After years of talk and not much to show for it, Candler Crossing is finally getting shovels in the ground. The long‑planned retail redevelopment at the southeast corner of Candler Road and Glenwood Road in unincorporated Decatur is set to officially break ground on June 11, according to developers and county officials.
The $28.9 million project spans roughly 7.2 acres and is billed as a neighborhood catalyst. Plans call for a 50,325‑square‑foot Publix grocery store and an 11,200‑square‑foot multi‑tenant retail building. One 2,000‑square‑foot storefront is being set aside as an affordable space for qualifying local businesses, and the site plan includes a public plaza, walking trail and a renovated MARTA bus stop. Developers and officials say the center is expected to generate more than 100 construction jobs and about 183 permanent positions once it opens.
Project by the numbers
According to the Decide DeKalb Development Authority, the Candler Crossing site plan features a 50,325‑square‑foot grocery store and an 11,200‑square‑foot retail building on roughly 7.26 acres. The agency’s project page also notes a single 2,000‑square‑foot commercial suite reserved for local businesses at below‑market rent for the first five years.
Venture South Investments, the project’s developer, is marketing the grocery as a “high‑end” Publix and highlighting 267 surface parking spaces, restaurant patios and pedestrian improvements in its leasing materials. The pitch is that it will feel less like a lonely strip center and more like a neighborhood hub where people can actually linger.
Groundbreaking and timeline
Urbanize Atlanta reports that the official groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for June 11 and will feature DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran‑Johnson along with leadership from Decide DeKalb…