Construction crews began tearing down North DeKalb Mall as retail developer Edens prepares to transform the 73-acre property into a walkable, mixed-use district. The mall, shuttered in 2020, will be called Lulah Hills.

The redevelopment will add 1,700 apartments, 100 townhomes, and 320,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space…2.5 million square feet in all. The center will be at the intersection of North Druid Hills Road and Lawrenceville Highway near Decatur. An existing AMC theater will be retained during the build-out.

Edens bought North DeKalb Mall for $43 million in September 2021. In the summer of 2022, the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners rezoned the mall for Edens’ plans. The DeKalb Development Authority granted the project $70 million in tax incentives.