Tourists wander through Yuyuan Garden on the look out for bargains yesterday. The popular shopping and tourism destination will undergo a renovation project, adding three new commercial complexes to the center.

Three new commercial complexes will be built near Yuyuan Garden Shopping Center before 2010, based on a Huangpu District development plan.

The complexes are part of the vision to create a business and cultural destination for tourists by 2010.

The new buildings will be in harmony with the historic constructions of Yuyuan Garden, officials said.

"We will strictly control the height and style of new buildings surrounding Yuyuan Mart," an official surnamed Pan from Huangpu District government said yesterday.

He said Yuyuan's new development will be divided into three ring-shaped areas.

The inner ring, which covers an area of 5.3 hectares including Chenghuang Temple, will have Chinese restaurants and a retail center that sells cultural merchandise such as chopsticks and antiques.

The 43.7-hectare middle ring - surrounded by Renmin Road, Henan Road S. and Choujin Road - will be developed into a different shopping area with entertainment venues and more restaurants.

The 23-hectare outer ring will incorporate small stores and also be a transport hub.

Yutai Shopping Mall, Quecheng Shopping Mall, and Fumin commercial complex will be built in the middle ring.

Pan said the new buildings will resemble existing Yuyuan Mart shops.

This year, several Yuyuan shopping outlets - including Tianyulou and Huabaolou - will also undergo face-lifts.

The buildings are based on both Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) styles.

(Shanghai Daily July 7, 2006)