By Lookout Staff
February 13 -- Latin American cuisine, Mexican fare and handmade pizza will be added to the eclectic menu of offerings at Santa Monica Place, which is slated to reopen after a major overhaul in mid-2010 to coincide with the opening of its anchor stores, Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom, Macerich officials announced Thursday.
The three restaurants – Zengo, La Sandia and Pizza Antica – are among a second wave of new tenants expected to turn the struggling indoor mall into an upscale outdoor extension of the wildly popular Third Street Promenade.
The eleven stores that have signed on with Macerich will occupy 34,500 square feet of space at the renovated mall, which will feature an open air court on the ground floor and a dining deck on the third level that will offer sweeping views of the Pacific.
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| Macerich officials give tour of mall remodel (Photos by Frank Gruber) |
“The merchandise mix we’re creating at Santa Monica Place reflects the balance we’ve always had in mind, and seems to be just right for shoppers in and around Santa Monica,” said Anne Singleton, vice president of leasing for Macerich.
“From boutiques you won’t find anywhere else to terrific dining with a view on our Dining Deck, to the first Bloomingdale’s SoHo concept outside Manhattan – Santa Monica Place is emerging as a destination unlike any place else on the Westside,” Singleton said.
The new retailers include Ed Hardy, the tattoo-inspired fashion concept; LTJ Arthur, the first California location for the French concept focused on chic family homewear and beachwear, and R.O.C. Republic of Couture, the South Beach-inspired boutique featuring designer brands.
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| New mall taking shape |
Also coming to Santa Monica Place are Ilori, offering luxury sunglasses; Love Culture, featuring on-trend fashions for young women; Shuz, a purveyor of high-comfort footwear brands; Michael Brandon, the Los Angeles-based men’s sportswear collection, and Artevo, an innovative, technology-driven art gallery.
In November, Macerich announced it had signed its first wave of tenants, which included eight new retail stores and restaurants totaling more than 30,000 square feet. (“Mall Takes Another Transformative Step,” November 7, 2008)
On Thursday, Macerich officials conducted a tour of the 550,000-square-foot mall, where construction crews have erected the top level.
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| Ocean view from new dining deck |
During the remodel, only Macy’s will stay open, along with the mall’s two public parking structures, which will get a makeover that includes adding stores on the ground floor facing Broadway and parking attendants, under a plan approved by the City Council last March.
Macy's will close in February 2009, paving the way for the transformation of the 122,000-square-foot department store into a brand-new Bloomingdale's, which is scheduled to open in 2010, Macerich officials said. ("Bloomingdale’s Seen as Perfect Fit for New Santa Monica Place," September 11, 2008)
