What is and What Will Be

Today after I got off of work, I made a trip over to Bannister Mall to take a look at the area as it is now, and how I remember it as a kid (except busier back then). I brought my camera along to get some pictures of what the place is like now and wanted to compare them to how the area will be once the 3 Trails Development takes place. Apologies in advance for the very long post, it's mostly due to the pictures.

Starting on the north side of the project, you have the Days Inn and the Super 8 Motel in that area.


Those hotels will be torn down, and in their place 2 hotels, with a combined 240 rooms, and some retails buildings will be built.
To the East of that, you have what is now Benjamin Stables. The ranch will be torn down, which in my opinion is the real sad part of this development.

In it's place, there will only be parking and a few office complexes.
From there we move to the spot where I'll be spending the majority of my time out at this complex, and that's the soccer specific stadium for the Wizards. The stadium will be going in north of where the mall currently stands, taking out some of the buildings for Benjamin Plaza, including the old Toys R' Us and Just for Feet. This picture is taken from across Hillcrest looking back towards where the stadium will be.
Along with the stadium, there will be a 7 story hotel, likely the hotel that will be used by visiting teams when they come to play at the new stadium.
Across Hillcrest from the stadium, where the old Hypermart currently sits, will be an office complex made up of 3 to 4 story office buildings. This picture is taken from where the soccer fields will be just south of the office complex. As well as a picture taken from just south of where the stadium will be.
And here's a general idea of what the complex will look like when the entire project is completed.
Moving just to the south of the offices, are the 12 tournament quality soccer fields that will be put in. They'll be built on the site of the rest of the Benjamin Plaza shopping area and the restaurants closer to Hillcrest. This picture is taken looking south at where the fields will be. Followed by what the fields will look like when the project is finished.

Then we have the main shopping part of the district, where the mall currently stands in all it's empty, plywood covered, weed infested parking lot glory. With pictures both looking south from where the stadium will be, and west from across Hillcrest.

And here's an outline of how the area will look once the mall has been torn down and the new shopping has gone in.Unfortunately by this time, my camera batteries died, and without replacements I was unable to get photos of the redevelopment of the area south of the mall, including the K-Mart location.
I also missed getting pictures of what will become another office complex, south of where the fields are, in an area that is currently an open field.