A rendering of the Callaway Building mixed use project, provided by the City of Decatur

This story has been updated. 

The city of Decatur says there will be tree removal on the site of the old Callaway building on West Trinity Place to make way for a new mixed-use development.

“The Callaway site redevelopment plan — in particular the planned W. Trinity cycle track, together with the relocation of a major Georgia Power underground power line — will require the removal of existing street trees along W. Trinity Place,” the city said in a press release. “Though an unfortunate requirement for the project to proceed, each tree lost will be replaced during redevelopment as part of tree plantings across the site.”

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The Decatur City Commission revised the city’s tree ordinance back in 2014. The city is driving the Callaway redevelopment. The city purchased the property from DeKalb County and turned it over to a developer, Cousins Properties. When completed, the Callaway Building will have  329 apartment units and 721 parking spaces.

The city said the tree removal is in line with the tree ordinance.

“Decatur’s Tree Canopy Preservation Ordinance, which stabilized the city’s overall canopy percentage at 45 percent and now fosters equal or greater coverage city-wide for the years ahead, requires developers to submit and abide by a full canopy replacement plan,” the city’s press release says.

There will be new trees planted on the site, the city says.

According to the city’s Decaturmakeover.com blog, which tracks downtown construction work, “[The canopy replacement plan] will result in the planting of 137 native trees that range in height from 10’ to 15’ at planting with increasing height and shade in the years ahead. Featured species will include Oaks, Elms, Hornbeams, Dogwoods, Hemlocks, and Cedars, among others.”

Those trees will be planted on the Callaway property and will be a net gain of about 100 trees in Decatur’s downtown, the city’s post on Decaturmakeover.com says.

Removal work is set to begin on March 14 and will last a few days, the city’s press release says.

“There will be a lane closing on the eastbound side of W. Trinity Place between Commerce and McDonough but traffic will continue to be accommodated,” the press release says. “Pedestrians should use the north side of the street. Bicyclists should take an alternate route.”

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