Scott Hudgens, 77, a retired Atlanta developer, died Sunday, Oct. 29, due to heart complications.
An Atlanta native, Mr. Hudgens' first real estate development began in the Scott Hudgens Building at the old Atlanta airport. As his business grew, he began developing single-family homes. The next evolution of his business was to construct apartment units, medical centers, nursing homes and office parks.
Mr. Hudgens was perhaps most widely acclaimed for his development of several shopping centers in the Atlanta region. Some of his Atlanta malls include Greenbriar Mall, Town Center, Gwinnett Place Mall, and his "grand finale," the Mall of Georgia, which opened on his 75th birthday.
He co-developed the Mall of Georgia with his long-time friend, Ben Carter of Atlanta's Ben Carter Cos., and Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group.
His company also worked with the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games (ACOG) in preparation for the 1996 Olympic Games to develop an Olympic park.
Mr. Hudgens is often credited with foreseeing Atlanta's tremendous growth. "He saw the vision of Atlanta's growth when others did not," says Dr. James Collins, who is the paster of Peachtree Christian Church in Atlanta, where Hudgens attended regularly.
Mr. Hudgens was known not only as a developer but also as a giver. He gave money to the Gwinnett Children's Shelter, the Children's Museum at the Gwinnett Fine Arts Center and, most recently, the Peachtree Christian Hospice, which opened in late October on land Mr. Hudgens donated.
Mr. Hudgens is survived by his wife, Jacqueline Casey Hudgens of Duluth; three sons, Mark Hudgens of Aspen, Colo., Michael Hudgens of Duluth, and Dallas S. Hudgens Jr. of Falls Church, Va.; a daughter, Marcia Duggan of Atlanta; as well as five grandchildren.