After years of pleading, prodding and practically begging, residents in the vicinity of the downtrodden Sprayberry Crossing Shopping Center finally got their wish in 2021.
But the redevelopment plans of Atlantic Realty, an Atlanta luxury apartment builder that first filed its rezoning request in the summer of 2020, will look very different from what was originally intended.
Even after the Cobb Board of Commissioners approved the rezoning in June—with some vocal opposition from other residents—there was yet another twist in what the mixed-use project will look like.
As commissioners were signing off on a project with 132 senior apartments and 102 townhomes and a small amount of retail space, the developer was trying to work out a traffic arrangement with a liquor store owner whose business is located at what would be the new development’s main entrance on Sandy Plains Road.
That project also was to have included a 34,000-square-foot grocery store to be occupied by Lidl. But Atlantic Realty’s discussions with the Sprayberry Bottle Shop fell through, and Lidl is no longer involved in the development.
Other retail space and restaurants are tentatively being planned instead.
Before passage, Atlantic Realty dropped plans for a general apartment building that drew most of the opposition, with those against fearing a single-family area would change the nature of their neighborhoods.
A once-vibrant shopping center that has evolved into a longstanding community eyesore is expected to be demolished in early 2022.
Other Top East Cobb 2021 posts:
- East Cobb Church mixed-use rezoning case approved
- Revived East Cobb Cityhood campaign launched
- Education SPLOST passes; Senate runoffs; reapportionment
- Anti-Semitic incidents at Pope, Lassiter
- Major overhaul coming to The Avenue East Cobb
- Tokyo Valentino adult store closes
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