Greg Mike to Lead Large-Scale Public Art Program at Medley in Johns Creek
Atlanta artist Greg Mike is spearheading an extensive public art program at Johns Creek’s Medley development, integrating murals and sculptures throughout the community spaces. This initiative aims to create a vibrant and walkable environment ahead of Medley’s October opening.
Get major local stories and development updates.
Photo above: One of Atlanta artist Greg Mike’s large-scale mural installations. Greg Mike will lead the public art program at Medley in Johns Creek ahead of the mixed-use development’s October opening.
JOHNS CREEK – A major new public art initiative is coming to Johns Creek as developers behind Medley announced a partnership with Atlanta contemporary artist Greg Mike to shape the visual identity of the 43-acre mixed-use destination opening later this year.
The collaboration signals something larger than a standard development art package. As North Fulton’s suburban centers increasingly compete through experience, walkability and public gathering spaces, Medley’s developers are betting that murals, installations and artist-driven environments can help define the project’s identity long before all of its retail spaces are filled.
Toro Development Company said Greg Mike and his Atlanta-based ABV Agency will lead a property-wide art program featuring murals, sculptures and installations integrated throughout the development’s public spaces.
Installations are expected to begin in August, with additional live art moments and final pieces arriving around Medley’s planned grand opening on Oct. 29.
Located near the intersection of Johns Creek Parkway and McGinnis Ferry Road, Medley is one of the largest mixed-use developments currently under construction in the North Fulton and South Forsyth corridor. Plans include 145,000 square feet of retail, restaurant and entertainment space, 881 residences, a 150-room boutique hotel, office space and a central plaza designed for programming and events.
For many suburban developments, public art traditionally arrives late in the process as decoration. Medley appears to be approaching it differently.
“We’re on a mission to develop Medley as a great Third Place for the people of Johns Creek, and public art is essential to that vision,” Toro Development Company founder Mark Toro said in the announcement.
That “Third Place” language has become increasingly central to suburban development strategy across metro Atlanta. The idea refers to places outside home and work where people naturally gather — restaurants, plazas, coffee shops, greenspaces and walkable districts designed to encourage lingering rather than simple transactions.
In North Fulton, projects such as Avalon in Alpharetta helped reshape expectations around what suburban mixed-use destinations could look and feel like. Toro himself previously played a major role in Avalon’s development, as well as major Atlanta projects including Colony Square and Atlantic Station.
But Medley’s art-focused approach could push the concept further into territory more commonly associated with urban neighborhoods and arts districts.
Greg Mike is one of Atlanta’s most recognizable contemporary mural artists, known for bold color palettes, cartoon-inspired imagery and large-scale public installations across the city and beyond. His work has appeared throughout Atlanta, Miami, Los Angeles and international locations across Europe and Asia, according to the announcement.
His Atlanta-based ABV platform (Instagram) has also grown into a significant force in experiential art and mural programming, working with artists on installations for hospitality projects, developers and national brands.
“Public art has always been about creating energy and moments people remember,” Greg Mike said in the release. “At Medley, we have the opportunity to transform everyday spaces into experiences that feel dynamic, unexpected and deeply connected to the community.”
The announcement also reflects a broader shift underway across North Atlanta suburbs, where public-facing art, murals and experience-driven design are becoming increasingly important tools for placemaking.
While areas such as Midtown Atlanta, the BeltLine and Decatur have long embraced murals and public art as part of their street identity, much of suburban North Fulton historically developed around office parks, shopping centers and automobile-oriented corridors. That has begun to change in recent years as cities including Alpharetta, Roswell and Duluth have invested more heavily in walkable downtown districts, greenspaces, outdoor gathering areas and event programming.
Johns Creek, despite its rapid growth and affluence, has generally maintained a more restrained visual identity compared with some neighboring communities. Medley’s partnership with Greg Mike could become one of the city’s most visible attempts yet to introduce a more contemporary cultural layer into the suburban landscape.
The development’s design plans already emphasize pedestrian corridors, outdoor seating areas and public plazas. Integrating large-scale art into those spaces may help Medley distinguish itself in an increasingly crowded North Atlanta mixed-use market, where developments are no longer competing only for retailers, but also for attention, atmosphere and repeat visitation.
The timing may also matter.
Across metro Atlanta, developers have faced a more cautious retail and office environment in the wake of higher interest rates and changing consumer habits. Projects that create a recognizable sense of place — especially one that photographs well and spreads organically through social media — increasingly hold an advantage.
For Medley, the visual language associated with Greg Mike’s work could become part of the project’s branding almost immediately.
And for Johns Creek, the partnership may represent something broader: a sign that one of metro Atlanta’s fastest-growing suburban cities is continuing to evolve beyond its long-standing reputation as primarily residential and office-oriented.
Here are a few more stories worth your time.
About the Author
Crossroads Animal Clinic
Welcome to Crossroads Animal Clinic, Suwanee's premier veterinary clinic, serving the community since 1998. Our dedicated team of professionals is committed to providing exceptional...
Notice an update, correction, or detail we should include? Tell the editor. Seen something new around you? Send us a local tip.
Most Popular
Siemens’ Alpharetta Rail Operation Is Hiring From $20 an Hour to $95,000 a YearBusiness & Development
Barnes & Noble Is Opening Bookstores Again — and the Sun Belt Is Helping Drive the ComebackBusiness & Development
