Speak Out: Clarksburg is ‘Ground Zero’ in Retail Race. Is this Good?
How would you feel if Clarksburg were to become Montgomery County’s “next major shopping destination?"
For Clarksburg residents, the promise of suburban life should include a placeholder for shopping malls.
Retail developers are in negotiations to buy 40 acres of Clarksburg land from Adventist HealthCare, news outlets have reported.
Or as The Washington Post put it:
“The quiet community of Clarksburg has become ground zero in a battle to build Montgomery County’s next major shopping destination.”
(And this from The Gazette: “First, Bennigan’s arrived in Clarksburg. Malls may be next.”)
Simon Property Group, one of the former owners of Lakeforest Mall in Gaithersburg, would operate the retail complex, according to The Post.
Where it gets sticky, according to The Post, is that it could compete with another developer’s 100-acre project planned near Ten Mile Creek—Peterson Cos., the Fairfax, VA-based company that also owns Washingtonian Center in Gaithersburg.
Montgomery County Council Vice President Craig Rice (D-Dist. 2), who is from Germantown, has told The Post and The Gazette that he thinks this is a good opportunity for Clarksburg.
Do you agree? Would it be a good thing if Clarksburg were to become “Montgomery County’s next major shopping destination?”
Please post your comments below.
Clarksburg Resident
2:23 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Yes I do agree that it would be a good thing for Clarksburg to become Montgomery County's next major shopping destination. There are a lot of communities from North Potomac/Gaithersburg to Urbanna and everywhere in between that could benefit from a good shopping destination that is closer than Montgomery Mall. In my opinion, the Rio is great but offering a closer and more "indoor shopping mall like" experience would be great for upper Montgomery County.
Tiffany Arnold
2:25 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
@CR: Yeah, there really isn't much by way of shopping out in Urbana. If you had your pick, which shops would you like to see come to Clarksburg?
Jumbo Shrimp
2:50 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
High end grocery like Harris Teeter? Yes. Cafes and sit in restaurants? Yes. Outlet mall? Fast food restaurants? No.
Ann Watson
11:08 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
It would be nice to have some High end stores out this way as well as moderately priced stores.
l
7:37 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013
Any retail other than typical strip malls is desirable in the Upcounty area, it will bring activity, shoppers, jobs, and more desirable retail.
Salma m
8:46 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013
Harris teeters, whole foods yes . fast food NO Bloomingdales, Nordstroms saks jcrew Louis Vutton YES
Another Clarksburg Resident
10:55 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013
I didn't move to Clarksburg to live in a "major shopping destination." At least now, there is still a little bit of quiet, rural country in the surrounding area. I suppose we need to pave all of that over to satisfy the up-county's need for materialism.
Fred Foo
10:52 pm on Saturday, January 26, 2013
The 'next' shopping destination is not in Clarksburg; it's online. Developers of retail destinations are going to take a bath as the number of physical stores that prosper will continually decrease.
Katie Rapp
11:01 am on Monday, January 28, 2013
Development there will impact Ten Mile Creek, which is lovely and special and probably not going to be that way for much longer. http://www.audubonnaturalist.org/index.php/conservation/ten-mile-creek
Ken Crowley
3:40 pm on Saturday, February 9, 2013
Why not revive Lakeforest Mall instead? It's already built, close to Clarksburg, and wouldn't be controversial.
Jason Wade
9:14 am on Sunday, February 10, 2013
Yes Yes and more Yes....we need retail development to further spur and support the local Clarksburg/UpCounty community. We are very under-served with certain services. Im opening up a store in May to invest in my community.