800 Glenwood Updates (Atlanta, Moreland, Chester: 2015, neighborhoods, construction)

[jsvh]

Yesterday NPU-W voted 23-0-2 in favor of a compromise and updated zoning at 800 Glenwood that is being negotiated with the developer. This is after favorable votes in both Grant Park Neighborhood Association (GPNA) and South Atlantans for Neighborhood Development (SAND, which is Ormewood Park's neighborhood association) earlier this month.

Most are not thrilled about the compromise as it still includes the big-box (but it is down to 142K sq ft from 180K), however the continued legal options for the neighborhoods were looking bleak and expensive. And if those failed then the developer would be able to start on the original big-box plan right away.

The highlights of the compromise plan are:

• A 5-6 story multi-family development at the corner of Glenwood and Custer surrounding a parking deck;
• 5-story senior mid-rise towards Kalb Ave in the back of the property (Kalb Ave will be connect to the development with a bike / pedestrian path);
• Additional non-big box retail space on the property lining Glenwood and hiding the surface parking;
• A 9-story office building in the north east part of the property (office is key to bringing / supporting Beltline transit);
• The developer will build the Beltline path along but separate from Chester per the Beltline plan and the surface parking lot will be hidden from the Beltline with the residential mid-rise, small retail, and a green-wall;
• A traffic signal will be built on Glenwood to serve the development and MJ High;
• A signalized pedestrian crossing will be installed at Glenwood and Chester (Beltline path) and Faith and Bill Kennedy Way;
• Glenwood and Chester will include large sidewalks and street parking;
• A landscaped center island will be installed in part Glenwood near Chester to help calm traffic;
• There will be an area for food trucks; and electric vehicle charging stations.

Here is the new site plan (forgive my camera-phone pic):


There were also a lot of other renders presented that I am sure will surface at some point.

Phase 1a starts this summer, phase 1b starts within 6 months, phase 2 in 2015, phase 3 in 2017-2018 to coincide with Beltline transit built to the area.

In addition to the zoning that is site-plan specific, the developer (or anyone they sell it to) will be held to the plans by a legal contract with the neighborhood to build out these details and phases on the specified timeline.

Antidotal comments from those that were involved in the negotiations: Originally Fuqua was not interested in negotiations at all and saw the neighborhood orgs and "anti-Walmart extremists". The judge put pressure on both groups to reach a compromise. LaForge, the current land owner was continually insistent on selling the land as quickly as possible and moving forward with the original plan. Fuqua was resistant to suggestions citing costs and also stated he disliked the Beltline. However, he ended up surprising many by finding a way to work in many of the suggestions in the plan in the next meeting. Paul Morris, Betline President, got involved and discussed what the Beltline was working towards with Fuqua and he apparently came around some on how it could be beneficial.

This still is not all final. Site details still need to be finalized and it still goes back to the judge and the zoning needs to be updated. But construction is hoping to start this summer.

[LynnHarris]

Thanks for the 'detailed' update -- and also for including a pic of the plans.

[tikigod311]

Nice update.

I kinda doubt Fuqua said he straight up disliked the Beltline. I'm sure he doesn't like that it may, or should have, restricted his development. Regardless, it's obvious that the city and community's best interest is of no concern to him. Jerk.

Glad I don't live in the area. Feel bad for those that are going to have to deal with all this traffic.

[cqholt]

While not perfect, this plan looks good for a Fuqua development. The office is a huge plus and really makes this site mixed use.

[red92s]

Sounds like all the "compromise" happens in phases II and III. I'm sure before ground is broken on those, something will happen to make them no longer feasible. "We'll do that later". Sure.

up until last year, I lived within about 600 feet of this development, so I'm well acquainted with the area. It's still extremely disappointing that this plan does nothing to address ingress/egress to the larger area. It's in the middle of a neighborhood, and bounded on three sides by major arterial roadways or interstates. Access already stinks.

The intersection @ Glenwood/Moreland has a dogleg in it, which makes the traffic cycle take forever. Trying to cross Moreland headed either direction on Glenwood is an exercise in frustration, and traffic often backs up for a block or more.

You can't make a left turn (at all) from Glenwood onto Boluevard, OR from Boulevard onto Glenwood. There is a median in the way. It's not really feasible to eliminate the median and add a light, because the entrance/exit ramps from 20 (where there is already a light) would be 50 feet away.

The suicide lanes on Memorial mean there is no left turn lanes. A Memorial-westbound car who wants to turn left onto Bill Kennedy when one lane is active creates large traffic back ups as-is.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by red92s

Sounds like all the "compromise" happens in phases II and III. I'm sure before ground is broken on those, something will happen to make them no longer feasible. "We'll do that later". Sure.

Developers sometimes sell off those other parcels with the hope somebody else will develop them.

The thing I wonder about on these projects is why they don't decrease the huge surface parking lot by putting more of the parking in a deck. You can even include some additional retail at street level and have more rentable space.

[red92s]

For all the talk about how Fuqua does not care about creating developments with walk-ability or alternative transit in mind . . . just look at the proximity of that Senior Living center to the WalMart! Now WalMart has a never ending supply of greeters, who can all commute via Rascal.

[jsvh]

On traffic: It is going to be bad with this development. But any development is going to bring some traffic. And people from outside the neighborhood will avoid driving to an area with bad traffic. The last thing that anyone in the neighborhood will support is widening the roads. One thing that came out of the NPU meeting is to get the city to provide matching funds to re-align Glenwood at Moreland that has been in the plans for years. But I think part of the strategy is going to need to be to make the area more appealing to access by walkers, bikes, and transit.

Another things I forgot to mention: The open hope is that WalMart will follow there usual model of leaving the place after 5-10 years and there should be enough pressure on land values and traffic (which also discourages WalMart customers from coming). Then it can redevelop that area to what the neighborhood really wants as mixed use mid-rises that will best serve the neighborhood and people on the Beltline.

My personal thoughts as some one that is two short blocks away are that this is not ideal. But it is not terrible. As long as no one caves to the cries of "traffic" and tries to use this as an excuse to widen roads or try to spend big tax bucks to turn this in to an auto-centric area I think this will help bring development to this area of town that has been neglected and the big box will be forced to move on after a decade due to pressures from neighbors, land values, traffic, and lack of access to car-centric customers.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by jsvh

Another things I forgot to mention: The open hope is that WalMart will follow there usual model of leaving the place after 5-10 years and there should be enough pressure on land values and traffic (which also discourages WalMart customers from coming).

I did not know that 5-10 years was Walmart's business model. (I'm not challenging you, I just didn't know).

If that happens then the place should be a good candidate for redevelopment before long.

[jsvh]

Glenwood Park project compromise gains Council approval, may now include nine-story office building along Beltline | Atlanta News & Opinion Blog | Fresh Loaf | Creative Loafing Atlanta