Bigger Canvas: Macy’s Purchase Makes Gwinnett Mall Redevelopment Opportunity More Attractive

In September, Gwinnett County, Georgia, unveiled plans to purchase the Macy’s site at Gwinnett Place Mall, bringing it closer to reimagining the once-thriving retail hub into a robust mixed-use destination that will better serve community needs.

As part of the $16.5M deal, the Urban Redevelopment Agency of Gwinnett County will acquire 293K SF of retail space on 23 acres, adding to the county’s existing holdings of 39 acres of the mall site.

“This is a big deal because it means we’ll have more control over the site,” County Commissioner Kirkland Carden said. “This purchase expands the acreage of our planned redevelopment and reduces uncertainty for the site’s future master developer when they are selected.”

The redevelopment concept, dubbed Global Villages, calls for housing, an international community cultural center, office space and retail oriented around a central park. It synthesizes two public input studies by the county in collaboration with Gwinnett Place Community Improvement District, or CID, and the Atlanta Regional Commission. 

The initiative reflects an urban planning trend seen across the U.S., where local governments are stepping in to play an active role in the redevelopment of the country’s struggling malls, for higher and better uses.

The goal for the redevelopment of the underutilized Gwinnett Place Mall site, which is located near Interstate 85, is to serve as a catalyst for change, enhance property values and create economic opportunity for the community while benefiting taxpayers, the county said in a news release.

Gwinnett County has hired CBRE to advance and refine plans for the redevelopment process and work “alongside the County to ensure the transformative project stays consistent with the County’s goals and vision,” according to the release.

The purchase is expected to close in November.

The Urban Redevelopment Agency of Gwinnett County will be leasing the property back to Macy’s through early 2025, and then it will incorporate the property into the redevelopment site.

Next Steps

In the first quarter of 2025, the county will kick-start its national search for a development partner, with firms invited to submit responses to a request for proposals, or RFP, Carden said.

“While Macy’s kept this location open while we were working on the master planning document, we hoped Macy’s would want to participate in the redevelopment in some way,” Carden said. “But we could only hope.”

However, Macy’s announced in early 2024 that it would be shutting down this location as well as many others across the U.S.

“Now, as we work with CBRE on the details of the RFP, we can include the Macy’s site,” Carden added. “This gives us an opportunity to execute the Global Villages concept but now on a much bigger canvas.”

The RFP will call for redevelopment of the site — over the next 15 to 20 years – into a walkable, mixed-use destination with retail, multifamily, office, hospitality and public service components.

“The plan calls for over 2,000 apartment units,” Carden said. “Retail will also be a huge component, as well as green space and a system of walking, biking and running trails.”

Permitted By Right 

In late 2024, Gwinnett’s board of commissioners will vote on a Gwinnett Place overlay district, which would rezone the mall property and entitle it.

“If that vote passes, all the uses suggested in the Global Villages concept will be permitted by right,” Carden said. “We will then be in a place where we can issue a demolition permit by the end of the year for our sections of the property.”

Some businesses, including Mega Mart and Beauty Mart, are still operating on the site, Carden added. The county is working with the owners to find a mutually beneficial path that enables redevelopment to move forward.

“We’re past the planning stages,” Carden said. “Now we’re in the development stage.” 

Transportation

On election day, the county is also holding a referendum on local transit, which will determine dedicated funding for public transportation needs for the next 30 years. 

The transit plans do not include heavy- or light-rail and are instead centered on an expansion of bus rapid transit, fixed bus routes and microtransit, Carden said. Bus and micro transit are critical ingredients that complement the Global Villages concept.

The $25M redevelopment of the Gwinnett Place transit center should be complete by 2027, he said.

If re-elected, Carden plans to apply for a grant for a pedestrian land bridge across Satellite Boulevard to connect the development to McDaniel Farm Park, further improving access to existing green space. 

Collaborative Effort

Throughout the planning process, the mall’s redevelopment efforts prioritized community engagement and input, Carden said.

“Thousands of people participated in our input studies,” he said. “We want spaces that are accessible and beneficial to all while introducing new amenities and services that will rejuvenate the area and make it a focal point.”

Continued collaboration will be critical to the plan’s success, Carden said. He credits county staff, elected officials, as well as the CID, for the plan’s steady progress.

“I want to thank everyone for having the patience and the vision committed to this,” Carden said.

For his part, the CID’s executive director, Joe Allen, echoed Carden’s sentiment.

“The CID is grateful to Gwinnett County leadership for moving forward with this community-driven project," Allen said. “The CID will continue to work closely with the county to build on the shared revitalization strategy and bring to life our shared vision of a thriving central business district for all of Gwinnett County.”

This article was produced in collaboration between Gwinnett Place Community Investment District and Studio B. Bisnow news staff was not involved in the production of this content.

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