July 16, 2008, 6:18PM

A new upscale outdoor mall featuring national and local retailers is headed to the Katy area. Simon Property Group, the owners of Katy Mills Mall, is planning to build a 1.1-million-square-foot mall on the north side of the Katy Freeway near the Grand Parkway and Mason Road.

According to plans on the company’s Web site, www.simon.com, the first phase of the mall development will feature an open-air, town center-type of shopping center.

Scheduled to open in 2012, the outdoor mall will include traditional and fashion department stores, big-box stores, specialty retailers and restaurants.

Officials have not said when construction will begin.