Amazon.com Inc. has filed plans for construction of a 5,227-square-foot bookstore at the Westfield Century City mall, its first in Los Angeles and one of just a dozen nationwide.

Amazon Books applied for building permits at the upscale shopping complex May 9, according to city of L.A. Department of Building and Safety records.

The main project application received initial plan check approval that same day, but a building permit had not been issued as of late last week, records show. The application describes Amazon Books as a “first-time tenant in Westfield Century City” in suite No. 1970.

The Business Journal reported in March that Westfield Corp.’s Century City mall, which is in the midst of a $1 billion makeover, was rumored to be a possible location for an Amazon bookstore. The e-commerce giant had been poking around several L.A. shopping districts for months, eyeing locations including Old Pasadena and Melrose Avenue, according to several retail brokers.

Amazon’s plans for an L.A. outpost come as the company expands its bookstore operations across the country, with six sites open and another six in the planning stages, according to the company’s website. The Century City location would be its second in Southern California after a San Diego shop, also at a Westfield-owned venue, which opened in September.

Amazon did not respond to a request for comment about the space in Century City.

Westfield representatives declined to comment.

Amazon Chief Executive Jeff Bezos said in a shareholder meeting last year that the company would open additional stores, but it has been tight-lipped on details.

The bookstore division has persisted in launching shops even as major brick-and-mortar retailers have suffered dramatic declines in revenue. Industry analysts have said that Amazon’s strategy goes beyond generating book sales; its goal is to build brand awareness among tech-savvy consumers and collect data on their shopping habits.

– Daina Beth Solomon