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While designing the next evolution of Lloyd Center, Waterleaf Architecture, Interiors & Planning partner William Bailey has frequently examined its past. Plans from when the Northeast Portland mall was built as an open-air structure in 1959 and later covered in 1989 have lent critical context to a $50 million remodel project, he said.

鈥淎s we redesign these spaces, we have to know how they were designed,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e test a lot of ideas that come up and get inspiration from that original design work.鈥�

Dallas-based Cypress Equities a year ago purchased the mall for $148 million and in January announced plans for a multiyear renovation to elevate it into a premier Portland destination.

鈥淚 think what we’re really trying to do is create a sense of community there, and the architecture is very important,鈥� said Todd Minnis, Cypress Equities’ chief investment officer. 鈥淧eople (say), 鈥業s this a mall or a fortress?’ 鈥�

When the company hired Waterleaf to design the remodel, Bailey immediately suggested taking advantage of the mall’s proximity to Holladay Park and making it more inviting to pedestrians, bicyclists and mass transit riders. He also pushed for preservation or restoration of some features, including a grand spiral staircase that was a signature of the original design but later removed.

鈥淎 lot of what we’re trying to do is (make) the most of the original design and mid-century modern ideas,鈥� he said.

Plans call for exterior improvements. New pedestrian entrances are proposed for the mall’s south and east sides. Existing entrances and garage facades will be updated with new storefronts and signs.

鈥淚t breathes new life into blank facades and it sets a precedent of opening the mall back up to the community,鈥� Bailey said.

Two 2,500-square-foot storefronts for smaller retailers will be added along Northeast Multnomah Street under a 25-foot-long overhang. Those spaces will flank Macy’s.

The side of the mall that faces Multnomah Street will be much livelier after the remodel, Bailey said.

鈥淭he idea is to make Multnomah much more of a pedestrian-friendly, retail-friendly environment,鈥� he said.

Part of the parking garage will be carved away to expose the Macy’s entrance 鈥� one of the most used at the mall 鈥� on Multnomah Street. The space will be converted into a plaza with additional storefronts and bike parking. Plaza glass windows will look into the mall, including the ice rink and new spiral staircase.

At the entrance to the southeast parking garage an original salmon sculpture fountain will be refurbished and new lighting added. Original terrazzo surrounding the Northeast Halsey Street entrance and covered by tile in 1989 will be re-exposed and restored.

鈥淲e’re going to be finding those elements and exposing those when we can,鈥� Bailey said. 鈥淭his is the kind of thing that thrills us. These are some of the gems we’re finding.鈥�

Many of the interior improvements will make navigation easier, he said.

鈥淭here is no place to go to perceive the whole mall,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here is a lot of what we have been calling 鈥榲isual noise.’ One of the goals of the project is to make the mall more comprehensive and clarify and simplify architectural components and let the storefronts do what they do best and be the visual focus.鈥�

The transformations of the ice skating rink and food court will be the most dramatic. The square rink will be converted into an oval that better caters to recreational skaters and moved eastward under a skylight, Bailey said. That will place it closer to the larger, revamped food court, which will be at the top of three levels cut into concentric circles with views of the rink.

鈥淚t will become a central focus, as it should be,鈥� he said.

The rink’s antiquated ice-making equipment will be upgraded. Other improvements geared to increase energy efficiency include an upgrade of the heating and ventilation system and LED lighting installations.

Various interior finishes, such as tile flooring and carpets, will be refreshed too.

Bailey, who has a background in historic preservation, said he enjoyed discovering the mall’s history and designing a remodel that is respectful of that.

鈥淭he fact is we are rediscovering our mid-century modern heritage,鈥� he said. 鈥淟loyd Center has changed a lot over the years, but it has those mid-century modern concepts 鈥� and where we can enhance those, we’re doing that.鈥�

The project is scheduled for a design review hearing before the Portland Design Commission in November.

Crews from general contractor S.D. Deacon are scheduled to start work on the first phase of construction this fall. The entire project is anticipated to wrap up by fall 2015.

Lloyd Center remodel

Location: 2201 Lloyd Center, Portland

Cost: $50 million

Anticipated construction start date: fall 2014

Anticipated construction completion date: fall 2015

Owner: Cypress Equities

Architects: Waterleaf Architecture, Interiors & Planning; HKS Architects

Landscape architect: GreenWorks

Structural engineer: DCI Engineers

Mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineer: PAE

Civil engineer: MGH Associates

General contractor: S.D. Deacon

Other associates: Rink Management Services, Luma Lighting Design, Johnson Controls