It’s Crabapple Update Time Again | Builder Lots Available on the Cheap
categories: Announcements, Crabapple, Lots, Stuff I like to talk about and know nothing about
CRABAPPLE - It seems like the minute I write an update on Crabapple, a whole bunch of new stuff happens and I need to write another one. I promise, I’m not fixating on Crabapple, but it does seem like it’s getting a lot of focus on this blog recently.
Update number one is that it is snowing in Crabapple today.
Update number two is that it just stopped. That is how up to the minute the information in this blog can be! And for you Northerners reading: Yes, it does snow in Georgia, but only for about five minutes a year, if that.
Restaurant Update
Since it is the holiday season, let’s start with food: Two items to mention on the alimentary front. One is the surfacing of the Gastropub. I love that name, but what is it you ask?
Well, technically it is the old Fosters redone with a new menu and more service. The owner of the old Foster’s, Mr O’Keefe, decided the Foster’s franchise wasn’t working for him and punted. In its stead, he rebranded and reopened literally overnight as the Gastropub.
The menu is more than just burgers, fries and shakes. Now you can order a full array of entrees ($12-$17), foccacia sandwiches ($8) and pasta selections ($7 for half order and $12 for full order). There are appetizers too, table service instead of the counter ordering and a full bar to come. It looks like Crabapple will have two Irish pubs now, considering that the Old Blind Dog is going to be opening in the Crabapple Mercantile soon. You know, a town is judged by the number and quality of its Irish Pubs.
The second restaurant-related item is not really news but more a clarification. The Silos Grill was a fixture in the old Ingles shopping center. When redevelopment started there, Silos disappeared. Well, actually their lease was not renewed just like the Ace Hardware. Don’t ask me how the Nail Salon and Happy Wok kept their leases…maybe they are based on a Chinese calendar!
Anyway, Silos didn’t really disappear. It, too, resurfaced as a rebranded concept in Crabapple as the Cantina del Mar in the same building as Little Azio. You can read more details about the owners of the Silos/Cantina del Mar, Beth and David Riordan, here .
One last piece of restaurant news. Someone left a comment a while ago on this blog saying it would be great to have an all night diner in Crabapple. I’m not sure it will be open all night, but I noticed that a new Diner is going in where the Snooty Fox - or whatever it was called was near Kroger … who would go to a restaurant named the Snooty Fox, anyway … obviously not many because it didn’t last long. Let’s see if the Diner can take this traditionally dead location and make good there. I’d love to see something like the American Roadhouse in Virginia-Highland.
Crabapple Opportunity for Custom Home Building
Crabapple Crossing is sold out of single family homes, garden homes and townhomes, but they have some unbuilt upon lots left. The builder is trying to determine whether to build and sell homes or just sell the lots themselves.
If you are looking to build in Crabapple, this could be an excellent way for you to pick up a discounted lot. If you are a small builder, here’s an opportunity to pick up a small package of lots.
There are four single family lots left. They are $50,000 each or you could possibly get all four for $100,000, but you have to contact me for this deal! These lots are not currently listed but the owner will sell them.
The single family homes in Crabapple Crossing are approximately 3,000 - 3,600 square feet and cost the builder about $270,000 each to build. If you built something comparable that would put your "all-in price" at $320,000. Note, all homes must be approved by the Home Owner’s Association in order to maintain the aesthetic integrity of the community.
Single family homes were selling in Crabapple Crossing in the low $500’s in 2007 and in the low $400’s in the latter portion of 2008. Most recently, after an outside investor took over the neighborhood and reduced prices, the last one to sell was a 4BR/3BA on a slab for $363k. At an all-in price of $320,000, you’d still have a lot of equity even in this market.
There are also two or four garden home lots, depending on how you count them. Two garden homes are built on one lot as attached homes, so four homes could be built on two slabs. The garden homes that are currently built are actually just a large if not larger in square footage than the single family homes by 200-400 square feet. Garden homes range from 3,200 to 3,400 square feet.
The slabs are already poured on the garden home lots, so unless you wanted to tear them up, the footprint of the homes is already determined. It is unlikely the the HOA would approve different exteriors for these homes. This is an excellent opportunity for a builder who wants to finish for a profit what someone else started.
The current owner will also pre-sell garden homes (with same builder who built the existing homes) at discounted prices of $375,000 and single family homes at around $420,000.
Beragio Under Construction - Active Adult Community in Crabapple
I was mistaken about Beragio in a previous post. Construction is indeed on-going there. Slabs have been poured for three homes and framing has started. These will be 3BR/2BA Easy Living Home certified active adult community homes. The prices are listed at $595,000.
Braeburn Office Condos
The office condos fronting Birmingham Highway are popping out of the ground. It is amazing how fast they can build these things. Literally the structure shown in the picture on the right took a week to raise. There are three others like it and this picture was taken on November 10th. They are probably finished with it at this rate.
A Chocolate Dilemma at Crabapple Mercantile
What do you do with a whole palette of chocolate? Keep my kids away from it is what you do!
All kidding aside, that is the predicament of Scoops, the ice cream shop slated to open at the Crabapple Mercantile. They wanted to open by Thanksgiving but the schedule has been pushed back to January and they are trying to figure out what to do with all the chocolate they bought to sell for the holidays.
One solution they have is to sell gift baskets with chocolate and candy for the holidays. These baskets start at $49 and you can get more information at www. scoopssweettreats.com or call Lynn @ 770-876-7565. They will literally give you a taste of what Scoops will eventually offer.
The first merchant to open in the Crabapple Mercantile is going to be Faire La Belle, a hair salon that has hired staff and is ready to open. The building itself is finished for all practical purposes. Getting the certificate of occupancy is the next step and then business can commence. The Old Blind Dog Irish pub is scheduled to open in February.
It’s snowing again. Ok, it stopped again. That’s Alpharetta for you.
Yay for the Diner!
and many thanks for all these updates on Crabapple. I live in Waterside and we can’t wait to walk to get some ice cream next summer!
Great info - keep up the great work.
I believe O’keefe’s is now gone too.
Yes, Stephanie, you’re right. O’keefe’s has a sign on the door saying they are out of business. That didn’t last long, huh?
I hear Cantina Del Mar is gone as well.
Joseph, It looks like you are right. There is a sign on the door at Cantina Del Mar saying they are closing until the spring. They haven’t emptied the space out, but it makes you wonder if they really will reopen.
It’s getting harder and harder to find a bite to eat in Crabapple. Hopefully the Irish Pub will change that soon. Wonder if they will be able to make a go of it.
does the new pub have a website? this gives me something to look forward to:)
just some info on the owners of Cantina Del Mar, they also own the Queen Bee on Mansell rd. and it to is closed. seems like a tough business especially if the food is not good, such as the Queen Bee. I do hope the Irish Pub (Blind Dog) is a hit and serve great fish & chips, Just a warning for them though, if it’s not “New England Cod” fish you to will be posting a closed sign on your door. thanks for the blog.
here is the website for the pub.
http://www.oldeblinddog.com/
Not much information on it yet, but it’s a start.
well this is follow up on the new “BLIND DOG IRISH PUB” my wife and I had lunch there yesterday and was very happy with our selections, she had the fish and chips (cod) which was excellent and I had the ruben and clam chowder. We were very pleased with the food and our server…….I do believe our community has a winner.