Local advocates and DeKalb County leaders will hold a “community meet-and-greet” next week to discuss revitalization efforts along Memorial Drive.
The East Memorial Drive Revitalization Foundation — a nonprofit run by residents— is hosting the event from 6 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 9. It will be held at The Atrium Event Center, 5479 Memorial Drive, Stone Mountain.
The EMDRF is working with DeKalb Commissioner Steve Bradshaw and the county’s planning and sustainability department to execute a vision to revive the five-mile stretch of Memorial Drive between I-285 and Stone Mountain.
The county commission approved last year a revitalization plan that Bradshaw commissioned for the area, which was once a bustling thoroughfare filled with restaurants and in-demand retail.
By the early 2000s, national retailers had all but pulled out and strip centers were emptied, replaced by used car lots, title pawn shops and extended stay motels.
The revitalization plan suggests things like capitalizing on the potential for transit-oriented development at the nearby Kensington MARTA station, increasing density and generally improving aesthetics to make the area more appealing to both residents and developers.
Residents, business and property owners, investors, developers, local organizations and anyone else with interests in the area are encouraged to attend next week’s event.
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