The Story Behind Medley: The $560 Million Project in Johns Creek

For decades, Johns Creek developed as a city of neighborhoods. Tree-lined subdivisions, golf communities, office campuses, and parks defined the landscape. What it never really had was a traditional downtown — a central place where residents could walk between restaurants, offices, homes, and public spaces.

That absence is part of the story behind Medley, a $560 million mixed-use development now rising near the intersection of McGinnis Ferry Road and Johns Creek Parkway. When completed, the project aims to create something the city has never quite had before: a walkable urban-style district designed to function as a gathering place for the community.

From Office Park to Community District

The site that will become Medley once housed a corporate office campus originally developed by State Farm. Like many suburban office complexes built in the 1980s and 1990s, the property was designed around large buildings, surface parking, and commuter traffic.

For years, those kinds of office parks defined the economic geography of North Fulton. But the rise of hybrid work and the changing expectations of both residents and companies have gradually shifted the equation. Large single-use office campuses have become harder to sustain, while mixed-use environments — where offices sit alongside housing, restaurants, and entertainment — have become more attractive.

That broader shift set the stage for the transformation of the Johns Creek campus into Medley.

A Vision for a Walkable District

Atlanta-based Toro Development Company acquired the property and began shaping a new concept for the site: a district where people could work, live, eat, and gather in one connected environment.

Instead of isolated office buildings, the new plan centers on pedestrian streets, public plazas, and a blend of uses designed to create activity throughout the day and evening.

The project includes a mix of components:

• restaurants and retail
• office space
• residential units
• public gathering areas
• outdoor event spaces

The goal is not simply to build another shopping center, but to create a district that functions more like a small downtown.

Developers often refer to these environments as “third places” — locations where people spend time outside of home and work. The concept has become central to many modern suburban developments.

Why Johns Creek Pursued the Project

For city leaders, Medley represents more than a real estate project. It addresses a long-standing challenge.

Unlike older towns such as Roswell or Duluth, Johns Creek incorporated relatively recently, in 2006. The city grew primarily through residential development rather than around a historic commercial center. As a result, it never developed the kind of central gathering district many communities eventually seek.

Projects like Avalon in Alpharetta or Halcyon in South Forsyth demonstrated that suburban residents increasingly value walkable environments where dining, entertainment, and events happen in close proximity.

Medley reflects Johns Creek’s attempt to create its own version of that idea.

The Developer Behind the Project

The vision for Medley comes from Toro Development Company, led by Mark Toro, a developer known for projects that emphasize community experience alongside traditional retail.

Toro has often described his philosophy as focusing on places designed for life rather than simply for commerce. In practical terms, that means incorporating event programming, public gathering areas, and a mix of uses that keep the district active at different times of day.

At Medley, that approach is visible in the planned pedestrian streets, central gathering spaces, and outdoor programming areas designed to host concerts, markets, and seasonal events.

A Shift in Suburban Development

The project also reflects a broader national shift in suburban planning. For much of the late twentieth century, suburban growth separated land uses. Shopping centers, office parks, and residential neighborhoods were built in different zones connected primarily by driving.

Newer developments increasingly combine these elements in compact, walkable districts.

Avalon in Alpharetta, Halcyon in South Forsyth, and The Forum redevelopment in Peachtree Corners all reflect versions of this approach.

Medley is Johns Creek’s entry into that same category of mixed-use districts.

What Residents Can Expect

When completed, Medley is expected to include restaurants, entertainment venues, retail shops, office buildings, and residential units arranged around pedestrian-friendly streets.

Public spaces will likely play a major role in shaping the atmosphere. Central lawns and plazas are designed to host festivals, concerts, and community gatherings throughout the year.

For residents of Johns Creek and nearby Alpharetta neighborhoods, the project could become a new social hub similar to the way Avalon functions for Alpharetta.

The surrounding road network — including Johns Creek Parkway, McGinnis Ferry Road, and GA-141 — gives the project regional accessibility while still sitting close to residential neighborhoods.

Expected Timeline for Medley Openings

Construction on the Medley project began in phases after years of planning and approvals. The redevelopment required extensive redesign of the original office campus infrastructure, including new streets, utilities, and building layouts.

As with most mixed-use developments of this scale, the project will open gradually rather than all at once. Early phases typically focus on establishing the public spaces and anchor restaurants that help create a sense of place.

Later phases bring additional residential buildings, offices, and retail.

