The Red & Black is a 501c3 nonprofit. Please consider a one-time gift or become a monthly supporter. Cancel anytime. On Thursday night, in the middle of the mostly vacant Georgia Square Mall, approximately 150 Athens-Clarke County residents attended a redevelopment town hall. The event focused on highlighting the community’s interest in the development project and alleviating concerns residents had. The town hall was hosted by District 6 Commissioner Stephanie Johnson, whose district includes the mall. The town hall featured a panel of speakers from the Athens-Clarke County Planning Department, the mall developer and W&A Engineering. Mark Jennings of The Leaven Group, the developer behind the Georgia Square Mall project, had revised the project plans in July 2026. The Leaven Group, in conjunction with Athens-Clarke County, is now seeking a special overlay district — a kind of zoning district tailored to a specific area — in lieu of using taxpayer funds via a tax allocation district agreement. As a result, the town hall focused on the proposed overlay, its timeline and additional concerns residents had regarding the use of the mall property. Jon Williams, president and CEO of W&A Engineering and one of the meeting’s panelists, stated that the Athens-Clarke County Planning Commission will vote on a recommendation for the Athens-Clarke County Board of Commissioners on Sept. 3. The Board of Commissioners will consider the issue during their agenda-setting meeting on Sept. 15…
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