Ground has officially been broken on Candler Crossing, a $28.9 million mixed-use development that leaders say will expand grocery access, create jobs and spur additional investment along the Candler Road corridor in South DeKalb.
The 7.26-acre project at the corner of Candler Road and Glenwood Road will feature a 50,325-square-foot Publix supermarket as its anchor tenant alongside an 11,200-square-foot multi-tenant retail building, community gathering spaces, a walking trail, pedestrian improvements and a renovated MARTA bus stop.
Construction is underway, with initial occupancy expected in October 2027.
County officials, developers and community members gathered on June 11 to celebrate the groundbreaking for the highly anticipated project.
“This is not just a development. This is dignity. This is not just a project. This is progress. This is not just an investment. What you see taking place here today is legacy in the making,” DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson said.
She said the development represents a broader commitment to reinvestment in South DeKalb.
“It’s time to rewrite the narrative of who we are and what we expect in our communities,” Cochran-Johnson said.
The project is expected to create more than 100 construction jobs and 183 permanent positions while bringing a full-service grocery store to an area long identified as underserved.
Dorian DeBarr, president and CEO of Decide DeKalb Development Authority, said the development is intended to be more than a shopping center.
“South DeKalb deserves catalytic investments and today we’re proud to kickstart meaningful activity and progress within the corridor,” DeBarr said. “Candler Crossing will be a destination where people can shop and gather while creating jobs supporting small businesses and encouraging long-term economic growth.”
In addition to its retail offerings, Candler Crossing will include a 2,000-square-foot retail space reserved for a qualifying local business at below-market rent, providing an opportunity for small business growth within the development.
Developer Venture South Investments said the project was designed with the surrounding community in mind.
“Candler Crossing is designed to be a walkable, welcoming place that serves this neighborhood for generations,” said Evan Conder, partner at Venture South Investments. “Anchoring it with a Publix means residents will have the grocery access they deserve right here in their backyard.”
The development is supported by a $3.82 million Tax Allocation District (TAD) grant approved by Decide DeKalb, using a pay-as-you-go financing structure that reimburses developers only as new tax revenue is generated by the completed project.
Officials said they hope the investment will serve as a catalyst for additional redevelopment along the corridor and throughout South DeKalb.
“What you see happening here today is just the beginning” Cochran-Johnson said. “We are changing the landscape of what is possible and Candler Crossing is only the beginning.”
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