North Decatur: Emory Buys Northlake, and the Post Office is Closed

Hey, North Decatur! Some local business news you'll actually feel this week. Northlake Mall's mystery buyer is no longer a mystery: Emory Healthcare just acquired the property, and what replaces that food court could reshape the entire corridor. Meanwhile, DeKalb's school board is moving toward a critical sales tax vote that will determine whether aging schools in your neighborhood get fixed or keep waiting.

- News — Northlake tenants are out by June 30, DeKalb wants bigger buffers around data centers, and the DA is suing the state over a law that would strip party labels from local elections.
- Business — The Northlake Mall sale is confirmed and Emory Healthcare is the buyer. Also, the post office on Briarcliff and Clairmont is finally permanently closed.
- Events — If you’re looking for World Cup festivities, look no further than Decatur WatchFest. Also, trivia and live music fill the week at Wild Heaven Toco Hills, and a Dolly Parton tribute hits Napoleon's Grill on Saturday.
- Government — DeKalb commissioners advanced a $325.5 million water and sewer overhaul and are scheduling a public hearing on the data center moratorium, and the school board's millage rate hearing lands Thursday.
- Construction — A $75 million apartment complex is filed at Lulah Hills, a mystery tenant is building out on N Decatur Rd, and a wave of GDOT projects is quietly lining up along North Druid Hills and Clairmont corridors.

Let's dive in.

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NEWS

Northlake Mall stores given until the end of the month to pack up, get out
Retail tenants at Northlake Mall have been told to clear out by June 30, a hard deadline that strongly suggests a sale is imminent and something significant is coming for that site. For shoppers and neighbors in Northlake, Briarlake, and Oak Grove, this isn't just the end of a mall, it's the beginning of whatever comes next, and nobody's talking yet about what that is.

Some DeKalb leaders want to double distance required between data centers, homes
DeKalb commissioners are pushing to double the mandated buffer zone between new data centers and residential neighborhoods, a direct response to growing concerns about the noise and environmental footprint these facilities bring with them. If you've ever heard one of these industrial-scale server farms humming at full tilt, you understand exactly why your neighbors want more distance between that and their bedroom window.

DeKalb Schools prepares vote on sales tax, bonding authority
The DeKalb County School District is gearing up for a critical vote on extending its sales tax and securing bonding authority, decisions that will determine how much money is available for school construction and capital repairs in the years ahead. Families should be paying attention, because this is how aging schools either get fixed or stay broken.

DeKalb DA files lawsuit against nonpartisan elections law
District Attorney Sherry Boston is taking the state to court over a new law that would strip party labels from local elections in several metro Atlanta counties, arguing the change is neither fair nor legal. The outcome could fundamentally alter how DeKalb voters choose their local officials, and who ends up winning those races going forward.

BUSINESS

Northlake Mall - sold - After losing its last retail anchors — Sears, JCPenney, and Macy's — the longtime Tucker-area shopping center has a new owner in Emory Healthcare, signaling that the mall's next chapter will look a lot less like a food court and a lot more like a clinic.

Briarcliff Rd. Post Office - closed - for regulars at this post office, you’ll know this has been a long time coming considering everything else in this strip mall is already shuttered. Here’s hoping this signals redevelopment soon for this years-long eyesore.

EVENTS | Presented by

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Decatur WatchFest 26 takes over the Downtown Decatur Square starting Thursday, bringing with it a headlining set from hometown hero Big Boi — yes, that Big Boi. If you're heading anywhere near the Square this week, plan accordingly and maybe just plan to stay.

