Decide DeKalb reports $105 million new investment, Lula Hills demolition and AIG hub among 2024 highlights

Dorian DeBarr, president of Decide DeKalb, gave the board a quarterly update on Feb. 25, recounting 2024 accomplishments and items planned for 2025 including the Lula Hills mall demolition, an AIG innovation hub, and the launch of a $2.5 million small business loan fund.

Key results and projects

• New investment and jobs: DeBarr reported roughly $105 million in new private investment during 2024 and about 1,700 new or retained jobs tied to county economic development efforts. He said Decide DeKalb has surpassed its original five‑year goal and is tracking about $3 billion in cumulative investment.

• Lula Hills demolition: the authority secured approvals to demolish the 1964 mall in what staff described as a first‑of‑its‑kind tax allocation district (TAD) pay‑as‑you‑go project for DeKalb County and the first full mall tear‑down in Georgia that the presentation said will enable comprehensive redevelopment.

• AIG innovation hub: Decide DeKalb said AIG will locate an innovation hub in the county that is expected to accommodate about 1,000 employees and to create more than 600 net new roles over five years; the project involves coordination with Brookhaven and the state.

• Office‑to‑residential conversion: board materials described a planned conversion of an 18‑story office tower at 1800 Century Boulevard into about 286 housing units, with a portion of units set aside for public‑service employees.

• Small business and redevelopment tools: Decide DeKalb will launch a $2.5 million revolving small business loan fund (loans roughly $50,000–$100,000) with technical assistance, established a redevelopment department, refreshed TAD guidelines and released a creative‑district RFP that attracted a national response.

Why this matters

The presentation framed these items as tools to increase job growth, broaden the county’s tax base, and support small businesses and workforce development. DeBarr emphasized partnerships with workforce providers such as WorkSource DeKalb and technical colleges and said the small business loan fund will be paired with free technical assistance in marketing and accounting.

Questions from commissioners

Commissioners thanked DeBarr for the progress report and asked about workforce pipelines and local hiring. DeBarr said the authority is coordinating with workforce providers and industry advisory councils to align training with employer needs. Commissioners also asked about timelines for the AIG hub and flock camera installations; DeBarr said the AIG hub will open in phases and that fleet camera purchases have been completed with installation pending contract finalization.

Next steps

Decide DeKalb will publish an annual report and begin rolling out the small‑business loan fund and creative‑district planning in spring 2025. DeBarr invited commissioners to nominate members to advisory councils and to share project leads and local contacts.