Alpharetta is Clearly on the Move | Encore Park Update
categories: Alpharetta Real Estate, Stuff I like to talk about
Alpharetta is definitely the "big dog" in North Fulton in terms of economic activity. I don’t even have to check the data to know that Alpharetta has the highest tax base, largest number of jobs and a government mentality to build a diverse city. However, today when driving through Alpharetta, it dawned on me that the city is moving from a stage of significance to what I’ll term distinction.
I don’t mean distinction like Boston or Philadelphia - or even Charleston or Savannah - have significance. After all, Alpharetta is just a suburb of a major city. My point, though, is that Alpharetta is moving from boring suburb to metro focal point.
The evidence starts on Old Milton Parkway where visible progress has finally started on Prospect Park, which will ultimately be the highest end shopping in the entire Atlanta metro area and anchored by The Stanbury Hotel, reported to be the first six star hotel in the country.
More evidence is found at North Point Mall, where American Girl recently opened its fourth store after Chicago, New York and Los Angeles. American Girl calls the store its "Atlanta store," but for the record, the store is not in Atlanta. It is in Alpharetta. Again, my point: American Girl did not choose to put the store in Buckhead or in Dunwoody. They chose Alpharetta because like other retailers they did their homework and know that the economic center of Atlanta has moved north of "the perimeter" (I-285) and north of the Chattahoochee River.
Having an American Girl store puts you in rarefied retail company, but it hardly makes you a city of distinction. That takes educational institutions (other than primary level education, something that North Fulton is clearly missing), superior recreational facilities (Roswell has the best parks and rec, but Alpharetta is good and improving), top notch libraries, religious congregations of all types, low crime rates and cultural amenities.
Distinction is not just about jobs, retailing, dining out and the almighty dollar, although that certainly helps. Distinction is also about quality of life. That is, how well you and your family can live for the dollar. I don’t believe that there are many places in the U.S. that offer as much value in real estate and quality of life as Alpharetta (and the other North Fulton cities of Roswell, Johns Creek and Milton).
In the vein of uncovering distinction, this intrepid Realtor ventured over muddy hill and dale to bring you this picture of the progress on Encore Park, the new amphitheater that is being built off of Westside Parkway in Alpharetta. The facility will become the northern home of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra as well as host to other musical acts that today have to be seen "inside the perimeter." The opening is scheduled for this coming summer.
Click image for larger view (1.5MB)
Visualize yourself sitting on the closely mown, green bermuda lawn, quilt spread, sharing potato salad and fried chicken waiting for the main event to start. In these parts, Alpharetta is increasingly becoming the main event. See you on the lawn this summer.
Download my vCard for your Outlook Contacts
As one who lives in, works in, and loves Alpharetta (Johns Creek), I am always glad to see it being praised! Great post, Kevin!
Kevin- it’s great to live in a place that’s on the move. It’s just so optimistic- the people are optimistic, the businesses are optimistic- it’s just so alive. I love being around change.
I’ve seen it happening here in the Northern VA area for the last 20 yrs. I hope the local government doesn’t forget growing the infrastructure as business and residential areas grow. That’s what happened here in Northern VA and we’re paying for it now.
That’s a great picture! i had no idea they were working so hard on the amphitheater itself. Chastain Park, move over!
My little trivia i mention when driving by the area: The bridge across 400 right there has had 3 names since 1993 (and before i’m sure) First it was Maxwell Road, then when they started shifting the roads around with the Westside Parkway work it became “Center Bridge Road”, and now it is “Encore Parkway”. The businesses on the East side of the bridge must enjoy changing their business cards every 4 years or so, and the DOT must have fun changing the bridge label that hangs over 400 all the time.
It’s sickening the amount of clear cutting that is going on in Alpharetta. There are many half-empty office buildings with “Space Available” signs around town, yet greedy developers continue to level what greenspace we have left to put up more buildings. This area is turning into the New Jersey of the south.