Decide DeKalb Approves $3 Million Investment to Catalyze Redevelopment of Belvedere Plaza Shopping Center
Decide DeKalb Approves $3 Million Investment to Catalyze Redevelopment of Belvedere Plaza Shopping Center
Project will transform nearly 90,000 square feet of vacant retail space, attract new national tenants and restore grocery access along the Memorial Drive corridor
DEKALB COUNTY, GA. (June 24, 2026) — The Board of Directors of Decide DeKalb Development Authority unanimously approved a Tax Allocation District (TAD) Urban Renewal Fund grant of up to $3 million to support the redevelopment of Belvedere Plaza Shopping Center, a catalytic reinvestment project located at 3507 Memorial Drive in unincorporated South DeKalb.
The grant, approved during the Board’s June meeting, will support substantial renovations and property improvements to the 26.3-acre shopping center, helping reposition the property following the closure of its largest tenant, Kroger, in June 2025.
Developed by Hutton, the $24.3 million redevelopment project will transform approximately 89,780 square feet of vacant retail space and attract four new national retail tenants, including a full-service grocery store. The former Kroger space will be subdivided into three new retail spaces of approximately 9,000, 30,600 and 26,000 square feet, while an additional vacant area within the center will be converted into a 24,180-square-foot grocery store.
The approved TAD investment represents approximately 12.3% of the total project cost and advances the long-term redevelopment goals of the Avondale/Columbia Drive Tax Allocation District, which was established in 2004 to stimulate reinvestment, eliminate blight, expand the tax base and improve quality of life throughout the Memorial Drive corridor.
CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson noted that the investment reflects DeKalb County’s strategic approach to redevelopment and economic growth.
“Decide DeKalb’s Board approval of this investment reflects the progressive and intentional approach to the next phase of redevelopment in this important corridor” said Cochran-Johnson. “By leveraging public resources to encourage substantial private investment, we are helping create the conditions for long-term economic vitality while improving access to services and amenities that residents deserve.”
“Redevelopment is about creating opportunities where market challenges have limited investment,” said Tiffany Wills, Vice President of Redevelopment and Strategic Initiatives for Decide DeKalb.
“This project directly addresses a critical community need by activating vacant space, attracting new retail options and supporting the return of grocery services to an area that has experienced significant commercial disinvestment. It is exactly the type of transformative project the Urban Renewal Fund was designed to support.”
Belvedere Plaza occupies a strategic location at the intersection of Memorial Drive and Columbia Drive, an area identified within the TAD Redevelopment Plan as a priority for revitalization. Once a major retail destination for central DeKalb County, the corridor has experienced decades of disinvestment, increasing vacancies and limited commercial growth. The loss of Kroger created an urgent need to reestablish neighborhood-serving retail and grocery options for residents.
The redevelopment includes extensive tenant space renovations, facade improvements, roof repairs, parking lot resurfacing and site enhancements designed to modernize the shopping center and position it for long-term success.
“This project represents far more than the renovation of an aging shopping center—it is a revitalizing investment in the future of this community,” said Jennifer Greer, Chief Development Officer at Hutton. “As experienced real estate developers, we understand that transformative projects require vision, perseverance, and a tenacious commitment to seeing them through. We believe in thinking big and doing big, no matter the obstacles, because lasting impact is created by those willing to invest in communities for the long term. Belvedere Plaza has long served as a commercial anchor for surrounding neighborhoods, and this redevelopment will restore access to quality retail amenities, attract new private investment, and create meaningful economic opportunities for residents. We are proud to partner on a project that aligns so closely with the vision established for the Avondale/Columbia Drive TAD and helps shape a stronger future for generations to come.”
The project is expected to generate at least 250 construction jobs and 100 permanent jobs, creating a total of 350 jobs upon completion.
Construction is anticipated to begin in late 2026 following permitting and financial closing, with project completion expected in spring 2027 and tenant occupancy occurring throughout 2027.
As a condition of the award, the developer will use commercially reasonable efforts to secure a full-service grocery store as one of the project’s four anchor tenants. Should those efforts prove unsuccessful, the approved TAD award will be reduced by $600,000.
Project renderings can be viewed HERE.
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About Decide DeKalb
Decide DeKalb serves as the primary arm of economic development and job growth for DeKalb County, Georgia. DeKalb has a diverse population of 760,000 and is home to part of the City of Atlanta as well as the cities of Decatur, Dunwoody, Chamblee, Pine Lake, Stone Mountain, Stonecrest, Lithonia, Doraville, Brookhaven, Clarkston, Avondale Estates, and Tucker. Georgia’s first full mall tear-down, North DeKalb mall, is being redeveloped in DeKalb County. The county also is home to Emory University and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Find more information at https://www.decidedekalb.com/. Follow Decide DeKalb on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Media Contacts:
Terra Washington | [email protected] | 404-277-5958
Rachel Tobin | [email protected] | 404.276.5930