If you were at the meeting, what would you ask the developers about this proposed project?

What will happen to the established businesses located in Suburban Plaza?

This is an interesting read...
http://advocate.nyc.gov/files/Walmart.pdf
It contains warnings about the same garbage the Walmart - Selig people were trying to sell us at the meeting tonite. Good-bye Decatur as we know it! Is there any way to
stop this? Suburban is blighted to be sure but the Walmart will destroy many other
businesses long term.

Most of Suburban Plaza is cool. Decatur Estate (renamed), Hancock, the Indian clothing store, the beauty supply store, even Big Lots. Talk about "Decatur funky"! I've bought stuff at all those place multiple times. I think if they got something interesting in the grocery store slot at the front it would help. Like, maybe a Pier I. That would be in theme with cheap, off-beat, imported goods, but looks a little more upscale.

I agree with Lee Ann! I'd even rather see a Marshalls, Ross, or Trader Joes there! I know people who have had Wal Marts move in and ruin all the local commerce, not to mention the traffic in an area not built to handle it. There is one on Candler, not that far away, so if you're desperate for Wal Mart, you can get there easily!

Scott Selig, senior vice president of acquisition and development for Selig Enterprises, told the audience Wednesday night that the bowling alley will renovate.

Bill Stogner, senior vice president of retail leasing for Selig, said Hancock Fabrics will probably not remain. Stogner said the lease will not be renewed and that all tenants agreed to a lease in which they can be moved out during renovation projects, with plenty of notice.

For more details of last night's meeting, you can click the 'Play' button above and review the Q&A that took place.

Y'all gonna get a Wal Mart. They have lawyers with deep pockets.

I don't live directly in that area, but I've had similar experiences with Wal-Mart on Gresham Rd when I lived in E. Atlanta and again (are they following me?) when I moved to Midway Woods in Decatur when they placed one at the intersection of Memorial/Columbia. Neither had the expected increase in traffic. They do a really good job of mitigating any inconveniences to the surrounding n'hoods. The one on Memorial/Columbia that was fought hard against by Avondale is actually a pretty good solution for that area. I hasn't closed any of the nearby by stores and I actually started shopping there on a few occasions. You may say E.Atlanta & this portion of Decatur or not similar, however, if you do a demographic study of those areas you'll notice they really isn't that much difference. I am not a fan of Wal-Mart and I use to say all the horrible things everyone else has said in the past, but after the Memorial/Columbia store open I've had a less than 180 change. If it spurns other companies to take a chance on that area I'm all for it. Wal-Mart has learned a lot from their mistakes in the past and is trying to be a much better corporate citizen, plus if their redevelopment brings a LA Fitness I'm all for it. Just my nickel's worth.

I shopped at the Walmart on Memorial Drive at Columbia last night to pick up things I needed for the senior I adopted through Decatur's Season of Giving program and if there had been a Walmart in Suburban Plaza, I would have gone to that one instead as it would have been closer to the path I was taking from work to meet my co-shopper and then home.

I think the Wal Mart at Memorial is better than a rotting empty mall that screams 1980's Dekalb white flight.

The Wal-Mart on Memorial (which I was against), has generally worked out ok, i guess...and I have noticed that there are Wal-Marts just about everywhere, in places where you wouldn't "think" they'd put one: the one in Chamblee, the one near Perimeter Mall, etc...I, too, wonder where was the promised mixed-use development for the Avondale Wal-Mart...and I think that Wal-Mart was responsible for the closing of Maxway, which was one of my favorite stores! Anyhoo, I think developers go where the money is...The "Solid Gold Plaza" has been vacant for decades now, but you could easily "see" a Target, Publix, Home Depot, Lowe's, or some other big box store there, but surely they aren't gonna put one there...why? They probably don't think the area would support it enough for them to make a profit. I would like to see something other than a Wal-Mart go in the Suburan Plaza. I liked it when it was a Pep Boys, but I'm guessing rent there is HIGH and there probably aren't many DIY mechanics in the area.

