City of Gaithersburg staff have met with Lakeforest Mall's new owner

City of Gaithersburg Planning Director John Schlichting said Wednesday that he and unidentified other City staff members have already had conversations with the new owner of Lakeforest Mall, WRS, Inc. of South Carolina. They first had a phone discussion on July 31, he said. WRS informed them that they are more of a mixed-use development firm than a mall operator.

Schlichting and other staff then met in person at City Hall with WRS representatives this past Monday, he said. "We are exploring many options at this point, and that's all I can really say," Schlichting said yesterday.

As a result of those discussions, Schlichting recommended the Mayor and Council delay action on a previously-proposed Special Study Area planning review of the Lakeforest area, and a proposed moratorium, until their August 19 meeting. J.C. Penney has closed at the mall, and Lord & Taylor is scheduled to close its Lakeforest store in September.