The latest mixed-use proposal to move forward in North Druid Hills is betting on the area’s potential as a growing hub of high-paying jobs.
Real estate firm The Allen Morris Company plans to build a $100-million, Class-A apartment complex on 6 woodsy acres in the 2400 block of North Druid Hills Road, next to a shopping district anchored by Target.
Allen Morris is planning a five-story building with 337 rentals along the popular link between Decatur and Buckhead. Plans also call for 2,000 square feet of retail space at one corner, to include a coffee shop and wine bar that’s connected to a pocket park with games and shaded seating.
The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners recently approved the plans. Like Allen Morris’ larger Star Metals District along Howell Mill Road, the apartments are being designed by architects at Dwell Design Studio.
In a project announcement, Allen Morris reps pointed to the expanding Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University medical campus down the road as evidence that hundreds of jobs are bound for the neighborhood—along with healthcare workers and university employees who’ll be prospective tenants.
“[This] development will raise the bar for the area and those that want to live a short distance from work,” W. Allen Morris, company chairman and CEO, said in a prepared statement.
Amenities at the complex are expected to include an onsite dog park, elevated pool deck with cabanas and trellised grilling areas, plus a cutting-edge gym, game room, and event space. The project will mark Allen Morris’ 87th development, per company reps.
Groundbreaking is scheduled for this fall, with a projected opening two years from now.
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