Could Decatur McDonald’s One Day Be a Park?
Decatur Metro | August 31, 2015 | 9:01 am
A recent AJC blurb about potential future greenspaces in Decatur, includes a very interesting note at the end…
The biggest surprise is that [Asst. City Manager Lyn Menne’s] talked to the owners of McDonald’s on Commerce Drive, which the city would like to convert into green space and a gateway to downtown. Menne emphasized, however, this is a much longer-term goal, perhaps even part of a 40-year plan.
The McDonald’s currently occupies a large corner lot at Commerce Drive and Church Street. The city has long had big plans of road diets, bike lanes and all kinds of new features to make Commerce Drive, Clairemont Ave and Church Street more bike/pedestrian friendly.
The article also mentions the city’s “longtime interest in purchasing the entire 5 acres owned by the Samuel L. Jones Boys & Girls Club” and the potential to purchase AT&T’s property between New Street and Talley Street, as has previous been mentioned here.
Photo courtesy of Google Streetview
I’d like nothing more than to see the McDonalds/Goodyear block get redeveloped or converted to greenspace.
However, the businesses here are thriving, so it will be very expensive to buy them out and convert them to a non-revenue purpose.
Especially given the City’s need for more commercial property. What would the tax revenue impact be of turning these parcels into non-revenue producing lots? I’d love to have a park there and elsewhere. However, if the City really wants greenspace, what about the lot across Commerce from the high school. It is already a functioning greenspace. Work a deal with the Housing Authority.
I think that is why they said “40-year plan” envisioning that in 40 years from now, we won’t have the same revenue issues as we do today…
“However, the businesses here are thriving,”
Are they? I have no idea about Goodyear, but McDonald’s in general has been struggling mightily for years. I don’t know about this specific location, but you have to wonder why this subject would even be broached if the location is thriving.
They don’t get my business, but I see that location’s drive through constantly busy. There is another McDonalds at the corner of N. Decatur too.
There’s always a line at the drive-thru not because they’re super busy, but because they’re slow.
That McDonald’s gets a lot of lunchtime, downtown employee business.
I use Goodyear because it’s a convenient walking distance from my house. McDonalds seems to do a good breakfast business.
I envision a nice green space with a functional traffic circle (rectangle?) around it, smoothing out flow on the horrible Commerce/Clairemont/Church intersections.
With appropriate pedestrian crossings of course….
I am all for adding greenspace, especially this close to the city center. And doing so can become a revenue booster if it jumpstarts commercial/high density development in the area. This side of downtown feels like another city entirely, and not in a good way! What ever happened to that Bank of America parking lot development by the way?
Plus one for more greenspace downtown. I miss our pocket park at 315 Ponce. Maybe the old drive through can be converted. As for the economics of greenspace, I think all the new residents in downtown will have expectations of some decent greenspace nearby. It is yet another hidden cost of development. Others include increased fire department capacity, school capacity, and storm water. I don’t mind development, lets just keep it real on the true costs to the community.
Wow, another Ol’ Decatur institution going away thanks to “progressive” “green” “space” politics. What’s next, First Baptist!?
Here’s a little something about what Mickey D is doing:
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/mcdonalds-making-change-mcmuffins-biscuits-202645938.html
The most successful Decatur development in recent memory did not involve green space or government management, and it did not add a single child to our schools.
I suggest that if the city truly wants to invigorate this area, it should invite the business person that developed the CVS property to the table. This is wishful thinking on my part but I can always hope.
And so, you can refer to me, for a brief moment as Chris Billingsley, Progressive. I’m so proud!
The CVS development involved considerable government influence. The developer and CVS did not want to have the CVS building up next to the sidewalk- they pushed very hard for typical strip mall development of building in back, big parking lot in front. A giant parking lot on that corner could have negatively impacted the SunTrust building and Artisan building developments. I’m very glad for a government that stuck to its guns on the CVS development.
That’s true but, to their credit, CVS did ultimately become an ally. Selig wanted (and was legally allowed at the time) the parking wrap typical to CVS’ suburban locations because, assumedly, it would make for less brain damage and an easier leasing. City officials engaged CVS at the corporate level, made the case for a more ped-friendly store, and successfully convinced them. CVS then joined the city in making the case to Selig. With the anchor tenant on board, I have to assume it became a fairly easy sell at that point.
Thanks Mac. Are we talking about the same development? I’m referring to the one with the nice large parking lot with stores facing it on two sides. As I recall, the city tried to force CVS and the developer to make major design changes but they stood firm and we have today what you would see in the suburbs. It is definantly NOT smart growth and based on the large number of vehicles parked and moving in and out of the lot throughout the day, Decatur LOVES it.
Oh, I didn’t mention it earlier but I’m willing to bet that this development, in addition to adding no kids for the schools, brings in substantially more tax revenue for the city than all the other so called smart growth sites combined. But a city employee might provide more information.
They did get design changes. The CVS was originally supposed to be in the hole in the back corner, but they moved it up to the street corner, which benefited everybody.
That lot is deceptively full, as many people park there and walk elsewhere. I know this because I used to watch them do it all the time. This may be less true now; I hear they’ve cracked down on such rule breakers. Regardless, as DHD pointed out, this lot will be built up vertically at some point.
” This may be less true now”
A lot less true, if you follow discussions here. I saw at least one boot as I walked through yesterday afternoon.
“Oh, I didn’t mention it earlier but I’m willing to bet that this development, in addition to adding no kids for the schools, brings in substantially more tax revenue for the city than all the other so called smart growth sites combined. But a city employee might provide more information.”
The City just did, and, unless this is one of your usual illogical bits of hyperbole meant as theater, this is a bet you would have lost badly.
My understanding was the CVS development is a place holder, built for a relatively low cost. Once it’s fully depreciated the developer will have the option of re-developing it into a much larger project.
This is the McDonalds that is a half block from the massive green front lawn of the Baptist church, right? Maybe it would be better for our tax revenue stream to build high-rent commercial property where the McD is and ask the Baptists to put out a few picnic tables.