The long-sought rebirth for Mall West End appears to finally be in motion. When actual heavy equipment might report to the Southwest Atlanta site, however, remains unclear.
Following a run of more than 50 years, the mall is set to be replaced with a multifaceted project called One West End, which will include some 1.7 million square feet of development and cost in the ballpark of $450 million, city officials and development partners announced last year.
One West End showed signs of life last week when developers BRP Companies and The Prusik Group filed paperwork with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs requesting a Development of Regional Impact review, as the AJC first reported.
That DRI filing indicates permitting work for development is underway, and that Mall West End’s replacement could bring more homes than previously planned: 1,000 residential units, with 30 percent of those qualifying as low-income units, alongside 345 student housing beds.
How residential would be stacked over neighborhood amenities at One West End. Prusik Group/BRP Companies; One West End
We reached out this week to the development team for information on a groundbreaking timeline in West End, and we’ll update this story with any response that comes. Development reps told the AJC that “things are moving along” at the 12-acre site, that demolition plans are being finalized, and that the project’s overall direction hasn’t changed.
Beyond housing, the scope calls for breaking up Mall West End’s current super block into “four human-scale blocks” linked by pedestrian-friendly streetscapes, per the DRI filing. Additional facets include a 150-key hotel and 120,000 square feet of retail space. No office use is mentioned in current plans.
The DRI classification, which applies to projects large enough to effect multiple jurisdictions, is meant to streamline the development process and help gather local input.
According to last week’s DRI filing, the first phase of One West End is scheduled to deliver in March 2029—or three and ½ years from now, a longer timeline than might be expected for the initial phase.
Broader look at proposed mid-rise construction and a new through-street where Mall West End currently stands. Prusik Group/BRP Companies; One West End
General scope of the 1970s mall property and its 12 acres, with MARTA rail shown at right. Google Maps
Mall West End originally opened in 1973, replacing a commercial district and numerous West End houses. The suburban-style shopping enclave became a community cornerstone for decades but struggled in recent years with vacancies, like many traditional malls.
BRP and The Prusik Group, both New York-based firms, said in January four longtime tenants are being relocated to a temporary onsite location at 850 Oak St. that will allow them to continue operating throughout the entirety of One West End’s development. Those businesses—apparel store The Burning Sands, Dendera Cosmetics, True Hair, and American Deli—will be allowed to open in fresh, permanent retail spaces once development is complete, according to project officials.
Meanwhile, a Planet Fitness location situated near the middle of the 12-acre site will continue operating where it stands during phase one of construction, per officials.
The real estate companies closed on Mall West End’s property in October for an undisclosed price. They plan to redevelop the retail center in partnership with the City of Atlanta, Atlanta Beltline Inc., and Atlanta Urban Development Corporation, a local nonprofit entity tasked with developing underused land into mixed-income housing.
Developers previously said One West End’s first components would open in 2028, leveraging the site’s proximity to downtown, MARTA, the Beltline, and Atlanta University Center, among other attractions.
The Prusik Group and BRP Companies' vision for Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard (first revealed in 2022) is included with new marketing materials.
Prusik Group/BRP Companies; One West End
Funding for the deal includes $19 million in acquisition financing provided by Merchants Capital, plus a $5 million acquisition loan from Atlanta Urban Development and another $5 million from Beltline coffers, city officials have said. The development team has vowed to contribute at least $500,000 to a fund that will help qualifying commercial tenants with rent credits and tenant improvement allowances.
Lest we forget that three earlier visions for a mall site revival in West End fell apart, including a slightly smaller proposal (1.5 million square feet of total development) from The Prusik Group and BRP.
Which begs the question, at what appears to be the outset of real development work:
