The draft plan would add residential to the existing commercial designation of the more-than-102-acre property. It notes that the site is 1.2 miles from the MARC commuter rail station in Olde Towne Gaithersburg. New housing "should focus on multifamily units," the draft plan states.
Planning staff has divided the site up into parts, such as the "Lost Knife corridor" and "Montgomery Village Avenue corridor." The plan argues that redevelopment of the mall property should make new amenity space "a primary goal."
One red flag is the plan's use of the term, "missing middle" housing, in stating the claim that there is a lack of such in Gaithersburg. The site is surrounded by just such housing in Gaithersburg and Montgomery Village, where mid-priced homes are already quite easily "found." In ironic contrast, unless a highly-charitable developer takes command here, all new housing minus MPDUs on the Lakeforest property will be well above the market rate. The area is also already one of the most-racially-diverse in Montgomery County.
Now, detectives say, their investigation has turned up evidence that Gonzalez was murdered. They're hoping to find more evidence in the case with the public's help. Detectives with the Major Crimes Division urge anyone with information about the disappearance of Jose Gonzalez, to include anyone who saw Gonzalez on August 9 or knows about his movements on that day, to contact the Major Crimes Division at 240-773-5070 or Crime Solvers by phone: 1-866-411-TIPS (8477), online, or via the Crime Solvers app. Callers can remain anonymous.
Built in 1947, the movie palace shuttered in 1990, and sadly is now a Rite Aid drug store on the ground floor. I'd like to see this architectural treasure restored to an operating movie theater someday.
