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Design concepts released for public space at Whole Foods development

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Design concepts released for public space at Whole Foods development

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This story has been updated. 

The developer behind North Decatur Square, a mixed-use development that will include a 365 by Whole Foods store just outside of Decatur, is working with the community to create a one-and-a-third acre “public space.”

The project will be located at North Decatur Road and Church Street. The public space will be located at the corner of Church Street and Milscott Drive.

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The developer,  S.J. Collins, unveiled sketch at a meeting on Sept. 19 and shared it with Decaturish. The space is being called a “Residential Park.” The current proposal includes an amphitheater and a bike rack.

publicspace

A spokesperson for the company said these designs are still in the process of being updated. “This is obviously not a ‘set-in-stone, never to be changed’ plan, but it is the general plan moving forward. They’ve taken what they’ve heard from the community and interpreted that through these [renderings],” she said.

The DeKalb County Planning Commission recently approved zoning applications for the project, which will be located at North Decatur Road and Church Street.  A special land use permit would allow for a bank with a drive-through. The developer has dropped a request for a restaurant with a catering drive through. North Decatur Square will also have 200 to 300 apartment units.

A certain percentage of those units will be “workforce housing” geared to lower income residents – like teachers, police officers and firefighters – who might not otherwise be able to afford to live in the area. S.J. Collins did receive $1.8 million in tax breaks from the Decide DeKalb Development Authority to support the project. Most of the taxes abated will be property taxes, according to a fiscal impact analysis of the project.

The shopping center is expected to be open by spring of 2018.

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