By Ben Gibbons
Staff Writer
The Manhattan Village Mall plans to begin its remodeling and expansion this year after an environmental lawsuit failed to stop the project’s construction.
The mall will undergo a complete remodel with new multi-story parking lots, expanded buildings, a new outdoor “village” section, and more. Many more new shops will be introduced with the increase of building space, and old shops will be relocated.
Photos: Renovations begin at the Manhattan Village Mall.
“I am in favor of the new mall because it will be easily accessible and a much better option than driving to Del Amo to go shopping,” junior Cami Benson said.
The current village mall is 36 years old and does not have as many shops as other malls in the South Bay. The expansion will increase business for retail stores and will provide Manhattan Beach with a new selection of restaurants in the plaza area. The current parking lot is too small and a multistory parking lot is necessary for the increase in business.
“I was very much in favor for the revitalization of the mall,” Manhattan Beach Mayor Tony D’Errico said. “Just like hotels and shopping centers, malls have a lifespan.”
Video: Shoppers recreationally enjoy a day at the mall on January 18th before construction has started in the food court by the fountain. The City planned to keep certain areas of the mall open for residents to shop in while under construction.
City Council approved the mall owner’s plan for expansion in 2014, but citizens filed lawsuits against the project because they believed that the city did not comply with the California Environmental Quality Act.
For more information about the Manhattan Village Mall click here
“The mall owners hired new architects who listened to the needs of the community and the city council members and completely redid their design,” D’Errico said.
Visit the online plans for the renovations on the Manhattan Village Mall website
The Los Angeles Superior Court found that the project did not violate this act last year and that the owner properly evaluated and fixed the project’s environmental impact. Construction should be completed by 2020, real estate firm JJL claims.
“I don’t believe that the plan will pull our city away from a hometown feel,” D’Errico said. “Our city has many sections that have very different uses.”
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