The Block at Orange goes outlet.

The Block at Orange, which has been under new ownership for about three and a half years, will soon get a new name.

Simon Property Group, which also owns Brea Mall, Laguna Hills Mall, Westminster Mall and The Shops at Mission Viejo, bought The Block a few years ago. The Block is one of Orange County’s largest shopping centers at more than 700,000 square feet.

“This has been a center high on our radar since acquisition,” said Gregg Goodman, president of The Mills, a Simon subsidiary that owns The Block.

He likes that the center is less than four miles from Disneyland and wants to capitalize on its tourists. “We know how much tourists like the outlet experience,” he said. The Block has recently announced new outlet tenants such as Carter’s, Tommy Hilfiger Company Store, Original Penguin Company Store, Perry Ellis Company Store and Levi’s Outlet Store.

“We will rebrand the property,” Goodman added. ”We’re not prepared to announce that name yet, but rest assured it will have the word outlet in it. I’m not sure if ‘Block’ means anything.” The new name will also have Orange in it.

Also, this past June, the city approved a 105,000-square-foot expansion at The Block behind Hollister. About 35,000 square feet of that will be occupied by Nordstrom Rack, which is slated to open in spring 2012. Shoppers should expect several more outlet stores in the expanded area, Goodman said.

SOURCE: The Orange County Register posted by HANG NGUYEN, Retail Reporter