North Fulton: New Momentum

The redeveloped, dense, high-performing economic hubs may get most of the headlines these days in the northern part of Georgia’s most populous county, but city leaders keep their focus on thoughtful, balanced growth. Ask around and you’ll hear such slogans as “small-town charm with high-end appeal,” “modern spirit with Southern soul” and “rural but not remote.”

“North Fulton’s advantage is the combination you rarely find in one place – an exceptional talent base, strong and safe communities, and a business environment where global employers and fast-moving startups can scale side by side,” says Rich Johnson, executive director of the North Fulton Economic Alliance, which launched in summer 2025.

A better-together theme pervades North Fulton, and its cities and communities are all the better for it. One can see it in the collaborative inputs and the integrated, mixed-use results. And infrastructure is expanding in unprecedented ways to accommodate the area’s continued growth.

Widened Path to Progress

Most places will talk up opportunity, but how many can boast an $11 billion infrastructure investment feeding its communities and businesses? The Georgia 400 Express Lanes project will boost connection to North Fulton County.

Corporate Influx: Chris Burnett, director of economic development for Sandy Springs, at the community’s City Springs cultural hub. Photo credit: Eric Sun

“The most transformational project for business development in North Fulton and getting people to and from work quickly and safely across our region is Georgia’s largest-ever transportation build,” says Kali Boatright, president and CEO of the Greater North Fulton Chamber. “The five-year build is also the largest private-public partnership in U.S. DOT history.”

The 16-mile Georgia 400 Express Lanes project, which broke ground in April, will run from near the North Springs MARTA station in Sandy Springs to just north of McFarland Parkway. When complete in 2031, express lane travel is projected to be up to 30% faster than general purpose lanes during peak traffic volume, according to the Georgia Department of Transportation. Also, MARTA plans to add Bus Rapid Transit service connecting several strategic stops along the 16-mile corridor from its North Springs station to the park-and-ride lot on Windward Parkway.

First (Rate) Impression

Businesses flock to high-quality locations, an affluent consumer base and proactive and pro-business cities, and they’re coming to North Fulton. The deal sweetens when special, groundbreaking conditions exist in their site selection. That’s the case with Medley, the $560 million, 43-acre mixed-use development opening this month in Johns Creek that has the young city already thinking greatest hits.

New Downtown: Rendering of Medley, a 43-acre mixed-use development in Johns Creek. Photo credit: The Wilbert Group

Johns Creek’s first downtown is primed to make a big first impression, offering people an attractive array of live-work-play options as well as a long-awaited central destination. What was once a defunct suburban office campus now is a lively community gathering place.

“While the area around City Hall has long served as Johns Creek’s business hub, Medley is adding the missing mix of retail, dining and entertainment,” says Kimberly Greer, Johns Creek city manager. “These new spaces will encourage office workers to stay after hours and give residents a vibrant place to gather and enjoy close to home.”

Central Destination: Mark Toro, principal and chief vision officer at Toro Development Company. Photo credit: The Wilbert Group

Mark Toro, principal and chief vision officer of Toro Development Company, says Johns Creek is one of Metro Atlanta’s most affluent communities, “yet it has never had a central destination for people to spend time together or a place to call its own.” He calls Medley a true “third place,” that location beyond home (first place) and work (second) where people can gather, bond through shared experiences and make special memories. “There was strong alignment from the beginning that Medley should be more than a standalone project; it would bring the city’s broader town center vision to life,” he says.

True to its name, Medley supports that vision by delivering an assortment of offerings and spaces, including best-in-class retail, chef-driven restaurants, pedestrian-friendly streets and hospitality-driven service, according to Toro. The development includes 164,000 square feet of retail, restaurants and entertainment space; 883 luxury residences (for sale and rent); 110,000 square feet of office space; and a 25,000-square-foot plaza that could host up to 200 events per year.

Community Living Room: The Boardwalk at Town Center opened in May. Photo credit: Contributed

Less than a mile away, The Boardwalk at Town Center, which opened in May, is another huge piece of Johns Creek’s dynamic, integrated vision with its 15-foot-wide elevated trail, pedestrian plazas and an amphitheater to create a “community living room,” according to Greer. Adding connectivity through community (and vice versa), the boardwalk links up with Medley at the north end and Johns Creek Greenway to the south via a pedestrian tunnel under Medlock Bridge Road.