Ralph- Thanks for your terrific live coverage of the meeting so that the entire community could follow along. Much appreciated!

The DHNA's goal was to provide an opportunity for the neighborhoods and businesses on the Church Street side of Suburban Plaza to learn more about the project and to hear from Selig and Walmart on our main concerns. We provided the concerns in advance so that they would be able to address as many as possible. Unfortunately, audience outbursts during the posed questions part probably clipped some of the information they'd planned to provide. The DHNA's official position is to work with Selig and Walmart to revitalize Suburban Plaza into a successful, neighborhood friendly shopping destination. We look foward to partnering with them to ensure minimum negative impact.

Here's the list of the Selig/Walmart folks who participated:

For Selig Enterprises:
Scott Selig, Sr VP Acquisitions & Development
Bill Stogner, Sr VP Retail leasing
Kevin Curry, VP Construction & Property Management
Greg Catoe, Senior Project Manager and LEED Architect

For Walmart:
Glen Wilkins, Senior Manager of Public Affairs and Government Relations

Bill Stogner followed up the next day to say, "I hope neighbors feel Selig is transparent during this process and they can reach out to us at any time to suggest, constructively criticize and be a part of this redevelopment."

For audio of the entire meeting, please visit: www.decaturheights.com

Why do we need a Walmart there when there is one so close at Memorial and Columbia?

We need another walmart there because walmart has determined the area is a viable drain to suction out millions of community dollars to send to their overseas based factories.

If Selig owns this property, how come they have never invested in it's revitalization until Walmart comes knocklng. Why have they been letting it sit and rot for so long? I have been here 10 years and have not seen any interest in keeping the property up (chipped paint, broken doors, broken sidewalks, unmarked parking spots, broken glass in parking spaces, no green space, trash blowing around). I always found this suprising given that it is surrounded by upper middle class neighborhoods. Seems to me that they are poor stewards of our community dollars or at the very least demonstrate a general lack of respect for our community. How can they in good conscious let a shopping center look the way it does? I simply do not understand it. Don't they have the responsibility for property maintenance? How can we ensure that they will maintain the property once it is developed?

I live in Avondale Estates and I didn't have a strong feeling one way or another about the Wal Mart at Memorial Drive. Yes, it's better than a rotting mall and I do shop there at times. Sure, it's not gorgeous. But no one else was jumping at the opportunity to make it anything else. I would love for Suburban Plaza to be redone. Just wish it was something other than a Wal Mart. I like the Pier One idea. I would looooove a Target. A large central store with remaining smaller funky local places would be great.

Since it's Christmastime and I haven't asked Santa for anything, I'd like to request that Target move in there, along with Trader Joe's, a really cool coffee shop, maybe a sort of retro-hippie store and a small park. That would be super! To me Wal-mart feels more like receiving a chunk of coal for Christmas. But that's just me. :)

Also on Wal-Mart--wages are going up in China so any store that relies heavily on Chinese manufacturing may be significantly impacted. With the combination of a few other things, such as the local "town" economy trend, I'd say Wal-Mart will be under heavy pressure to transform, upgrade or die. Another thing is, the company has shown no compunction against closing stores quickly and relocating.
My projection is that Suburban Plaza will change significantly within 10 years--certainly as the "aura" of walkability and trains emerges.
(Lindberg to Avondale train on tap, start in 15 years, dependent on economy of course--just the "notion" of what that means will affect how all of the other properties in the area will develop--walkability, local goods--urbanism has meant an economic "upgrade" so far.)

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2011/12/how-walmart-is-changing-china/8709/
This really should be called "How China is Changing WalMart" or at lelast "How WalMart is Learning China".
(BTW--this is not the wage/manufactring discussion we are having)

Bottom line--note how WalMart is willing to morph when needs to--so what does that mean for its new stores in urban/hipster areas (or those that will trend that way)