I hope Wall Mart totally cannibalizes itself eventually!!! isn't there a Wall Mart on Memorial? and another on Peachtree Industrial? how many of these behemoth junk stores does one city need anyway? I'm sick of these big box monstrosities and the greedy politicians & developers who ruin out country shoving them down our throats.

What we should put there is an ice-skating rink; the ones currently available are in Alpharetta, Marietta, and Skate @ Centennial Olympic Park. It would be a great way to keep kids active in the winter.

I definitely hope this project goes through to completion. I will shop at the new Wal-Mart, and Suburban Plaza desperately needs the planned facelift.

Re-development of Suburban Plaza and North DeKalb Mall are both highly desirable and the dense residential area could support all of it.

Why not a Trader Joe's?

Good luck fighting this one! We tried years ago to fight the one that is on Memorial Drive and Dekalb County Commissioners helped them in the door and didn't hold them to their promises. I hope this one turns out better than the one across from my house!

Everyone who is concerned should show up for the December meeting for the variance. I hope all the newspapers will announce it well in advance.

My question is whether DOT needs to be doing an environmental report for any of the suggested traffic changes. If Walmart's development will add additional sewer or water projects, the county should require a report.

There are also historical homes surrounding the plaza that may trigger a Section 106 for an environmental review.

The Channel 2 news story on the subject, filmed in Decatur Heights on Thursday 11/17, stated that the variance hearing is December 14. We should pack the hearing.

Thanks Alison - do we know where the meeting will be and what time?

Alex,
Whether or not you would shop there is not really the point. The addition of large big box stores at Suburban Plaza will add enormous amounts of additional traffic, light bleed-over into nearby neighborhoods, the addition of 8 deliveries/day via 18 wheelers down our residential streets, impact to our local businesses, & may bring crime with a 24 hour store with underground parking. Yes, Suburban Plaza will look "better"- Walmart will spruce it up and add green space. But at what price?

It will definitely lower housing values in immediate neighborhoods, create more traffic & crime. There's a reason these big-box stores don't go into affluent neighborhoods.

I also think with retail making a slow recovery, there could be a real chance to attract some great young businesses in the area - perhaps in the near future. With a Walmart squeezing out anyone else, there will no longer be an opportunity for small biz growth.

I guess these guys are not on the same page as the Clifton Corridor study. If the TSPLOST is voted in, Suburban Plaza will get its comeback. I hope Selig Enterprises is aware of what is going on. http://www.itsmarta.com/uploadedFiles/About_MARTA/Planning/Clifon_Corr/LRT_BRT-Section%205%20N%20Decatur%20to%20Suburban%20Plaza_10-25-2011_48x36.pdf

This.is so typical bs. This will hurt the small businesses. Walmart is a racket where most of the goods come from China, etc. We need a park with real grass. There a Walmart just 5 miles away. This is crap. Whole foods yes, Walmart no.

You obviously have no children in the area. There are some Greeter jobs open for those were camping downtown.

Here's a great study for anyone who thinks Walmart will create jobs in our community: http://staylocal.org/pdf/info/ThinkingOutsidetheBox_1.pdf

Civic economics studies across the country - from Austin (2002), Chicago (2004), San Francisco (2007), Phoenix (2007) and Grand Rapids (2008) - have shown that big box stores do not create jobs that are sustainable, and that most of the profits go to outside their local communities.
Local retailers were found to generate 3 times the local economic activity as the chain store.

With the current retail economy strengthening over the next few years, there's a good chance for small business to take hold in Suburban Plaza. Rents are cheap. But with a Walmart occupying the space, there will be little chance of that happening.

-and another 2004 study showing the relationship between increased county-level family poverty rates and Walmart stores, from Penn State: http://cecd.aers.psu.edu/pubs/PovertyResearchWM.pdf

@David, the studies were not simply 'advocacy papers'. They were conducted by economics consultancies for various cities over a period of years.

Sorry that link doesn't seem to be working, here's another version to show comparisons between chain retailers and local merchants:
http://www.liveablecity.org/lcfullreport.pdf

These studies have also been conducted all over the country by cities in the process of regeneration.
There have also been economic studies done by ag schools on the positive impact of buying from local farmers versus supporting the larger agricultural industrial complex.

Suburban Plaza is a dump, it hurts property values & is an eye sore. Anecdotally - I've had two friends lose their businesses in Suburban Plaza or just down the street due to poor foot traffic. The Plaza is a loser of a location.

The County is losing important tax revenue from it too. I suggest that our property taxes reduce and let Walmart replenish the County coffers with their evil corporate ill-begotten greed.

Where else can retired senior citizens, middle aged people, or high school graduates find jobs in today's Dekalb County? Decatur Square? Walmart offers several hundred jobs from janitor to manager for citizens of Dekalb County.

Turn Scott Blvd & Lawrenceville Hwy in tolls to further reduce our property taxes once Walmart goes up. The revenues will pay for the non-existent road repair we currently don't receive.

Regarding the so-called issue of crime. Crime is not because of poor people. It's because of a lack moral and civil upbringing including, Father with Mother, with Religion that teaches ethical monotheism (D. Prager). There have been 3 attacks on grandmothers at Chucky Cheese's in Detroit in the last couple of weeks -- no WalMart nearby, just plain bad narcissistic, amoral thugs.

We will reap the benefit of choice to pay for products at a lower cost or pay a higher cost for the same Chinese-made product elsewhere. No one in the market for a good bicycle will purchase at WalMart over BikeSouth. But to purchase a kid's bike 60% less-oh yeah.

Was SuburbanPlaza in the area that was proposed for annexation by City of Decatur? The City doesn't wait for LCIs--and it coordinates planning with economic development functions--and its foward thinking. Higher taxes than DeKalb, but maybe you get what you pay for. At some point, the residents in the area may actually ASK for annexation.

Stephen: Thanks for the clarification. My main point is that in terms of planning something desirable and bearing on public input, these folks would be better served by the city than the county. So was thiis part of the area that was proposed to be annexed?

I cannot believe that I just read that someone said, "make it a greenspace"! Wow! I think everyone on this site that agrees with that statement should donate their OWN land/investment and just make their home a nice green park--Agreed?? In fact, I think we should demolish all of DeKalb and build log cabins, ride horses and plant fields of daisies. Sure you want to protect your investment in your home. But, you don't think that other land owners have investment in their properties too? SP used to have a huge Belk store, Learners and other large retail shops. From someone who has been going to the shopping center for 48 years, I have seen it with a FULL parking lot in the 70's. The area could handle a full parking in the past... was zoned for large retail stores in the past.. So--with all the vacant car lots and other shopping areas around, redevelopment of the area should not be an issue. As for Wal-Mart being the factor in Memorial Drive and Colombia Drive--those areas were already so far gone, it was too late. I seriously doubt Wal-Mart can change much about this area either at this point--except improve the shopping center. Have you looked down Buford Hwy lately??? Do you not see the Pink Pony? The liquor stores? Police Station? The bars on the windows of the gas stations? For God's sake-Have you gone to the Wal-Mart in Brookhaven, Alpharetta, Sydney Marcus and other affluent areas? Wal-Mart and all of the surrounding neighborhoods are thriving. Just Saying.

David S. must work for Selig. Or Walmart.