Home Goods and T.J. Maxx Destined for Georgetown Mall
The mall owners are looking for two restaurants to also take up space in the renovated property.
The first all-but-confirmed tenants for the Georgetown Park Mall will be T.J. Maxx and Home Goods according to a Vornado Realty Trust flyer requesting restaurant tenants that was obtained by local blog The Georgetown Metropolitan.
The flyer shows two restaurant locations available along the Canal side of the Georgetown mall property and lists space as assigned to Home Goods/T.J. Maxx.
Georgetown Metropolitan (GM) also reports that Michaels Craft store is another tenant.
The mall is closed for renovations, with the exception of those stores that front on M Street and the Washington Sports Club.
The proposed two restaurant spaces are at opposite entrances of the mall.
One will sit on the western end of the property near Dean & Deluca and to the rear of an expanded J.Crew. Space A as it is called in the plans offers a total of 18,616 square feet (M Street Level 9,190 s.f., Wisconsin Level 9,426 s.f.). A second restaurant, Space B, could occupy the 40,557 sqaure feet of space closest to Wisconsin Avenue at the rear of the Mall property (M Street Level 7,412 s.f.,
Wisconsin Level 33,145 s.f.).
GM writer Topher Mathews is none too happy with the big box tenants "that have all the charm and destination-appeal of Rockville Pike."
He has just a little hope for the type of restaurant that might choose these space.
"Maybe the restaurants will redeem this whole project. It could happen, but given Vornado’s bland suburban taste in tenants so far, GM is afraid we’ll end up with an Olive Garden and Cheesecake Factory…".
At the most recent Advisory Neighborhood Commission meeting, Vornado Realty Trust's Scott Milsom said the developers hope to be "substantially complete with construction" within the next 10 months to a year.
What do you think? Would you shop at Home Goods? Do you hate driving to Virginia to get your craft supplies?
Georgia Abraham
1:48 pm on Friday, September 14, 2012
There was nothing to lure me to Georgetown Park before, and this changes nothing. It sounds like a strip mall on Rockville Pike
Shaun Courtney
2:03 pm on Friday, September 14, 2012
Is there a restaurant you could imagine fitting the bill?
I make the occasional trip to Michael's all the way out at Seven Corners in Falls Church and would love to not have to drive out Route 50 anymore. But I don't go there often, so perhaps another use would be a better fit for the neighborhood. -SC
Dave Colby
8:24 pm on Friday, September 14, 2012
Ha, like someone is going to pay $15 to park below the mall to go to a TJMaxx, Michaels or Home Goods. One of the more valuable pieces of real estate available in the city and they are filling it with Junk stores. Hilarious.
Judith Bunnell
8:58 am on Saturday, September 15, 2012
Boy, this is disappointing after all the suspense. Who is going to face Georgetown crowds and parking for something they can get for free?
Shaun Courtney
9:58 am on Saturday, September 15, 2012
I hadn't considered the parking garage factor...Oi.
Rich Webber
10:26 am on Saturday, September 15, 2012
The problem with Georgetown Park has always been one thing, parking. I came to g'twn in the early 80's when it was a fantastic mix. Even then, the parking fees and access, and the lack of metro, doomed the mall. G'twn has never really been able to compete with the NW shopping experience, and while residents may have liked that at the time, it is depressing to see the changes in these 35 years.
colleen girouard
1:15 pm on Saturday, September 15, 2012
Just horrible and depressing...nike town and now this. What happened to georgetown charm?
Claire Frémont
6:44 pm on Saturday, September 15, 2012
Why not at least a Nordstrom Rack or Macys, if one thinks discount style stores to be a draw? Are Victoria Stations still around? There's an idea for a more unique restaurant.
The_legal_immigrant
11:04 am on Monday, September 17, 2012
Is Vornado reading?
Shaun Courtney
11:49 am on Monday, September 17, 2012
Even if they are, as Georgetown Metropolitan put it, "This firm specializes in distressed properties, an investment strategy that normally involves buying a property cheap, tarting it up and turning around and selling it for quick buck." So, really, the question is, do they care? They're keeping mum still about all of this, but once they have something to say, we'll let you know! -SC
Todd Martin
5:36 pm on Monday, September 17, 2012
What I wouldn't do for a Christmas Tree Shop and Cracker Barrel...
Shaun Courtney
6:18 pm on Monday, September 17, 2012
Hah! Throw in a Ruby Tuesday's or Applebee's for good measure!
Rather Be Anonymous
11:33 am on Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Okay. So the tenants thus far are not ideal, but anything that would save me one trip to Falls Church or Potomac Yards is great. Kids art projects? Michael's sounds perfect! I have never been to a TJ Max but I suppose the night before run for the white turtle neck for a kids school Christmas shoe might be cut down to blocks? I would not mind some cheaper clothes and shoes in the area. True Religion sells cut off's for $200.. maybe the mall will be a nice alternative? If nothing lures you to the mall.. so be it. And I love the bowling alley idea. Something to do other than shop in overpriced boutiques? Maybe the ambiance will be better than the old green monster space that is now gone. They can't make it worse than it was. And if they had something exactly like an Olive Garden that was not tainted with the strip mall name and it might be just fine. Just keep your fingers crossed for a DMV so we can all appreciate the place!!
Commenter
9:52 am on Tuesday, February 12, 2013
One big problem for the mall has always been outside signage and lighting. If the Fine Arts and other historic entities won't budge on that one, the mall will never draw in passersby, so those with no street presence will have to spend big on advertising. Foot traffic in Georgetown is adequate that no one even has to bother with drawing people who are car-dependent, if only the mall interior doesn't continue to be "invisible" to passersby.
Joelle egger
11:51 am on Sunday, April 7, 2013
Me: I cannot wait to have Home Goods, Michael's and discount stores around. I have heard very good things from friends about the Home Goods store. On occasions, I have been gifts cards to shop there, only to give the card away. Michael's is a great store for those of us who do crafts. This will save sure save that trip to the suburbs! It's about time these shops come to our neighborhood!