Alexandria Living Magazine
Landmark Mall in Alexandria's West End.
A grocery store, a fitness center and a movie theater are on the wish list of anchor tenants for the new development at the former Landmark Mall site.
Developer Howard Hughes Corp. is working on plans to redevelop the 51-acre site formerly occupied by the still-standing Landmark Mall. For the time being, Sears remains open and the Carpenter's Shelter is occupying a part of Macy's while a new shelter is constructed near Old Town.
Howard Hughes Corp. is "actively courting anchor retail and office tenants for the first phase," according to Bisnow. Howard Hughes Co. Senior Vice President Mark Bulmash told Bisnow that the developer is looking to anchor the project with a supermarket, movie theater and large fitness facility. The rest of the development could include a variety of retail, residential, office and civic uses.
The long-stated goal is to create a community where people want to live, work and play, and create a place that people visit frequently.
The website thenewlandmark.com says, "The new Landmark will transform the 50-year-old mall into an active and welcoming hub to Alexandria’s West End—a community destination for the entire city."
The 51-acre site is surrounded by I-395, Duke Street and Van Dorn Street. The two streets will see improvements to traffic flow, safety and multi-modal transportation as part of the project.
The reason the project is taking so long: The site must go through a variety of planning phases with the City of Alexandria, including rezoning and various levels of architectural review and permitting.
Simultaneously, Howard Hughes Corp. is looking for anchor and other tenants so it can build in part according to needs. The actual building will start in phases and the full development could take years. Howard Hughes Corp. has not announced a groundbreaking date.
Landmark Mall closed in phases over the past several years, and Howard Hughes Corp. acquired the main part of the mall and the Macy's property. Sears remains open but the developer is working with the Sears property holding company Seritage on the redevelopment.
