Erin Mills Town Centre is getting a $100 million makeover, its first major upgrade since opening in 1989, the mall operator announced Thursday.

The dramatic redesign for the Mississauga mall includes plans to replace the central clock tower with a giant glass sphere that pierces the roof line, the company said.

“The sphere is going to be the biggest in the world. We think this will be another tourism attraction once we build it,” mall vice president Nance MacDonald said, comparing it to the curvy new twin condo towers in Mississauga dubbed the “Marilyn Monroe” buildings.

The sphere sets the tone for the upgrade, which will see the mall strike a lighter, brighter, more contemporary note, she added.

Erin Mills isn’t the only mall getting a facelift. With few developers building new enclosed malls, many existing ones are refreshing their looks or adding square footage.

Sherway Gardens in Etobicoke launched a $350 million renovation earlier this year that will add 210,000 square feet, paving the way for new U.S. department store retailer Nordstrom and more full-service restaurants, such as P.F. Chang.

While the Erin Mills renovation won’t add any new space to the mall, it will feature several new retailers, including a Target store slated to open in 2014, the mall operator said in a press release.

The food court will also be expanded to include new and better restaurants, the mall operator said.

Beneath the sphere, the centre court will feature an infinity pool that can be converted to a stage surrounded by seating ideally suited to host community events, MacDonald said.

MacDonald joined Erin Mills after 35 years at Square One Shopping Centre, Mississauga’s largest mall. In between, she ran for public office in the 2010 municipal election, losing to long-time Ward 4 Mississauga councillor Frank Dale.

MacDonald says she was excited at the prospect of helping the mall’s new owners reposition Erin Mills as a more modern, upscale shopping centre.

Surveys showed with their right atmosphere and mix of tenants, the mall could attract more customers from Oakville, Milton and Burlington, she said.

“It’s a little jewel in a wonderful location,” she said.

Construction is scheduled to begin in August. The mall will remain open throughout the renovation, which is scheduled to end in the summer of 2015.

The centre was bought in 2010 by the Ontario Pension Board for $370 million from Cadillac Fairview, the real estate arm of the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and Erin Mills Development Corp.

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At just under 900,000 square feet in size, the enclosed mall is considered a regional shopping centre. Similar size malls include Sherway Gardens in Etobicoke. By comparison, Square One is about 1.7 million square feet.

Sales per square foot at Erin Mills average $480, MacDonald said.

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