HOLLADAY — For Utah residents who don't have either the time or the money to go to Europe, in a few years Europe will come to them in the form of the new Cottonwood Mall.

Buildings reflecting sloping hills, tight paseos and historically reminiscent buildings will take form in the area of the current Cottonwood Mall, 4835 S. Highland Drive, the state's first large shopping mall. General Growth Properties Inc. announced redevelopment plans Thursday for the Cottonwood Mall, creating a new mixed-use mall that will feature residential, office and retail space.

Thursday's announcement of mixed-use redevelopment at Cottonwood follows redevelopment announcements for other Utah malls in recent years.

GGP began formulating plans three years ago, Kris Longson, vice president of development for GGP, said during Thursday's unveiling. GGP's regional offices will be housed in the new development when its finished, and the company hopes to begin the development in 2008 and finish in 2010.

GGP expects to retain the Cottonwood Mall name. Longson declined to pinpoint a dollar amount, saying only it would be "a lot of money."

Longson said GGP is not yet announcing tenants, except for Macy's, which will stay in its current location but with a new exterior and a specialty market. Longson did say the retailers, businesses and restaurants that will eventually occupy the mall will cater to upscale clients, based on the residences in Holladay.

In designing plans for the new mall, architects looked to Utah's architectural history for inspiration, such as small apartments with "massive front porches," said Liz Plater-Zyberk, a principal architect for the project. Plater-Zyberk said the company wants to make the area "much more than what it is."

"We took inspiration from some of our favorite European cities," Plater-Zyberk said, citing Siena, Italy, and various Scottish towns as influences. They also looked at Park City and Pasadena, Calif., as models, and incorporated courtyards, fountains and balconies.

The focus of the design group was not only to make an area where people can live, shop and work, but also to integrate retail and office space into the neighborhood and to reflect the surrounding beauty of the city, Longson said.

"We wanted to do something that very much integrated it into the community," he said.

Different forms of residential spaces will be used: condominiums, townhouses, cottages, apartments and single-family homes will be available. The plans also incorporate a widening of Big Cottonwood Creek that runs along Highland Drive, creating greener banks and a park-like environment for the homes.

To further beautify the area, parking lots will be scattered throughout the area, with one hidden under the cinema — dug into the hill — while others will be surrounded by townhouses, Plater-Zyberk said. All but one small lot will be hidden by building fronts. Parking will also be available along streets throughout the mall.

"Cottonwood Mall is the engine that drives this city," said Randy Fitts, Holladay city manager. "We were worried about where it was going. Cottonwood Mall is something everyone identifies with in the city of Holladay."

---

E-mail: csmith@desnews.com