New development is coming to the City of Smyrna and Mayor Max Bacon suggested that residents should hear several exciting announcements in the coming weeks.
At the annual joint meeting of the Smyrna Business Association and the Smyrna Area Council of the Cobb County Chamber of Commerce July 10, Bacon delivered his annual State of the City presentation.
First on the list is the former Hickory Lakes Apartments, bought by the city in 2011, razed and now named Smyrna Grove. Bacon said that the 48-acre property is under contract with Atlanta-based Southeast Capital which intends to build an estimated 190 homes projected to sell in the $300,000-plus range.
“Those are single-family, owner-occupied,” Bacon said, noting he expects construction to begin within nine months.
“We probably could have sold it to a Wal-Mart or another large retailer, and guess what you’d have in 15 years?” Bacon said. “You’d have probably an empty 100,000-square-foot box that does nothing to help the surrounding community. I think by building single-family homes, that’s going to have the same halo effect that we had down here.”
Belmont, the former Belmont Hills Property owned by developer Jack Halpern is the site of 154 single-family homes being built by Houston-based David Weekley Homes.
“I think they’ll start out in the mid-$200,000 and go up to the $400,000s, that’s according to them,” he said.
“That has really been a big plus for us because it has sort of stabilized that area, and younger families are coming because they know Smyrna Elementary is going to be a good school,” Bacon said.
“Hopefully, they won’t take the approach that they’re not going to send their kids to middle schools in Smyrna, because that’s what’s happening. We’ve got good elementary schools, but citizens here are reluctant to send their kids to middle schools or the high schools.”
Bacon said, which purchased another part of the property, is building on the site.
About a mile away from Smyrna Grove, at the corner of Windy Hill and Atlanta roads, was a 50-acre site owned by developer. The site used to be Cobb’s first shopping center, Belmont Hills, which opened in 1950 and was razed in 2009, put out of business by such developments as Cumberland Mall, Bacon said.
Halpern has also purchased the 11-acre site at the corner of Atlanta and Spring Roads that was Jonquil Plaza. Bacon said Halpern hasn’t yet submitted plans for what he intends to do with the site.
The mayor also noted several other new building project, including:
• A new Zaxby’s being built at the corner of Atlanta and Spring Roads.
• A Sprouts Farmers Market is also under construction at the corner of the East-West Connector and South Cobb Drive.
• The annexation of Riverview Landing, a mixed us development on the Chattahoochee.
• Whitfield Parc on Roswell Street with 75 new single family homes under construction.
Also, as of March, the city’s bond rating by Standard & Poor’s was elevated from AA+ to AAA, the highest rating possible.
From the August 2014 issue of The Bright Side, Cobb County Georgia’s Newspaper covering Smyrna, Vinings, Mableton and Austell, GA.
