We recently received a few updates renderings (subject to change) for the proposed redevelopment of the existing Lakeforest Mall property in Gaithersburg. They can be seen below.
Last week we reported that WRS, Inc. submitted a Schematic Development Plan application SDP-9736-2024 proposing to redevelop the existing Lakeforest Mall property with 1,600 residential units, 750,000 square feet of employment uses, 250,000 square feet of large format retail, and 220,000 square feet of commercial uses. A Joint Public Hearing with the Mayor and City Council and Planning Commission has been scheduled for Monday, June 17, 2024 at 7:30 P.M. The joint public hearing will be held in the City Council Chambers at 31 South Summit Avenue.
The Lakeforest Site is comprised of 8 separate parcels. The Mall itself is addressed at 701 Russell Ave. in Gaithersburg. The Mayor and City Council previously approved rezoning and sketch plan application SK-9444-2022 on April 17, 2023. The plans are currently under review. A vote on the Schematic Development Plan is expected to take place later in the summer, in August, to see how things will proceed at the Lakeforest Mall site. A few conceptual photos, courtesy or WRS, Inc. are available below.
Lakeforest Mall closed to the public on Friday, March 31st, 2023. The mall first opened on September 12, 1978. It was built on top of Lake Walker, a park (and lake) that was on the property. The mall opened with approximately 30-50 stores, with some of the first stores being relocated from the then nearby indoor Village Mall (now an outdoor strip mall called Montgomery Village Center since 1991) and absorbed onto the property.
At the time it opened, the mall’s anchor stores were JCPenney, Sears, Woodward & Lothrop, and Hecht’s. The mall was one of the first in the United States to feature an indoor ice skating rink on the lower level, in the “H section”, along with being the biggest indoor shopping mall in the county at the time of grand opening. The ice skating rink was replaced by a NTI Theaters movie theater in 1984, later renamed Cineplex Odeon Lakeforest 5, then by a food court, which now occupies the space.
Per the WRS, Inc. redevelopment plan: “Situated on approximately 100 acres, WRS Inc. is planning to completely redevelop the Lakeforest property into multi-use employment, retail, residential and entertainment destination. Located in Gaithersburg, MD, the site is part of the Washington DC MSA which is widely considered to be among the most highly educated and affluent markets in the United States. Bounded by 4 major roadways, just off Interstate 270, the property presents the unique opportunity to accommodate a wide variety of users, including those not presently operating in the market as well as those wishing to relocate from older generation facilities currently in the market.
Gaithersburg occupies approximately 10 square miles in the geographic center of Montgomery County, Maryland. The southeastern border of the City lies just 13 miles from the northwestern border of Washington, D.C. With more than 70,000 residents located in the heart of Montgomery County, Gaithersburg is one of the largest cities in Maryland. Gaithersburg has an excitingly diverse population and combines a respect for its heritage, demonstrated by revitalization efforts in the Olde Towne residential and commercial district, with thoughtful planning for new communities.
Businesses in Gaithersburg range from world renowned technology companies to family-owned restaurants and service providers. And with indoor and outdoor aquatic facilities, a skate park, miniature golf course, and award-winning recreational and cultural enrichment programs, people of all ages enjoy an exceptional quality of life in Gaithersburg. Home to more than 11,000 businesses in the heart of the Washington-Baltimore region, Gaithersburg is in the middle of the fourth largest retail market in the U.S., and is central to the Boston-Atlanta Corridor.”
Any questions or comments on the application should be directed to the Planning Department at [email protected] or 301-258-6330. Renderings below courtesy WRS, Inc.:
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