“Exciting Change”

When Fortune 500 company Asbury Automotive Group relocated its headquarters to Sandy Springs in 2025, it wasn’t just about 350 new jobs. The move reinforces the 20-year-old municipality’s reputation as a place where large companies want to locate, invest and grow.

“This distinction underscores the strength of our business climate, transportation infrastructure and executive talent pool,” says Chris Burnett, director of economic development for the city of Sandy Springs, who calls the move “a striking reminder” of the trend of corporate activity shifting outside Atlanta’s traditional urban core. “We are more than a suburban community; our concentration of large employers gives us a role in the region’s economy that is larger than our size might suggest.”

Live, Walk, Play: Sandy Springs’ walkable downtown district, City Springs, is home to restaurants, a performing arts center, retail, office and housing. Photo credit: Contributed

The corporate influx into Sandy Springs isn’t just because of the city’s location in the North Atlanta metro and easy access to Interstate 285, Georgia 400 and MARTA. Discussing the “exciting change” for his company, Asbury Executive Chair David Hult made a point to focus on the attractiveness and conveniences of the surrounding community. City Springs, Sandy Springs’ walkable district full of retail, restaurants, entertainment, housing, office and green space, is set to elevate that appeal with an economic development initiative that will extend the downtown core while creating a more livable, recognizable place for residents, businesses and visitors.

“City Springs [Phase 2] reflects how we want to grow as a city,” says Burnett of the 5.5-acre redevelopment expected to break ground on retail, restaurant and residential offerings in 2027. “More than a real estate effort, we see it as part of a larger strategy to strengthen the city’s identity and encourage redevelopment that supports jobs, restaurants, retail and mixed-use activity. This project also helps us stay competitive in a changing market.”

Collaboration Station

Throughout North Fulton, projects maximize both community and economic development, balancing grassroots charm and big business, while employing a strategic planning approach. A prime example is the public-private partnership behind Hillrose Market in Roswell.

The $120 million Hillrose Market will deliver retail and restaurant offerings, office space and residential units adjacent to City Hall in downtown. The Atlantic Companies’ 75,000-square-foot mixed-use development currently under construction will include more than 140 apartments and a central green space. The 7-acre site is designed to create a more walkable downtown environment and will be connected to the Canton Street area by trail access.

Big Business and Grassroots Charm: Roswell Mayor Mary Robichaux at City Hall. Photo credit: Woodie Williams

“City leaders challenged us to think bigger, and together we created a true mixed-use destination that serves the entire Roswell community,” says Jim Meyer, managing partner of Atlantic Companies. “Hillrose Market simply wouldn’t exist in its current form without that collaboration. It was a great example of a city looking beyond a single property and thinking about what would be best for the entire downtown.”

Shared vision and creative partnership between city and developer can do wonders. The Atlantic Companies originally acquired a small component of the overall Hillrose property for a smaller-scale multifamily development. Then Roswell leadership stepped in with its focus on growth that connects to the existing fabric of the city. Publicly-owned property was incorporated into the redevelopment, including the adaptive reuse of the city’s former police headquarters.

“The Hillrose Market project supports Roswell’s continued growth while reinforcing the character and accessibility of downtown,” says Roswell Mayor Mary Robichaux. “It reflects the city’s focus on thoughtful redevelopment that balances economic growth with community identity and quality of life.”

Robichaux says Roswell has the potential to “connect its two downtowns.” She’s referring to plans to redevelop the former Independence High School property on Mimosa Boulevard between the popular Canton Street hub and the historic Town Square near Roswell Mill. Before the project can begin, Fulton County Schools must declare the site a surplus property. Then the Roswell City Council will have to approve the final purchase, acquire the land and transfer ownership to the Downtown Development Authority to start redevelopment.

