NORTH BETHESDA, MD-Retailer Lord & Taylor does not care for the redevelopment planned for the White Flint Mall here.

The department store, which has been based at the mall since 1976, filed suit in federal court earlier this month against the mall ownership Lerner Enterprises and the Tower Cos. and is seeking to secure a permanent injunction against the plan, according to the Washington Post.

The redevelopment plan for the 800,000-square-foot mall now under consideration calls for 1 million square feet of offices in three buildings, 1 million square feet of retail, 2,500 residential units and a 300-room hotel.

In its civil complaint, Lord & Taylor charges that its original 1975 agreement states that the mall's ownership “cannot, without the prior consent of Lord & Taylor, alter, modify or change the architectural design or the appearance, or change the number of floors, size or location of the buildings” or parking areas, the newspaper reports.

The retailer also alleges in its court filing that the ownership of the White Flint Mall drove the vacancy at the center to 40% in preparation for the redevelopment project. See story in the Washington Post.