Proposal Would Bring 1,500 Residential Units To Roswell

A development team has unveiled a proposed 104-acre mixed-use community that would add roughy 1,500 residential units in the city of Roswell.

Duke Land Group on Thursday unveiled preliminary plans for Riverwalk Village, a proposed development situated between Georgia 400 and Old Alabama Road on the south side of S.R. 140/Holcomb Bridge Road.

Duke says the ”ecologically driven development will add to the growing vitality of Roswell, attract new businesses and jobs and generate millions of dollars in tax revenue for the city.”

The proposal would include about 1,500 residential units, including single family attached, multifamily and active adult housing; 490,000 square feet of general commercial real estate including retail, restaurant, entertainment and grocery; 1.7 million square feet of office space; a 200-room hotel; and 200,000 square feet of civic and institutional space including the Swift School, a school for children with language-based learning differences.

About 43 percent of the land will be preserved open space, which will include parks and public spaces, pedestrian-oriented areas near retail and entertainment and a system of public running, walking and biking trails that will connect the development and surrounding neighborhoods to the Chattahoochee River.

According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Riverwalk Village is a scaled down version of its initial $2 billion Roswell East proposal.

“In a location with existing ties to natural features like the Chattahoochee River, we wanted to embrace the topography and build on the substantial network of greenways and waterways that course through Roswell and the immediate region,” said Kevin Sloan, principal land planner. “Our goal is to build a community-focused development with an ecological purpose.”

Julie Brechbill, communications manager with the city of Roswell, said the company submitted the plans this week and they will eventually come before the Roswell Planning Commission and the Roswell City Council to consider.

The developer is requesting a rezoning to accommodate the project. The property is currently zoned office park and RM3 which is multifamily (apartments/townhomes) designation, Brechbill added.

The developers have plans to enhance an existing lake with open channel streams that will meander through the development and provide stormwater control and management. Additionally, retailers, restaurants and boardwalks will surround the lake, providing an added amenity for the public to enjoy.

Duke Land Group has enlisted a team of architects and land planners who specialize in land preservation and ecological developments. Architectural design will reflect Roswell’s natural environment with warm, earth-tone colors and materials.

Blair Schlossberg, founder and co-manager of Crown Holdings Group, an affiliate of Duke Land Group, added the development will be a “seamless extension” from the Chattahoochee River National Recreational Area with the addition of nature trails and “sustainable water features.”

“We look forward to continuing our collaboration with the city of Roswell and to enhancing a natural setting that residents, workers and visitors can all enjoy,” Schlossberg added.

The proposed site plan, which has been filed and will be reviewed by the Atlanta Regional Commission, “smartly positions the school near neighboring residential communities” and places the office space adjacent to the Georgia Hospitality Highway, Duke Land Group added.

Brad Townsend, director of planning and zoning for Roswell, added the city has contacted the ARC, and an initial Developments of Regional Impact meeting will occur in a couple of weeks.

Traffic improvements to the S.R. 400 interchange at Holcomb Bridge Road are underway, and developers continue to conduct traffic studies and analyze ways to improve access points around the property.

Pending zoning and permits, construction is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2015.

“Riverwalk Village is a key development for Roswell. We have a strong need for Class A office and mixed-use space that offers convenient access to Ga. 400,” said Steve Stroud, executive director of Roswell Inc. “The focus on the connection to the natural environment within Riverwalk Village will truly reflect Roswell’s continued commitment to being eco-friendly and will be a true city centerpiece that echoes the spirit and authenticity of Roswell.”

Rendering credit: 5G Studio