Woodstock Rejects Apartments, Approves Costco

WOODSTOCK, GA -- It appears the Ridgewalk area will soon get another large scale development.

The Woodstock City Council on Monday voted 5-1, with Councilman David Potts opposing, to approve a conditional use permit from Ridgewalk Holdings LLC to allow an 18-pump gas station to accompany its plans to build a Costco. 

However, the council unanimously rejected a request from the company to obtain a conditional use permit to build a 320-unit apartment complex. 

Mayor Donnie Henriques was absent, so Ward 1 Councilman and mayor pro-tem Warren Johnson presided over Monday's meeting. 

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The property consists of 68.88 acres on both the north and south sides of Ridgewalk Parkway east of I-575, and west and north of Ridge Trail.

Along with the proposed 153,272 square-foot Costco, complete with a liquor store component, the development would also contain 23 single family homes, an additional 62,182-square-foot retail store, civic space and seven stormwater ponds and other undefined uses.

Before rejecting the request for apartments, the Council heard from Chuck Young, senior vice president of development at Prestwick Companies, the entity Ridgewalk Holdings LLC recruited as a potential developer of the apartment component of the project. 

Prestwick is the developer behind Park 9 apartments on Ridgewalk Parkway near the Outlet Shoppes at Atlanta. Young said the proposed multi-family component would have been similar to what Park 9 has to offer. For example, Young stated a one-bedroom unit in Park 9 starts at $1,300 and includes condominium unit-style amenities such as granite countertops. 

Young said Prestwick would not have needed 320 units, as he believed the company could work with 298 units. 

The company's products, he added, target two types of renters: empty nesters looking to downsize and young professionals who are "testing out" Woodstock as a possible place to purchase a home. 

For those who may not be familiar with Costco, the company operates as a membership warehouse club "dedicated to bringing our members the best possible prices on quality, brand-name merchandise," according to its website.

The nearest locations are at 645 Barrett Parkway in Kennesaw and 2855 Jordan Court in Alpharetta.