Outdated shopping mall to get a much-needed facelift

Construction crews have broken ground this month on a $168 million expansion and renovation of Westfield Fox Hills, a regional shopping center in Culver City, Calif., built in 1975. Designed by Dallas-based Omniplan in conjunction with Westfield Design, the million-sf project will include 332,000 sf of retail and new restaurants, including the addition of a Target store and renovations to the existing mall and food court.

The design incorporates contemporary materials, including flooring, lighting, and seating, that will help blur the line between the old and new portions of the mall and the indoor and outdoor spaces. Open areas for art and entertainment will soften the mall's defined edges, while several new entrances will continue the interior to the outside.

A three-story glass entryway will open up the west end of the mall and work in conjunction with clerestory windows and skylights to allow views into and out of Westfield Fox Hills. Completion: summer 2009.