The Howard Hughes Corp. plans a fall or early winter groundbreaking for its Landmark Mall overhaul, Alexandria officials say, though its proposal remains under review by city planning staff.
Alexandria officials overseeing the review of the final site plan say that Howard Hughes has partnered with Mill Creek Residential to construct the multifamily housing planned for the redevelopment’s first phase, and Alexandria-based Parker Rodriguez Inc. will handle landscape architecture.
Howard Hughes officials did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
The initial redevelopment, approved by the Alexandria City Council on June 15, 2013, calls for 250,000 to 300,000 square feet of retail and restaurants, an upscale dining cinema and up to 400 apartments, to be constructed on what is now the central mall space between anchor stores Sears and Macy’s.
Shortly after the plan was approved, Howard Hughes leadership said a spring 2014 groundbreaking was in the works.
But a final site plan submitted Aug. 19 has remained under review. As part of the development, the existing mall flyover ramp will be improved, leading visitors to a two-block retail street and into the existing parking garage. What is now the central mall space will be redesigned as an open-air pedestrian arcade. Residential units will be constructed above the retail spaces.
Howard Hughes is an independently owned spinoff of General Growth Properties Inc. Its full build-out of the 51-acre Landmark Mall property is expected to be carried out in seven phases. For a basic overview of what the site looks like today, what it will look like after phase one and what it will look like after future phases, check out the slideshow above.
