With Variance Approval, Suburban Plaza Redevelopment Moves Forward

With a in its rearview, Selig Enterprises is moving forward with its redevelopment of Suburban Plaza in North Decatur, including the controversial linchpin of it all, a 149,000-square-foot Walmart Supercenter.

No timetable for planning or construction has been set, said Bill Stoger, Selig's senior vice president, on Monday. But Selig plans to move into the planning and engineering stage of its redevelopment process, which will cost the company between $400,000 and $500,000, he said.

Selig officials told the DeKalb County Zoning Board of Appeals last week that they expect most of the existing tenants in Suburban Plaza to leave as a result of the redevelopment, though Stogner declined to comment about that Monday. Selig officials have said, however, that tenants have signed leases that say they could be ejected from the shopping center in the event of a redevelopment.

There was also no additional news on other brands that may sign on to the redeveloped shopping center now that Walmart is a go. Stogner has mentioned interested companies ranging from LA Fitness to hhgregg, Staples and T.J. Maxx, but also declined to go into specifics.

"I'm competing with some other shopping centers in the market," he said.

Selig was able to secure a parking variance at the board meeting Wednesday that will allow them to forego a requirement that there be 5.5 parking spaces per 1,000 square feet of space and instead provide 3.9 spaces per 1,000. Though Walmart and Selig had a number of community groups show up and voice their support for the project after negotiations, a cadre of angry residents also showed up to protest the variance request.

Several board members pointed out that audience members protesting during the public comments section were not addressing the variance but rather voicing their displeasure with Walmart. Zoning board members repeatedly reminded the audience that what goes into a redeveloped Suburban Plaza was not under their purview that day, only the variance request.

"It was an anti-Walmart protest," Stogner said.

Selig had no back-up plans if it was not granted the variance, he said.

"We thought we had a good case for approval," Stogner said. "We were hoping it would be approved."

A group of protestors organizing online have been circulating an Internet petition against Walmart. Through Monday it had gathered 386 signatures, including comments.

"This is a terrible idea," wrote Will Bailey. "This area is already way [too] congested and the traffic cannot support a Walmart in this area. This will ruin the downtown feel of nearby Decatur. We DO NOT WANT a Wal mart here. I will continue shopping at Kroger and the DeKalb Farmer's Market."

"Decatur is Decatur because it allows small, independent businesses to thrive," an anonymous petition signer wrote Monday. "This neighborhood by Emory has enough traffic problems as it."

Regardless, as part of the agreement negotiated between nearby neighborhood associations–including the Medlock Area Neighborhood Association–Walmart will, at some point, have its merchandising team meet with neighborhood representatives to discuss what sort of merchandise would be sold at the incoming store, Stogner said. A detailed outline of the Medlock community's agreement with Walmart can be found here.

Glen Wilkins, a Walmart spokesman, could not be reached for comment Monday.