Decatur Moves Forward on Callaway Building Redevelopment

The Trinity Place building has long been eyed for prime development.

With the signing of contract authorizations between the City and developer Cousins Properties, the clock starts ticking towards demolition of the building and construction of a mixed use development with residential, retail, and possibly commercial tenants.

Assistant City Manager Lyn Menne, who heads up Decatur’s economic development efforts, says  “The more people that we can get living downtown, the fewer people we have driving downtown, and it puts people on the street to support retail and restaurants that our residents say they want.”

Construction is already underway of a new government complex on one end of Trinity Place, and construction on another mixed-use development on the other end – the so-called “Trinity Triangle” – is slated to begin early next year. The Callaway Building sits between the two.

Menne says the City has a grant to improve the streetscapes along Trinity Place, and these three developments will make it a new area to attract walking and bicycle traffic to downtown Decatur.

DeKalb County will lease back the building from the city for two years or until it can move the County offices housed there.

A Cousins Properties spokesman says the company is “excited about the prospects” but would not comment further.

With private development of the site, the property will return to the city and county tax rolls.