North DeKalb Mall Rebuild Plans Slowly Progressing

DECATUR, GA — The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has posted a bit of an update on plans to tear down and rebuild North Dekalb Mall.

The mall's owners, Sterling Organization, plans to tear down the fading mall in Decatur and replace it with a multi-use, open-air concept that would include a Costco, a hotel, restaurants and housing. AMC Theaters and Burlington Coat Factory are among the current tenants who are expected to stay at the new development.

According to the AJC, the project must be approved by both county and state officials because of its potential impact on traffic. That, the paper writes, will make the process slower than it would be otherwise.

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County Commissioner Jeff Rader, who represents the area around North DeKalb Mall, said the commission may discuss the plans at its July 24 meeting, but that's not official. He told the AJC he's heard excitement for the project, as well as concerns about its impact on traffic.

The property's current zoning would allow the owners to tear down and rebuild the mall without a permit. But plans to add housing and a gas station require permission, Rader said.

Once prominent in the area, the mall has slowly faded over the years to a point where it is now home to many empty storefronts. The loss two years ago of Macy's — once a centerpiece store at the mall — was a major blow.

To read the full AJC report, click here.

Photo courtesy North DeKalb Mall