On Thursday, Oct. 29, Medley holds a free public ribbon-cutting at 10 a.m. in The Plaza. Most coverage treats it as a standalone opening, a $560 million project with 28 businesses opening at once. Look at a map of the Town Center and it reads as the last of three projects the City and a private developer have lined up in order this year, with Medley scheduled to open last. Together they connect the park behind City Hall, the shops and restaurants across Medlock Bridge Road, and a new plaza at McGinnis Ferry Road into one route you can walk.
The Town Center plan covers 192 acres. Starting Oct. 29, it includes about a mile of trail with something open at both ends.
Three Projects, Built in the Right Order
The first piece opened on Friday, May 8, when the City held the grand opening for The Boardwalk at Town Center. That's the park behind City Hall with an elevated boardwalk, pond overlooks, plazas and an amphitheater. Its trail is 15 feet wide and runs about one mile, from Johns Creek Parkway north to McGinnis Ferry Road. A North Pond loop of about half a mile branches off it. The City says the trail ties into 14 Town Center sidewalks.
When the park opened, its north end pointed at a construction site. Medley broke ground in early 2025, and Appen Media photographed workers and equipment still on site as recently as Sept. 26.
The second piece came in August. Mayor John Bradberry and Council members Larry DiBiase and Chris Coughlin cut the ribbon on the Medlock Bridge Road pedestrian tunnel, and the City announced it complete on Aug. 20. The arched underpass runs beneath SR 141 just north of Johns Creek Parkway. It connects the retail and restaurants on the west side of Medlock Bridge Road to the park on the east side. If you live west of 141, you can now walk to the Boardwalk without crossing a state highway at street level.
Medley is the third piece, and it sits where the trail ends. The Town Center's own description of the Boardwalk trail says it runs from Medlock Bridge Road near Johns Creek Parkway to East Johns Crossing, and that you can reach Medley, City Hall and nearby businesses from it.
What Opens at the North End
Toro Development Co., the developer behind Avalon, is building Medley on 43 acres at the corner of McGinnis Ferry Road and Johns Creek Parkway. The full project includes about 164,000 square feet of retail, restaurant and entertainment space, 110,000 square feet of office space, and a 25,000-square-foot plaza. Trader Joe's has been open on the site since June, so some residents have already been shopping there while the rest went up around them.
WhatNow reported on Sept. 30 that these businesses are among the 28 scheduled to open on Oct. 29:
- Dinner: Rena's Italian Fishery & Grill, 26 Thai Kitchen, Shake Shack
- Drinks: STIR, Tonic House, CRÚ Wine Bar & Bistro
- Coffee and dessert: Summit Coffee, Amorino Gelato
- Shops and services: Sephora, High Country Outfitters, BODYROK, Petfolk
More are scheduled for the following months, including 13 Hub Lane, Fadó Irish Pub, CT Taqueria, Warby Parker, Northern China Eatery, Fogón and Lions, and Tabla. Appen Media counts 21 restaurants, bars, cafes and eateries in Medley's plans, including Minnie Olivia Wood Fire Pizzeria. Johns Creek's visitor bureau says tenant openings will roll out over time, so check a specific restaurant's hours before planning a night around it.
Residents Appen Media spoke with linked Medley directly to the park. One resident said he expects to walk over to Medley with friends after time on the trail.
"We've got really nice parks and nice living situations, but we need the middle ground of a place where people can walk around."
Appen Media
A second resident told the paper she has spent years driving to Alpharetta, Buckhead and other Atlanta communities to eat out and shop.
Halloween Week Happens at Both Ends of the Trail
Once both ends are open, the calendar changes too. Through November, the City programs the south end around City Hall and the Boardwalk, while Medley programs the plaza at the north end. In Halloween week, the two ends host events nine days apart.
| Date | Event | Where on the map |
|---|---|---|
| Sat., Oct. 3, 6 p.m. | City concert with the Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra | Newtown Park, 3150 Old Alabama Road |
| Sat., Oct. 10, 10 a.m.–1 p.m. | Adaptive Recreation Field Day, free | Cauley Creek Park, 7255 Bell Road |
| Wed., Oct. 21, 6–8 p.m. | Trunk or Treat | City Hall, south end of the trail |
| Wed., Oct. 28, 6–10 p.m. | Medley Unveiled, ticketed | Medley, north end |
| Thu., Oct. 29, 10 a.m. | Ribbon-cutting, free | The Plaza at Medley |
| Fri., Oct. 30, 6–10 p.m. | Party on The Plaza, costumes encouraged | The Plaza at Medley |
| Sat., Nov. 7, 4–8 p.m. | Diwali Celebration, free | The Boardwalk, 11362 Lakefield Drive |
| Mon., Nov. 23 | Skate the Plaza rink opens, runs through Feb. 7 | The Plaza at Medley |
| Fri., Nov. 27 | Merry Medley, with a fireworks finale | Medley Boulevard |
Proceeds from Medley Unveiled go to the Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra, the same orchestra that plays the City's Oct. 3 concert. If the Newtown Park venue looks unfamiliar, the City Council voted in July to rename it Founders Amphitheater. For Trunk or Treat, Lakefield Drive closes from 5 to 8 p.m. between Lifetime Fitness and 11330 Lakefield Drive, so arrive from the other direction or come on foot. Medley says it plans to host about 100 community events a year, so the plaza calendar won't slow down after the holidays.
Walking It, Start to Finish
The City's directions start at City Hall, which makes the south end the easiest place to begin.
- Park in the public lot at Johns Creek City Hall, 11360 Lakefield Drive, which also has ADA spaces.
- Take the path to the left of the City Hall front entrance to reach the Boardwalk.
- If you have time, walk the North Pond loop, about half a mile, before you head north.
- Follow the 15-foot trail north toward East Johns Crossing and the Medley side of the Town Center.
- If you're coming from the west side of Medlock Bridge Road, start at the tunnel just north of Johns Creek Parkway and join the trail on the park side.
Two details are still unsettled. The City's Johns Creek Parkway project, which adds a roundabout at Lakefield Drive and a signal and sidewalks at East Johns Crossing, was down to its last sidewalk sections in the City's Aug. 28 update. The other is parking. Visitor information describes on-site decks and valet at Medley, but none of the published materials say whether everyday parking is free. Starting at City Hall and walking north skips both questions on opening week.
What the Route Doesn't Reach Yet
The Town Center plan also includes an extension of the Chattahoochee Greenway, but it won't open this fall. Phase 1 is still in design while the City waits on National Park Service and GDOT approvals, and right-of-way acquisition for Phase 2 is expected to start in fall 2027. For now, the walkable mile ends at Medley, and the river is still a drive away.
Medley's own build-out continues past this fall. A later phase called Encore is scheduled for 2027, and a 150-room Marriott Tribute Portfolio hotel is planned for 2028. Chops Lobster Bar, which that resident named as one of the restaurants she's looking forward to, is set to open inside that hotel in 2028, not this October. Until then, the Oct. 29 tenant list is what you'll find at the north end of the trail, and the Boardwalk is what's at the south end.
If you're weighing how a walkable Town Center fits your own plans, whether you live a few minutes from the Boardwalk or are thinking about a home close to it, David Lawhon and the team would be glad to talk it through with you. Schedule a Consultation.