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Near Decatur Square, developer seeks rezoning for mixed-use project

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Parking lot and bank could make way for offices, retail, apartments, and a large parking deck

A heavy one-story concrete building, painted white, two blocks from the old courthouse.
The Bank of America in question, which would be replaced in the new development.
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While pockets of downtown Decatur have been transformed by new apartment developments in the past few years, there’s still a ways to go for the urbanizing ITP city to shed its vestiges of suburban-style design.

One glaring example sits just steps from Decatur’s downtown square. But that could change.

According to Decaturish, developer MCRT Investments is seeking Decatur City Council approval to construct a mixed-use development, including nearly 25,000 square feet of retail, an 80,000-square-foot office building, a 232-unit apartment building, and a 486-car parking deck.

In order for the property’s plans to materialize, MCRT hopes to be approved for a density increase. As is, the corner lot is comprised of a parking lot and a brutalist Bank of America branch.

Plans reportedly call for the bank to remain open while construction of the six-story apartment and retail building occurs on the adjacent parking lot. Once the bank is able to relocate to the new building, the old facility would be torn down and replaced by the office component, the website reports.

The property in January.
Google Maps

If the project moves forward, a large percentage of the units would be one- and two-bedroom options, with around a dozen studio units and two dozen three-bedroom layouts. Filings indicate the developer would provide 29 units as affordable housing.

The city council will meet tonight to discuss the project.