Three new tenants named for mall's lifestyle center BY CLARE MARIE CELANO Staff Writer FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP - Work on the Freehold Raceway Mall expansion is progressing and three more retailers have signed on for space in the mall's new lifestyle center. A 100,000-square-foot addition to the mall - dubbed the lifestyle center - is under construction between Sears and J.C. Penney. The lifestyle center is expected to open in the fall. Last week the Macerich Co., which owns the mall, announced that P.F. Chang's China Bistro, clothing retailer The Territory Ahead and jewelry store Jared the Galleria of Jewelry are the newest additions to the lifestyle center. The first two named tenants of the new addition were Borders Books and Music and The Cheesecake Factory. "We're pulling together an inviting collection of stores and restaurants that really complement the retail mix that works so well in our enclosed shopping center," said F.K. Grunert, assistant vice president, leasing, for Macerich. "We're especially happy to be introducing several new-to-market retailers to Freehold Raceway Mall so that we can offer some brand new experiences to our shoppers." P.F. Chang's China Bistro is a contemporary Chinese restaurant. Diners enjoy wok-cooked freshly prepared Chinese cuisine along with attentive service, notable wines and specialty cocktails in a stylish, high-energy bistro atmosphere. The restaurant will offer seasonal outdoor seating. Jared the Galleria of Jewelry is a division of Sterling Jewelers Inc. The store has adopted a new concept - to offer five times the size of a traditional jewelry store in freestanding locations. The Freehold location will be one of the first two locations opening in the Garden State this fall. The Territory Ahead, a California-based women's and men's clothier, began as a catalog business,. The lifestyle clothing and accessories retailer is opening its first New Jersey location at the mall. According to its Internet Web site, since 1988 The Territory Ahead has offered personality through globally inspired clothing with special fabrics, fine detailing and easy wearable designs. The lifestyle center will be located on the east side of the mall between Sears and J.C. Penney and will connect seamlessly to the enclosed mall through pedestrian-only promenades. In addition to the construction of the lifestyle center, the enclosed mall is undergoing a complete renovation to create a more sophisticated look that will complement the new expansion's architecture. Features will be new floor tile, paint, lighting elements, soft seating, a children's play area, a revamped guest center and a newly designed center court and water feature. The interior renovations will be completed by spring 2008. In addition to the mall upgrades, an employee parking lot is being constructed on the road that leads from Route 9 to the mall. At the busiest shopping times of the year, all mall employees will park in the gated lot and be taken by shuttle bus to the mall, said Debra Panzarella, senior marketing manager for Macerich.