NORTH BETHESDA, MD-Although the property's ownership has not released definitive plans, most observers believe this will probably be the last Christmas for the White Flint Mall in its present form.

While employees at mall anchor Lord & Taylor, Dave & Buster's and about a dozen retailers are still serving customers, the mall itself is a shell of its former self. A major section of the mall that once housed Bloomingdale's was demolished, and more than three-quarters of its shops have closed. Many of the remaining stores are planning to close or move in 2014, according to the Washington Post.

“The property owners, they hold a lot of details close to their chests,” said Lindsay Hoffman, executive director of Friends of White Flint, a nonprofit organization focused on implementing the redevelopment plans for both the mall and surrounding areas of North Bethesda. “My sense is that the mall would not be standing through next year, but that's the most specific I can get on it.”

Lerner Enterprises, which owns the mall with Tower Cos., has not announced a timeline for closing or demolishing the White Flint Mall, but have stated that they eventually plan to convert the site into an open-air town center. See story in the Washington Post.