Monday, June 8
- StoryWalk® at Mason Mill Park | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County
- Weekday Winning: Mega Mondays | Wild Heaven Toco Hills
- Teen Take & Make: Dinosaur Terrarium | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County
- Books and Babies Storytime | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County
- Oak Grove UMC After VBS Sports Camp | Oak Grove United Methodist Church

Tuesday, June 9
- Tuesday Trivia @ Toco Hills | Wild Heaven Toco Hills
- Weekday Winning: Toco Tuesdays | Wild Heaven Toco Hills

Wednesday, June 10
- The Atlanta Craft Club | Wild Heaven Toco Hills
- Weekday Winning: Wicked Good Wednesday | Wild Heaven Toco Hills
- Preschool Storytime | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County

Thursday, June 11
- Cookbook Club | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County
- Chair Yoga for Adults | Chamblee, GA
- Weekday Winning: Thirsty Thursday | Wild Heaven Toco Hills
- Jewelry with Gin Live! | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County
- Decatur WatchFest 26 | Downtown Decatur Square

Friday, June 12
- Friday Movies | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County

- Chamblee Rocks: Juneteenth Concert | Chamblee City Hall

Saturday, June 13
- 🎟️ HERE I COME AGAIN - DOLLY PARTON TRIBUTE 🎟️ *Ticketed show | Napoleon's Grill
- The Just Fine Ultimate Mary J. Blige Tribute Band | Londzell Performing Arts Theatre
- Acoustic Honey | Wild Heaven Toco Hills
- Family Yoga | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County
- Brookhaven Farmers Market | Brookhaven Farmers Market

Sunday, June 14
- Marsoupial | Wild Heaven Toco Hills

GOVERNMENT

Note: our information comes from posted meetings documents (agendas and minutes when available) — latest source document hyperlinked to each meeting.

Past Week Roundup

DeKalb County Board of Commissioners – Committee of the Whole

The committee's June 2nd session was dominated by infrastructure spending, with the single biggest item being a $325.5 million multi-year emergency contract for countywide water and sewer repairs and replacements — work to be split among six vendors to ensure fast response times. The committee also forwarded a $20.6 million contract for construction management of the next phases of the Snapfinger Wastewater Treatment Facility expansion, and a $29.8 million payment to the City of Atlanta covering joint capital improvement projects from 2021 through late 2025. On a policy front, commissioners moved to schedule a public hearing on whether to extend DeKalb's current moratorium on new data centers — a decision that could shape where and whether these large, power-hungry facilities are built in the county going forward. A proposed ordinance to add a line-of-duty death benefit for county first responders and employees was also advanced to a public hearing, with the benefit taking effect for deaths on or after September 1, 2026. All of these items now head to the full Board of Commissioners for final action.

DeKalb County School District – Board of Education

The DeKalb County School Board held two called meetings on June 1st, both focused on the district's upcoming financial decisions rather than final votes. In the first session, the board received a presentation on the E-SPLOST VII Resolution — the next iteration of the Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax that funds school construction, technology, and facility upgrades through a local sales tax; no vote was taken, but residents should watch this closely as it will eventually appear on a ballot. The second meeting served as the opening round of the district's budget and millage rate process, featuring the first budget presentation and the first millage rate hearing, each paired with a community input session where residents could weigh in. No budget was adopted and no millage rate was set at either session — these are the first steps in what will be a multi-meeting public process before any numbers are locked in. Residents who want to influence how the district taxes and spends should treat these early hearings as their best opportunity to be heard before decisions are finalized.

Notable Neighborhood Mentions

DeKalb County Board of Commissioners — Committee of the Whole
- Clairmont Rd & Rosecliff Dr — This intersection was included in the committee's discussions, likely in connection with the county's $325.5 million multi-year emergency contract for water and sewer infrastructure repairs advanced to the full Board of Commissioners.

Meetings This Week
- DeKalb County Board of Commissioners — Committee of the Whole — Tuesday, June 9, 2026 at 9:00 AM
- DeKalb County Board of Commissioners — Board of Commissioners — Tuesday, June 9, 2026 at 9:00 AM
- DeKalb County Board of Commissioners — Board of Commissioners — Wednesday, June 10, 2026 at 6:30 PM
- DeKalb County School District — Board of Education — Thursday, June 11, 2026. The board will hold its second public hearing on the proposed millage rate, giving residents an opportunity to weigh in on the school district's property tax rate before any final decision is made.
- DeKalb County School District — Board of Education — Monday, June 15, 2026
- DeKalb County School District — Board of Education — Monday, June 15, 2026

