A Miami real estate firm is proposing a huge redevelopment near the North Druid Hills Road Target. Related Group has submitted plans to the City of Brookhaven to not only have the nearly seven acre property annexed into Brookhaven, but to also have it rezoned for several developments. Related wants to replace Briarcliff Station, a dated shopping center home to popular Indian eatery Cafe Bombay among others, Tin Roof Cantina, an auto care business and a former car wash, with "Manor Druid Hills," which would bring several new residential and commercial uses to the property.

Planning documents submitted to Brookhaven indicate Related wants to develop a six-story, 382 unit apartment building, a seven-story, 140 room hotel, 25,000 square feet of office space, and a combined 20,000 square feet of restaurant and retail space. The project would also feature a seven-story 837 space parking deck and an additional 40 street level spaces spread throughout the project.

Related has not yet closed on the property and its interest in doing so likely hinges upon the annexation and rezoning requests being approved by the City of Brookhaven. Planning documents indicate that the requests will be heard by the Planning Commission on February 5, and by the Mayor and City Council on February 25. Related, or more likely their lawyers/proxy, will hold a "community meeting" on January 2 at 6:30 pm at the Hellenic Community Center adjacent to the Greek Orthodox Cathedral at 2500 Clairmont Road.

Rendering of the proposed apartment, office and hotel components

It's unclear if Related plans to make restaurant space available in their project for Cafe Bombay, Tin Roof or others, but the rents they would likely command will no doubt be far more expensive than current rates. Cafe Bombay operates out of a second generation space at an endcap of Briarcliff Station, while Tin Roof, which not long ago completed a renovation, operates out of a freestanding building previously home to McDonald's and later a Miami Subs.

The subject property in yellow

DeKalb County property records indicate that the subject parcel, officially referred to as 2601 Briarcliff Road and situated between Briarcliff and North Druid Hills Roads along Woodcliff Drive, is owned by Scarlett & Associates, Inc.



Established 40 years ago, Related Group, helmed by founder and billionaire Jorge M. Perez, has built and managed more than 90,000 condominium and apartment projects across Florida. The firm entered the Atlanta market in 2018 with the 39-story Icon Midtown, a luxury high-rise apartment building with a large format Whole Foods Market in the street level retail space. After several delays, the firm also recently welcomed residents to their second local high-rise, Icon Buckhead, a 35-story project along Peachtree Road not far from Lenox Square.



There is no doubt that the subject property has seen better days and could use either a significant face-lift or large scale redevelopment, but the density of development proposed for this project is overwhelming. Situated within close proximity of Emory University, the CDC and the VA, traffic is already a huge concern for residents. Add to this the fact that Children's Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) is currently underway with a gigantic campus expansion at I-85 and North Druid Hills Road and Emory University's planned Executive Park healthcare campus, and you start to wonder how much development and additional traffic the area can handle.

Not far from Briarcliff Station, Greater Atlanta Realty Group is marketing a 3.6 acre parcel behind Target for redevelopment, too. The wooded property, located at 2661 Briarcliff Road, but with a narrow bit that extends out to North Druid Hills Road, is also owned by Scarlett & Associates, Inc., according to DeKalb records.

Scarlett & Associates is also the listed owner of the Target outparcel along North Druid Hills currently home to both Sherwin-Williams and Firestone. That 1.31 acre parcel is not currently linked to the proposed redevelopment, but there is speculation that it could eventually.

ToNeTo Atlanta reported last November than Stein Investment Group, a locally owned real estate firm, purchased Williamsburg Village shopping center at the corner of Clairmont and Briarcliff Roads. Williamsburg, like Briarcliff Station, is not currently meeting its fullest potential and will likely be redeveloped. Stein, which is known for building self storage facilities has said they don't plan to make that business part of the redevelopment and have said they plan to keep Desta, a popular Ethiopian eatery, part of the project. The Stein project is in unincorporated DeKalb County with sources close to the firm telling ToNeTo Atlanta last fall that Stein has no intention of seeking Brookhven annexation and instead supports the proposed City of Vista Grove, a new city within which the center would be located.

About a mile separates the Stein and Related projects and given their potential impact on the quality of life of nearby residents, expect serious debates over the desired visions to ensue.

What are your thoughts on the proposed Briarcliff redevelopment? Do you think enough is being done to prepare for all the upcoming development? If you are opposed to this redevelopment what would you like to see happen to the property instead?