Wednesday, February 6, 2013
City Council unanimously approved a resolution to carry out the first phase of plans for the city’s new Town Center.
Sandy Springs City Council members want regular updates on implementation, and have concerns about a $9.5 million price tag for downtown road construction at Mount Vernon Highway and Blue Stone Road, but they unanimously approved a resolution to carry out the first phase of plans for the city’s new Town Center. “Go for it,” said Mayor Eva Galambos, when the resolution was approved at Tuesday's City Council meeting. The estimated cost of the first phase of the project is $58.5 million and does not include the civic center building planned at the old Target site. City Council will allocate $7.5 million over the next seven years to help cover costs. A separate amount of $25,639,472 has been allocated for the development. Sandy Springs …
Friday, February 1, 2013
Sandy Springs staff will identify inconsistencies that relate to apartment communities in the Comprehensive Plan, and recommend complexes ideal for redevelopment.
Apartments are a part of Sandy Springs' past, present and future. The question has become what to do about them. A discovery that the density apartment units on properties identified in the city’s Comprehensive Plan is out of whack with existing apartment communities has magnified the issue. Ideally Sandy Springs would like to redevelop older Class C apartment properties that in some cases house more than one family per unit and where most violent crime occurs, according to police. A strategy for that was seemingly laid out in the Comprehensive Plan, which was created with community input and supposed to be based on existing developments. Properties in the Plan with lower densities per acre would allow room for redevelopment. During a …
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Sandy Springs City Council approved the City Center Master Plan, on Tuesday. Some folks are paying attention to the details.
City Council’s approval of a City Center master plan is as historic as when Sandy Springs became a city on Dec. 1, 2005, according to Councilman Chip Collins. “It’s a gigantic step for this city,” Collins said, during the Tuesday City Council meeting. “Let’s not get too bogged down about the details of the plan.” Since last spring, Goody Clancy has worked - with community input - to develop a downtown plan that creates the Canton Street feel that Sandy Springs residents long for. Consultant Ben Carlson said a developed downtown would have a sense of place, walkable streets, green space, a civic cultural center, and a livable market center built through public private investment. The plan was praised by Nick Telesca of Branch Properties, …
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Are you concerned about the fate of longtime businesses as Sandy Springs develops downtown? Take our poll and tell us in the comments.
David Darondi does not advertise his House of Oriental Rugs business. He says repeat customers and general traffic at the corner of Roswell Road and Mount Vernon Highway account for most of his business, since he opened in 1989. Sooner or later, Darondi expects development in downtown Sandy Springs will cause him to close. City master plans include a green space on a triangle at Mount Vernon Highway and Johnson Ferry Road near Roswell Road. The plans are in a conceptual stage, said assistant city manager Bryant Poole, during a City Center open house, last week. A formal recommendation of the downtown master plan is expected to be presented to City Council in December. Although he plans to sign a new lease soon, an easygoing Darondi said…
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Sandy Springs plans include a green space on a triangle at Mount Vernon Highway and Johnson Ferry Road near Roswell Road, that is home to Eddie’s Automotive. Owner Eddie Mobley, opened his business in 1971.
Some small business owners are less enthusiastic about plans for Sandy Springs' new downtown. Because plans have come and gone over the years several business owners tell Patch they have a wait and see attitude. Current plans for the Sandy Springs new Town Center area include a multi-use civic space at the old Target site on Johnson Ferry Road, with office space, a performing arts area, green space and mixed-use housing and retail nearby. An open house detailing plans was held at City Hall on Tuesday. The presentation can be found at sandyspringscitycenter.com. Plans include a green space on a triangle at Mount Vernon Highway and Johnson Ferry Road near Roswell Road, that is home to Eddie’s Automotive. Owner Eddie Mobley, opened his …
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
During the last public meeting, Sandy Springs resident and activist Patty Berkovitz wondered if public feedback is being taken into consideration.
