Gwinnett County’s Urban Redevelopment Agency has purchased the former 11.5-acre Sears property at Gwinnett Place Mall. The purchase is part of the county’s broader effort to assemble vacant parcels at Gwinnett Place Mall for redevelopment.
Highlights
- Gwinnett County acquired the former Sears site for $11.5 million.
- The site will include the Gwinnett Place Transit Center.
- The project will follow priorities outlined in the county’s 2045 Unified Plan, shaped by two major community studies.
Strategic Acquisition of the Former Sears Site
The purchase of the former Sears site is expected to close by the end of October. The Urban Redevelopment Agency, along with the County, after the acquisition, will own a combined land that will span 87.5 acres of the Gwinnett Place Mall site.
“We’re building incredible momentum toward transforming this site into a hub for catalytic change and opportunity for our residents, entrepreneurs, and businesses,” said Gwinnett County Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson. “I’m proud of the purposeful progress we’re making and look forward to what’s ahead,” she added.
Once envisioned as a regional shopping destination, Gwinnett Place Mall has seen most of its storefronts sit vacant for nearly two decades. Only last year, Gwinnett County partnered with global real estate company CBRE to help advance its redevelopment plans.
Momentum is building, with the county issuing a nationwide call for redevelopment proposals. The aim is to attract top partners to develop the mall site.
Mixed-Use Development Plans
The Gwinnett Place Mall reimagination is planned to be a walkable and well-connected mixed-use area. It will highlight the community’s cultural diversity. Following the Gwinnett Board of Commissioners’ approval in March, the site will also feature a new bus hub.
The new bus hub, named the Gwinnett Place Transit Center, will open in 2032. The project is backed by funding from the Federal Transit Administration.
Makeover Backed by Community
The redevelopment will be led by two public studies that have set general goals and priorities of the County’s 2045 Unified Plan. It will shed light on the rebuilt property and its impacts on the surrounding area.
As part of the eight-month Equitable Redevelopment Plan, more than 2,000 county residents shared input. Their input helped identify five key areas for growth, which included neighborhood services, jobs, activity center, housing and businesses.
A separate market study, based on 6,000 community surveys, introduced the ‘Global Villages’ concept. The plan envisions a cultural center, retail, housing, and offices clustered around a central park.
With the acquisition now complete, Gwinnett County is making progress toward transforming Gwinnett Place Mall into an inclusive and economically driven destination.
