Condo Rumors Untrue, Mall Owner's Son Says

The owner of the Washington Town Center has no plans to build condominiums at the site, despite rumors to the contrary, according to Alex DiChiara, the owner's son.

As many of the center's storefronts have remained vacant, rumors have circulated among Washington Township residents that the owner, Adele DiChiara, planned to replace the strip mall with a condo development.

Alex DiChiara and John Azarian, the mall's leasing agent, both told Patch that there are no plans to build condos or sell it to another developer.

"There simply aren’t any hidden agendas as some residents imagine," Alex DiChiara wrote in an email to Patch.

DiChiara's family has owned the property since 1959. Alex DiChiara, who now works in real estate on the West Coast, was involved in the site's management during the 1980s and from 2005 to 2008. Alex Dichiara said he and other family members would like to be involved in running the site, but Adele will not let them. 

"My family is interested in achieve one thing: return the property to a thriving retail center," Alex DiChiara wrote.

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