Avondale Estates' answer to the $68 million question: The tree most likely will have to go.

The tree is a water oak, estimated to be 80 to 100 years old, near the intersection of North Avondale Road and Oak Street. It is scheduled to be cut down to make way for a retail project that city officials hope will be the beginning of a downtown makeover.

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The developer, Century Retail, says its plan to bring condos, shops and a Publix store to the four-block area won't work if they can't cut down the tree to make room for a parking deck.

But nearly three dozen residents tried Wednesday night to convince city commissioners to demand that the oak be saved before they approve the final development deal.

"They've sunk so much money into this, if somebody had the guts to say to them, 'The tree stays,' they aren't going anywhere," said James Gelin, who went to the commission work session to argue for the city to save the tree.

The City Commission is split. Commissioners Lyda Steadman and Sandra Varian talked of finding ways to save the tree, while commissioners Michael Payne and David Milliron have argued for the development.

With Mayor Ed Rieker weighing both sides and not committing to either, the draft of the development agreement will go to developers today — without a clause to save the tree.

"I am not hearing a consensus to change the development agreement at this time," Rieker said.

The city's Downtown Development Authority, tree board and City Manager Clai Brown all recently have recommended that the council move ahead on the development deal — without the tree.

"If you put everything on the table, and put the sentimental aside, the tree needs to go," Brown said, citing two reports from arborists who inspected the tree and said it is unhealthy and needs to come down, regardless of development.

But the tree's protectors say a retired arborist they asked to examine the tree came to the opposite conclusion. While many water oaks begin to decline at about 80, they say the Avondale tree shows no signs of problems.

Preserving the tree would, at a minimum, force the redesign of a project more than two years in the making. That would disrupt the timeline of a July 2009 opening of the boutique grocery store, because the development agreement must be done this summer so DeKalb County can begin issuing the necessary permits.

That could cost Avondale hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees. The city raised property taxes 5 percent this year, though officials said then they hoped the project would help them keep rates stable next year.

Any delay also could transform the look of downtown. Even if the tree stays, the business it stands in front of is moving.

Peachtree Credit Union will close in the next 45 days. So will Avondale Pizza Cafe and Finders Keepers consignment shop. All are relocating as part of the redevelopment.