Westfield Garden State Plaza is an archetypical American regional shopping mall located in Paramus, NJ. Pioneered in the 1940’s in response to the rise of the suburbs, the regional shopping mall was the one stop retail and entertainment destination for all within a 30 minute driving radius. In its heyday, the mall was a center of suburban life as a hub of social activity. Changing tastes and the rise of online shopping has led to the decline of this once celebrated institution which has necessitated its rethinking. With the reemergence of cities, people are less interested in living in a cul-de-sac and driving to the mall. People want to walk and cycle and live in vibrant mixed use places. With Westfield Garden State Plaza as a prototype, we investigated its transformation into a vibrant mixed use community. Currently, the regional mall is typified by a an agglomeration of big boxes surrounded by a ring road bisecting vast expanses of surface parking. It is always in close proximity to major highways. The study produced alternatives to densify the built form while diversifying the program with residential, office and essential services within walking distance through a vibrant street life and connection to nature.