DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A major metro Atlanta mall will be demolished on Wednesday to make room for a new mixed-used development.

EDENS, the company that bought the land, plans to transform the area into “Lulah Hills,” a mixed-used development with apartments, stores and restaurants. The Decide Dekalb Development Board unanimously voted to approve the redevelopment proposal last year.

“Lulah Hills is the evolution of community,” said Herbert Ames, Managing Director at EDENS. “With our redevelopment, we are designing a retail-focused, mixed-use destination that reflects the character of this community and inspires those who visit.”

North DeKalb Mall opened in 1965 as metro Atlanta’s first fully-enclosed shopping mall. But over the years, the way people shop has changed. The mall couldn’t survive the pandemic and it shut down in 2020.

In 2023, all the single stores on the outside of the mall had to pack up and go, too.

“Anything from keeping it from looking so run down, just to bring some new business back, and hopefully it’ll create new jobs and people opportunities have fun,” neighbor Joshua Niles said.