You may recall the reference to “greenspace” in our recent wrapup of all the happenings planned for East Decatur Station in the coming years.  Well, the AJC has dug up a few more details about that blob of greenish yellow between Talley Street and South Columbia on the map above.

According to the paper, the city is in conversations with AT&T to acquire the site, which according to the City’s Lyn Menne is mostly wetlands and ” build a regional retention center, and….turn the land into a park with a lake, similar to what they have at Atlantic Station.”

That would be quite a transformation from the “employee hub and vehicle storage site” that currently occupies the site.

Here’s a photo of the lake at Atlantic Station for your reference…

Photo courtesy of Cooperative Conversation of America

The East Decatur Station Master Plan is much bigger than just the current East Decatur Station retail, office and brewery complex.

It’s about that whole area of Decatur, from South Columbia to Arcadia, which includes the city’s only currently zoned “Heavy Commercial” land. (That’s why in recent years all the breweries in the city (Like Blue Tarp and Three Taverns) and distilleries (Independent) keep popping up inside this area.  That’s the only place inside the city where these businesses can operate legally.)

But it looks like the long discussed changes in this area are about to take off.

You’ve already begun to hear about the redevelopment of Avondale MARTA Station.  But that’s just the beginning.

As you can see from the helpful map above (click the map to enlarge – PDF) there are new roads and planned changes to mixed-use zoning. There’s also potential new green space.

The three partners who own the current East Decatur Station and 35 acres between New Street and Sams Street are planning several mixed-use developments on the site over the next 20 years, according to the paper.

Additionally, what’s sure to get a lot of attention, is the idea that there could even be a location for an elementary school somewhere on the site  The AJC reported a couple of days ago that architect Jack Honderd, one of East Decatur Station principal partners is interested in providing space for a school.

“We’d love to have an elementary school over there,” Honderd said. “[City Schools Decatur] needs land and for us a school fits our vision as part of a complete community.”

Then yesterday, the AJC reported that Superintendent Phyllis Edwards “would definitely like meeting architect Jack Honderd, one of three principal partners in East Decatur Station which owns 35 acres from New Street to Sams Street.”

So I guess we’ll see if that goes anywhere.  For now, you can click over to The Decatur Minute and check out the full presentation from last week’s public info session about the larger project.

When we last discussed, we reported that the Robin Williams signed skateboard deck up for auction as part of the 10th and final year of Skateraid, already had an impressive bid of $2,000.

Well, within a day or so of that report, the bid jumped up to an astonishing $11,000!  Great news for a great cause.

You can check out the Robin Williams signed deck auction HERE.  Maybe even submit a larger bid!    And check out all the other decks up for auction this year HERE.

Which elegantly transitions to the next topic – the 10th and final Skateraid is this Sunday from 2p-7p in the parking lot behind East Decatur Station!  Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students.  There will be art, bands, food and drink, merch, a scavenger hunt for kids and of course, skateboarding.

Huge congrats and heartfelt thanks to all the families and volunteers who have made this event possible over the last decade, honoring the life of Ian Wochaz, who died of brain cancer back in 2005, and raising funds to support families who are dealing with pediatric cancer.

Shred on.

From the folks at East Decatur Station…

The Big Pop Up III – the Biggest Little Festival in Decatur – returns to East Decatur Station on June 12 from 6-9pm, featuring local arts & crafts, music, food & craft beer…

Decatur -The Decatur Arts Alliance & East Decatur Station will present the Big Pop Up III on June 12 from 6-9 pm. New this year, Three Taverns Craft Beers will offer a special price on their fabulous brewery tour and tastings, and their lovely parlour will be open for an exhibition of original art curated by VINSONart with live music by P-Jazz.

The Mobile Marlay Fish n Chips truck will return, as will live acoustic music in the courtyard. Visitors can browse and buy locally made arts, crafts and jewelry, and Mingei World Arts will make their Big Pop Up debut from their new home at EDS.

This free event is open to all ages and there is plenty of parking, or you can take MARTA to the Avondale Station. East Decatur Station is just a short walk away, at the corner of East College and New Street. Come explore this popular mixed-use complex of dining, retail & studios between Agnes Scott College and Avondale Estates and enjoy a pleasant summer evening of art, crafts, music, food and drinks!

Visit http://fb.com/PopUpDecatur for up to the minute details.

You may or may not have seen this mention in the boutique wineries post, but there’s an interesting new business, called Wine Workshop, that wants to open up in East Decatur Station.  A letter from Asst. City Manager Lyn Menne submitted to the city commission explains things…

We are currently working with a small business called Wine Workshop that plans to open in the East Decatur Station district.

In addition to selling wine kits and equipment for people interested in making wine and brewing beer at home, this operation also offers the opportunity for customers to come into the business to create a custom wine from a variety of wine kits.  The company will assist in bottling the wine and store it during the fermenting process.  Customers can create custom wine labels to apply to their bottles.  Each kit produces approximately 30 bottles of wine.  There are similar businesses currently operating in Sandy Springs and Woodstock.

The site’s Facebook page says the business is scheduled to open in April.

You may recall that just a couple of months ago, the City of Decatur refined current ordinances to specifically allow craft beer brewing in the C3 commercial district around East Decatur Station at the request of the city attorney.  Well, apparently there are more than just hop artisans that want to get in on the local spirit making.

Early next month, the Decatur Planning Commission will take up a request from the city to define and allow the establishment of “small batch distilleries” in the C3 district.  According to Asst. City Manager Lyn Menne, the action spurs from the city receiving a request from someone interested in setting up a “very small distillery”.

No word yet on what kind of distillery it would be.

The East Decatur Station area, which carries the only C3 Heavy Commercial zoning inside the city limits, seems poised to become Decatur’s brewing hub overnight.

In addition to the already discussed Three Taverns Brewing, Blue Tarp Brewing is also looking to open in the C3 Heavy Commercial space, based on comments from Asst. City Manager Lyn Menne at tonight’s Decatur City Commission meeting.

Not much info online about Blue Tarp as of yet, just a webpage that promises “Coming Soon!”.  Also, there was an online design contest for their “flagship beer” called “Georgia Uncommon”.