Publix + Notion Project Opens

MIX OF USES AT PROMINENT CITY GATEWAY BRINGS WALKABLE RETAIL, INCLUDING A GROCERY STORE, TO EASTSIDE RESIDENTS

In 2017 a consortium of DeKalb County light industrial property owners where Sams Crossing meets E. Ponce de Leon Avenue came together in an effort to sell their properties collectively as a large consolidated parcel. With the county motivated to keep the area light industrial, the owners turned to Decatur to seek annexation in accordance with the city’s longstanding plans for increased density in walkable proximity to the Avondale MARTA station. They were successful.

The resulting project features multiple buildings on site — a new 53,785-square-foot Publix grocery store, 12,000-square-feet of retail and restaurant space, and Notion, a 290 unit apartment building that opened in 2022.

Development includes provisions for public art in coordination with the Decatur Arts Alliance.

BRINGING MULTIPLE GOALS TOGETHER

Though the residential portion of this project, like similar projects that have come online, is new construction with commensurate market-rate rents, it still plays an important role in Decatur’s long-term housing strategies. Steadily increasing demand for in-town living continues to exert pressure on communities like Decatur. By increasing supply for middle-income earners seeking market-rate rentals in prime Decatur locations, these new apartments help reduce market pressure on our more limited inventory of older, more affordable second-tier units which are preferably retained as workforce housing.

Building an active population of downtown and transit-adjacent residents has been a city priority since development of 1982’s community-driven Town Center Plan. In practice, such developments (both condo and for-rent) have been net-positive contributors to local tax revenue, paying notably more than they take out in city services and associated infrastructure, including schools. To wit, analysis by the City Schools of Decatur found that the number of enrolled students in each of the city’s large-format multifamily buildings fell below projections and, taken collectively, those building contribute in excess of $2.5 million in net school funding each year.

Residents drawn by a walkable, car-lite or car-free lifestyle further contribute to the health of our businesses, both independent and chain, providing for a wider variety of offerings and experiences for locals and visitors alike.