The Urban Redevelopment Agency of Gwinnett County has approved the purchase of the former Sears property at Gwinnett Place Mall for $11.5 million. The 11.5-acre site will bring the total county and agency ownership at the mall to 87.5 acres once the acquisition closes, expected by the end of October.
Plans for redeveloping the site focus on creating a dense, mixed-use activity center that is walkable and green while maintaining local cultural diversity. The redevelopment will also include a new transit center, which was approved in March 2025 and is largely funded by the Federal Transit Administration. The transit center aims to improve connections throughout Gwinnett County and is projected for completion in 2032.
“We’re building incredible momentum toward transforming this site into a hub for catalytic change and opportunity for our residents, entrepreneurs and businesses,” said Gwinnett County Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson. “I’m proud of the purposeful progress we’re making and look forward to what’s ahead.”
The redevelopment effort supports goals outlined in Gwinnett County’s 2045 Unified Plan and draws on two public studies: the Equitable Redevelopment Plan and the Gwinnett Place Mall Site Revitalization Strategy. These studies included input from more than 2,000 local residents over eight months, reflecting community priorities for future use of the area.
“With this step, we’re excellently positioned to attract top development partners that will help us achieve our vision for this site,” said District 1 Commissioner Kirkland Carden. “This redevelopment will create economic opportunities for our residents and grow our county’s tax digest.”
In previous years, the Urban Redevelopment Agency acquired other portions of the mall site—39 acres in 2021 and an additional 23 acres in 2024—covering former department store properties. The county has partnered with CBRE, a real estate services firm, to align strategies with both community needs and market demand. CBRE is preparing a nationwide request for proposals (RFP) to attract developers experienced in major redevelopment projects.
“Partnering with CBRE will accelerate our redevelopment process and ensure visibility among the type of world-class partners we are seeking in Gwinnett,” said County Administrator Glenn Stephens. “By leveraging the resources of local government and a best-in-class private sector partner, we will ensure the redevelopment of the Gwinnett Place Mall site meets the Gwinnett standard.”
Gwinnett County schools enrolled just over 190,000 students during the 2022-23 school year according to data from https://www.gadoe.org/. Enrollment increased by less than 0.1% compared to the previous year (https://www.gadoe.org/). White students represented about 18% of total enrollment during that period (https://www.gadoe.org/).
