(LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga.) — Gwinnett County, one of the state’s largest counties, has had a busy week. On Tuesday, the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners adopted a plan to revitalize the Gwinnet Place Mall. Today, Board Chairwoman Nicole Hendrickson gave the State of the County address, outlining strategies for policing, housing, and rebranding for Gwinnett’s public transit system.

Gwinnett Place Mall, famous for being the set of Stranger Things’ Starcourt Mall, has seen a significant decline since the opening of Sugarloaf Mills Mall and the Mall of Georgia. The Gwinnett Place Mall Site Revitalization Strategy will focus on housing, mobility, and greenspace.

Some 6,000 community members weighed in on a survey, ultimately resulting in the planned Global Villages concept. Chairwoman Hendrickson said that “The mall revitalization ahs never been a top-down approach. At its foundation, we wanted to hear public feedback to shape our decisions.”

The action plan is expected to roll out over the next 20 years.

“This is history in the making, and I’m honored to have a front row seat,” said District 1 Commissioner Kirkland Carden. “As the commissioner who represents the mall are, I wanted to make sure it is an economic force for Gwinnett County.”

On Thursday, Hendrickson’s speech included few details on Gwinnett Place, but included information on other projects for the county moving forward, including:

• Access to housing: 390 affordable low-income housing units in cooperation with Gwinnett/Walton Habitat for Humanity
• A new look: Gwinnett Transit will now be known as Ride Gwinnett
• New policing initiatives: Gun Crimes Unit and Gwinnett Safe Communities Program will enter information into a national database to make connections with other crimes across the country
• A new future: The Rowen Project will bring new water, sewage, and recreation infrastructure to east Gwinnett

Chairwoman Hendrickson challenged listeners to serve with intention. To read the whole reports, please visit Gwinnett County’s website.

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