The long awaited remodel and redevelopment of Westfield Culver City was held last Thursday to the delight of residents, city officials and Westfield staff and executives.

Nineteen months after breaking ground the $180 million makeover produced a spectacular edition to the mall where a Robinsons-May store and a multistory office building once stood.

At the confluence of the 405 and 90 freeways the center now sports over one million square feet of retail shopping and dining space.

The new anchor stores are Best Buy, which opened last week, and Target, which opened on Friday. They will be joined by 30 new stores, 14 new eateries in the remodeled dining terrace plus eight new restaurants and eateries throughout the mall. Gold’s Gym is scheduled to open in January. It will join longtime anchor stores Macy’s and JCPenney.

The 155,000 square foot Target, dubbed as “Target Culver City South” so as not to confuse the store with the existing Target store on Jefferson Boulevard, is twice the size of the existing store and is over 3 ½ acres. In addition to items carried in a regular store the new Target will also feature fresh meats and breads and include a Starbucks, Target Café, Pharmacy and Photo Center.

The interior of the mall has been transformed as well adding an abundance of glass and natural light. New tile, fixtures seating areas and landscaping have been added. Two family lounges, valet and reserved family parking and an eco-friendly car wash will greet visitors.

Culver City Mayor Andy Weissman said to the crowd, “In Culver City we’ve made headlines for our movie studios, high-tech businesses, fabulous downtown district, top-rate restaurants and leading cultural institutions. Now we have a world class shopping center as well.”

Weissman went on to remind everyone that 700 new jobs will be created and will expand the convenience and the choices residents have been seeking.

California State Senator Curren Price, whose district includes Culver City, declared the city as “one of the most progressive cities in the district and the state.” He went on to add, “This is the right project, in the right place, in the right community.”

Westfield’s Senior Vice President of Development Larry Green, who was raised in Culver City, thanked the city staff, elected officials and the community “so this dream could happen today.”

Green proudly presented a check for $10,000 to the Culver City Education Foundation, then while making the presentation he declared it wasn’t enough to help our schools and declared the doubling of the check to $20,000. The Culver City Education Foundation is dedicated to supporting and enhancing quality educational programs in the Culver City Unified School District.

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Other new major stores which opened or will open in the next few weeks include XXI Forever, Coach, Aeropostale, Hollister, H&M, G by Guess and Express.

BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse opened on the prior Monday. BJ’s is known for its Chicago Style deep-dish pizza and handcrafted beers.

Grand Opening events continue this week and next. On Saturday, October 17 Mayer Hawthorne will be playing a concert live at 3 p.m., presented by KCRW. Tuesday and Wednesday of next week the mall will have free children’s art activities.