Daniela Berson and Nicole Raz
WMAL.com
WHITE FLINT — (WMAL) The White Flint Mall has been left in shambles after a redevelopment was left unfinished. After a three-year-long dispute, the only retailer left standing, Lord & Taylor, is taking the developers of the White Flint Mall to court.
A jury will first decide whether the owners of the White Flint Mall, Lerner Enterprises, violated an agreement by not getting the retailer’s OK to begin redevelopment. A clause in the easement agreement states the mall would remain open until at least 2042. Then the jury will decide whether the retailer is entitled to financial damages.
Lerner Enterprises has already dismantled most of the mall, causing the retailer to lose business, the retailer claims.
“It’s a delay tactic, but I don’t think that’s the primary reason behind the lawsuit,” says Sam Williamowsky, a Rockville-based real estate lawyer with Axelson, Williamowsky, Bender & Fishman. “They believe that they can bring this action to try and get their economic rights enforced.”
Williamowsky told WMAL that even though today marks day one of a trial, it’s never too late to settle–and he thinks they will.
“Lerner’s going to be able to develop the property. The question is, how much are they going to pay Lord & Taylor for having them do that?”
Copyright 2015 by WMAL.com. All Rights Reserved. (Video: Mike Purks, YouTube)
