Demolition for North Decatur Square/Whole Foods development begins
Demolition has begun on the series of circa-1970s car dealerships between North Decatur Road and Church Street, future home of North Decatur Square. Jeff Garrison, a partner with project developer S.J. Collins, anticipates this will take two weeks. Afterwards comes four months of grading and underground utilities installation before construction begins this fall.
North Decatur Square will total 86,000 square feet of grocery, restaurants and specialty retail, along with approximately 288 apartments, 10 percent set aside for affordable housing. Nine retail tenants have been announced including a 365 By Whole Foods store which, at 35,000 square feet, is the largest 365 nationally either now open or on the drawing board.
But Garrison also said the project includes the building or enhancing of five crosswalks spanning Church and North Decatur Road, an area he describes as being currently “pedestrian anti-friendly.” This counts a new crosswalk and traffic light at the main entrance of the DeKalb Medical Center crossing North Decatur.
North Decatur Square will be fronted by an acre of green space featuring benches, Wi-Fi, playground and amphitheater-style seating. This park leads to the Whole Foods, which will sit at a slightly lower level.
Garrison said the target opening for retail, including Whole Foods, is still fall, 2018, with the apartments opening in spring 2019.
