The $2.5-million facade upgrade will add decorative elements,natural stone highlights, monument towers and fresh paint, while a4,000-sf "state-of-the-art'' customer service center will include a1,500-sf restaurant, a children's play area, restrooms, securityoffice, and lounge seating with fireplace and big-screentelevision. Officials say the service center will serve as areception area for the more than 1,000 tour buses visiting the malleach year.

Officials will also tear down a 47,000-sf space to make room fornew construction. Portions of the Elm Run and Fir Run at thesoutheast end of the center will be torn down and the two remainingsections joined to create visibility from front to back.

Meanwhile, mall officials expect the Pottery Barn homefurnishings retailer to occupy a 30,000-sf anchor space in theAlder Run section in November. Pottery Barn will take the place ofa Spiegel's outlet, which closed last year.