Plans by North DeKalb Mall's owners to revamp the development are slowly making progress.
Sterling Organization intends to demolish the mall and start over with a huge project, including a Costco, more retail and restaurants, as well as housing and a hotel. Some existing tenants, including AMC Theatres and Burlington Coat Factory, are expected to stay.
DeKalb County Commissioner Jeff Rader said the commission may soon discuss the project at an upcoming meeting, perhaps on July 24, but the agenda isn’t yet available. The massive potential redevelopment must be examined by county and state officials because of the expected regional impact on traffic. Those reviews could delay the DeKalb board taking up the case.
Rader, who represents the area, said he’s hearing both excitement and concern from residents.
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“Everybody is concerned about traffic and stuff like that, which is a reasonable concern,” he told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Thursday. “I think they’re (also) excited about the amenities. North DeKalb Mall isn’t what it used to be.”
The mall, like others built in the old indoor style, has been bleeding tenants for years and some parts have a deserted feel. The new development would be more modern, an outdoor mall with a variety of draws and a built-in customer base for the businesses there because of the housing component.
At the moment, the zoning of the land would allow the mall’s owners to tear it down and rebuild without county approval. It’s the intentions to add housing and a gas station (part of the Costco) that require county approval, Rader said.
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