About Sandy Springs reporter. (Sandy Springs, GA) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (May 2, 2019)
14 | Community 4 Facebook.com/TheReporterNewspapers ■ twitter.com/Reporter_News Homeowners criticize roundabout plan that could demolish 1927 building SPECIAL Left, an illustration from the city shows the overhead view of the planned roundabout at the Mount Paran and Powers Ferry roads intersection. Right, a city illustration shows the conceptual design for the roundabout at the Mount Paran and Powers Ferry roads intersection. Continued from page 1 The proposal to build a roundabout at that intersection, which is currently a four-way stop, has been in the works for years. But some residents said they are new and have only recently heard about it, including one saying he learned of it only when he spotted a surveyor measur ing in his front yard. The roundabout would take proper ty from the property owners surround ing the intersection, including a nearly century-old building that was once used a neighborhood country store and gas station. The building, which is now used as a carriage house and garage, has been there since 1927, the owner Joe Card said. The right of way needed for the round about cuts through the building and would need to be demolished, Card said. It’s not on any official historic regis tries, but it does have interesting histo ry, Card said. It is a small, white building on the edge of the property that also has a large single-family house. It’s topped with a cupola and weathervane. The building has been recently reno vated, but it is still built out of bricks dat ing to the early 1900s, he said. From 1930 to 1956, it was used by vari ous companies as a gas station and store, with pumps located where the street is now, said Card, who has tracked down the old deeds and site plans. At one point, it was known as Tucker Store. Run by “Old Man Tucker,” it was a neighborhood staple similar to the re maining Mt. Paran Country Store, Card said. The building still is seen as a small cultural landmark by the neighborhood. The gas station was owned by the Gulf Oil Corporation until 1973 when it was sold to the Mt. Paran Area Civic Associa tion and a few years later to a developer. A restriction prohibiting using the prop erty as a commercial business was added to the site at that time, according to docu ments provided by Card. Not only does the building give the property character, he said, but it serves as Card’s office for his two jobs - a build er and a nuclear energy trader. The building also provides a buffer from the busy intersection’s noise and appearance, he said. “If they take that down I just don’t know what I’m going to be left with,” he said. He said the city has been responsive to all of his concerns, and he believes that they can come to a compromise. But he’s still hoping that there is a way for the plan to change. The neighbors have rallied togeth er to try to convince the city to change the plan to a traffic signal or stop it and appeared together at the City Council to speak against it during public comment. “We thought there maybe is a chance to slow this thing down,” Card said. “I just think the bad outweighs the good.” Farm Fresh Sod High-quality Sod Harvested Daily in® I Marvel II I Tif" ngturf.com • 770.431.1350 ■ . . ■ .
