- MARTA investigating sinkhole near Decatur Station [Decaturish]
- Superintendent: Not much available land for new schools in Decatur [AJC]
- Decatur commission considering adopting historic guidelines for Parkwood [Decaturish]
- Major film studio announced for Doraville GM site [Curbed]
- Remembering Ann Brewer, the driving force behind Atlanta’s farmers markets [Atlanta Mag]
- California drought tests history of endless growth [NYT]
Rendering courtesy of Third Rail Studios website
Perhaps the City should have focused their annexation efforts on available land instead of on boosting the commercial base. True, annexing available commercial space would have required taking some residential too, but maybe a lesser amount than what it would take to overcome objections to annexation of vibrant retail areas like Emory Commons.
Also maybe of note for today – church street is getting milled today.
http://thedecaturminute.com/2015/04/04/church-st-milling-mon-april-6/
Kind of surprised at this line about space for the schools ““there isn’t as much land as we thought,”
In a city of a larger size, I could maybe understand misjudging your available land, but in such a small city, this is a little hard to believe. Not saying they are lying, just wondering how something like that happens in a city of such a small size.
Wow! We have a sink hole?!
I hope that in addition to “driving around” the school district is taking a look at county maps that show parcels and current buildings- sometimes it is easier to see a chunk of open land that way. Also, have they approached Agnes Scott about seeing if there is any parcel they could carve out to sell to the city? AS has sold various parcels over the years for residential development and it would be worth asking them.
Maybe some of the larger church properties in Decatur would consider selling off some land for a school….
Columbia Seminary property makes the most sense.
Perhaps CSD could do a two-in-one purchase- buy up land with apartments, clear off apartments and remove some kid population potential, and build school on the land… Also, does the purchase have to be in city limits? Could it be a lot/lots not too far from City limits? If the purchase is outside city limits, it wouldn’t be removing taxable property from City finances.
“Also, does the purchase have to be in city limits? Could it be a lot/lots not too far from City limits?”
I actually wondered this too, but I assumed a school would have to be within its geographic jurisdiction. My idea, though, was the old Banner Ford lot. I’m guessing buying up an apartment complex would be prohibitively expensive.