Another major renovation of 163rd STREET CENTER was completed in November 1982. The shopping hub was enclosed with a teflon-coated fiberglass roof. It was America's very first "Teflon tent" mall. During the early '80s remodeling, the official name of the shopping facility was changed to MALL AT 163rd STREET (a.k.a. "Miracle At 163rd Street").

During the early '80s redo, previously open areas were filled in with new retail space (light gray). Richards, shuttered in 1980, was reconfigured as two levels of inline stores, with a Food Court installed on the third. This renovation was completed just before the mall faced a major competitor. The shiny new AVENTURA MALL made its debut in April 1983 and eventually threw THE MALL AT 163rd STREET into a downward spiral.