The 2007 holiday shopping season was the last for Santa Monica Place before it shuts down at the end of next month to undergo renovation.
Macerich, the real estate company that owns Santa Monica Place, received the thumbs-up for its plans to make over the aging shopping center by the Architectural Review Board and several other committees in the past few weeks, getting the green light to move forward next month.
The process wasn’t entirely smooth for Macerich, whose project received some opposition from the owner of several Ocean Avenue motels. Michael Farzam, who owns the Santa Monica Beach Travelodge and Pacific Sands Motel on Ocean Avenue, said he was prepared to speak out against the project because Macerich had opposed his plans to tear down the two hotels in favor of a new one.
The two parties came to an agreement in June, just hours before Macerich was scheduled to present their proposal to the Planning Commission,which subsequently approved the plans.
The new plan includes removing the roof along the central portion of the mall, creating an open-air center that utilizes the natural ocean breezes offered by its close proximity to the ocean.The new mall,which is expected to be completed by fall 2009, is designed to better connect itself with the Third Street Promenade, the Santa Monica Pier and the Civic Center.
With a number of empty storefronts and only one anchoring mall for years — Macy’s — Santa Monica Place has lived in the shadow of the Third Street Promenade, which attracts the bulk of the shoppers in Downtown Santa Monica.
“It has been an amazing journey,” said Bob Aptaker, the vice president of development for Macerich last month.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on December 29, 2007. Read the original PDF.