Decatur, GA — Construction work is underway at 725 E. College Avenue, the site of a future 370-unit mixed-use development. Demolition began in fall 2023 and the developer, Northwood Ravin, has been issued their land disturbance permit.

The project site is about seven acres at 114-134 New Street, 141 Sams Street, and 715-747 E. College Ave. The finished project will be a mix of apartments and retail space. The work is anticipated to be completed in 2025 or 2026.

Plans for the development, which was formerly known as East Decatur Station, consist of 370 multifamily units, including live/work units, a café and coworking space, and about 15,000 square feet of retail space. Halo East Decatur is the first project in Decatur that has to meet the city’s inclusionary housing ordinance and set aside a percentage of units as affordable. At least 41 units will be affordable rental units at 80% of the area’s median income.

Work will be done on a few public improvements before constructing the buildings.

“These include: extending Freeman Street past our property; installing curb, gutter, sidewalk, and street trees around the perimeter of our property; installing underground utilities; and constructing a once-acre public green space,” Northwood Ravin development partner Ben Yorker said in an email.

Yorker said it’s too early to have conversations with retailers, but Northwood Ravin is focused on placemaking with the help of the city of Decatur.

“We imagine a mix of food & beverage, boutiques, and specialty stores that all bring a strong local flavor. Eric Carlton with Oakhurst Realty Partners is leading these efforts,” Yorker said. “We are also incorporating a community cowork facility to attract local entrepreneurs and serve as a hub. And we are connecting with existing retailers, clubs, and business owners to involve them in event planning.”

The developer is working with the Decatur Arts Alliance, as well, on a residency program that aims to bring local artists to the site.

Northwood Ravin will own and manage the property once construction is finished. Yorker added that the firm builds to own.

“I believe this better aligns us with the goals of the broader community,” he said. “As future owners, we must make sure that our decisions result in long-lasting quality and value. And we are anxious to promote success across the broader community, as any vested neighbor would be.”

Plans include a parking deck with 424 parking spaces for residents and 44 retail parking spaces. The apartments would wrap around the parking structure. The top of the parking deck will be outdoor amenity space for residents and include a swimming pool.

“What we are proposing is treatment of the parking deck that will be paneled recesses that resemble windows, and then we’re using art to line the parking structure,” Project Architect Jay Silverman previously said. “The parking structure was designed, though it is an open parking structure, it’s open on the sides and the solid wall will facilitate an art installation that will face Freeman.”

Want Decaturish delivered to your inbox every day? Sign up for our free newsletter by clicking here.

If you appreciate our work on this story, please become a paying supporter. For as little as $6 a month, you can help us keep you in the loop about your community.