Galerias La Pradera Gets a Facelift

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Guatemala City's Zona 10 is home to many of the city's shopping malls. Among the old standbys is Galerias La Pradera, which opened in the mid-1990s. The shopping mall is currently in the midst of a full-scale remodeling and expansion, which will allow it to better compete with more recent additions to Zona 10's shopping alternatives. The first phase of this expansion, at a cost of $3 million, will open on December 1.

Among the infrastructural improvements are a new ceiling, better lighting, new elevators, new floors, and expanded food court and kid play areas. About 80 percent of the mall's stores also remodeled their areas. There are 180 stores and 30 kiosks.

The next phase of the remodeling will encompass the building's exterior, also at a cost of $3 million, and is expected to be completed in April 2011. A new plaza and fountain will grace the main entrance, along which new restaurants will be situated. A future expansion, at a cost of $20 million, is also in the planning stages.

Galerias La Pradera is situated in the eastern part of the city along Los Proceres Boulevard and directly across from Zona Pradera (pictured above in its current state), a $195 million multi-tower office complex with an expected completion date in 2014. When the project is completed, Zona Pradera will be the largest office complex in Latin America, with 800 offices and 150 apartments in 7 towers.