The 2 million-square-foot Sawgrass Mills mall will get even bigger under an expansion plan that was approved by the City Commission on Tuesday.
An additional 109,000 square feet of retail space will be built at the mall’s west entrance, between a new Service Merchandise outlet and the existing Burlington Coat Factory.
Ron Mastriana, an attorney who represented the mall at Tuesday’s commission meeting, said 20 to 30 stores will be added or renovated during the expansion.
Disney, Brooks Brothers, J. Crew, Barney’s of New York and Waterford Crystal are among the stores planned for the new wing.
Construction is to begin in January and the new stores should be open by December 1995.
Several current outlets will be affected by the construction. Ann Taylor, London Fog and Charles Jordan will be expanded and the mall’s Video Court will be remodeled.
A bus stop will be added, which will mean Broward County Transit now will make four stops at the mall.
Mayor Steven Effman suggested naming a court area in the mall after the city. The mall currently has several themed court areas, including the Cabana Court and Palm Beach Court.
Deputy Mayor Irwin Harlem asked Mastriana, “Why is there a Palm Beach Court in Sunrise?” Mastriana explained that the Palm Beach Court was meant to create an association with Palm Beach’s ultra-chic Worth Avenue.
Mastriana was non-committal about how Sunrise would be recognized in the new phase, but agreed to discuss the matter further with city officials.
Mastriana said a third phase of mall expansion would be presented next year and could include an entertainment center and a hotel.
