Interest in Memorial Drive Starting to Pick Up

Changes may be coming to Memorial Drive.

The DeKalb County Office of Economic Development (OED) recently received a Tax Allocation District application from a business owner along the corridor, said Michelle J. Menifee, a senior business development manager with the OED.

The application process is in the early stages, she said through e-mail corespondence. So far, the applicant has met with the OED director to discuss the project, completed the application, and submitted the deposit, redevelopment and specification plans to the OED.

The TAD Committee hasn’t determined the project’s eligibility yet, Menifee said.

The OED is also working with the county’s Planning & Sustainability Department to discuss future plans for the Memorial Drive corridor, Menifee said. The departments have already had one discussion meeting, she said. There are no further details yet about future meetings.

Some leaders say lasting progress on Memorial Drive will depend on bringing reputable businesses to the area, tapping into the area's international community, developers with successful experience in similar urban areas, and having a dedicated individual to coordinate redevelopment efforts.

Super District 7 Commissioner Stan Watson said Memorial Drive could use more office, retail, destination restaurants and upscale clubs.

“Memorial Drive is one of the lifelines for DeKalb County. I do think we need to start with some key stakeholders on Memorial Drive and go from there,” he said.

The corridor doesn’t need apartments that don’t maintain their properties, or extended-stay hotels, which have become “a haven to those seeking weekly rates, drug activities, prostitution,”  Watson said. “What we have to do now is make sure we don’t put any more extended stay hotels on Memorial Drive.”

He’d also like to see the area better reflect its global presence with reputable shops set up by members of the multicultural community. “That would be a great way to show our international flavor,” he said.

Watson is interested in seeing an international relations and economic development committee made up of representatives from different countries and nationalities, where ideas can be shared on procurement and doing business with DeKalb.

Memorial Drive's future will require developers with a specific track record, said Leonardo McClarty, president of the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce, which is focused primarily on small business issues.

“I believe it will take a developer with a keen interest in working in minority neighborhoods and one with experience in urban redevelopment as the issues are different with acquiring and tearing down versus developing on virgin land,” McClarty said through e-mail correspondence. “Another key will be taking advantage of  some of the stable neighborhoods in the area which can help offset some of the older, perhaps more [troubled] apartment units.”

DeKalb County's ongoing commitment and dedication to revitalization efforts, with perhaps a person solely focused on redevelopment is also key, McClarty said: “This person ideally should be knowledgeable of development, have contacts with that industry, work to ensure that DeKalb has sound incentives in place.”