Santa Monica Place facts for kids
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| Location | Santa Monica, California, United States |
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| Coordinates | 34°00′49″N 118°29′37″W / 34.013621°N 118.493726°W |
| Opening date | 1980 (reopened on August 6, 2010) |
| Developer | The Hahn Company and The Rouse Company |
| Management | Macerich |
| Owner | Macerich |
| Architect | Frank Gehry (1980), Jon Jerde (2010) |
| No. of stores and services | 90 |
| No. of anchor tenants | 3 |
| Total retail floor area | 475,000 sq ft (44,100 m2) |
| No. of floors | 3 (2 open, 1 vacant by April 2021) |
| Parking | Structured |
Santa Monica Place is a cool outdoor shopping mall in Santa Monica, California. It's located at the end of Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade, which is a popular shopping area. The mall is also just two blocks from the beach and the famous Santa Monica Pier.
This mall has three levels filled with shops and restaurants. Some of the main stores are Nordstrom and Bloomingdale's (though Bloomingdale's closed in April 2021). You can find many fancy stores here, like Tiffany & Co., Louis Vuitton, and Burberry.
Santa Monica Place went through a huge makeover that lasted three years. It started in January 2008 and reopened on August 6, 2010. It changed from an indoor mall to a modern outdoor one!
Contents
A Look Back: History of Santa Monica Place
Santa Monica Place first opened its doors in 1980. It was built by two companies, The Rouse Company and The Hahn Company. When it first opened, it had stores like J. W. Robinson's and The Broadway. There were also 120 other shops, restaurants, and a food court across three levels.
Did you know that the famous architect Frank Gehry helped design the original Santa Monica Place? It was one of his very first big projects!
Big Changes Over the Years
In 1999, a company called Macerich bought Santa Monica Place. People started hearing rumors that the mall would get a big update. In 2004, Macerich suggested tearing down the mall. They wanted to build a huge complex with tall condos, shops, and offices.
However, many local people didn't like this idea. They felt it would change the neighborhood too much and make traffic worse. So, in 2007, Macerich made a new plan. This time, they made their ideas much smaller, and the public liked it! The new plan was approved.
The Amazing Mall Makeover
The big makeover cost $250 million. Workers removed the mall's roof and completely changed the inside. They created two levels of shops and a third-level food court.
During this time, the old Macy's store became a Bloomingdale's. Also, a store called Steve & Barry's (which used to be Robinsons-May) was replaced by a Nordstrom. The main architect for this new design was Jon Jerde. This was one of his last major projects before he passed away. The mall officially reopened on August 6, 2010.
On January 6, 2021, it was announced that the Bloomingdale's store would close in April 2021. This was part of a plan by Macy's to close many stores across the country.
Getting to Santa Monica Place
It's easy to get to Santa Monica Place using public transportation! The LACMTA E Line train has a station right across the street from where Bloomingdale's used to be. Also, many Santa Monica Big Blue Bus routes stop at the mall.
