Project Would Demolish Magnolia Thomas House For PLAE HQ

WOODSTOCK, GA — The Woodstock Planning Commission on Thursday will take up what's sure to be a controversial case involving the restaurant bearing the name of one of its most historic figures. Commissioners at their Jan. 4 meeting will consider a request to amend a previous zoning condition for about 2.5 acres at 108 Arnold Mill Road.

The site is the home of the Magnolia Thomas House Restaurant and Magnolia Hall, and currently owned by the city of Woodstock. PLAE is requesting a change in the zoning to accommodate its plans to build a corporate headquarters for its company.

According to documents provided by the city, PLAE plans to demolish Magnolia Hall (formerly known as the Woodstock Community Center) and the Magnolia Thomas Restaurant, named after the Spelman College graduate and Woodstock educator. The house is a reproduction of the historic structure that burned to the ground in 2008.

If approved by the city, PLAE would move from its current office at 105 Towne Lake Parkway to the location, and construct two 14,400-square-foot buildings and a demonstration field on the property. One building would be used as office space and furniture store for the lobby and showroom while the second facility would serve as a fitness center.

As part of its plans, PLAE also petitioned to have an 18-foot tall and 103-foot-long net that would cover its frontage along Arnold Mill Road in front of the planned demonstration field "to protect the sidewalk and street from anything that is thrown on the field." City staff noted it had concerns about the net's presence, but PLAE informed Woodstock that the net would be retracted when not in use.

The commission's meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 4 at the Chambers at City Center. The City Council will take up the Planning Commission's recommendation at its Jan. 29 meeting.

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