The long-awaited demolition of North DeKalb Mall had the air of a state funeral, as public officials past and present gathered Wednesday to say goodbye to one era of commercial development while celebrating the start of a new one.
Onlookers gathered under a giant tent erected in the parking lot. Reporters hobnobbed with politicians and residents. Employees of EDENS, the developer behind the project, spoke with emotion as they recounted a three-year planning process to bring the project together. Once it’s gone, North DeKalb Mall will be the site of Lulah Hills, a mixed-use development that officials said is a glimpse of things to come for similarly vacant malls across America.
Lulah Hills will include retail, a hotel, apartments and townhomes. When the project is finished, nearly 2,000 new housing units will be built, most of which will be apartments. The project will set aside 10% of units for workforce housing and will include a retail incubator. The estimated completion date is 2028. The plan also shows nearly 50,000 square feet allocated for a grocery store but doesn’t name the store.
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