University Mall will undergo a $25 million renovation starting this summer.
“Right now, people go right by University Mall without giving a second glance, but this will make people stop,” said Rick Wolff, president and CEO of George H. Rucker Realty Corporation, which owns the mall.
The mall at the corner of Braddock Road and Route 123 was built in the late 1970s. The renovations, which would be completed by the fall of 2013, would bring the shopping center from 125,000 square feet to about 200,000 square feet.
Current tenants, including Giant, Cardinal Bank, and the University Mall Theatre, will remain open throughout construction. Giant will expand their store, while Cardinal bank will move to a new building on property.
“We are still talking to other tenants. We are 80 percent listed now and we are getting a lot of calls,” Wolff said.
The mall will get some aesthetic updates, including the removal of the cedar roof, replaced by colorful awnings over the stores.
“It will be very inviting and a huge change from what it is now,” Wolff said. “Someone said to me it’s not a renovation it’s a transformation. That’s really the case.”
Area residents had the chance to give their input on the redesign over a series of public hearings on the project. Braddock District Board of Supervisor John Cook said that the response from residents has been largely positive.
“I think everyone is looking forward to having it done,” Cook said. “A lot of the concerns they had were met during the planning meetings.”
Some of the concerns included how the project would impact planned road improvements at Braddock and 123, along with improvements at George Mason University, which is just across the street.
“There is now a design on the plan for intersection improvements and University Mall accommodated that,” Cook said. “There has been a lot of cooperation between the county, GMU and the mall on traffic changes. So everyone is working together to make the intersection work better.”
In This article
-
Giant
10653 Braddock Rd, Fairfax, VA -
Cardinal Bank University Mall
10695 Braddock Rd, Fairfax, VA -
University Mall Theatres
10659 Braddock Rd, Fairfax, VA
Nick
9:17 am on Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Mr. Wolff really nailed it when he said, "Right now, people go right by University Mall...but this will make people stop.” And it's great that "there is now a design on the plan for intersection improvements...", presumably for some years from now. Seems backwards.
And while I'm ranting... What's the plan for fixing the traffic problems on Braddock that will result as graduation season begins in a few weeks? The construction traffic and complete lack of direction by GMU will once again result in 45 minute commutes between Twinbrook and 123 and between Shirley Gate and 123 during the month of June.
Oh, I'm sure there will be signs warning the locals of the impending doom, nice big, flashy ones, noting the dates we should avoid going home. But that won't do anything for misdirected masses coming to Mason for the first time next month.
This year, the GMU Police need to take some initiative and close the Roanoke River Drive entrance to inbound traffic during events and direct the eastbound lanes to the Nottoway entrance (the one with the long turning lane and Vegas-style sign we all love). Bonus points if they make Mattaponi River Lane an inbound route before events to allow the East and Westbound traffic to enter simultaneously at the Nottoway entrance. Triple bonus for police direction! Make us proud again GMU!
Fairfax Resident
10:59 am on Thursday, May 10, 2012
I can tell this isn't your first rodeo! Agreed that better direction and not just street signs are necessary. I also hope that your advice on the closing of streets and one-way flow of traffic. Common sense talk is too often ignored.
Kim Griffin
10:21 am on Tuesday, May 8, 2012
I hope the renovations don't cause the rent to increase so much that some of the smaller stores are forced out. My husband goes to the comic book shop there, my son's pediatrician is right across the courtyard from there, and I'm a big fan of Saxby's Coffee. I hope they're all still there when the renovations are done.
Whitney Rhodes
2:37 pm on Tuesday, May 8, 2012
That comic book store is the best. Phoenix for the win!
Mary C. Stachyra
1:07 pm on Tuesday, May 8, 2012
I just hope the price of movie tickets doesn't go up! Love that there's a cheap theater nearby!
Edward Faggen
1:14 pm on Tuesday, May 8, 2012
For this mall to succeed it not onlly needs a makeover, it needs to connect better with GMU, right accross the street. Big college campuses support shopping areas, e.g, the corner at UVA. This is a natural for this mall and it should try to be more attractive to the campus population. Otherwise it is missing the boat.
Jason
5:17 pm on Tuesday, May 8, 2012
They need to do an overbridge crosswalk.
V Diddy
1:56 pm on Tuesday, May 8, 2012
If University Mall can get most, or even better, all of their stores to accept Mason Money, it will create a lot more foot traffic and business for the shopping center. If they can manage this, even if rents go up a small amount, they can absorb it from newly generated business.
It will allow them to better reflect their name too. The only thing "University" about University Mall at the moment is that it happens to be in the vicinity of one, that's all.
Jack Wagon
2:31 pm on Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Wow that's really sad. It is going to become a boring strip mall with the same boring corporate franchises that r in most (not all) boring strip malls. Very lame. How bout a boring starbucks, a boring coldstone, a boring chipotle, and the list goes on an on...................
Marcy Salvo
2:42 pm on Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Traffic, traffic, and more traffic.
Linda Miwa
2:46 pm on Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Just hope the University Mall Theater stays. Love being able to take the kids to a movie without spending a fortune.
Linda
Megan
5:03 pm on Tuesday, May 8, 2012
I really hope the same businesses remain! Especially the Theater.
Fairfax Resident
10:57 am on Thursday, May 10, 2012
Ditto on the smaller businesses there and especially the University Mall theater - sticky floors and all! We love that theater!!
Matt
2:01 pm on Thursday, May 10, 2012
How is it being financed? Who is paying for this??