Summer–Fall 2026 – The first wave of businesses is expected to begin opening. Early tenants will likely include several restaurants, cafés, and smaller retail shops that help establish daily activity in the district.

Late 2026 (November–December) – Additional restaurants and retail spaces are expected to follow as the district continues to fill out. By the end of the year, much of the initial restaurant and retail phase could be operating.

Early 2027 (January–March) – More businesses are expected to open as additional storefronts are completed and interior build-outs finish.

Mid–Late 2027 – Later phases of the project may introduce additional retail, entertainment venues, and the first residential components.

Future Phase (2027–2028 and beyond) – Office buildings and the planned boutique hotel are expected to arrive in later stages as the district continues to expand and mature.

Everything Opening at Medley in Johns Creek (Full Business List So Far)

Here are the actual businesses announced so far for Medley in Johns Creek.

Restaurants & Food

• Trader Joe’s
• Shake Shack
• Northern China Eatery
• CRÚ Food & Wine Bar
• Fadó Irish Pub
• STIR (oyster bar)
• Tonic House (cocktail bar connected to STIR)
• Rena’s Italian Fishery & Grill
• Lily Sushi Bar
• 26 Thai Kitchen & Bar
• Minnie Olivia Pizzeria
• Knuckies Hoagies
• Five Daughters Bakery
• Cookie Fix
• Playa Bowls
• Summit Coffee
• Amorino (gelato)
• Fogón and Lions

Retail & Shops

• Sephora
• High Country Outfitters
• Burdlife
• Moop’s Boutique

Wellness / Fitness / Beauty

• BODYROK
• BODY20
• Pause Studio
• Kontour Medical Spa
• Sugarcoat Beauty
• Clean Your Dirty Face
• Drybar

Services / Other

• Petfolk (veterinary clinic)

Other Components

• Boutique hotel (name not yet announced)
• Offices and residential buildings also planned in later phases.

Overall the project is expected to include about 164,000 square feet of retail and restaurants, with more than 75% of the space already leased before opening.

A New Chapter for Johns Creek

Cities evolve in stages. For many years, Johns Creek grew primarily through neighborhoods, schools, and corporate campuses.

Medley signals a new stage in that evolution — the creation of a place designed not just for living or working, but for gathering.

Whether it ultimately becomes the civic heart of the city remains to be seen. But the scale of the project, the investment behind it, and the vision guiding its design suggest that Medley will likely shape the future identity of Johns Creek for decades to come.

Read Also:

• Johns Creek’s Long Road to a Real Downtown
• Johns Creek’s Next Boom: Business Developments, Openings, and the Town Center Transformation
• Best Hotels in Johns Creek: What Visitors Should Know About Inventory, Medley, and Where People Actually Stay
• Alpharetta’s Latest Business Developments and Openings
• Johns Creek vs. Alpharetta: Two Very Different Visions of “Downtown”
  

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Hotels Closest to the Medley Development

Once Medley opens, nearby hotels will likely become the primary lodging options for visitors attending events, business meetings, or simply exploring the district. Johns Creek currently has a relatively small hotel inventory, and most properties are located along the Medlock Bridge Road corridor just a few minutes from the development.

The closest hotel today is Hyatt Place Johns Creek, located about five minutes from the Medley site along Medlock Bridge Road. The modern business hotel has long served visitors coming to the Johns Creek corporate area, and its proximity makes it the most convenient place to stay for anyone visiting Medley in its early years.

A few minutes farther north sits Hampton Inn & Suites Johns Creek, another frequently used hotel for business travelers and families visiting the area. Like the Hyatt Place, the property sits near restaurants and shopping along Medlock Bridge Road, making it an easy base for exploring Johns Creek.

Also nearby is Hilton Garden Inn Atlanta North / Johns Creek, located inside the Technology Parkway business district. The hotel offers a quieter setting within the office park area while still remaining only a short drive from Medley and the surrounding neighborhoods.

Because Johns Creek has historically developed as a residential and office community rather than a tourism destination, the city has never built a large hotel district. That reality is one reason the Medley project itself includes plans for a boutique hotel within the development. When that property eventually opens, it will likely become the first hotel located directly within a walkable district in Johns Creek.

Until then, the hotels along Medlock Bridge Road will likely serve as the primary accommodations for visitors coming to experience the new Medley district.

About the Author

Tsvi Jolles

Author, Editor & Publisher

Tsvi Jolles is the author of seven books and the founder and publisher of North Atlanta Star. He has lived in Cumming for almost a decade.

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