Officials broke ground Tuesday on the long-awaited new Laurel Town Center in Maryland.
The $130 million redevelopment project will update the old Laurel Mall on Route 1.
Demolition of the old site and parking garage should take about five months. As far as construction is concerned, the goal is to have the new town center ready by fall 2014.
It's been five years since the plans for a new mixed-use space were announced, and Tuesday marks a groundbreaking that has the Laurel business community beaming, reports NBC4's Angie Goff.
There will be residential housing at Cherry Lane and Fourth, new restaurants, and up to 50 new stores and businesses -- including a grocery chain and cinema.
The project's progress has been slow following years of financial struggles. Now, with new developers, the revamped center will become more than just a core of this community.
The center is expected to add about 1,000 construction jobs and 1,500 other jobs to boost the city and Prince George's County as a whole, Laurel Mayor Craig A. Moe said.
