Century City Shopping Center Marketplace

Linda Berman, owner of two stores in the Century City Shopping Center, stands against an unusual backdrop of sunlight, park benches, flowers and trees. "This is not really a mall," says Berman, who owns stores in several Southern California malls and lectures on merchandising nationwide. "It's outdoors. It has a festive feel to it. And it attracts a very different kind of customer. People who do not shop malls, shop Century City."

Unlike some cash-strapped competitors in the shopping center business, Westfield has nearly $7 billion in the bank and can't wait to start knocking down buildings and digging dirt for an ambitious expansion of its Century City mall. The $800-million project entails relocating Bloomingdale's, adding retail and office space, razing one of the original twin "Gateway" buildings designed by Welton Becket and replacing it with a 49-story tower with 262 apartments or condos.

Century City is under attack. In a "300"-like assault, two silk-shirted waves of flashy Hollywood agents have infiltrated the Westside's most famous -- and famously nondescript -- office-park neighborhood, hitherto best known for a mall (the Westfield) and a hotel (the Century Plaza). The invaders consist of two rival armies. The Creative Artists Agency minions were the first to land, having moved into their gargantuan new headquarters at 2000 Avenue of the Stars in January. Then, on Feb.

It seems like some people live at the mall. Now, they can. Shopping center owner Westfield Group announced plans Tuesday to add 260 luxury condominiums at its Century City mall by razing two office buildings to create more space for the condos and new stores. The $500-million project reflects a trend in which malls are being transformed into self-contained villages. From California to Massachusetts, the largest mall operators are looking for ways to stack housing within their shopping centers.

"No, no, we're not buying those," said the woman, pulling her little guy away from an enticing pile of plush toys in a store window. The dachshund obediently retreated and trotted on leash down the mall. In a shop that sells faux jewels, a bichon frise named Murray chomped contentedly on his bone as his mistress, Teri Weiss, looked over the baubles and beads.

A fire in the Century City Shopping Center caused $800,000 in damage and prompted the evacuation of the center's 14-screen theater early Monday, officials said. The blaze damaged See's Candies, Sports Fantasy and Structure, a clothing store, which remained closed Monday, shopping center spokeswoman Linda Frost said. An administrative office was also damaged by water and smoke. Twenty engines and 100 firefighters responded to the call at 10250 Santa Monica Blvd.

The owner of Century City Shopping Center, one of Southern California's highest-grossing malls, has agreed to sell the 140-store complex, according to sources familiar with the deal. RREEF, a San Francisco-based real estate investment and advisory firm, had the 18.7-acre complex up for sale for a relatively short time before finding the buyer, which has not been identified. Jerry Asher, who represents a marketing team working on behalf of RREEF, declined to comment.

Urban Shopping Centers Inc. is in talks to buy Century City Shopping Center--one of California's highest-grossing shopping malls--for about $250 million, according to people involved in the negotiations. The 770,000-square-foot mall posts $550 in annual sales per square foot, or more than double the industry average. It features about 140 shops, including the West Coast flagship store of Bloomingdale's, and 20 restaurants.

Chicago-based Urban Shopping Centers Inc. said it has completed its acquisition of the open-air Century City Shopping Center for $271.2 million in cash, securities and assumed debt. Urban Shopping, which owns and manages more than 50 million square feet of retail space, purchased the outdoor shopping mall from San Francisco-based RREEF, a real estate investment advisor that owned the mall on behalf of its pension fund clients.

After more than a year of wooing Bloomingdale's, Beverly Hills city officials expressed disappointment Wednesday when the parent company of the upscale retailer announced plans to open the store in neighboring Century City. In a long-awaited decision, Federated Department Stores Inc. said it will open a Bloomingdale's in the building now occupied by the Broadway in the Century City Shopping Center. Bloomingdale's also will open stores in Sherman Oaks and Newport Beach.