Wheaton Plaza Vs. City Place

Wheaton Plaza, otherwise known as Westfield Wheaton Mall, is a really attractive Mall. I don't usually go there because it has a reputation and has been the scene of shootouts and just plain negative vibes. I recently went there for a JC Penney's sale. And I was blown away...not literally of course.

Last week, I went into City Place for the same reason, to shop for a specific purchase I thought I would find at Marshall's. I was equally blown away.  More than 75 percent of the stores are empty.

What is going on? Why is City Place dying? The Mall was vacant but for a very few shops. When I was at Wheaton on Sunday it was full of frequented shops similar to what you might find at Montgomery Mall or Tysons. Granted, Wheaton is a part of the Westfield conglomerate but that does not explain why City Place is failing.

Is there another purchase going on in the background? Are there designs for the property on which City Place sits? I don't find it coincidental that it happens at the same time that Fenton Street Market is threatened by higher rent and therefore a move. 

Wheaton for all its wonderfulness is a part of a changng scene, much like what Silver Spring has seen in the last 10 years or so. , even though I question the opening "venue" which may reflect its direction - not making me happy.

But why did I feel so comfortable at Wheaton with the shops, the family oriented attractions - a Mall, in all my 25 years in Maryland, I have NEVER felt comfortable and not just comfortable, but safe. Now, in my hometown Mall (City Place) it was like a serious ghost town. No shops, wide spaces between those that are open, nothing "hip." Where are all the community people? Why is our Mall not so important? Why did I have to have this walk-through to discover the difference?

I think this is an important issue for our community. We love our Fenton Street open market, our FreshFarm Ellsworth Saturday market ... but why do we go to Montgomery Mall, Wheaton Mall, Tysons, the little shops in Bethesda, when our Mall is dying? Is there something else going on? Do we not care? Is it okay that this huge block of space is nearly empty? We have lost Borders and Pier1 - obvious locations in the open mall area. Certain stores have moved around, I think CakeLove is the most obvious example. What is really at the source of our laisse-fairre losses here?

We need to discuss this.  We need to know why.