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For most of its history, Johns Creek has functioned the way many master-planned suburbs do: highly livable, well-educated, and economically strong—but without a true civic core. Residents have enjoyed top-ranked schools, abundant green space, and quiet neighborhoods, yet daily life has remained largely car-dependent and dispersed across office parks, shopping centers, and arterial roads.
For years, the idea of a “downtown Johns Creek” existed more as a concept than a place. Community surveys, planning studies, and public workshops consistently pointed to the same desire: a central gathering area that feels intentional, walkable, and social—somewhere to meet friends, attend events, linger, and feel rooted.
That long-held vision is now moving decisively from planning documents into reality through the Johns Creek Town Center—a nearly 200-acre redevelopment anchored by the mixed-use project known as Medley.
Medley: The Catalyst Project
At the heart of the Town Center is Medley, a 43-acre mixed-use district developed by Toro Development, the same firm behind several high-profile urban and suburban projects across metro Atlanta.
Rather than functioning as a traditional shopping center, Medley is being designed explicitly as a “third place”—a destination that sits between home and work, where people come without a checklist and stay longer than planned.
Planned Program at Full Build-Out
When complete, Medley is expected to include:
- Approximately 150,000 square feet of retail, dining, and entertainment
- A 175-key boutique hotel, positioned to serve business travelers and event visitors
- 110,000 square feet of lifestyle office space, aimed at modern, flexible work patterns
- Roughly 750 apartments and 133 townhomes, adding residential density to support walkability
- A 25,000-square-foot activated public plaza, designed for daily use and programmed events
Construction is underway, with Phase I targeted for late 2026, and additional phases rolling out afterward.
Tenants: Signals of Intent, Not Just Names
Early leasing announcements offer insight into the type of environment Medley aims to create. The mix leans deliberately toward regional favorites and experience-driven concepts, rather than big-box retail.
One of the most important — and still intentionally unnamed — elements of the Medley plan is a neighborhood grocer designed to anchor everyday foot traffic. This is not expected to be a traditional full-scale supermarket. Instead, the concept points toward a smaller-format, high-frequency grocery focused on fresh foods, prepared meals, and daily essentials — the kind of place residents stop by several times a week rather than once every ten days.
In projects like this across metro Atlanta, similar roles have been filled by Whole Foods Market (particularly its compact urban formats), Trader Joe’s, or Sprouts Farmers Market. Each offers a curated selection that supports walkability and complements dining and residential uses rather than overpowering them.
Another possibility, though less boutique in feel, is a scaled-down neighborhood concept from Publix, tailored more toward convenience than weekly stock-up shopping. Publix has experimented with smaller footprints in mixed-use settings where frequent visits matter more than aisle count.
Confirmed and announced tenants include:
- A neighborhood grocer, intended to anchor everyday foot traffic
- Sephora
- Dining concepts from Ford Fry, including Little Rey
- Rena’s Italian Fishery & Grill
- Summit Coffee
- Five Daughters Bakery
- BODYROK
Together, these tenants suggest a place designed less around errands and more around staying power—coffee that turns into lunch, a workout followed by dinner, or a casual evening that stretches into an event.
Beyond Medley: The Full Town Center Vision
While Medley is the most visible piece, the Johns Creek Town Center plan extends well beyond its boundaries. The broader blueprint spans nearly 192 acres, integrating civic space, housing, recreation, and nature into a connected district.
Creekside Park and Civic Space
One of the most meaningful components is Creekside Park, located behind Johns Creek City Hall.
Plans for this area include:
- Pond and lakefront overlooks
- A small amphitheater for performances and community events
- Landscaped walking paths and gathering lawns
- Flexible space for festivals, markets, and seasonal programming
Unlike standalone parks, Creekside Park is being designed as a civic living room—a place that connects public life with daily routines.
Designed for Walkability—by Suburban Standards
No suburban downtown becomes Manhattan overnight, and Johns Creek is no exception. Still, the Town Center plan places unusual emphasis on internal walkability, short block lengths, shaded paths, and visual continuity between buildings and public spaces.
The goal is not to eliminate cars, but to reduce friction once you arrive—to make it easy to park once, then walk between dinner, a concert, a café, and home.
Developers often describe this as creating “feet-to-the-street” energy. The ambition here is notable: activity not just on weekends, but throughout the day, from morning coffee to evening events.
Why This Matters—Beyond the Buzzwords
For Johns Creek residents—and for North Atlanta more broadly—the Town Center represents a structural shift.
A Shared Gathering Place
Instead of meeting friends in Alpharetta, Roswell, or Avalon by default, residents will soon have a home-grown destination designed around their own community.
Daily Life, Upgraded
Work, dining, fitness, events, and casual socializing will exist in one connected environment—something Johns Creek has historically lacked.
Long-Term Identity
Perhaps most importantly, the Town Center gives Johns Creek a recognizable civic heart—a place that newcomers, longtime residents, and visitors can all point to and say, “This is the center of town.”
What to Watch Next
Over the next 12–24 months, key milestones will shape how the Town Center is ultimately experienced:
- Vertical construction progress at Medley
- Additional tenant announcements
- Early programming details for Creekside Park
- Traffic and access refinements as phases open
Residents who want timely updates should follow city communications and development briefings as the project moves from construction into activation.
A Downtown Years in the Making
The Johns Creek Town Center is not a quick fix or a cosmetic upgrade. It is the result of years of planning, public input, and deliberate design choices—an effort to evolve a successful suburb without losing its character.
Once fully open, this won’t just be another mixed-use project. It will be a daily backdrop to life in Johns Creek: a place for quiet walks, busy evenings, chance encounters, and shared moments.
Not a promise anymore—but a place taking shape, right in the middle of town.