Thinking Bigger: Rendering of the mixed-use Hillrose Market in downtown Roswell. Photo credit: The Atlantic Companies

Roswell has also been able to invest in what Robichaux calls “the city’s strongest asset, our park system.” The Chattahoochee River makes up the city’s entire southern border, creating what she calls “the largest stretch of riverside parkland in the metro area.” Current projects funded by the more than $107 million voter-approved bond designated for recreation, parks, paths and sidewalks include the $13.8 million Riverside Park renovation.

Balancing Act

From Old to New: A new mixed-use development (shown in this rendering) will take the place of the Deerfield Corporate Center in Milton. Photo credit: Contributed

The city of Milton is also making some exciting changes, triggered by the need that arose after COVID-19 wreaked havoc on the office sector. The 1990s-era office parks in its Deerfield area had struggled since the pandemic, exceeding 550,000 square feet of vacant commercial space by October 2024. Turning adversity into opportunity, Milton launched an initiative called Destination Deerfield, setting in motion the creation of a high-quality live-work-play district, which will include office, retail, dining, hospitality and entertainment along the Georgia 400 corridor.

Sense of Place: Milton Mayor Peyton Jamison. Photo credit: Contributed

“It is not about chasing growth, but about creating a destination with long-term economic value and a strong sense of place,” says Milton Mayor Peyton Jamison.

In February, a mixed-use redevelopment of Deerfield Corporate Center won approval, paving the way for the transformation of an aging office-centered property into the new mixed-use development.

“Milton is proving that economic growth and preservation of community character do not have to be competing priorities,” says Sara Leaders, Milton’s community development and public works director.

A young city with an equestrian heritage, Milton is demonstrating substantial horsepower on both the economic and community development fronts. And the recently completed McGinnis Ferry Road-Georgia 400 interchange, in addition to the freeway’s Express Lanes megaproject, will provide even more fuel for Milton’s momentum.

Change for the Good

Over the past year, Alpharetta has averaged at least one major company relocation or expansion per month, totaling more than 1,300 new jobs and $73 million in investment. That growth is both substantial and sustainable through the city’s long-range planning efforts, such as the Brookside Small Area Plan adopted in 2022.

In Alpharetta’s Brookside area, a traditional office park is being transformed into a vibrant mixed-use district. Slated for groundbreaking before the end of the year, Portman Holdings’ Brookside Village will deliver 335 apartments, 70 for-sale townhomes, 130,000 square feet of office space and 60,000 square feet of retail.

Nearby, Georgia State University is planning improvements to its Perimeter College campus on Brookside Parkway, including the creation of a new campus quad. About a half mile away, Brookside Reserve, The Providence Group’s 160-unit condominium community, is now under construction.

“This transformation will bring new energy, new amenities and a more walkable, connected environment for residents and workers,” says Mayor Jim Gilvin. “Together, these projects will turn Brookside into a true community destination and an important economic anchor for the city.”

Next Up: Next Level?

The potential redevelopment of Alpharetta’s North Point Mall is turning heads for its professional sports ambitions. In March, New York Life, which owns the mall, and developer Jamestown submitted a rezoning application to turn a 100-acre site at the mall into a walkable, sports-anchored entertainment district headlined by a 20,000-seat, NHL-ready arena. The redevelopment would also include a performing arts center, a conference center, retail, dining and 1,385 apartments.

Turning Heads: Rendering of the proposed redevelopment of North Point Mall into a walkable, sports-anchored entertainment district with a 20,000-seat arena. Photo credit: Jamestown

This is not the only development in the region seeking to attract a professional hockey franchise. The Gathering at South Forsyth, which was approved by the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners in 2024, is also pursuing an NHL team.

The Alpharetta Planning Commission has approved the North Point Mall redevelopment plan, subject to several conditions, including one that makes certificates of occupancy in the proposed apartments contingent on the NHL awarding a franchise team to North Point.

Thoughtful planning continues to help North Fulton build on its growth while balancing with the area’s quality of life and high community standards.

Johns Creek’s new town center and the revitalized districts in Roswell, Alpharetta and Milton, as well as City Springs Phase 2, will expand opportunity and increase community engagement like never before.

Johnson at the North Fulton Economic Alliance says, “Even with more than 20,000 business locations, including [several] Fortune 1000 companies, North Fulton continues to look for ways to improve our global competitiveness without sacrificing the character and quality of life that make us unique.”