Once, Springfield Mall
Springfield Town Center stands just north of the Franconia-Springfield Parkway in Fairfax County, Virginia.
In 1973, JCPenney, Montgomery Ward, Garfinckel’s, and Lansburgh’s brought in the first crowds. In 1991, Macy’s joined as an anchor store.
People went along carpeted, wide corridors with fluorescent lights, making stops at stores or standing in line for the arcade.
Prince Charles and Princess Diana visited the JCPenney in 1985, pulling the national spotlight to a quiet corner of Northern Virginia.
In 2012, the mall closed for a sweeping renovation, reopening in 2014 as Springfield Town Center, with PREIT later taking ownership and new entertainment tenants reshaping the original layout.
In 2023, the LEGO Discovery Center opened at the main entrance.
By 2025, construction crews were active on new apartments and a hotel at the edge of the property, following the sale of a section of the parking lot for redevelopment.
Foundations: The Birth of Springfield Mall (1973–1984)
Springfield Mall opened on February 28, 1973, on an 80-acre site developed by Arthur M. Fischer Inc. and Franconia Associates.
The initial plan had 2 million square feet of indoor shopping and parking for 15,000 cars.
The four original anchor stores were JCPenney, Lansburgh’s, Garfinckel’s, and Montgomery Ward.
Initially, mall directories indicated that there were 70 to 100 stores.
Skylights and wide concourses ran the length of the main level, with escalators and staircases connecting two floors.
There were fountains, a tropical plant garden, and a steel sculpture by Remo Saraceni in the center court.
Department stores had entrances at both ends of the building. Long tiled corridors connected them to other stores.
Store managers maintained standard window displays in line with mall requirements.
Through 1984, the original anchors and layout remained unchanged. The tenant mix included a range of national and local retailers.
Both commuters and locals could use the bus and trolley routes to reach the mall.
The main building and regular operations did not change much during the 1970s and early 1980s.
High Tide: Arcades, Crowds, and Royalty (1985–1990)
People from Fairfax County and nearby places were going to Springfield Mall by the mid-1980s.
In the center court, visitors lined up outside the Time Out arcade, which became one of the chain’s top two performers nationwide.
The arcade machines made sounds and lights under the mall’s ceiling. Teenagers often came to play after school and on weekends.
On November 11, 1985, Prince Charles and Princess Diana made a stop at the JCPenney.
Reporters were outside the store. People from the area watched as Prince Charles and Princess Diana made their way through.
Other shoppers moved in and out of stores, passing through chain shops and food vendors that made up the bulk of the tenant mix at that time.
The anchor lineup was set to change as the decade drew to a close.
Macy’s was being built and was planned to open as a new anchor store.
Shifting Fortunes: Decline and Security Concerns (1991–2006)
The addition of Macy’s as an anchor store in 1991 completed an expansion that had been planned for years.
At the start of the decade, the anchor roster included JCPenney, Montgomery Ward, Garfinckel’s, Lansburgh’s (by then E.J. Korvette), and Macy’s.
Storefronts began to change more often as some national chains closed and smaller operators cycled through open spaces.
By the mid-1990s, there were more empty stores along the main hallways.
Management made changes to the directory and leasing in an effort to keep the mall busy.
The Department of Motor Vehicles office at the property became widely known after the September 11, 2001, attacks.
Two hijackers obtained state identification at the office located in the mall, a fact cited in news coverage after the event. Worries about safety went up.
Two gang-related stabbings took place in 2005, followed by a fatal shooting in December 2007 and another fatal carjacking in the parking lot in September 2008.
More police and security staff were on duty during busy shopping times.
In 2005, Vornado Realty Trust secured an option valued at $36 million to purchase the mall from Franconia Two LP.
Vornado bought the mall in early 2006 for $80 million more. This started the process toward redevelopment.
Closure and Transition: A Decade of Redevelopment (2006–2014)
In 2006, Vornado Realty Trust gained complete control of Springfield Mall. Changes to the market made redevelopment progress more slowly.
In March 2012, the company announced that all stores, except the three anchors, would close.
June 30, 2012, marked the last day of business for most tenants.
Renovation began. Much of the original interior was removed, and new pedestrian areas were built.
Plans were made to construct new entrances, expand outdoor dining areas, and establish corridors similar to those found in other modern malls.
The main building was modified to make it easier for people to access from parking lots and transit stops.
During construction, only the anchor stores were open.
The property reopened as Springfield Town Center on October 17, 2014.
Most of the fixtures from the 1970s were replaced with new signs, materials, and layouts.
The design was changed to a town center style, with stores, dining, services, and public spaces all in one area.
PREIT bought the property later in 2014 for $465 million. This meant new owners and managers for the mall.
Rebirth: Springfield Town Center Reopens
Springfield Town Center reopened after being closed for two years.
The renovation included new entrances, various tile patterns, and lighting adjustments, as well as modifications to the store layouts.
The main anchors in the center were Macy’s, JCPenney, and Target.
Regal Springfield Town Center Stadium 12 opened in October 2014, the same day the mall reopened as Springfield Town Center.
The theater features twelve screens and reclining seating, accompanied by a bar and lounge located near the entrance.
It occupies a large footprint within the entertainment section of the center. Movies start before noon each day, drawing regular crowds into the main corridors.
Dick’s Sporting Goods also opened in 2014 as part of the anchor lineup.
Dick’s Sporting Goods spans over 50,000 square feet, featuring sections for clothing, equipment, and seasonal items.
Its entrance connects directly to the second-level walkway, and a skybridge links the store to adjacent parking.
Dick’s Sporting Goods shares its wing with Regal Cinema.
Nordstrom Rack agreed to open a 33,000 sq ft store at Springfield Town Center in August 2014 and started business there in spring 2015 as a junior anchor.
This was the first Nordstrom Rack in the Washington area, offering discounted clothing and accessories at 30 to 70 percent below normal prices.
Dave & Buster’s began operating in late 2015, taking over a space previously intended for retail use.
Into the Present: Modernization, New Uses, and Future Plans (2023–2025)
Burlington signed a lease in 2023 and opened later that year as one of the newer junior anchors at Springfield Town Center.
The store occupies a prominent spot within the main directory, operating as a discount department retailer alongside recent additions to the property.
In August 2023, the LEGO Discovery Center Washington, D.C., opened at the property, occupying a 32,000-square-foot space near the main entrance.
The indoor attraction was developed with Merlin and the LEGO Group.
In June 2025, Burger King opened a new location at the center, alongside other restaurants and national chain options.
PREIT secured a $150 million loan in June 2025 to support redevelopment and repay debt.
Part of the parking lot, about six acres, was sold to The Hanover Company for $15.3 million, enabling construction of a 460-unit apartment building.
Fairfax County supervisors approved zoning for new residential and hotel use, including plans for a seven-story hotel.
New walkways, exercise spaces, and a dog park were added to the public green areas.
The parking structures were planned for expansion, along with a proposed skybridge.
Apartment construction and hotel planning changed the property’s use from retail to mixed-use.
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