The recent announcement by Decide DeKalb officials of Belvedere Plaza’s redevelopment is bringing hope of a new dawn for the shopping center that has served the community for decades.
The Decatur shopping center at Memorial Drive and Columbia Drive is more than aging storefronts and parking lots. It has been a landmark for Belvedere Park residents, a retail anchor for surrounding neighborhoods; but more recently, it has also served as a symbol of what happens when commercial corridors are allowed to decline. The large storefront that was once home to a busy Kroger has sat vacant since last year. Now that public redevelopment tools are being brought to the table, DeKalb County has a responsibility to make sure this project delivers more than fresh paint and higher rents.
Decide DeKalb’s June 2026 board summary shows approval of a Belvedere Plaza Avondale Tax Allocation District (TAD) Urban Renewal Fund grant award, while its Avondale Mall/Columbia Drive TAD guidelines emphasize redevelopment, infrastructure improvements, sidewalks, multi-use paths, parks and other public benefits. That is the right framework. Projects like the redevelopment of Belvedere Plaza need to produce visible public value: safer walking conditions, stronger local businesses, and better access to daily needs…