Anthropologie is officially betting on the rebirth of the old North DeKalb Mall site, signing a lease for a new store at Lulah Hills in DeKalb County. The national apparel and home-goods brand is slated to open as the long-stalled project shifts from wrecking balls to new construction, with developers eyeing early 2027 for the first wave of retail.
Developer Edens has lined up Anthropologie as one of several incoming tenants as the 78-acre property moves into commercial leasing, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “It’s been a long time coming on this project,” Edens managing director Herbert Ames told the paper, adding that new retailers and restaurants are expected to bring life to the freshly built streets. The initial tenant mix highlighted in the announcement includes furniture showrooms, a nonprofit coffee operator and several local food and fitness concepts.
Project By The Numbers
Edens lists Lulah Hills as a roughly 78-acre mixed-use neighborhood that will deliver about 320,000 square feet of retail, 1,700 multifamily units and 100 townhomes, plus public green space and trail connections, according to Edens. The site directory already shows anchors and existing tenants such as Publix, AMC Theatres and Marshalls among the planned and in-place spaces.
First Residential Phase
Crescent Communities reports that it has closed on NOVEL Lulah Hills and started vertical construction on a six-story, 303-unit building that will include more than 39,000 square feet of ground-floor retail, with apartments expected to deliver in late 2027, per a Crescent press release. The building is branded as the first residential phase and is designed to anchor a market-style street at the center of the redevelopment.
Public Support And Infrastructure
The transformation is also getting a public boost. In November 2023, Decide DeKalb approved a $70 million Market Square tax-allocation district reimbursement program to help pay for eligible demolition and infrastructure work, according to Decide DeKalb. County and project officials say the financing will support streets, utilities, trails and other public improvements and is expected to underwrite thousands of construction and permanent jobs tied to the project.
When Shoppers Will See Stores
Retailers in the first phase, including Anthropologie, are expected to begin opening in the first quarter of 2027, according to WhatNow. Edens says it plans to roll out additional tenant announcements as construction advances toward phased openings…