Plans to build a hotel across from Perimeter Mall have shifted to a proposed adults-only apartment complex with more than 200 units.
The 2.8-acre property, located at the corner of Ashford Dunwoody Road and Perimeter Center East, had been the expectant site of the 84 Perimeter Center Hotel for more than a decade. However, property owner and developer JSJ Perimeter LLC told the Dunwoody Planning Commission those plans were no longer economically viable due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Instead, the developer is seeking to rezone the property to fulfill the new plan of high-end, age-restricted housing. JSJ Perimeter plans to construct a 14-story apartment complex with 225 units and amenities such as a bocce court, pet spa, a Peloton gym and a game room featuring virtual golf.
The developer would reserve 80% of the units for people 55 years and older, which is the minimum federal requirement for age-restricted living. More than 43,000 square feet of retail and commercial space is also included in the project, along with a five-level parking deck.
The project’s new vision made it through its first hurdles by gaining a recommendation from the Dunwoody Planning Commission during Tuesday’s meeting.
However, the commission had its reservations on recommending an adults-only complex in the center of the city’s bustling retail center. The commission’s recommendation included an encouragement for the City Council to reconsider whether the age-restriction should be removed.
While an age-restricted apartment complex would take longer to occupy, the commission argued, it would lessen the development’s traffic impact. A traffic study found that an age-restricted complex would generate less traffic than either a non-age restricted complex of the same size or a 160-room hotel, which was the site’s initial plan.
The developer also agreed to contribute $20,000 to extend a left-hand turn lane from Ashford Dunwoody Road to Perimeter Center East to alleviate traffic incurred by residents and shoppers.
Credit: JSJ Perimeter
Credit: JSJ Perimeter
The property consists of a vacant building that used to be a bank and undeveloped green space. JSJ Perimeter said it would remove all 235 trees on the property but would plant “several” trees throughout the site to meet city guidelines.
A timeframe for the project’s completion, if approved, was not included in the developer’s proposal. It’s unclear when the City Council will consider the rezoning proposal. The next City Council meeting is scheduled for Monday.
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