Demolition for major metro Atlanta mall begins to make room for $843M development

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Crews began demolishing a major metro Atlanta mall on Wednesday to make room for a new mixed-used development.

Officials said goodbye officially to the North DeKalb Mall. The 73-acre site at North Druid Hills and Lawrenceville Highway will be cleared to become Lulah Hills.

The $843 million mixed-use development will include restaurants, shops along with parks and trails. Developers also have plans for 1,700 apartments and condos, 100 townhomes and a 150-room hotel.

North DeKalb Mall opened in 1965 as metro Atlanta’s first fully-enclosed shopping mall. The mall couldn’t survive the pandemic and it shut down in 2020 followed by the single stores on the outside of the mall in 2023.

On Wednesday, DeKalb leaders and teams from the development company EDENS held a demolition ceremony to show “gratitude and love for its past.”

TRENDING STORIES:

• GA woman cleared of criminal charge says car rental employee discriminated against her
• Judge arrested at nightclub should be removed for previous ethics charges, GA Supreme Court rules
• Woman says ex-husband of ‘Steve Harvey Morning Show’ co-host pressured her to commit fraud

The developers said they have listened to surrounding communities about what they wanted to see.

“That would bring increased economic and social vitality and strengthen connectivity amongst their neighbors,” one of the leaders said.

Lulah Hills will also rely on a $70 million investment from DeKalb County to improve infrastructure.

“Across DeKalb, this county has been reborn, revitalized and reenergized,” DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond said.

The demolition will be completed slowly over the next six months with at least the first phase of construction expected to be completed in 2025.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

IN OTHER NEWS

New video shows piles of undelivered mail from Palmetto sorting facility as delays continue

©2024 Cox Media Group