Lakeforest Mall Vote: Gaithersburg Needs Plan For Redevelopment

GAITHERSBURG, MD — Now that Lakeforest Mall has been sold to a South Carolina-based real estate agent, what's next? Well, city officials are still figuring that out.

On Monday, the Gaithersburg mayor and council are scheduled to vote on a resolution that would establish an 18-month moratorium for the struggling mall. This temporary delay would let officials complete a special study master plan for the anticipated redevelopment.

"The importance of Lakeforest Mall and its redevelopment to the growth of the city east of I-270 and the Frederick Avenue corridor is well documented and the status of future uses and operations of the mall is uncertain," Monday's council agenda reads. "Staff is of the opinion that additional planning studies and evaluations should be undertaken to ensure the best possible mix, density, and configuration of uses that reflect the analyses and findings of the various city studies and reports completed since the 2009 Land Use Element, including the Visioning Data Analysis."

The study will present three development design options for the property, according to city documents.

The Washington Business Journal reports that another resolution to approve money for the study — about $250,000 — will be presented to the mayor and council in September.

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• Struggling Lakeforest Mall In Gaithersburg Has New Buyer