Avondale Estates has had its share of contentious meetings over the last two years, some featuring protracted bantering between commissioners and audience, or simply audience members bickering among themselves. Tuesday’s special-called work session, however, should prove far more consequential than combative, with commissioners discussing the next steps and potential financing for developing five city-owned acres on U.S. 278 just west of the Tudor Village.
A good turnout’s expected for the session, 5:30 p.m. May 21 at City Hall, 21 North Avondale Plaza.
“As a 30-year resident of the city, nothing is more important than getting those [five] acres developed,” said Dave Deiters, Chairman of the Downtown Development Authority.
Patrick Bryant, city manager since September, stated flat out, “This is the biggest public project in the city’s history.”
It has certainly been the most discussed public project in the past four years since Mayor Jonathan Elmore took office. Preliminary plans for the property, which the city closed on last year, include two retail/restaurant buildings fronting 278 and, behind them, a “town green,” of two to 2.5 acres that could feature an amphitheater and a pedestrian-only path that’s now Franklin Street.
Last fall the city sent out Request for Qualifications to potential developers/designers, and only Fabric Developers of Decatur submitted a qualified proposal. Nevertheless there are some intriguing components to this lone response. Fabric lists as one of its partners the Atlanta firm Stevens & Wilkinson, whose associate architect, Sheri Locke, is an Avondale resident who drew up the proposed design for the site.
One of the consultants listed is Avila Real Estate, which purchased 17 prime acres in Avondale five years ago, including the old Fenner Dunlop Mill site that nudges against the city-owned property.
Bryant points out the Fabric team is considering only “the build out of the park property—they’re not developing the commercial portion.” He added that while he isn’t sure of Avila’s role with the Fabric team, “it does appear they are working in some sort of cohesive way for potential build out of their property in addition to the [five] acres.”
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