DeKalb exercises six-month extension on Callaway Building

Just as it appeared the days were numbered for Decatur’s Callaway Building, DeKalb County notified the city Wednesday it was exercising a six-month extension. This means the few remaining DeKalb employees will continue working in the building until April 30, 2016, when the county’s lease expires. Decatur purchased the building from DeKalb for $5,089,300 in 2013. Assistant City Manager Lyn Menne said that after April the county has no additional extension left.

This delays Callaway’s demolition until at least late spring of next year, with construction of the projected mixed-use development on the site not beginning until mid- or late-2016.

“The silver lining is that it lets [Decatur’s] current developments finish up before this one comes on line,” Menne said. “It lets the market settle down before this project’s finishes, probably late in 2018. It also means by next spring we’ll be a lot further along with site drawings and building permits.”