CONSTRUCTION | Presented by

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Permits

- 2050 Lawrenceville Hwy — $75 million apartment complex filed as part of the Lulah Hills Mall redevelopment by Edens. The 303-unit multifamily project includes ground-floor retail, signaling a major transformation for that corridor.
- 1775 Montreal Rd W — $450K commercial tenant improvement underway. New walls, new floors, exterior door infilled, and the old patio add-on removed — a substantial interior and exterior overhaul for an incoming tenant.
- 2665 N Decatur Rd — Two separate permits totaling $324K for what appears to be a significant tenant build-out: electrical panel relocation and new plumbing rough-in. Watch this suite for a new business announcement.
- 3000 N Decatur Rd — Fire sprinkler system modified to support an ongoing renovation at this retail property. Routine, but confirms work is actively moving forward inside.
- McLendon Dr — $540K new single-family home permitted. New construction on a residential street.
- Greenwillow Dr — $66K sunroom addition on an existing deck. Outdoor work expected.

Across 22 additional residential permits, another $323K in smaller projects — mostly single-family work — is in the pipeline throughout the area.

Road Work

Under Construction
- SR-236 Left Turn Lane Extension @ SR-155 (DeKalb County) — A left turn lane is being extended at the intersection of SR-236 (LaVista Road) and SR-155 (Candler Road), about 1.5 miles from the neighborhood. Expect some intersection delays while work is active.
- SR-10 / SR-13 / SR-410 Bridge Preservation — 6 Locations in DeKalb County — Bridge preservation work is underway at six locations across DeKalb, covering routes that include Memorial Drive (SR-10), Ponce de Leon (SR-10/SR-13), and related corridors roughly 2.7 miles out. Work includes deck repairs, joint replacements, structural painting, and vegetation removal. If any of these bridges are on your regular route, build in extra time — multi-site bridge work tends to create rolling delays as crews move between locations.

Pre-Construction

- North Druid Hills Road Corridor Improvements (DeKalb County) — A cluster of projects is converging on the North Druid Hills Road area. A new traffic signal is planned at the US 78/SR 410 westbound exit ramp at North Druid Hills Road, along with lane widening to add eastbound capacity. Separately, a bridge preservation project spans the 2,600-foot corridor along North Druid Hills Road between Spring Creek Drive and Willivee Drive. And a third project will extend the eastbound shared through/right-turn lane at the SR 410/US 78 intersection by roughly 245 feet. That's a lot of work converging on one stretch — worth keeping an eye on once these move to construction.
- SR 155/Clairmont Road Corridor (DeKalb County) — Two projects are queued up along Clairmont Road. A 1.5-mile operational improvement runs between the I-85 northbound exit ramp and SR 236/LaVista Road. A separate intersection project at SR 155 and North Druid Hills Road will add a shared-use path along the south side of North Druid Hills Road and a 6-foot sidewalk along the north side — good news for pedestrians in the area.
- SR 155 @ SR 236 Restriping (DeKalb County) — A restriping project is planned at the Clairmont Road and LaVista Road intersection. Minor work, but it affects a busy local crossroads.
- SR 236/LaVista Road Resurfacing (DeKalb County) — Resurfacing is funded for SR 236 from the Fulton County line to I-285, targeting a stretch with a low pavement condition score. Less than a mile of work, but relevant if LaVista is part of your daily route.
- SR 8/US 29/Memorial Drive Resurfacing (DeKalb County) — Resurfacing is also planned along Memorial Drive from the Fulton County line to the Gwinnett County line — a long corridor that anchors the southern edge of the broader area.
- I-285 Bridge Preservation (DeKalb County) — Four bridge locations on I-285 in DeKalb County are slated for preservation work, including polymer overlay, superstructure painting, joint replacement, and header repairs. Not a closure situation, but worth knowing if you're regularly on the perimeter.
- SR 10/US 78 Sign Upgrades (DeKalb/Gwinnett Counties) — Nine locations along SR 10/SR 410/US 78 are due for sign upgrades, spanning both DeKalb and Gwinnett counties. Routine, but expect brief lane activity once crews get to work.