Carly Goodman (@carlygoodman.bsky.social)

undefined on Instagram: "themocoshowDemolition work is underway inside Lakeforest Mall as crews continue preparing the long-shuttered property for full tear…" themocoshowDemolition work is underway inside Lakeforest Mall as crews continue preparing the long-shuttered property for full teardown. Recent photos from inside the building show active interior demolition as the site moves closer to its next phase of redevelopment (photos available on the next slides).Lakeforest Mall officially closed on March 31, 2023, ending nearly a 45 year run. Since then, the property has remained closed to the public, but activity has increased in recent weeks as demolition teams work their way through the interior in advance of exterior demolition expected to follow.As the building is dismantled, longtime residents have an opportunity to bring home a tangible piece of the mall’s past. Lakeforest’s outdoor signs are now being auctioned through Capital Online Auctions, with local pickup required. The listing invites bidders to own a piece of Gaithersburg history and includes multiple original signs that once welcomed shoppers to the mall. More updates will be shared as demolition progresses and redevelopment plans continue to move forward.Originally opened on September 12, 1978, the mall featured anchor stores JCPenney, Sears, Woodward & Lothrop, and Hecht’s. It was one of the first malls in the U.S. to include an indoor ice-skating rink, located in the “H section,” and was the largest indoor shopping mall in Montgomery County at the time. The rink was later replaced by a movie theater in 1984, which eventually became a food court. The mall was built on the former Lake Walker park and opened with approximately 30 to 50 stores, many of which relocated from the nearby indoor Village Mall, now Montgomery Village Center. https://www.instagram.com/p/DQ7-1XVEq8j/?img_index=1&igsh=MW1zN29xY213cHp0cw==