South Towne to expand

South Towne Center, meet The Great Outdoors.

The mall, 10450 S. State, announced plans Thursday to build a 100,000-square-foot lifestyle center onto its west side, creating the state's first hybrid, indoor/outdoor shopping mall.

The Village at South Towne Center, which will be connected to the mall between Dillard's and Meier & Frank (soon-to-be Macy's), will include about 20 retailers and restaurants positioned around a central outdoor plaza, according to Gregory E. Zimmerman, vice president of real estate for Macerich Co., which owns the mall.

"As a company we're always looking to reinvest in our projects and to re-energize," Zimmerman said. "It's partly to remain competitive, and it's also to be able to provide the best amenities for our customers: the latest stores, the latest amenities that people like to see. Lifestyle centers are something that, across the country, customers are looking for: a relaxed shopping experience, the outdoor environment."

Construction is expected to begin in the fall, with completion targeted for late summer 2007. Macerich has yet to sign formal agreements with tenants, but Zimmerman said the company is looking for a mix of entertainment, restaurant and fashion retailers, many new to the Utah market.

The Village's central plaza, at about 20,000 square feet, will include pedestrian walkways, shade trellises, outdoor seating, stone facades and a play/gathering area for children. South Towne spokeswoman Natalie Watson said the plaza also could host live entertainment.

"We're looking to really complement our merchandise mix that we have here in the center but also add some new offerings that are a little more upscale," said Celeste Neil, South Towne's property manager.

The new tenants won't include major anchor retailers — the biggest retail space will be about 15,000 square feet, Zimmerman said — but likely will lean toward the type of popular boutique retailers that rushed to The Gateway as one of the "hipper" shopping spots in the Salt Lake Valley.

In fact, it is the popularity of lifestyle centers like The Gateway in Salt Lake City and The Shops at Riverwoods in Utah County that convinced Macerich that outdoor shopping could work in the state. And Macerich has tested the hybrid model already, through its subsidiary in the Denver metropolitan area and in Fresno, Calif., and customers have responded favorably, Zimmerman said. It expects the Village at South Towne Center will be similarly well-received.