City Center on Hold; Alpharetta Continues to Move Forward; Roswell Mired in Political Mud
categories: Alpharetta Real Estate, Roswell Real Estate
The redevelopment of “downtown” Alpharetta, known as the City Center project, has been delayed pending an appeal to the lawsuit over Tax Allocation Districts and their constitutionality in Georgia. At this point, I believe that this delay is just a bump in the road and eventually the way will be clear to redevelop the Alpharetta City Hall and the surrounding blocks. But don’t look for demolition to start in May as hoped.
However, what I really wanted to recognize here is that Alpharetta IS DOING SOMETHING! Alpharetta has a plan for the future and is developing projects to support it: Encore Park, Prospect Park, Westside Parkway to name a few. City Center is just one of the major development efforts.
Contrast this to Roswell. Don’t get me wrong; I love Roswell. Roswell is quaint. Roswell has that “old southern feel.” Roswell is closer to town (The Perimeter and Atlanta); Roswell has awesome parks and recreation facilities.
Roswell is also getting older and the city leadership cannot come to consensus on any redevelopment projects. Regardless of who says what, the fact of the matter is that I cannot name one project for you that has significantly changed the face of Roswell in the last decade.
Roswell has been the favorite child of Atlanta for sometime: Rated “Best Place to Raise a Family” etcetera, etcetera. Every REALTOR puts this propaganda on the dining room table for prospective buyers to see and hopes that they don’t notice the published date and get back in their car and drive to Alpharetta or further north.
Alpharetta has the corporate offices, the newer commercial activity, the mall and now a national reputation. Roswell needs to find its own identity in North Fulton since it sister city is taking a lot of the spotlight and there are two new sibling cities demanding attention: Johns Creek and Milton.
A lot of the debate in Roswell is about the Roswell East redevelopment project at Holcomb Bridge Road and GA-400. Yes, this would significantly increase the population density at an already congested intersection. But one of the major reasons we have traffic problems is precisely because we don’t have higher density development. People travel further here because they live more spread out and mass transit options don’t work unless you have population concentrations.
Roswell needs a shot in the arm - some would argue a slap in the face - to get going and revitalize itself. It is starting to show its age. Go shopping for a $400k house in Roswell and then go look in Alpharetta or Cumming. Roswell has got to understand that it has to stay competitive and that the consumer likes newer rather than older.
Alpharetta is falling for the oldest trick in the book: uncontrolled overexpansion. This will and already has led to decay throughout the city.
Some examples:
-closed Bugaboo Creek
-closed Fratellis Restaurant
-closed Roadhouse Grill
-closed Razsoo’s Cajun Cafe
-In the mall: closed Micks, American Cafe, Atlanta Bread Co,
-closed OCharlies now a Verizon Store
-closed Backyard Burger
-mall in general decay–former Lord and Taylor wing is barely hanging on
Yes, there have been openings etc. But, if the demographics all of the developers tout are true, then what is going on? Why no tenents and so many restaurant closings?
*NUMEROUS* strip malls being erected all over the place. All of them brand new, with no tenents. I live in Alpha. I see this everywhere I drive. Hopefully, the Forum will breath some life into thie place.
I agree with Maurice. Plus Alpharetta adds 15-20 minutes to your commute if heading to the perimeter or Marietta/Cumberland area. I would rather buy a resale with land, than new shoddy construction anyday. Happy to have 6 acres in Roswell.
M*: That’s quite a little list o’ restaurants that have closed, within the fairly recent past (mo’s… yr’s[?!]), and yes, you’re right about the mall… & ALL of the strip-malls– I can’t dispute any of that HOWEVER, what in the name of our Lord Fulton, are you talking about???!!! Business is BOOMING in Alpharetta! *ALL* of these (alleged) tennantless structures ARE occupied– YOU just haven’t taken the time to get out of your car, to visit any of them!
Not to mention using “…uncontrolled overexpansion…” as your opening paragraph target– The phrase-logic of which is debatable, at-best… Would CONTROLLED OVERexpansion better serve the community, than would UO?!
[OK, now that I'm finished bein' a self-contradicting jerk] Oh, yes… Indeed, you ARE correct. It seems that logic might’ve dictated these freshly constructed storefronts have ’something’ to stand behind/within them, like– I don’t know… Maybe A STORE or-two!!!
Well sir, one thing is certain… Even though the city/county may ACTUALLY be making some headway on reducing/controlling our TREASURED surface street traffic congestion, never fear! We’ll ALWAYS have 400! Wow! Looking-back, it seems like just yesterday that I had a full head of hair. While “driving” (more-like sitting in a running car, stopped in a really narrow, but L O N G , crowded parking lot), most of it was harvested by my own fingers, which would run through it, then suddenly clench into fists… The hair that was left, either caught fire form the scorching Georgia heat/passive road-rage, or simply fell out– fearing that it would be the next victim of “The Fists”.
Again, I’m (obviously) exaggerating, so if you are/were thinking of moving up this way, I can tell you that honestly, after a while, ya’ REALLY do kind of get used to the traffic on Ga400. Though, I’ve got to admit, I do miss my wife & children. On our first night in the new house (& “outside the Perimeter”), I left work @ 5, hoping to get home so we could all sit down to dinner, together… Yep, those were good times, back in the Summer of ‘99–
I’m not worried… I’m SURE Al’ly has dinner waiting for me! Hey, I think I can just BARELY make out the “1 1/2 Mi to Exit 7″ sign, up-ahead! Wait– no… It’s just a coyote wearing a Quiznos sign