DELAYED-VOTE: The final vote to pass redevelopment plans for Athens’ Georgia Square Mall has been tabled a third time due to incomplete negotiations between the developer and the ACC government. If the vote does not pass in the next round, it will be forced to start over. By Holland Mowry. 407 words, photo. 

Topics: Local government, Athens Clarke-County, redevelopment

Athens Clarke County Mayor Kelly Girtz reviews proposed plans for the Georgia Square Mall redevelopment. Girtz believes the plan has the potential to bring Athens’ west side back to life. (Photo/Holland Mowry)

Athens, GA — Athens-Clarke County Mayor Kelly Girtz announced that the final vote on Athens’ Georgia Square Mall redevelopment plan has been delayed until March 7. At a news conference Thursday, the Mayor said this is the third time the vote for the $600 million, 75-acre complex has been tabled by the ACC Commission.

The mall will serve as a hub for Athens’ west side, featuring amenities such as paved multi-use trails, extended public transit, large green space and preservation of the tree canopy. The development will also add approximately 1200 homes, with 10% of rentals permanently affordable.

“Under GA zoning law, we’ve extended this option for as long as possible,” Girtz said. “And now we’ve kicked the can down to March 7, so if it doesn’t happen then, the developer will have to go back and resubmit. So, you know – doesn’t kill it forever, but it creates just a dramatic difficulty.”

The delay comes from concerns over the community benefits agreement, a contract between ACC and the mall developers, The Leaven Group. Before the final vote, the Commission hopes to ensure the benefits outlined in the agreement are worth the tax allocation district (TAD) investment the developer has requested.

“We want to absolutely make sure that all of these rich community benefits, the biking trails, transit station, the affordable housing, the public space, all come to pass,” said Girtz.

The TAD, in partnership with Clarke County School District, will fund a third of the development through $189 million in future property tax revenue over the next 30 years. All new revenue generated by Georgia Square Mall’s development will then flow back into these local government entities in 2053, a year after the TAD burns off. 40% of the revenue will ultimately go to local government while 60% will go to school districts.

“There’s a lot of like, above average benefit,” District 6 commissioner Jesse Houle said at the Commission’s Feb. 21 Special Called Session. “Ultimately whether that’s worth $189 million dollars is to be determined.”  

However, Girtz is hopeful for the vote, confident that the Georgia Square Mall development’s benefits will bring it to pass.

“If I stay positive and I stay focused, and I use facts, good things happen. And so right now, I’m focused on March 7. If, by some twist of fate, March 7 doesn’t happen, I’ll have to go back to the table and say, ‘Well, how do we take a different shot at this?”