Proposed 5-Tower Project Met With Concerns, Questions From Residents

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Sandy Springs, GA -- Dozens of residents braved a cold, drizzly Wednesday evening and packed into a Perimeter Center cafe to learn more about a proposal that would transform an office building into a mixed-used development.

Developers behind the project held the first community input meeting to review preliminary plans submitted by Stonewalk Companies LLC to rezone 13.24 acres of land at 1117 Perimeter Center West from office-institutional to MIX.

The company is also seeking a use permit to increase the maximum height allowed in the area and reduce the number of parking spaces required by the city.

Developers are proposing to keep the existing building, but that structure will “get a significant face lift,” said Jessica Hill, a partner with Atlanta-based Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP.

Rob Forrest of Stonewalk Companies LLC stated the first two floors of the current building would be remodeled into commercial space, which could include retail use or restaurants.

Five additional structures would be constructed around the current building: three of which would house a total of 1,600 residential units and two would be reserved for office use.

The first two floors of five new buildings would also be utilized for commercial use, bringing the total commercial space to 200,000 square feet.

The residential uses are proposed to be for-rent apartments or condo-style units, Forrest said. Plans also call for the demolition and replacement of the current parking deck and providing direct, underground access to the Sandy Springs MARTA Station.

Forrest said developers have not submitted their rezoning and use permit applications to the city of Sandy Springs. Once that’s done, the city will notify the Atlanta Regional Commission and the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority to conduct a Developments of Regional Impact review.

That review will weigh various components, and the agencies will rule whether or not projects are in the best interest of the region and state.

That aspect of the project will add another 60 to 90 days to the approval process, so developers are hoping to see the project before the Sandy Springs City Council sometime in the fall, Hill stated.

If the project gets the city’s approval, the developer has plans to start construction soon after.

Of course, the elephant in the room -- traffic -- was on the minds of most, if not all, residents and stakeholders in attendance.

Trisha Thompson, president of the Sandy Springs Council of Neighborhoods, asked if the developers will factor in the traffic studies compiled for previous projects approved in the area, such as the Hines and Ashton Woods/Mercedes projects.

Senior transportation engineer John Walker with Kimley-Horn and Associates stated he’s sure the agencies responsible for the DRI process will take those figures into account.

As for this specific project, Walker told the audience those involved in the project will hold a meeting to talk about the study’s methodology, scope and other factors before it launches the probe.

The study, he added, could occur at the end of February or early March.

One tenant stated it could be a positive boost to see more businesses open up in the new development. However, she expressed apprehension about how construction will impact customers’ access to her venture in the near future.

“We’re just worried our business(es) will be hurt,” she added.

Another resident, who works in the area, but lives in Mt. Vernon Woods, stated it’s a “nightmare” trying to navigate the current traffic situation, as most people drive to the area as opposed to using the MARTA station.

While she thought Wednesday evening’s presentation was “nice,” resident Kristin Marino also expressed uneasiness about the impact the development could have on traffic in the Perimeter area.

She also said she hopes the developer will stress the use of alternative methods of transportation, such as biking and MARTA.

With so much new building planned over the next five years, -- namely the Ashton Woods/Mercedes project, -- Marino said she “just doesn’t know what we are going to do.”

“I don’t know how all of those people are going to get around,” she said.

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Image: John Walker, right, discusses details on the proposed direct connection to the Sandy Springs MARTA station. Credit: Kristal Dixon