Towne Centre at Laurel

Towne Centre at Laurel is a shopping center in Laurel, Maryland, United States. It occupies the former site of Laurel Mall and was created through the demolition and redevelopment of that earlier enclosed mall property. The project represented a shift from the previous mall format toward a contemporary retail center combining large-format stores, grocery retail, apparel, entertainment, restaurants, specialty shops, and structured parking. The redevelopment formally began with a groundbreaking ceremony hosted by the City of Laurel on August 14, 2012. Demolition proceeded in stages. By October 2012, the parking garage on the U.S. Route 1 side had been removed and interior demolition of the former mall was under way. The former Montgomery Ward building, later occupied by Burlington Coat Factory, was demolished in July 2013; it was the final remaining portion of the old Laurel Mall structure to be removed. Burlington Coat Factory became the first tenant to open in the new center, beginning operations in April 2014. Harris Teeter subsequently opened a store at the development, described in the reference material as the chain's first location in Prince George's County. A grand-opening event for Towne Centre at Laurel was held in November 2014, marking the center's transition from construction project to operating retail destination. The center's principal anchors and major tenants have included Burlington Coat Factory, Harris Teeter, Old Navy, Party City, and Regal Cinemas. Its tenant mix has also included specialty retailers and restaurants, giving it a broader service and leisure role than a single-purpose shopping facility. The center's parking deck behind Burlington Coat Factory has a stated capacity of 612 vehicles. A United States Post Office was also expected to join the tenant mix as of May 2015. Towne Centre at Laurel is locally oriented rather than an international consumer brand. Its identity is tied to the redevelopment of a specific commercial site and to the retail, dining, grocery, and entertainment services available to residents of Laurel and surrounding communities. Publicly available reference material does not establish a founder, parent company, current owner, corporate group, financial profile, official website, or current operating status.

Towne Centre at Laurel was developed on the former site of Laurel Mall in Laurel, Maryland. The project replaced the earlier mall with a newer shopping-center format intended to accommodate a combination of major retailers, grocery shopping, apparel, entertainment, restaurants, and specialty stores. The City of Laurel marked the start of the redevelopment with a groundbreaking ceremony on August 14, 2012. Demolition took place in stages. By October 12 of that year, the parking garage on the U.S. Route 1 side of the former mall had been removed, while demolition inside the mall was continuing. The former Montgomery Ward structure, which had later housed Burlington Coat Factory, remained standing longer than the other portions of the old complex. It was demolished in July 2013 and was identified as the last surviving part of the former Laurel Mall. Construction of the replacement center progressed through 2013 and 2014. Burlington Coat Factory was the first tenant to open, beginning operations in April 2014. Harris Teeter also became a significant early tenant; the store was described as the grocery chain's first location in Prince George's County. The project reached a public opening milestone with a grand-opening event in November 2014. The center's principal anchors and attractions have included Burlington Coat Factory, Harris Teeter, Old Navy, Party City, and Regal Cinemas. Additional specialty retailers and restaurants expanded the center's role beyond basic shopping. The complex also includes a parking deck behind Burlington Coat Factory with a reported capacity of 612 cars. As of May 2015, a United States Post Office was expected to be added to the development. The available reference material focuses on the center's construction, tenant mix, and opening sequence. It does not identify the developer, founder, current owner, parent company, executive leadership, financial results, official website, or later changes in tenancy. Accordingly, those corporate and operational details remain unconfirmed in this dossier.

• 2014

  First tenant opens

  [1]Towne Centre at Laurelen.wikipedia.org

  Burlington Coat Factory opened in April as the first store operating in the new center.

• 2014

  Grand opening

  [1]Towne Centre at Laurelen.wikipedia.org

  Towne Centre at Laurel held its grand-opening event in November.

• 2013

  Final former-mall structure removed

  [1]Towne Centre at Laurelen.wikipedia.org

  The Burlington Coat Factory building, formerly associated with Montgomery Ward, was demolished in July and became the last remaining portion of Laurel Mall to be removed.

• 2012

  Redevelopment groundbreaking

  [1]Towne Centre at Laurelen.wikipedia.org

  The City of Laurel held a groundbreaking ceremony on August 14, beginning demolition of Laurel Mall and redevelopment of the site as Towne Centre at Laurel.

• 2012

  Initial mall demolition

  [1]Towne Centre at Laurelen.wikipedia.org

  The former mall's U.S. Route 1-side parking garage had been demolished by October 12, while interior demolition was under way.

A community-oriented mixed-use retail and entertainment center created through the redevelopment of the former Laurel Mall site.

• Off-price apparel and home merchandise anchor · 2014

  Burlington Coat Factory

  Burlington Coat Factory was the first tenant to open at Towne Centre at Laurel in April 2014. It served as one of the center's major anchor retailers and occupied the location associated with the former Montgomery Ward building before that structure was demolished during redevelopment.

• Grocery anchor

  Harris Teeter

  Harris Teeter provided the center with a full-service grocery anchor. The location was notable in the available reference material as the chain's first store in Prince George's County, adding a recurring everyday-shopping function to the redevelopment.

• Apparel retailer

  Old Navy

  Old Navy was listed among the center's anchor or major retail tenants. Its apparel-focused offer complemented the center's broader mix of clothing, grocery, general merchandise, entertainment, and dining.

• Party-supply retailer

  Party City

  Party City was identified as one of Towne Centre at Laurel's principal tenants. The store added a specialized retail category centered on party supplies and seasonal merchandise.

• Cinema and entertainment

  Regal Cinemas

  Regal Cinemas served as the center's principal entertainment attraction. Its inclusion helped position Towne Centre at Laurel as a destination combining shopping with leisure and moviegoing.

• 2014

  Launch of the new retail centerProduct launch

  Background

  After demolition and construction at the former Laurel Mall site, the replacement center needed to establish an operating tenant base.

  Action taken

  Burlington Coat Factory opened in April, followed by additional anchor and specialty tenants, and the center held a grand opening in November.

  Aftermath

  Towne Centre at Laurel began operating as a mixed retail and entertainment destination.

  Source

• 2012

  Replace Laurel Mall with a new shopping centerStrategy

  Background

  The former Laurel Mall site was selected for comprehensive redevelopment rather than continued operation as the previous enclosed mall.

  Action taken

  The project began with a City of Laurel groundbreaking ceremony, followed by staged demolition of the mall, its parking facilities, and eventually the final remaining former-mall building.

  Aftermath

  The site became Towne Centre at Laurel, with a tenant mix built around retail, grocery, entertainment, dining, and specialty services.

  Source

1. 1Towne Centre at Laurelen.wikipedia.org