on a revised project. That’s more than 20 community workshops during the planning process.

The project was also substantially modified during that process based on community feedback. In May 2024, the Ventura County Board of Supervisors approved a lease option agreement and lease for the project.

But that wasn’t the end of the approval process.

Coastal Commission Review

Because Fisherman’s Wharf is located within Channel Islands Harbor, the project also required review by the California Coastal Commission.

Karls submitted its application in February 2025. The Harbor Department subsequently submitted a Notice of Impending Development, accompanied by project plans and supporting studies addressing consistency with the Harbor’s Public Works Plan and the California Coastal Act.

The Coastal Commission’s staff recommendation included conditions addressing the project, and the Commission held a public hearing on August 14, 2025.

The Commission approved the project, granting the land-use entitlements necessary to move forward with the redevelopment.

That approval allowed the project to move into the next phase: obtaining building permits and beginning construction-related work.

The City of Oxnard approved demolition permits in January 2026, and demolition of Fisherman’s Wharf began in August 2026.

No Apartments or Condos

We’ve seen questions about whether the redevelopment will include housing. It will not.

The Karls project is a visitor-serving development focused on dining, retail, recreation, entertainment and public waterfront access. The project plans do not include apartments or condominiums.

Why Is the Site Being Redeveloped?

For many people in the community, Fisherman’s Wharf is much more than a collection of buildings. It’s a place connected to childhood memories, family outings and years spent at the Harbor.

At the same time, the property has been aging and was largely vacant, and the redevelopment provides an opportunity to give the site a new purpose and bring activity back to this part of the Harbor.

A New Chapter for Channel Islands Harbor

Change isn’t always easy, especially when it involves a place that has been part of the community for generations.

But this project has been through lengthy planning, community outreach and regulatory process. More than 20 community workshops, County review, project revisions, environmental and traffic analysis, and California Coastal Commission review all took place before the project reached the demolition stage.

Now, we’re watching that process turn into something tangible.

The buildings are coming down. The site is being cleared. And a new chapter for Fisherman’s Wharf is beginning.

We’re excited to see what Karls brings to Channel Islands Harbor and we’ll continue sharing information and updates as the project takes shape.

Editor’s Note: this story was published on Sept. 16, 2026.