By Conor Gillingham
There once was a shopping center that was easy for people around Lake Anne and Tall Oaks to get to, but it was eventually torn down in 2018. This was Tall Oaks Shopping Center, which has largely been forgotten ever since it was torn down. Now in 2020, Tall Oaks is making its return as an apartment complex.
So far, construction has been going at a very fast pace now that the foundation is complete. For two years it was just an unoccupied, barren wasteland, and no major changes had been made. The change from a shopping center to an apartment complex is a positive upgrade, because it provides more options for place to live in the Tall Oaks area. While it may seem like a loss at first to not have a shopping center in the area, it’s not a disastrous outcome since Plaza America shopping center is close by. There is also the benefit of having many restaurants nearby like McDonald's and Taco Bell. One of the most significant benefits of living in the apartment complex is the benefit of the restaurant Founding Farmers making plans to act as a makeshift grocery store temporarily. Less than a mile away, it will be a quick and easy drive.
While it may seem like a loss at first, Tall Oaks changing to an apartment complex is a decision with mostly positive effects, and will undoubtedly fill up quickly once open.