Retractable Dome Roof Coming to Westfield Wheaton

At its grand opening in 1960, Wheaton Plaza near Silver Spring, Maryland was the sixth largest shopping mall in America. Its modified Georgian architectural style featured Italian marble, exotic woods, and Florentine glass mosaic panels. The center pathway was an open-air plaza, lined with boxed evergreen trees. John F. Kennedy and Eleanor Roosevelt visited and campaigned that year.

Sixty-two years later, Westfield Wheaton mall’s French owner Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield SE is planning for a revival. “Malls are not dead! Far from it! There is a great desire post-pandemic to shop physically and safely,” said Unibail CEO Mort Magasin. “We will restore Wheaton Plaza to its former glory, starting with fresh air and sunshine!”

The refurbished mall will feature a retractable dome roof covering 5.5 acres of space. “At more than 340 feet tall, the Wheaton Plaza Dome roof will be the largest of its kind in the world, surpassing AT&T Stadium in Dallas and visible for miles in every direction,” said acclaimed design-engineer Mauvaise Idée. Roof panels will retract between anchor stores Target and JC Penny, leaving the entire two-story, 750-foot-long interior of the mall open to the sky.

The open-air plaza and an Italian-inspired interior design are just part of the retro plans for the shopping center, which will take the new name Westfield Wheaton Plaza when completed. Also in the works – bringing back some of the iconic brands that locals loved. The CVS will operate as Peoples Drug by CVS and Marriott will open the first Hot Shoppes Cafeteria since its last store closed in 1999. Perennial favorites Shakey’s Pizza, Farrell’s Ice Cream and Lamp & Shade Center are also expected to make a return.

Construction begins in summer 2023 and is expected to be complete by 2026. Stores in the mall will continue to operate with minimum disruption during renovations, according to Unibail.