New Mixed Use Development Planned for Scott Boulevard Baptist Church Site
Decatur Metro | February 17, 2014 | 11:50 am
The Medlock Area Neighborhood Association website has a new, extensive post by the “Cross Neighborhoods Committee” detailing a new plan from Fuqua Development to develop the site as…
“a walkable, new urbanism-inspired development that includes a 5-story (250 unit) apartment building angled into the corner of North Decatur Road and Scott Boulevard (Figure 2). The building features high quality materials and was designed to maintain a landmark presence on the corner. The building will include 2,000 square feet of street-front retail space on North Decatur Road, which will house a neighborhood-oriented space such as a coffee shop. This development will also include a parking deck for tenants with a small portion of parking allocated to serve the commercial space.”
In addition, the committee lists a series of conditions and off-site improvements which have been part of the discussion with Fuqua if the plan were to move forward and the committee decided to support the plan. (They are waiting for neighborhood feedback before deciding.) According to the post the list of conditions/improvements include, but are not limited to:
1. Design Limitations: Fuqua Development has agreed to use only brick, glass, stucco, stacked stone, cementious siding and aluminum on the apartment building and the townhomes.
2. Significant Streetscaping and Landscaping: Fuqua Development has agreed to significantly landscape the perimeter of the project (see Figures 4 and 5). Though it is hard for most of us to imagine, Scott Boulevard and North Decatur Road frontages will be redesigned to initiate the transition to a pedestrian-oriented, walkable environment, which will complement streetscape design plans for Suburban Plaza. Starting from the curb, the Fuqua development will include a 6-foot, tree-lined landscape strip, a 8-foot sidewalk, a second 6-foot, tree-lined landscape strip, and up to 14 feet of additional hardscape, creating the feel of a pedestrian boulevard (Figure 5). A sidewalk also will be provided on Barton Way.
3. Restrictions on Site Access: Fuqua Development has agreed to limit vehicular access to the site from North Decatur Road and Scott Boulevard to right-in, right-out turns.
4. Upgrades to 6-point Intersection: As a result of MANA’s Suburban Plaza redevelopment agreement, Selig Enterprises commissioned a traffic study to improve pedestrian safety and use at the 6-point intersection. The Wolverton traffic study suggested many improvements, some of which Patrece Keeter of DeKalb Traffic Engineering has successfully negotiated with GDOT. Fuqua plans to contribute funds to complete the remaining improvements.
5. Create Bus Stops: This includes creating an area for Emory’s Cliff bus to safely stop along Scott Boulevard as well as a sheltered bus stop on N. Decatur Road for the MARTA bus. This is contingent upon necessary County and State DOT approvals.
6. Significant Restrictions on Townhomes: There are too many to list, but Fuqua has agreed to numerous zoning conditions to maintain the quality of life and property values of the single family homes on Blackmon Drive should they remain. Supporting our neighbors on Blackmon Drive is a priority for the Committee.
There’s also talk of a Phase 2 to this project, which is detailed in the post. Check it all out HERE and then provide your feedback via the Wednesday, February 26th meeting where the plans will be presented or send it via email to crossneighborhoodscommittee@gmail.com.
Rendering courtesy of MANA website
You May Also Like:
-
December 12, 2012 Walmart Construction to Begin Early Next Year, Decatur Estate Moving to Lawrenceville Hwy (22)
-
October 29, 2014 Annexation Updates: Medlock Prefers Decatur, Druid Hills Evaluating Atlanta, Clairemont Heights Considers Options (63)
-
September 11, 2014 Medlock Neighborhood To Review Atlanta Annexation Option (15)
Not much of a mix to this mixed use plan: one coffee shop and the rest residential. Seems like they shifted gears with this plan in response to the huge increase in demand for apartments.
Yeah, wasn’t there going to be a Fresh Market type of place in this development?
It’s part of Phase 2 – probably a “Sprouts.” That is part of the story on the MANA website.
Can you please do us a favor? Please include a larger high res image of the drawing at the top of the page. The print in the drawing is too small to read.
The drawing made me smile and cringe a little at the same time. As someone who has tried to cross the street on foot at that scary intersection, the pedestrians shown appear remarkably calm.
Why do all these new urbanism developments look exactly the same? This could be plopped down in any town in the US. Surely we can do better.
Does look pretty cookie-cutter. Reminds me of the apartments on Lindberg across from Tara and Publix.
+1. I think the idea of marketing a project as “walkable” at that intersection is somewhat comical. Walkable within? Yes. It would be a dangerous intersection to stumble across when returning from Melton’s
I can optimistically hope it can catalyze more walkable improvements.
With so many new pedestrians in this area would it make sense to build two pedestrian bridges, one across Scott, the other across N. Decatur?
If you build pedestrian bridges connecting public sidewalks, then they will need to be ADA accessible. That means building a huge ramp that is either not feasible due to size constraints or unsightly, or it means adding elevators. Elevators = $$.
Yeah, the same point has been raised about bridges over the railroad in Decatur. Figures mentioned are upwards of $1M per.
Good example of the ADA making everyone worse off.
Agreed. You know the saying about “best intentions”…
There are other places where it could work with ramps if the grades are right, but I’d rather see improvements at-grade that make the intersection more pedestrian friendly without a bridge. It’s less costly over time and it can actually be done within a reasonable amount of time with some planning between the property owners and GDOT.