Board OKS Gwinnett Place Mall revitalization

The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday night approved a strategy to revitalize the nearly-vacant Gwinnett Place Mall near Duluth.

The board plans to redevelop the 90-acre mall site as a largely residential mixed-use area with green space, accessible through multiple modes of transportation. The concept, called “Global Villages,” centers on seven multi-family residential buildings and a cultural activity center around a park.

The design envisions international restaurants, cultural shops and flexible co-working office space. A greenway trail connected to the countywide trail network would circle the site and a new transit center is being designed nearby. Most of the existing mall would be demolished.

The strategy also incorporates an equity plan the board adopted last year that includes affordable housing, small business incubation and neighborhood services. The plan also calls for incentivizing developers to hire local residents of color.

The area around the mall is among the most diverse in the South, with many immigrant-owned businesses but high levels of economic and housing insecurity, according to the equity study.

The county partnered with the Gwinnett Place Community Improvement District and the Atlanta Regional Commission to create the redevelopment action plan.

It was informed by a study that incorporated market analyses and feedback from more than 6,000 community members, according to a county news release.

The redevelopment is expected to take place over 20 years.