The Gaithersburg City Council has unanimously approved the preliminary redevelopment plan for the Lakeforest Mall site, setting the stage for revitalization efforts that leaders hope will reenergize the Maryland suburb.
During a special session on Thursday night, the council endorsed a plan that includes 250,000 square feet of “large-format retail space” and another 220,000 square feet designated for commercial and entertainment use.
According to city documents, the plan also allocates 750,000 square feet for employment opportunities and 1,600 housing units, with some units being made affordable in line with Montgomery County policies. Mayor Jud Ashman noted this will result in approximately 240 new affordable housing units.
“The council and I have one opportunity in our political lives, and our staff has one chance in their professional lives, to redevelop the Lakeforest property,” Ashman stated. “We cannot settle for a C-level or even a B-level project. This must be a grade-A or A-plus project.”
This approval follows the closure of the Lakeforest Mall, once a vibrant community hub, which shut its doors over a year ago. In March 2023, its owner, WRS Inc., announced plans for its closure and redevelopment.
Ashman emphasized the project as a vital opportunity to “fundamentally rejuvenate a part of our city that has needed it for decades.”
While the timeline for the project remains uncertain, the developer still needs to submit a final plan for approval.
Council member Lisa Henderson reminisced about her childhood, recalling that she was 11 when the mall opened, where she learned to ice skate. She noted that many residents who were initially skeptical about redevelopment have now embraced the vision, saying, “We see this new sense of community, and the frowns turned into smiles.”
Ashman added that the redevelopment plan has garnered more public input than any other issue in the city’s recent history. The mall, which opened in 1978, had struggled with crime before its closure.
