Politics & Government
City Commission Nixes Proposed Callaway Project
Commissioners want more retail on the site, but developers don't believe the market could handle the requests made by the city.

The Decatur City Commission is at loggerheads with developers seeking to inject life into the site of the old Callaway Building, according to a report.
Developers Cousins Properties presented their proposal for a mixed-use project featuring over 350 apartments, 20,000 sq. ft. of retail space, and 5,000 sq. ft. of office space during the commission’s latest meeting. Commissioners rejected the proposal, saying they want the focus of the project to be on retail space instead of housing, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Cousins Senior Vice President Bill Bassett told the AJC that the commission’s demands for more retail are not sustainable in the current market environment, adding that he would not be able to secure tenants for the amount of retail space Mayor Jim Baskett and other commissioners are hoping for.
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The city and developers will work together over the next 30 days to come to a solution on the problem.
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