The site isn’t commercially viable right now. The fact that it isn’t commercially viable tells you everything that you need to know about Montgomery County’s economy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At this point the County should expropriate it by eminent domain. It’s outrageous they’re leaving prime real estate fallow.

With which money, and how many years do you want them to spend it in court?

What do you mean money? I meant by having Erlich do it with the barrel of a rifle. By any means necessary. What is a court gonna do, have the judges physically impede the bulldozers?

The Constitution requires that the govt pay for what they take via eminent domain. The judge will order a payment, and probably attorneys fees as well, because it’s such basic law. Like seriously learned in the first six months of law school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There was also a long delay caused by litigation over the Lord & Taylor location there (ironically, since by 2021, every Lord & Taylor location closed anyway). That didn't help add any sense of urgency to the Lerners' plans for the site...

Timing matters. There was BIG window from 2015-2020 to successfully redevelop this site. Unfortunately, the two teams of arrogant lawyers fought over the Lord&Taylor situation, which was only resolved when the entire Lord&Taylor chain shut down in 2020. That slamming sound was the window closing on any hope of a successful redevelopment.

The pandemic and the tidal wave of work from home crushed the book on commercial real estate, leaving the Lerner family making sad faces. (OK, all of them still more wealthy than I'll ever dream)
Anybody out there interested in a new high priced mixed use development built around a corporate center?

All of this, but just adding that while Lerner fought with Lord & Taylor for years instead of just buying them out, Pike & Rose just up the street became exactly what White Flint was supposed to be. And also the head Lerner in charge died.

+1. Pretty much everyone who looked at the situation objectively said that L&T was right. And the amount at stake was a pittance in the grand scheme. But the Lerners fought and fought, all the way to a jury verdict against them to the tune of $30 million that was affirmed on appeal.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There was also a long delay caused by litigation over the Lord & Taylor location there (ironically, since by 2021, every Lord & Taylor location closed anyway). That didn't help add any sense of urgency to the Lerners' plans for the site...

Timing matters. There was BIG window from 2015-2020 to successfully redevelop this site. Unfortunately, the two teams of arrogant lawyers fought over the Lord&Taylor situation, which was only resolved when the entire Lord&Taylor chain shut down in 2020. That slamming sound was the window closing on any hope of a successful redevelopment.

The pandemic and the tidal wave of work from home crushed the book on commercial real estate, leaving the Lerner family making sad faces. (OK, all of them still more wealthy than I'll ever dream)
Anybody out there interested in a new high priced mixed use development built around a corporate center?

All of this, but just adding that while Lerner fought with Lord & Taylor for years instead of just buying them out, Pike & Rose just up the street became exactly what White Flint was supposed to be. And also the head Lerner in charge died.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At this point the County should expropriate it by eminent domain. It’s outrageous they’re leaving prime real estate fallow.

With which money, and how many years do you want them to spend it in court?

What do you mean money? I meant by having Erlich do it with the barrel of a rifle. By any means necessary. What is a court gonna do, have the judges physically impede the bulldozers?

Anonymous wrote:At this point the County should expropriate it by eminent domain. It’s outrageous they’re leaving prime real estate fallow.

With which money, and how many years do you want them to spend it in court?

At this point the County should expropriate it by eminent domain. It’s outrageous they’re leaving prime real estate fallow.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There was also a long delay caused by litigation over the Lord & Taylor location there (ironically, since by 2021, every Lord & Taylor location closed anyway). That didn't help add any sense of urgency to the Lerners' plans for the site...

Timing matters. There was BIG window from 2015-2020 to successfully redevelop this site. Unfortunately, the two teams of arrogant lawyers fought over the Lord&Taylor situation, which was only resolved when the entire Lord&Taylor chain shut down in 2020. That slamming sound was the window closing on any hope of a successful redevelopment.

The pandemic and the tidal wave of work from home crushed the book on commercial real estate, leaving the Lerner family making sad faces. (OK, all of them still more wealthy than I'll ever dream)
Anybody out there interested in a new high priced mixed use development built around a corporate center?

Yes, timing matters. It's still a good location, though. I don't think it's going to be vacant forever.

Anonymous wrote:NOTHING! Plans for a mixed use development was approved about 15 years ago, but the Lerner family, who owns the property, is not I retested in actually doing anything right now.

I’ve been told by someone in the biz that they’re still upset about losing Amazon HQ2 and are waiting for a comparable anchor tenant to build plans around.

They're not wrong. It's one of the only plots of substantial size inside the fully developed core region. It even has existing major road and metro access.

Anonymous wrote:There was also a long delay caused by litigation over the Lord & Taylor location there (ironically, since by 2021, every Lord & Taylor location closed anyway). That didn't help add any sense of urgency to the Lerners' plans for the site...

Timing matters. There was BIG window from 2015-2020 to successfully redevelop this site. Unfortunately, the two teams of arrogant lawyers fought over the Lord&Taylor situation, which was only resolved when the entire Lord&Taylor chain shut down in 2020. That slamming sound was the window closing on any hope of a successful redevelopment.

The pandemic and the tidal wave of work from home crushed the book on commercial real estate, leaving the Lerner family making sad faces. (OK, all of them still more wealthy than I'll ever dream)
Anybody out there interested in a new high priced mixed use development built around a corporate center?

There was also a long delay caused by litigation over the Lord & Taylor location there (ironically, since by 2021, every Lord & Taylor location closed anyway). That didn't help add any sense of urgency to the Lerners' plans for the site...

Anonymous wrote:NOTHING! Plans for a mixed use development was approved about 15 years ago, but the Lerner family, who owns the property, is not I retested in actually doing anything right now.

I’ve been told by someone in the biz that they’re still upset about losing Amazon HQ2 and are waiting for a comparable anchor tenant to build plans around.

Good luck. The area is getting pulled down by this eyesore. Talk about biting off your nose to spite your face.

New Commanders stadium.

Mostly kidding but it has actually been floated. Can you imagine???

NOTHING! Plans for a mixed use development was approved about 15 years ago, but the Lerner family, who owns the property, is not I retested in actually doing anything right now.

I’ve been told by someone in the biz that they’re still upset about losing Amazon HQ2 and are waiting for a comparable anchor tenant to build plans around.

What is happening with the site where White Flint Mall used to be? It’s sitting empty for years now and just a bunch of overgrowth and rubble.

Did some Googling but the articles and posts were a few years old. Is the plan for a walkable retail area still in play? It’s an eyesore and drags down the whole strip.