Plans are in the works to turn Ballston Common Mall inside out with renovations to the building, the mall tenants, and the customer base. Being one of the smallest malls in the region, the only frequent customers are described as "careless residents of one nearby apartment building." Troy Palma, the regional economist for Arlington Economic Development, hopes these changes will appeal to those who live nearby or work for government, private sector, and university employers in Ballston. While the core of the mall will be intact, the entirety of the building will be thoroughly renovated with the removal of sections of the roof, construction of new spaces for windows and balconies, and reorienting of several spaces to the outside, including the food court, which will become an outdoor, terraced plaza. The types of mall tenants will change with half in the restaurant and entertainment categories and half as local and regional retailers. With the renovations, there are hopes for the mall to become a "specialty center" to the community.
The renovations expand even further to the surrounding area of the mall with plans to replace the corner of the mall at North Randolph Street and Wilson Boulevard with a 29-story residential tower of 393 units. The office building above the mall will be renovated, and the unused Hecht Co. headquarters at the "point" of the mall at Glebe Road and Wilson Boulevard will be remodeled. Other nearby changes include renovations to the West Ballston Metro with an above-ground entrance slated for construction in 2015 along with renovations to the surrounding sidewalks and bus stops. The Metro station will also include integrated colored lights that will turn on and off when riders enter the station.
· Ballston Mall Redevelopment: Ballston, the once-and-future shopping destination, is turning things inside out [Arlington Magazine]
· Renderings: What to expect at a redeveloped Ballston Common Mall [Washington Business Journal]
· How do you fix Ballston mall? Make it less like a mall [Greater Greater Washington]