The MARTA Market (Atlanta: chapel, tenants, vs)

[arjay57]

DeKalb just flat outgrew Decatur.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by A-Town Down

That was my first thought when I initially heard of a Downtown DeKalb, but according to a overlay report I read, their vision is to create "a downtown DeKalb that serves the unincorporated DeKalb government services, facilities and administration which will enrich the lives of the community."

Looking at some of the renderings, it looks like they may be trying to bring the feel of Decatur Square to unincorporated DeKalb. I have no problem with this considering the surrounding neighborhoods probably don't want to annex this area, and the residents of this area probably don't want to become a part of the Greenhaven proposal so I would hate for it to sit in redevelopment limbo. Especially since it's so close to Decatur, Avondale Estates, Clarkston, Pine Lake, Stone Mountain, and Atlanta city limits.

AKA we'd rather have the sales tax and property tax money that comes with concentrating government offices coming to DeKalb Co than Decatur.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by A-Town Down

I think the area around Indian Creek is already in motion albeit very slowly. It's all supposed to be a part of DeKalb's Memorial Drive-Kensington Overlay which is also supposed to spur development along Covington Highway and Indian Creek as well.

I've reviewed the overlay plans, and from my understanding the area around Indian Creek is supposed to be a concentrated Town Center with an emphasis on wellness in its development. A part of this plan is to build more senior living communities in a pedestrian friendly area equipped with medical offices and the MARTA station. A nice senior living community is currently being built across from the Indian Creek station so I'd say things are underway. Hopefully more development is to come. I previously read that the giant lot on Covington Highway with the farmer's market (it use to be a Target forever ago) was being considered as the potential location for MARTA's planned Covington Hwy station, and a surrounding TOD.

As far as Kensington, I believe the plan was to make the surrounding area with all of the government buildings a Downtown DeKalb of sorts. I saw on the news last month that many of Avondale Estates residents were fighting against a development proposal for this area.

Dekalb has a massive amount of vacant land across Memorial from Kensington. Right now there are just a few scattered offices behind the jail-sanitation and a few others.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by cqholt

AKA we'd rather have the sales tax and property tax money that comes with concentrating government offices coming to DeKalb Co than Decatur.

Exactly!

And the opportunity to steer contracts to friends and family.

Plus, Decatur doesn't really seem particularly interested in more office development in its downtown.

[A-Town Down]

Originally Posted by cqholt

AKA we'd rather have the sales tax and property tax money that comes with concentrating government offices coming to DeKalb Co than Decatur.

Haha, that sounds about right.
Just out of curiosity, do you have any thoughts on what should be done with this area instead of trying to transform it into a downtown dekalb?

Originally Posted by bu2

Dekalb has a massive amount of vacant land across Memorial from Kensington. Right now there are just a few scattered offices behind the jail-sanitation and a few others.

There's so much vacant and underutilized land in this area that it's ridiculous including an executive park that's been looking neglected and forgotten since I was a kid... From my understanding, a lot of the land in the area was supposed to be transformed into ATL UTD's practice location, but for some reason they jumped ship and went to Cobb instead.

Originally Posted by bu2

Exactly!

And the opportunity to steer contracts to friends and family.

Plus, Decatur doesn't really seem particularly interested in more office development in its downtown.

Ugh, I hope not.

[bu2]

There were a lot of costs in cleaning up environmental issues in the particular plot that was going to be the soccer facility. And the county had agreed to pay for all of it. It was virtually paying the soccer team to go there. It was a horrible deal for Dekalb County and the uproar stopped it.

[A-Town Down]

Originally Posted by bu2

There were a lot of costs in cleaning up environmental issues in the particular plot that was going to be the soccer facility. And the county had agreed to pay for all of it. It was virtually paying the soccer team to go there. It was a horrible deal for Dekalb County and the uproar stopped it.

Ahh I didn't know that. Thanks for explaining.

[fourthwarden]

You can read the report here: The Growing MARTA Market: Ever-Increasing Demand Driving New Construction and Rate Hikes

You can read the last report here: The Emerging MARTA Market

[A-Town Down]

For anyone interested in any MARTA eastward expansion updates

https://www.i20etod.com/

[bu2]

Originally Posted by A-Town Down

For anyone interested in any MARTA eastward expansion updates

https://www.i20etod.com/

I can't see any of that happening before transit. Its a declining area. Developers simply won't go there.