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Druid Hills / North Decatur
Hello, Druid Hills and North Decatur! Exciting shopping news this week, with L.L. Bean confirmed for Lulah Hills. And the big news doesn’t stop there, as Emory and Brookhaven just locked in funding for a pedestrian bridge over I-85. Plus, DeKalb's school district is in the headlines for a $12 million debt it owes neighboring systems, a story worth understanding before the new school year starts.
- News — Emory's Northlake acquisition gets a purchase price, and a funded I-85 pedestrian bridge headlines the week, alongside a jarring revelation that DeKalb Schools owes $12 million to Decatur and Atlanta school systems.
- Business — L.L. Bean is planting its first Georgia flag at the redeveloping North DeKalb Mall site, and luxury senior living brand Corso Atlanta is expanding into Druid Hills.
- Events — The Atlanta Ice Cream Festival takes over Piedmont Park on Saturday, and Eagle Eye Book Shop kicks off the week with back-to-back author nights Monday and Tuesday.
- Government — DeKalb County approved $25 million for affordable housing and denied a density rezoning, while the school board greenlit a $15 million curriculum overhaul and a new AI-in-the-classroom policy.
- Construction — A $1 million home is rising on Abby Lane, a massive pool permit is pending on South Ponce de Leon, and a busy stretch of 40 single-family permits signals a neighborhood deep into building season.
Let's dive in.
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NEWS
Emory snaps up Northlake Mall for $95M, plus a new I-85 pedestrian bridge gets funded
Emory Healthcare to Expand at Northlake Mall Following $95 Million Acquisition
Centurion Foundation has completed a $95 million purchase of Northlake Mall, paving the way for Emory Healthcare to expand its footprint and redevelop the property into a major healthcare campus.
Brookhaven and Emory Partner on $15.8 Million I-85 Pedestrian Bridge
The finalized $15.8 million agreement will fund a 14-foot-wide pedestrian bridge over Interstate 85, linking the Peachtree Creek Greenway to Emory's Executive Park and giving North Druid Hills residents a non-vehicular route across the highway.
DeKalb Schools reinforcing new Georgia phone-free school law
The DeKalb County School District is moving to implement Georgia's new phone-free school policies ahead of the upcoming academic term, restricting student mobile device use during the school day across district campuses.
DeKalb County approves new ordinance to curb tire dumping
The DeKalb County Commission has passed a new ordinance that establishes tighter tracking regulations and stiffer penalties targeting illegal tire dumping on public property across the county.
DeKalb Schools owes Decatur and Atlanta $12 million
The DeKalb County School District reportedly owes a combined $12 million to the City Schools of Decatur and Atlanta Public Schools, putting a specific dollar figure on a previously reported accounting discrepancy between the systems.
BUSINESS
L.L. Bean picks Lulah Hills for its first Georgia store, and Corso expands to Druid Hills
L.L.Bean - opening - The 114-year-old outdoor lifestyle brand is opening its first Georgia location at the redeveloping former North DeKalb Mall site.
Corso Atlanta - expanding - The luxury senior living community is opening a new location in Druid Hills, adding to its existing metro Atlanta footprint.
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Ice cream fest hits Piedmont Park Saturday, plus author nights and art classes fill the week
Monday, July 20
- Ashley Winstead & Wanda M Morris- Hot Girl Murder Club | Eagle Eye Book Shop
- StoryWalk® at Mason Mill Park | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County
- JWY 01 - Beginner Metalsmithing: Beginning Jewelry Making (Morgan) | Callanwolde Fine Arts Center
- DAP 07 - Relief Printmaking (Mains) | Callanwolde Fine Arts Center
- PHO 01 - Darkroom Workshop (Symsick) | Callanwolde Fine Arts Center
- DAP 01 - Drawing I (Blinkhorn) | Callanwolde Fine Arts Center
- POT 01 - Beginning Handbuilding (McDougal) | Callanwolde Fine Arts Center
- POT 10 - Beginning Wheel (Berman) | Callanwolde Fine Arts Center
- VWELL 01 - Intermediate Tai Chi (Harrell) | Callanwolde Fine Arts Center
Tuesday, July 21
- Clare Osongco, Marshall J. Moore, and Jill Tew- Unfinished Business | Eagle Eye Book Shop
- Startups Demos & Networking Atlanta | Wild Heaven Beer & Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q at Toco Hills
- TEX 01 - Floor Loom Weaving - Weaver's Choice or Project From the Weaving Hat (Edmisten) | Callanwolde Fine Arts Center
- VWRI 02 - Screenplay/Script Writing (Davis) | Callanwolde Fine Arts Center
- POT 20 - Intermediate Level 2 - Wheel (Soda Firing) (Berman) | Callanwolde Fine Arts Center
- Live Animal Encounter | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- Weekday Winning: Toco Tuesdays | Wild Heaven Toco Hills
Thursday, July 23
- Resistance Bands Exercise Class | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County
- Archaeologists and Artifacts | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County
- Live Animal Encounter | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
Friday, July 24
- THE GOOD MANY | Napoleon's Grill
- Man Down | Wild Heaven Toco Hills
- Friday Movies | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County
Saturday, July 25
- Run for Coffee Lovers 5K/10K/13.1 ATLANTA | South Peachtree Creek Trail
- The Jets - LIVE | Napoleon's
- Wheat Corn Road | Wild Heaven Toco Hills
- Family Nature Walk | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- Family Yoga | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County
- Atlanta Ice Cream Festival | Piedmont Park
Sunday, July 26
- Thirsty Neighbors | Wild Heaven Toco Hills
- Meet a Ranger | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- What's Your Favorite Fox Theatre Memory? | Chamblee, GA
- Live Animal Encounter | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
GOVERNMENT
DeKalb denies a density rezoning, approves $25M for affordable housing, and defers the data center permit rules
Note: our information comes from posted meetings documents (agendas and minutes when available) — latest source document hyperlinked to each meeting.
