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OMMENTARY
Two sides debate the mixed-use development
slated for Roswell, Wieuca intersection
Published biweekly by Springs Publishing LLC
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Sandy Springs, GA 30328
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Motorists face a formidable new on
slaught of traffic on frequently clogged
Roswell Road if developers’ plans are
rubber stamped by Sandy Springs.
Buckhead and Sandy Springs neigh
borhoods along Roswell Road worry
about the $150 million “Sandy Springs
Gateway” (SSG) proposal to redevelop
21 acres. With some eager to replace
the Chastain and Versailles apartments,
we should be wary of swapping one set
of problems for another.
JLB Realty and Core Development
revised SSG plans on April 9. Neigh
borhood leaders met with them the
next day. Clearly, the new plans were
better, addressing many neighborhood comments. But, SSG is
still too dense, exceeding the areas comprehensive development
guidelines. If nearby roads had unused capacity, overlooking this
excessive density might be easier. But they don’t and we can’t.
Almost completely in Sandy Springs, SSG significantly im
pacts traffic in Atlanta. According to their traffic studies, SSG will
generate 8,900 to 10,700 daily vehicle trips on nearby streets, 54
percent in Atlanta. A 22.5 percent traffic increase is forecast on
Roswell Road at West Wieuca Road. Neighborhoods are right
ly concerned with density, traffic and whether associated road
changes use tax money wisely.
SSG’s traffic study foresees traffic being no worse after com
pletion, assuming needed road improvements are made. Our ex
perience is that traffic models struggle to replicate congestion re
sulting from human behavior. Other reasons for doubt exist. For
example, SSG’s study didn’t consider Chastain Amphitheater and
Chastain Park athletic events. Additionally, the recent prolifera
tion of apartments in the area was largely ignored.
In North Buckhead alone, some 1,400 apartments are under
review or under construction, a 28 percent increase in its hous
ing units. This apartment flood is yet another bubble waiting to
burst. Unfortunately, after the bubble, we’ll be stuck with those
buildings and their traffic.
SSG would replace 436 apartments with:
• 700 apartments (buildings to 84 feet high)
• 120,000-square-feet of retail/office
• 1,484 parking spaces, including two parking decks
The Atlanta Regional Commission designated SSG a “De
velopment of Regional Importance” and the Georgia Regional
Transportation Authority conditioned project approval on road
changes, including:
• Move the Windsor Parkway intersection to meet Roswell
Road at a right angle. This will remove an historic church (now
a funeral home) and, reportedly, six private homes. Old Windsor
will become an unsignalized dead-end, making shopping at Wal
greens harder while encouraging cut-through traffic.
• Add an eastbound West Wieuca Road left-turn lane to
feed the project’s Atlanta entrance. Atlanta must pay for road
widening including condemning commercial property. No fund
ing is offered by SSG or Sandy Springs. So, cash-short Atlanta
would be forced to spend to strengthen Sandy Spring’s tax base
while worsening Atlanta traffic!
We don’t want to kill this project but we don’t want it to stran
gle us, either. Buckhead residents, contact your Atlanta City
Council members. Sandy Springs, disallow this density; follow
your own comprehensive development plans!
Gordon Certain is president of the North Buckhead Civic Asso
ciation.
GORDON
CERTAIN
GUEST COLUMN
RODNEY
MURRAY
GUEST COLUMN
epl;
ace some very
long
there
The Cherokee
Park development
is a good sign that
the economy is re
bounding, and it
will provide a more
refreshing look to
the southern part
of Sandy Springs. It will
old buildings that have been
time.
I support the development for several rea
sons:
1) There are a number of old apartment
complexes on Roswell Road that are due for
an extensive facelift or a complete rebuild.
2) The opportunity to increase property
values for the neighborhood will not exist if
the same dwelling is left in place (the status
quo does not help anyone).
3) Points have been made about the up
keep of apartment complexes, and after a pe
riod of time they will require extensive ren
ovations. I simply would say that is the case
for any real estate. I have to maintain my
home to make sure it continues to hold its
value. This is not just for an apartment com
plex; there is always maintenance required to
maintain property, whatever property it is.
4) Traffic will always be a problem in any
large city and Atlanta is not exempt from
that. There will always be traffic no matter
how we try to deter a new construction proj
ect; in this case widening the intersection at
Windsor Parkway and providing two left-
turn lanes will make the commute for the
morning and evening traffic less congested.
If the project is approved or not, the pro
posed changes to the Windsor Parkway/Ro
swell Road intersection should move forward
regardless.
Other points to consider: Sandy Springs
has already invested more than a million dol
lars to put sidewalks on Windsor Parkway
that run from High Point Road to Roswell
Road. With the potential of this new mixed-
use facility, there will be even more potential
for neighbors to walk to and from restaurants
and shops located in the revitalized area.
Also, this development most likely will at
tract a young professional/technical work
force that could lead to more work-from-
home scenarios that will also help reduce
traffic congestion.
There are a lot of things to consider. I do
understand that. I just think the positive
points outweigh the negative ones which all
tend to be traffic or the size of the develop
ment.
Scaling down the number of apartments
should be discussed but it should not be the
only reason to disapprove the project.
Rodney Murray is a resident of the High
Point area of Sandy Springs.
8 | APRIL 19 — MAY2, 2013 | www.ReporterNewspapers.net