Montgomery County, WRS Inc. Real Estate Investments break ground on new Lakeforest Transit Center at Lakeforest Mall site
Montgomery County, Md., alongside partners from WRS Inc. Real Estate Investments, have broken ground on the relocation and redevelopment of the Lakeforest Transit Center at the Lakeforest Mall site in Gaithersburg.
The new transit center is part of a plan to transform the closed Lakeforest Mall into a mixed-use development that will support residential housing, entertainment, shopping and public gathering spaces. The original Lakeforest Mall opened in 1978. The county says it was the largest mall in the county for some time and was a well-known community gathering spot for shopping and dining for 45 years.
Under the first phase of the agreement, WRS will prepare nearly two acres of land for construction, including filling a drainage pond and grading the site. The new transit center will serve the eight Ride On bus routes that currently use the existing Lakeforest Transit Center, as well as a planned MD 355 Flash Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor.
“Lakeforest Mall was a place where people came together for decades, and this redevelopment gives us a chance to reimagine this site,” said Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich. “Building this transit center is critical to this redevelopment process and our forthcoming BRT system. Thousands of people depend on transit in this part of the county, and this partnership ensures they will have safe, convenient access as the area grows. Transportation, housing and economic development are connected, and this project reflects that. I appreciate WRS and all our partners for their commitment to building something here that truly supports the people who live and work in Gaithersburg. I want to thank Delegate Julie Palakovich Carr (D-17) and the entire state delegation and Mayor Jud Ashman and the city of Gaithersburg for their support in securing funding for this vital project.”
The county notes the first phase of the transit center redevelopment is expected to take a year. Once complete, the Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) will purchase the land from WRS and begin construction on the new center.
“The partnership with WRS will allow us to provide safe, accessible transportation to the revitalized Lakeforest community,” said MCDOT Director Chris Conklin. “The new transit center will support the nearly 2,000 riders per day who rely on the current Lakeforest Transit Center, as well as create capacity to accommodate the planned Flash Bus Rapid Transit corridor along MD 355 and any future developments. We are building this transit center with scalability in mind as more residents seek transportation options that reduce reliance on cars.”
WRS Principal Kevin Rodgers says the company knows how important the project is to residents of the county.
“We will be redeveloping about 100 acres where the current Lakeforest Mall now sits,” Rodgers said. “This project will bring new life to this area, and we know how important access is to new development. We welcome this partnership with Montgomery County to build a new transit center to help support the success of this redevelopment.”