DeKalb County to Host Memorial Drive Revitalization Design Workshop

DECATUR, Ga.—DeKalb County will host a design workshop about the future of the Memorial Drive corridor.

The workshop is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2019, from 1 to 8 p.m., at Georgia Piedmont Technical College, 495 North Indian Creek Drive Clarkston, GA 30021.

During this meeting, representatives from the county’s Department of Planning and Sustainability and POND consultant planning team will be working in real-time to develop conceptual ideas for the future of the corridor based on citizens’ feedback.

The schedule for the event is as follows:

• 1–4 p.m., Freeform Planning Work. Residents are encouraged to drop in anytime. The planning team will be developing initial ideas and concepts to be further explored later in the evening.
• 4–5 p.m., Transition to Open House. The planning team will be focused on finalizing initial concepts and ideas so they are presentation ready for the evening’s open house.
• 5–7 p.m., Open House. The planning team will present ideas developed during the afternoon and look for feedback.
• 7–8 p.m., Presentations. The planning team will develop brief presentations to summarize ideas captured and establish the next steps in the planning process.

In 2018, DeKalb Commissioner Steve Bradshaw allocated $140,000 of District 4 reserves for a study. That was augmented by a $34,500 allocation from the DeKalb County Department of Planning and Sustainability Department, which, along with the POND consultant planning team, is developing strategies to enhance the long-term economic viability of its Memorial Drive corridor. 

The Memorial Drive corridor is a major thoroughfare, with access to bus and massive rail transit as well as access I-285 and US-78, a college and a university, more than 100 acres under government ownership, and several large underdeveloped tracts under private ownership.

The plan is anticipated to include initiatives for beautification, private sector investment, mixed-use development, and living wage employment opportunities. The Revitalization Plan will also establish initiatives for creating a “sense of place” upon entering the corridor from Atlanta or Gwinnett County. The planning process is estimated to conclude in November 2019.  

To learn more about the plan and take an online survey, visit www.dekalbcountyga.gov/memorialdrive.

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