[MD] Is anything happening with the White Flint Mall site?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I follow the a Friends of White Flint group (unaffiliated with the former mall or its owners) and they said a few months ago that they had not heard anything about progress on the mall site.

It's possible that plans were approved by the county but the lawsuit between L&t and the owner delayed things.

The L&T lawsuit was decided a few years ago. The owners of the site are in no hurry to move forward with the approved development.

I think you’re wrong according to the comprehensive plans approved by the county planning commission.

Those plans were approved 10 years ago and other sites have been developed. Lerner Cos lost their lawsuit against L&T and L&T is allowed to remain open and has been awarded damages. Lerner Cos attempted to woo Amazon and the site was passed over. Now the site is a hole in the ground with a free standing Lord and Taylor store and no concrete plans to move forward with development.

Is this Lord and Taylor's most profitable store or what? That is just bizarre.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I follow the a Friends of White Flint group (unaffiliated with the former mall or its owners) and they said a few months ago that they had not heard anything about progress on the mall site.

It's possible that plans were approved by the county but the lawsuit between L&t and the owner delayed things.

The L&T lawsuit was decided a few years ago. The owners of the site are in no hurry to move forward with the approved development.

I think you’re wrong according to the comprehensive plans approved by the county planning commission.

Those plans were approved 10 years ago and other sites have been developed. Lerner Cos lost their lawsuit against L&T and L&T is allowed to remain open and has been awarded damages. Lerner Cos attempted to woo Amazon and the site was passed over. Now the site is a hole in the ground with a free standing Lord and Taylor store and no concrete plans to move forward with development.

Is this Lord and Taylor's most profitable store or what? That is just bizarre.

No both parties are being babies.

[Anonymous]

That store never has more than a few cars in the lot and I'd imagine several of them belong to the employees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That store never has more than a few cars in the lot and I'd imagine several of them belong to the employees.

This. What is in it for L&T at this point?

[Anonymous]

Maybe they’re hoping it will all be redeveloped around them and increase foot traffic to the store. Or perhaps holding out for some big payout from Lerner to leave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe they’re hoping it will all be redeveloped around them and increase foot traffic to the store. Or perhaps holding out for some big payout from Lerner to leave.

Almost certainly the payout. They get to stay there for another 50 years.

[Anonymous]

Lord and Taylor has a signed lease and says they want to stay (they really want a huge payout and a piece of the new development). The Lerners got everyone else to leave and would really like to redevelop the whole property but know Lord and Taylor will make things as difficult as possible (e.g., go to court daily because the noise, dust, traffic violate their written lease).

This is a rare instance where the Maryland state and Montgomery county governments are not the obstacles holding up a project.

[Anonymous]

The lamest game of chicken

[Anonymous]

It's so over-the-top ridiculous. Just how much cash will it take to make L&T leave? And will the payout be so egregious that it makes whatever new development not economically feasible?

Meanwhile, NoVA is like, "Hey Amazon, you need us to bulldoze any buildings for ya? Or can we just turn these towers over to you as is?"

[Anonymous]

The L&T at White Flint is actually awful, which makes the whole thing even worse. It's mostly sale merchandise and feels like it's either on the verge of a "going-out-of-business" sale or some kind of outlet. Bad lighting, few salespeople, clothes all last season or looking a little grungy. I'm not offended by bargain shopping, but if the store is going to insist on remaining open, why not make it an appealing place to shop?

[Anonymous]

Based on the previous posts it doesn’t sound like L&T cares about the performance of the store, they’re just keeping it open out of spite.

[Anonymous]

IMO if Lerner had offered them a proper buyout for their million-year lease they would have gone and still could go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's so over-the-top ridiculous. Just how much cash will it take to make L&T leave? And will the payout be so egregious that it makes whatever new development not economically feasible?

Meanwhile, NoVA is like, "Hey Amazon, you need us to bulldoze any buildings for ya? Or can we just turn these towers over to you as is?"

Amazon wanted an airport and the pentagon, MoCo never had a shot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The L&T at White Flint is actually awful, which makes the whole thing even worse. It's mostly sale merchandise and feels like it's either on the verge of a "going-out-of-business" sale or some kind of outlet. Bad lighting, few salespeople, clothes all last season or looking a little grungy. I'm not offended by bargain shopping, but if the store is going to insist on remaining open, why not make it an appealing place to shop?

I agree 100%. It is so bizarre. And I hate parking in the garage there as it feels like a place you'll get mugged for sure.

[Anonymous]

l:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe we can get some much-needed new high rise condos and expensive town houses -- not enough of those have been developed lately.

Surrounded by several Bubble Tea shops.