Past Week Roundup
The Board approved a $25 million bond program for the Housing Authority of DeKalb County to fund affordable housing initiatives across the county, including down-payment assistance, a multifamily acquisition fund, and transitional housing. As covered in today's news section, the Board also passed a new ordinance to crack down on illegal tire dumping. Commissioners approved a $21 million multi-year contract for ongoing water and sewer pipe repairs, a new playground installation at Frazier Rowe Park, and traffic signal improvements at several intersections in the area. The Board denied a rezoning application that would have allowed smaller, denser residential lots in Districts 3 and 7, and withdrew two proposed ordinances targeting chronic nuisance properties and vacant structures. Three items were deferred to late August: a proposal requiring health and environmental assessments before issuing permits for new data centers, a control blasting safety ordinance, and a contract extension related to the Michelle Obama Trail.
The DeKalb County School Board approved a $15 million contract to purchase updated K-12 social studies curriculum materials for all grade levels, the single largest expenditure from the meeting. The Board also approved a $3 million district-wide roofing repair contract, a $2.5 million renewal for student assessment systems, and nearly $2.7 million in public safety technology renewals, including a wearable staff panic button system used across district schools. A $750,000 private donation was accepted to fund a comprehensive lighting upgrade at Lakeside High School, and the non-resident tuition rate for the 2026-2027 school year was set at $9,443.66. On the policy side, the Board advanced a new policy specifically governing the use of artificial intelligence in classrooms and adopted an updated student assignment policy to streamline enrollment.
Notable Neighborhood Mentions
DeKalb County Board of Commissioners
- North Decatur Road at Ridgewood Drive — The Board approved a $110,335 contract to install a new pedestrian hybrid crosswalk beacon and two school-zone flashing beacons at this intersection.
- Stephenson Road and Valley Brook Road at Hollywood Drive — The Board approved a $441,244 contract to install two new traffic signals at this intersection.
Meetings This Week
- DeKalb County School District — Board of Education Called Meeting & Executive Session | Jul-22 | key topics: executive session action items scheduled for board approval
CONSTRUCTION
A $1M home on Abby Ln, a massive pool permit pending on S Ponce, and 40 single-family permits filed
Permits
- Abby Ln — A $1.07 million new single-family home is under construction. Expect outdoor work and construction traffic while this one goes up.
- N Holly Ln — A $150K accessory structure is going up in the backyard of an existing home, with brick siding specified. Permitted and closed.
- Lulah Hills Retail, Building A80 — $180K build-out for a new nail shop, converting a clean shell into a finished tenant space. First-generation interior work means it's starting from scratch inside.
- 1585 S Ponce de Leon Ave NE — A commercial inground gunite pool (21' x 75') and an 8' x 8' spa are in the works. The permit is still pending additional materials, so no groundbreaking yet.
- 855 Emory Point Dr NE — Heat pump and air handler replacement on Unit #3332. Routine maintenance, but permitted and issued.
- 650 Decatur Village Way — Electrical and HVAC work at a restaurant space, including a mini split and air curtain install. Permit is closed.
- 3500 Peachtree Rd NE — Antenna work on an existing rooftop: seven old antennas and related equipment coming down, six new antennas and hardware going up. Under review.
On the residential side, 40 single-family permits filed this period, along with a handful of electrical, HVAC, and arborist permits. Nothing unusual there, just a busy stretch for home projects.
Road Work
Under Construction
- Lavista Rd. EB Left Turn Lane Extension at SR-155 (DeKalb County) Work is underway to extend the left turn lane at the Lavista and Clairmont intersection. If you travel this stretch, give yourself extra time.
- Lavista & Shepherds Lane Signal Upgrade (DeKalb County) Crews are upgrading the signal at this intersection. Expect some disruption to traffic flow along Lavista while work continues.
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Until next week,
Druid Hills / North Decatur Busybody
Disclaimer: We use advanced data retrieval and analysis techniques across hundreds of sources, and may be prone to occasional error. Independently verify information with a secondary source, and please let us know if we got anything wrong via the feedback form.
