The legislative body shall also have the power to acquire, by gift, purchase, eminent domain or otherwise, land, real property, or rights-of-way which will become part of a city street established as a pedestrian mall or which will otherwise be used by the city as part of, or for purposes connected with, a pedestrian mall, and such land, real property, or rights-of-way may be improved in the same manner as city streets may be improved under subdivision (d) of Section 11101. The legislative body shall also have the power to make such improvements on city streets adjacent to the pedestrian mall where such improvements are necessary or convenient to the operation of the mall. The acquisitions and improvements authorized by this section shall be deemed “improvements” as such term or a related term is used in this part and particularly in Sections 11101 and 11203 and in Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 11700) of this part.