Santa Monica Place

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Main entrance, facing Third Street Promenade

Interior, main court

Santa Monica Place was a three-story, 570,000 square-foot shopping mall in Santa Monica, California. The mall is located at the south end of the famous Third Street Promenade, and is also two blocks from the Santa Monica Pier and the beach. The mall is closed currently and is in the process of a major redevelopment with the new complex set to open in 2009.

Santa Monica Place opened in 1980 adjacent to the old Third Street Mall and was renovated in 1991 and again in 1996. The complex features 120 shops, the largest of which is Macy's. It is 152,000 sq. ft. on three levels. The mall featured a Robinsons May department store, but due to the merger between Federated/May Co., it was closed in 2006. It was 131,250 sq. ft. on three levels. The first two stories of the space is has been renovated into a Steve & Barry's. The mall features some upscale brands such as Kenneth Cole and Williams-Sonoma.

Santa Monica Place was designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry early in his professional career with Gruen Associates, constructed in 1980, and renovated in 1990. It has served as a backdrop for several films and television shows, most notably the exterior of the Ridgemont Mall in Fast Times at Ridgemont High; it has also been used in Pretty in Pink as well as Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Beverly Hills 90210.

[edit] Redevelopment

The mall has never turned a profit since opening. It is currently 47% leased.^[1] The city of Santa Monica is currently discussing future plans for the site. Developer, The Macerich Company, purchased the mall in 1999 and in 2004 proposed tearing down the mall and replacing it with a 10-acre complex of high-rise condos, shops and offices.^[1] The plan met with strong opposition from local residents who felt the project did not meet the low-rise character of the neighborhood and would worsen traffic. In a second 2007 proposal, Macerich significantly scaled back its plans, instead looking to remove the mall's roof, create public walkways, create a dining deck to take advantage of ocean views and other adaptive reuse measures; it would involve closing all shops except for the Macy's department store.^[1] Initial reaction from community advocates has been positive, but the approval process will not be finished until the summer of 2007. On January 31, 2008 Santa Monica Place closed for remodelling. The Macerich Company remove the roof of the mall, add a third-floor food court with ocean views and connect the struggling venue to the thriving Third Street Promenade. Macy's department store will stay open during the remodel.