Lakeforest Mall closes today

Blue snowflake entrance to Lakeforest Mall

 

I went to Lakeforest Mall at the end of February and posted pictures already. Today, however, is the last day it is open so I went back and took more photos. The mall will be redeveloped soon.

This is the Blue Snowflake entrance to Lakeforest mall. One of the four color coded seasonal entrances to the mall. This is at the food court, the old Sears was to the left.

A forlorn mall

Empty shops and kiosks at Lakeforest Mall, 701 Russell Ave, Gaithersburg, Maryland

 

There were more people than I expected at the mall. Most of them were walking around getting one last look at the mall, just like I was.  Lots of picture taking with cell phone cameras, some larger cameras, and even someone taking video on a tripod (a future documentary perhaps?)  Notable to me were the kids on roller skates making their way around the mall (but not very fast) and a young woman using a disposable film camera. That seemed very appropriate for the day.

Lakeforest Information booth

The old information booth in the central area of Lakeforest Mall. The glass elevator (still working) to the right.

Seating pit and sculpture

Outside each of the anchor stores was a sunken seating pit as well as a sculpture. This one is a shining, slightly twisted, non-descript shape rising up about a story and a half.

A zig-zag sculpture

A zig-zag of brushed chrome rising up out of the floor.

Marie's food spirts music

This brightly painted restaurant contrasts with the monotone colors of the rest of the mall.

Chi Chi's wall

The Chi Chi's at Lakeforest Mall closed about 20 years ago but nothing ever moved in to the space.  You can look in the windows and see part of the restaurant.

Goose don't care

The Canada Geese seem to like the mall closing and sit down in the middle of the road.

A streetlight in a precarious position

 

This streetlight is leaning heavily and looks like a strong gust of wind could knock it over.  I saw this on Plum Orchard Drive in Calverton.  Back in 2016 there was a spate of falling streetlights on Plum Orchard Dr between Broadbirch Dr and Cherry Hill Rd. Those got fixed as part of the Adventist Healthcare White Oak Medical Center development. 

This little stub of Plum Orchard was ignored however, and the streetlights are really looking worse for the wear.  I really thing if someone leaned against this pole it would fall over.  It is also worth noting that the access panel looks to be held on with electrical tape.

When I took these pictures on Thursday, there was a van from an electrical company parked near one of the street  lights so it is possible these will be fixed soon. It is also possible that they will just fall to the ground before they get fixed.  I'll update as more information becomes available.

White Oak Town Center construction

White Oak Town Center (staff report here, it has the best overview) is a new strip mall being built on the site of a former industrial building at the corner of Industrial Parkway and Prosperity Drive in the White Oak / Calverton area of the half of the county called Silver Spring.
 

 The full development, with the one-story building in the background that is reported to be the future location of an Amazon Grocery store. in the center you can see the steel skeleton of what will become a monumental sign/clocktower/dumpster at the southwest corner of the development.  Next to it is a plaza with seating area where visitors to the shopping center can have a variety of experiences and enjoy the sights and sounds of Columbia Pike / U.S. Route 29. Closer to the camera where there is currently just a pile of dirt, there will be an accent wall.

 

White Oak Town Center as seen from Industrial Parkway

The view of the new construction from across Industrial Parkway near U.s. 29. The intersection with Prosperity Drive is immediately to the left and is very close to the intersection of Industrial Pkwy and Columbia Pike. This isn't an issue now since Prosperity Dr near the site is lightly used, however, with additional traffic this is likely to become a point of contention between users of the two roads both trying to enter Columbia Pike.

Future Grocery store

This is the northwestern end of the site, Prosperity drive is in the foreground and in the distance on the left you can see the sign for the Westech Corner strip mall at Tech Road. The building under construction will house a grocery store.

I'm not sure we need another strip mall when Westech Corner is within sight and has over half a dozen restaurants, and Orchard Center is only a mile away with Giant, Aldi, Target, and Kohl's. But, I'm not the planning board, and if they think we need another shopping center with a big parking lot instead of affordable housing a short walk away from a Flash bus stop, who am I to disagree.

development from the "spine" road

This is the low, one-story building that will have space for 3 retail stores. The road in the foreground is the "spine" road that will connect Industrial Parkway to Tech Road.

The view of the new construction from across Industrial Parkway near U.s. 29. The intersection with Prosperity Drive is immediately to the left and is very close to the intersection of Industrial Pkwy and Columbia Pike. This isn't an issue now since Prosperity Dr near the site is lightly used, however, with additional traffic this is likely to become a point of contention between users of the two roads both trying to enter Columbia Pike.