Despite pandemic,
economic development
a bright spot in Cobb
ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT Despite the pandemic,
FORECAST 2021 21
economic development in
Cobb escaped 2020 largely
unscathed.
“Our volume has not slowed
down,” Jessica Guinn,
the county’s community
development director, told
the county’s governing
board at its annual retreat
Jan. 29. A drop off in
permitting was slight, she
continued — about 300
fewer in 2020 than in 2019.
“When you look at it,
we had about 1,000 singlefamily
residential permits,”
she said. “Almost 400
multifamily. We permitted
over 7 million square feet of
commercial space last year.
That’s a lot.”
One of the largest
projects to gain county
approval last year
was the $150 million
redevelopment of
Cumberland Mall, which
will put apartments, new
retail, green space, a new
bus terminal and a new
fire station on 17 acres of
parking lot surrounding
the mall.
Construction is expected
to begin this year.
By Aleks Gilbert
Photos of Cumberland Mall reopening after the COVID-19
pandemic lockdown.