Rehabbed Santa Monica Mall, Originally Designed by Frank Gehry, Opens Today

Roughly two and a half years ago, we told you about the planned partial-demolition/total-reconstruction of Frank Gehry‘s Santa Monica Place mall. The shopping center had never faired well after its opening in the early 80s and even after its extensive remodeling in both 1991 and 1996, and so it was decided to nearly scrap the whole thing and try something new. The owners hired Dallas-based architecture firm Omniplan to come in, rip the whole roof off, making the throughways entirely open-air, adding a third floor, and greening the whole complex along the way.