The long-shuttered Landmark Mall in Alexandria, Virginia, is finally coming down. On Thursday, a wrecking ball started chipping away at the 57-year-old structure to make room for 4 million square feet of new development.
Video captured by News4 shows a wrecking ball bashing into one of the building's vintage "Landmark Mall" signs, as well as some of the the former mall's signature skylights and windows.
The mall closed several years ago. Now the site will be redeveloped to become a mixed-use space, anchored by a state-of-the-art Inova Alexandria Hospital. The hospital will include a cancer center and a specialty outpatient care center.
"This is the most significant advancement for the west end of our city since annexation, since 1951," said Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson. "I mean, this is an incredible step for the city of Alexandria. And what's so exciting is not just what's going to happen on this site, but what a catalyst this is for everything else on the west end and throughout our city."
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The former Landmark Mall site is being rebranded as the West End.
The first buildings are expected to appear in two years. The hospital is expected to be finished by 2028.
