Springfield Mall Renovations on Schedule to be Completed by 2014

by Raytevia Evans

From the looks of it in its current state, the transformation from Springfield Mall to Springfield Town Center is moving slowly (or its just your anticipation getting the best of you). The demolition is still underway, and according to Lee District Supervisor Jeff McKay, the project is on schedule to be completed by 2014 as planned.

"The project is on track to finish next year. Of course, they still have challenges ahead of them and some of this is weather dependent and we haven't seen the worst of the weather yet," McKay said. "I speak with them frequently, and if they can get everything torn down and under roof before the winter, we'll know for sure if it will stay on schedule."

Join the conversation on Patch - Springfield Town Center: What Stores Would You Like to See?

Vornado Realty Trust previously said the new shopping center will include a multi-screen cinema, a new main entrance with valet parking, a health club, 700-seat food court, multiple kids' areas throughout the property and more than 7,600 parking spaces. The company also released a a new video preview for the new Springfield Town Center. Watch the new video here.

Fairfax County residents have openly discussed that they would like to see more boutique shops and upscale businesses when the town center reopens. Patch readers have commented on previous coverage saying they'd like to see stores such as Banana Republic, J. Crew, and Ann Taylor and restaurants such as Coastal Flats at the new town center.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is making strides in trying to bring in upscale businesses to the county. McKay said the county has a long way to go but has made some progress in recent years.

"When you combine Springfield Mall with the Wegmans and land use submissions at Penn Daw and Beacon at Groveton, clearly these additions will do wonders for people's property value," he said. "We've done a lot in a short amount of time and you'll continue to see more coming including at Fort Belvoir."

During construction, the anchor stores Macy's, JCPenney and Target are still open. Other stores from the mall have moved to various locations in Kingstowne and Springfield.

Springfield Town Center is scheduled to be completed in 2014. McKay said he has encouraged Vornado to plan a hard hat press tour in the future. The company has agreed to schedule a tour but has not confirmed a date.