Laguna Hills Mall

The mall opened in phases starting in Spring 1973 with a 214,000-square-foot (19,900 m²) Sears as the first anchor open, followed by a 50,000 sq ft (4,600 m²) two-level Buffums on September 5, 1973. The Broadway followed, opening in August 1975, and J.C. Penney in 1976. Up to that point, the mall had cost an estimated $50 million to build[3] and contained 393,000 sq ft (36,500 m²) of retail space in Phase I with 55 stores and 832,000 sq ft (77,300 m²) of retail space with 83 stores in Phase II.[4][5]

In May 1991, Buffums closed due to the chain being liquidated and three years later, the store's second level was converted into an upstairs food court. The food court, which operated from 1994 to 2011,[6] was the only part of the general mall on the second level. The Broadway converted into Macy's in May 1996.[7]

In May 2013, Merlone Geier Partners purchased the property from Simon Property Group.[8] A year later, Merlone Geier purchased the Sears anchor store. Sears (the mall's original anchor store) closed in July 2014.[9] Renovations started in 2016.[10][11][12]

Former Laguna Cafes food court entrance at Laguna Hills Mall.

The Laguna Hills Mall is scheduled to be renamed "Five Lagunas". According to Laguna Hills' city documents, the renovations include pedestrian plazas, new retail sections, a 988-unit apartment complex, a multi-screen movie theater, new signage, and a 1,500-space parking structure.[11][12]

Macy's closed in March 2018 as part of a plan to close 11 stores nationwide, which halted construction on its end of the mall and left JCPenney as the only remaining anchor.[13]

JCPenney closed in October 2018 which left the mall with no anchors.[14]

The mall closed on December 31, 2018. The exterior stores remained open.[2]

At a November 2019 City Council meeting, Merlone-Geier unveiled two major changes to the previous plans proposed since 2016: adding housing and reduction of retail space. Previously, the proposal called for 880,000 square feet (82,000 m²) of retail space and 988 residential units. Another reduction was made in office space to make room for the seasonal events. The revised proposal included a new 110,000-square-foot (10,000 m²) cinema, 225,000 sq ft (20,900 m²) to 300,000 sq ft (28,000 m²) of retail, a 125-room hotel, 390,000 sq ft (36,000 m²) to 520,000 sq ft (48,000 m²) of office space, two three-story parking structures, and a potential of 1,200 to 1,500 more apartments.[15]