Fuqua Proposes Senior Housing and Grocery Store For Old Ford Dealership Development
Decatur Metro | January 12, 2016 | 10:26 am
Last week, Fuqua Development unveiled its plans for “Phase III” of what’s become an impressive sized “Decatur Crossing” development along Scott Boulevard.
As reported in December, Fuqua has acquired the long-vacant Ford dealership along Scott Boulevard and has big plans for the weedy parking lot.
At a January 6th community meeting, Fuqua unveiled their plan. According to the Medlock Area Neighborhood Association website, Fuqua is planning the following for what’s being termed “Phase III”….
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senior affordable living (NOT assisted living but rather, smaller apartments for independent living; affordable per federal definition). 5 stories, 102 units proposed with podium parking (i.e., under the building vs. adjacent)
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a grocer (more traditional as compared to specialty such as the Sprouts grocer coming to Phase II)
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a restaurant with drive-through
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a multi-story, multi-family housing building with parking located at its center (therefore not visible from the street). 260 units, 5 stories proposed.
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a self-storage facility (to include storage in the upper floors and conference centers in the lower floor; the idea is that stock can be stored in the upper stories and vendors can use the lower levels to meet with clients)
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there would be 2 access points on Scott Blvd. (one existing, one new) and two on Church Street
MANA’s post also includes notes from the meeting with an extensive list of questions posed to Fuqua representatives by the 80-100 people in attendance.
Zoomed look at the proposed Phase III development after the jump.
Photos courtesy of MANA website
I know there’s been plenty of hand wringing over the “flood” of apartments coming online in Decatur but has anyone noticed that Fuqua’s outside-the-city efforts alone add up to around 33% more units than all of what’s happening downtown?
Throw in the Reserve across the street and it adds up to almost twice the number of units being developed in the North Decatur / Suburban Plaza area over what’s under construction downtown.
Not entirely sure what to make of it. But it is interesting.
I think Mayor Floyd was right when he said Decatur needs to annex this area in order to have a say in development. The whole debate about who gets taxes from the businesses seems like a red herring now. I just don’t trust the county to control or manage development which will have an impact on our commutes and our businesses.
A big +1 here!!!!!
We live in N Decatur and have been slowly watching this progress. I understand the developer’s desire to build yet again more apartments, but what they are trying to cram in here worries me that they aren’t putting any thought into the long term impacts of this development. They want to make money and make it fast. The comments on the MANA website appear to show that. Why not make it more walkable? The drawings don’t appear to give this much pedestrian access.
What could be something as bright and awesome as a Ponce City Market is likely going to resemble a strip mall instead, which is a shame. With the potential of the new Clifton MARTA line going in, this area could be amazing.
Fuqua’s put quite a bit of thought into the entire project. The number of proposed apartments (all 3 phases +The Reserve) are in line with what’s projected as needed for the Medline LCI area over the next several years. Density is key for the Clifton Corridor project to be feasible. As for walkability, the entire project is interconnected with sidewalks throughout. (There’s 11 crosswalks in the Phase III drawing above.)
I don’t get the drive-through restaurant at all. Why place something like that between two apartment complexes, including one for senior citizens? Just to make it more fun for people to run for their lives across a parking lot? I can’t be the only one who thinks Fuqua loads up their initial public proposals with crap like this, only to use it as a negotiating ploy later on?
Plus, what grocery store would want to be less than a mile from Publix, Sprouts and Wal-Mart (not to mention Rainbow Grocery and Patel Plaza Grocery)?
Plus Kroger and Farmers Market just down the road. Over-saturation of grocers.
Not to mention big and baby Kroger and the DeKalb Farmer’s Market.
“what grocery store would want to be less than a mile from Publix, Sprouts and Wal-Mart?”
Aldi. Or look out for this name: Lidl.
Ding ding ding
JC, someone already had part of the Scott frontage under contract to do the drive-thru restaurant. Fuqua’s working with them so that the overall design will mesh with the rest of the project.
Don’t we already have enough grocery stores in that area??
But it looks like the developer is just looking to add what those in senior living desire. A grocery within walking distance, and a storage facility. Not sure about the fast food drive-through though.
Agree with earlier post that the Decatur community would have greater support for something more walkable, and something more trendy like Ponce City Market, or even Avalon in Alpharetta. Traditional strip malls are old school.
The geography of nowhere is hitting us hard.
I dunno. Adding up total no. of apartments being built and assuming at least 1 mattress per apartment is that enough to justify a new store. There would be a certain turnover built in. My guess is that the store near Bike South.closes.
here’s a pipe dream for you: the first Wegman’s south of Virginia. I’ve long given up hope of TJ’s besides, Wegman’s blows them ALL away. 🙂
Actually, Wegman’s is under the same conglomerate as Kroger.
You sure about that? Usually you have good knowledge about local affairs but in this case I think your are incorrect. Unless you’re from Western or Central NY, you really have no business expounding about the cult of Wegmans!
That is wrong. Wegmans has nothing to do with any other grocery stores. -WNYer
I stand corrected. Kroger had them on a list for acquisition in 2014, but they bought Harris Teeter instead.
I’m not disputing your statement, but the Wegman’s I have shopped at is not like any Kroger I’ve been in.
It needs a mattress store.