Massive "Decatur Court" Parking Lot Could Become Hotel
Decatur Metro | November 3, 2007
From the AJC…
Officials with Atlanta-based Day Capital Partners said they are exploring the possibility of building a retail strip and a multi-family housing development at the parking lot of a 10-story office building the company purchased in late October.
Planning is in the early stages, officials say, but the redevelopment might include a hotel. The company plans to keep the 43-year-old office tower, Decatur Court, which is about 90 percent leased.
So…does this qualify as commercial development next to R60 zoning, even though the little bungalows to the northside of Decatur Court sit across the street? If so, I wonder what Jim Baskett thinks about this, since he’s mentioned regulating commercial next to R60 often during his reelection campaign. Regardless, I think the folks that live on Montgomery St. will be wary of this idea. Yes, Decatur Court is one of the tallest buildings in town, but hopefully the city won’t let Day Capital build an 80 foot hotel to its rear. We’ve already dealt with that issue over in Old Decatur.
On the other hand, I do think the city could benefit from a nicer hotel. Thoughts?
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There is already commercial development next to R-60 in this area in the form of the current 10 story office building and parking lot and the somewhat bleak strip shopping center with the CVS, Mellow Mushroom, etc., and, really, all long the north side of Ponce, isn’t there?
If I lived on that street, I would probably rather see something positive there, rather than that giant unused parking lot. Just me though.
I don’t think that Montgomery St. residents would have much of a problem with one story commercial development like the “bleak” (i agree) CVS plaza. My speculation of their concern would be if the developer wanted to put an 8 story hotel right outside their kitchen windows.
I concede that anything 80 feet isn’t going to block any additional sunlight than what’s already being blocked by Decatur Court (nothing that tall is currently allowed by the city without a zoning variance – see the Renaissance condos), but I think the current lot acts as a buffer between the residential neighborhood to the north and the office building.
If I lived over there, I’d be concerned. And I’d be asking Jim Baskett, who’s used the issue of R60 next to commercial zoning in his reelection campaign, what his stance was on it.
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