Master planning firm Goody Clancy has held several public input meetings with residents on what Sandy Springs' new downtown should look like. An open house will be held from 6-7:30 p.m., today at City Hall on the latest plans. They include a multi-use civic space at the old Target site on Johnson Ferry Road, with office space, a performing arts area, green space and mixed-use housing and retail nearby. A formal recommendation of the master plan is expected to be presented to City Council in December. During an Oct. 30 public input meeting Sandy Springs resident and neighborhood activist Patty Berkovitz wondered if public feedback is being taken into consideration. “I want to feel if I’ve been spending time here that I’m listened to,” …
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Ideas were presented to the Economic Development Advisory Committee, last week. This evening, master planning consultants present the criteria for development and investments, during the work session of the City Council meeting.
Goody Clancy consultants, hired by Sandy Springs to create a concrete vision for a new downtown area, said they plan to hold more community input meetings in September. A date has not been set. However, this evening, City Manager John McDonough plans to present criteria, suggested by Goody Clancy, to move forward with development and investments in Sandy Springs downtown, during the work session of the City Council meeting. The goal is for City Council members to approve the criteria at the following meeting on Sept. 11. Today's meeting starts at 6 p.m., at City Hall. Framework for downtown Last week, the consultants enlisted feedback from the Economic Development Advisory Committee, after a presentation of the criteria. Public/Private …
Thursday, June 28, 2012
About 100 Sandy Springs residents have brainstormed and shared their concepts for a new downtown area with master planning firm Goody Clancy.
Sandy Springs residents have given the Goody Clancy folks plenty to think about in creating a new downtown area. Imagine a median along Roswell Road and quaint restaurants on Hildebrand Drive. “I’m pushing for Hildebrand to be our Canton Street,” said resident Mark Sampl, during Wednesday’s public input session held in Mount Vernon Presbyterian School’s Media Center. Sampl envisions rooftop restaurants on Hildebrand Drive that would attract the type of patrons that frequent Rumi’s Kitchen at the corner of Roswell Road. “Some of these older buildings need something like that. My idea is a historic restaurant district,” he said. During morning and evening workshops, Tuesday, about 100 people showed up to brainstorm and share their …
Thursday, March 29, 2012
If Sandy Springs attracts young people who have embraced its brand and lifestyle, businesses will likely follow.
Last week, Larry Young, President of the Sandy Springs Council of Neighborhoods, encouraged residents to get involved in the downtown planning process. City Council members agree citizen involvement is essential, particularly since the new City Hall location has not been decided. “I’m excited about getting fresh eyes on this and getting new people in our community that maybe haven’t been speaking out,” said Dianne Fries during a City Council retreat on Tuesday. “I want to hear from those quiet ones,” The Councilwoman added. Goody Clancy, the master planning firm selected to develop a concept for a new downtown area, intends to meet with business owners, and neighborhood and community leaders on April 23 and 24. A new downtown area would …
Friday, March 9, 2012
Sandy Springs City Council members approved a downtown master planning contract up to $350,000 with Boston-based Goody Clancy, on Tuesday.
A master planning firm selected to develop downtown Sandy Spring is aware of two significant factors facing the city - the challenges of motorists using Roswell Road, I-285 and Ga. 400; and that nearly 100 percent of people working in Sandy Springs commute from outside the city, according to City Manager John McDonough. A presentation for City Council members, also indicated that Boston-based Goody Clancy recoginizes the need to build a culture of walking, biking and using transit. On Tuesday, City Council members approved a downtown master planning contract up to $350,000, with Goody Clancy. “I think they’ve demonstrated both in master planning and downtown development strategies that they have quite a wide background of conducting …
JamesMichael
3:59 pm on Friday, February 1, 2013
“In some places the Plan shows one to two units on a property that its developer put apartments, so the chance of redevelopment [would go] up” Parker said. “A concerted effort was made in the Comprehensive Plan process to lower those densities because the feeling was…in the public process, they didn’t like existing developments.” Did I miss something in the 3rd grade? ...or did Ms. Parker just … more ›