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KENNESAW - Town Center at Cobb is undergoing major improvements to the interior and exterior aesthetics.

The Simon Property Group mall off Barrett Parkway in Kennesaw is bringing warm colors, comfortable seating, new carpet and wood finishes throughout the mall.

The restrooms in the mall are not only being renovated, a new set of restrooms, including family restrooms and nursing areas, is being added on the lower level.

Near JCPenney, a children's play area will offer children a place to run off some energy inside the mall.

John DiCioccio, the mall's general manager, said the improvements are all to make people feel welcomed and comfortable in the mall, and turn Town Center into a place people want to stay at longer.

"The shoppers deserve it, the retailers deserve it and Cobb deserves it," he said. "It's all about the shoppers and how loyal they've been to us."

Some of the biggest improvements are around the mall's food court, DiCioccio said.

The outside entrance to the food court is being completely remodeled. Construction crews have already begun dismantling the original rounded glass entrance to replace it with a more modern glass wall.

The tables and chairs inside the food court are being updated, and the two walls at the front of the food court have been removed to give shoppers an open view of the mall while they eat.

Mall management and architects are still deciding on the exact color choices. Some areas of the mall appear to be a paint stick as management picks out the perfect colors. The color palate is warm tones of tans, browns, oranges, yellows and greens.

DiCioccio said Town Center's main market is young families, women and juniors. He said the renovations wouldn't change that market, but just make the shopping experience better for them.

"It's all part of the home feel we're after," he said.

DiCioccio said they also plan to move the guest services kiosk from the mall's "25-yard line to the 50-yard line." The current guest services is located near Macy's at one of the mall's end wings. DiCioccio said he wants to move it to the center of the mall to make it more accessible.

The renovations got under way in May, and DiCioccio said the major work should be complete in December. This is the first major renovation for the mall since 1998.

While not revealing an exact dollar figure, DiCioccio said the project is a "significant capital investment" for Simon Properties.

Opened in 1986, Town Center has more than 170 specialty stores and dining options. The stores anchors include Macy's, Macy's Furniture-Men's Store, Belk, JC Penny and Sears.

The mall is welcoming new stores this year including Coach, H&M, Swarovski, Godiva, Rosetta Stone and bebe.

The Children's Place clothing store is a newly renovated 3,100-square-foot store that opened in September.

Also new to Town Center is Crazy 8. The children's clothing store for active lifestyles is a new venture for The Gymboree Corporation, which operates more than 600 Gymboree retail stores in the U.S. and Canada.

ahungerford@mdjonline.com

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