Sandy Springs voiced cautious optimism in approving redevelopment plans Tuesday that would bring new restaurants, retail and residential living to Parkside Shopping Center in the city’s downtown area.
Jamestown Properties plans to redevelop part of Parkside Shopping Center at 5920 Roswell Road. City Council members said they want to control the future building of apartments on the site in the event Jamestown eventually sells the property.
Jamestown Properties, the developer of Ponce City Market in Atlanta, was granted rezoning approval Tuesday on nearly eight acres of the 13-acre property. The rezoning was approved with conditions that allow for six-story buildings instead of the three stories allowed for rest of the site, but limits the multifamily construction to 275 units.
“While I fully expect Jamestown to follow through with this project, if ... they opted to sell this tract, I would love for them to do that with … the buyer’s knowledge that they were capped on the total number of multifamily units they could have,” Councilman Chris Burnett said.
The shopping center already features some restaurant and retail tenants as well as the Springs Cinema and Taphouse. Jamestown intends to redevelop nearly eight acres on the west and south side of the center at Cliftwood Drive and Sandy Springs Circle. According to the developer, designs will include 51,400 square feet of new retail space, 63,000 square feet of office space, five townhomes, and the six-story building containing 23 condominiums and 190 apartment units. Green space, a dog park and a parking deck would also be added.
In addition to capping the number of apartment units, City Council also included the condition that six-story structures could not cover more than 41% of that portion of the shopping center.
Councilman John Paulson said he wanted to ensure that if the shopping center is ever sold the next owner would not build several six-story buildings. And Councilman Tibby DeJulio said he’s concerned the developer might build apartments first to generate revenue and delay construction on the rest of the acreage proposed for rezoning.
Eric Hines, senior vice president at Jamestown Properties, told City Council that designs are not completed. The developer estimates the project would start next year and finish in 2024.
The proposed development is expected to bring a new look and feel to the downtown district and would complement the nearby City Springs campus and its planned Veterans’ Park.
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