At Tuesday’s meeting, Athens-Clarke County Commissioners reviewed plans to tear down part of Georgia Square Mall for the building of a 78.4-acre housing and commercial development.
The plan proposes building around 200 townhomes and 1,000 multi-family units, for a total of 1,200 new residences near Atlanta Highway. Developers say construction will be completed in two phases. The first phase includes the demolition and renovation of the mall and the construction of roughly 550 townhomes/multi-family units. Phase two projects the additional construction of roughly 650 residences.
Project supporters claim the development will reduce the city’s housing crunch by creating multi-unit, walkable, live/work spaces.
District 9’s Ovita Thornton said the project will make Cleveland Road Elementary, a school nearby the proposed development site, more accessible to families.
District 8’s Carol Myers added to Thornton’s praise of the plan. She said the plan will promote residents to stay active through a network of sidewalks and a walkway around the development.
The proposal also includes a connection site to the county’s trail network, which includes Firefly and Greenway trails.
District 6’s Jesse Houle said the project is a much needed change for his district, and thanked developers for working with county officials.
If approved at the commission’s Feb. 7 meeting, the mall and surrounding areas will be rezoned from a commercial lot to a residential, commercial, and office mixed-use neighborhood.