The Atlanta Business Chronicle reported recently that a $30 million mixed use project, dubbed South Decatur Village, is planned for the intersection of South Columbia and Katie Kerr Drives.
The full article is behind a paywall, but here are some of the pertinent details.
The development – a joint venture between Stephen Arms, managing member of Marthasville Development LLC, and Bruce Gunter, president of Civitas Housing Group – would include “about 70 residential units, a mix of townhouse and single family homes, and a small commercial building that could serve as a neighborhood cafe or coffee shop.”, according to the ABC.
The development will connect via the East Decatur PATH Greenway with the Avondale MARTA Station and will serve as a “gateway” on the southwest side of the city.
Prices for residential within the development are projected to range from between $300k and $500k.
The project is currently seeking zoning and land use changes from the city and is planning to go before the Planning Commission on July 12th.
The agenda for that meeting shows that the developers are looking to change the land use designation at 814, 822, 826, 832, and 838 South Columbia from Commercial and High Density Residential to Medium Density Residential and from Heavy Commercial to Multiple Family Residential District and “Neighborhood Mixed Use”.
Rendering courtesy of Atlanta Business Chronicle
Between this proposed development and the School Board’s plan to build an elementary school at S. Columbia and Talley, is there any possibility of a speed limit reduction on Columbia to 25mph with additional traffic calming measures?
is that within the city limits?
Yes.
This sounds interesting, in a good way. I like that it has a small commercial building.
Not really. This is just one small commercial building amidst a 70 unit condo complex. It also rezones land that is currently commercial, reducing Decatur’s commercial tax base by more.
This rezones a commercial and high density residential into medium density residential, which I think is a win. Over 4 acres, it is adding 70 properties. The net increase to the tax base is substantial, and the use is better suited to the area than either commercial or high density apartments.
I live nearby and… well, this sounds like a terrible idea. More traffic on Columbia, plus they’d be plunking this right in the middle of a quiet residential area. Would there be any point in going to the rezoning hearing Tuesday night?
“Oh, noes! Thuh SKOOLZ IZ GUNNA BE MOAR CROWDED THAN EVAR!!!!” posts in 3…2…
Is this on the north or south side of Katie Kerr?
South side of Katie Kerr and East side of Columbia, at the intersection of the two roads. Here’s a link to one of the properties on google maps: https://www.google.com/maps/place/822+S+Columbia+Dr,+Decatur,+GA+30030/@33.762606,-84.2789203,18z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x88f50750f7b825d9:0xca8213bbddd7a28!8m2!3d33.762606!4d-84.277826
Please help residents make a change to this plan and improve traffic flow. If you live in the area around this development, there is a petition requesting that a turn lane be added to the development on Columbia. Please help support this petition. https://www.change.org/p/local-residents-turn-lane-for-south-decatur-village
I propose no more asphalt devoted to cars here. Please. I drive this intersection everyday. I don’t want more car lanes. It gets busy for an hour, maybe, in the morning. The rest of the day it’s very quiet. More car lanes to save half a minute of sitting there isn’t worth it. Keep the scale small. You build more car lanes and cars will speed through there 23 hours a day. It’s not worth it. More asphalt devoted to cars will only speed up traffic on Columbia and Katie Kerr.
Keep this a human-scaled corner – not a speedway. The access to public transportation here is good, and will be even better when the pedestrian/bike path to the Avondale MARTA station is complete. There’s an opportunity to do something interesting and unique here. Adding more car lanes will NOT make it better. If we improve the walking and biking environment here, the new homes will attract households that will walk and bike. If you make it super friendly for cars to speed to and through, you will attract households with the mentality of getting in their cars and going fast. The best way to slow cars down is to reduce the amount of asphalt for cars. The extra 30 seconds you might have to spend in your car at 8am will be worth it if we create a human-friendly environment to walk and bike in.
Agreed. Keep it small scaled. This is a residential area and don’t allow any commercial.
It appears that 822 is not owned by the Developer yet. The house is only worth $167k and built in 1947.
To get the perfect square in the picture they will have buy a part of land from the Friends School property.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/27971158580/in/dateposted-public/
The house may be “worth” only $167K but the land is worth much more. Hope they get paid for it.