Focus on Downtown Development

From the latest issue of the Decatur Focus newsletter.

July/August 2008
Support Your Neighbors

Decatur continues to hold its own during the current economic downturn. Retailers are reporting sales consistent with last year and many are showing modest gains over last year’s sales. Landlords continue to report a strong interest in retail and restaurant space and we’ve had several new businesses join the Decatur business community. All of our local business owners need your help so make a point of shopping and eating locally.

Energy-Saving Options
One way to shop and eat locally at the same time is to try out the Decatur Organic Market on Wednesdays in the Bank of America parking lot. The brainchild of Decatur residents Greg and Nicole Coleson, the market has really taken off this year in its new location and with new hours. Greg reports that they are now open from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., making it easier for Decatur residents to visit them after work.

Decatur resident Ciannat Howett, who serves as the director of sustainability at Emory University, stated during a recent program that the food we consume travels an average of 1,500 miles before it reaches our table. The Decatur Organic Market offers one opportunity to shorten that distance and reduce the energy costs associated with that travel.

The Oakhurst Community Garden offers another option for those interested in growing their own food. Several of Decatur’s restaurants, like newcomer Cakes and Ale, develop their menus around locally grown food. Sawicki’s Market offers healthy meat and fish options along with fresh, local produce – much of it grown by Lynn Sawicki.
Check out these options over the next month and see if you can reduce the distance your food travels. It’s just one more way to practice environmental sustainability.

Economic Development Updates
The proposed mixed-use development at 315 W. Ponce de Leon Ave. is scheduled for review by the Decatur Planning Commission in August. The residential component of the project requires a plan review by the Planning Commission. The project is seeking a variance from parking requirements with a proposal to allow a portion of the parking spaces in the planned parking deck to be “shared” parking.

Instead of building a large parking deck to meet current parking requirements a smaller deck would be constructed with some of the spaces shared between office tenants during the day and apartment dwellers in the evenings and on the weekends.

The Trinity Triangle Project continues to move forward. The new development team is assessing the market and developing several options to improve on the site plan. The downturn in the economy has slowed this project but there’s no indication that it won’t move forward. We have seen these downturns in the past but the Decatur market continues to be strong and should pick back up as the Atlanta metro market improves.

The requirement for the Dairy Queen to be included in the development and the construction of parking for the Old Depot were part of the Downtown Development Authority’s sales agreement for their property. Therefore, both of these conditions will remain a part of any future project.

Rose Squared, the frame shop formerly located in Rue de Leon, has opened on the ground floor of the Masonic Temple Building along Clairemont Avenue. Decatur will get its very own scooter shop with Twist ’n’ Scoot scheduled to open in the Intaglia space next to Whit’s End in early September.

Decatur celebrated its 20th annual Decatur Arts Festival Memorial Day weekend. As usual, dozens of volunteers arrived at the square before sunrise to begin the task of setting up for one of the largest and best known events on Decatur’s festival calendar.

Working alongside these volunteers, city employees and artists, it became clear that there was as much community building taking place before the festival began as there was during the festival. Volunteers ranged in age from senior citizens to high school students working to gain the community service points needed to graduate.

The special events were originally created as a way of bringing Decatur’s residents together to nurture a strong sense of place. The results of the Citizens’ Satisfaction Survey that were just received indicate this effort has been successful because 90 percent of Decatur’s residents ranked “Sense of Community” as excellent/good.

The festivals and special events regularly receive high marks as activities that Decatur residents enjoy. The fact that so many residents are willing to give of their time to produce these events is a testament to the strong connection they feel with this community.

While many of the volunteers who showed up before dawn to get the Arts Festival set up were long-time residents from Decatur’s traditional neighborhoods, a large number of them were newer residents from the downtown condominiums. As downtown emerges as a new type of neighborhood, we see these residents taking an active role in a variety of Decatur activities and events and their condominium developments taking on personalities similar to more traditional neighborhood associations.

While these residents may relate to their neighbors as living on the same floor instead of the same street, their interest in building personal connections with other residents and strengthening their bond with the community is just as real for them as it is for residents in the single family neighborhoods. 

Welcoming New Businesses
Wordsmiths Books’ new location at 545 N. McDonough St. (in the old SunTrust Bank building on the square) has helped introduce retail activity on the south side of the square. Now that Little Shop of Stories has opened in their bright, new location next to Starbucks, their former space at 515 N. McDonough is being transformed into a small, urban market with a variety of little shops along with Jakes Ice Cream that remains.

With Big Peach Running Co. now open at 114 E. Trinity Place and a candy store and gift shop opening in the old Federal building at 141 E. Trinity Place, Eddie’s Attic will now have more company. These new shops help create a stronger connection between the square and Twain’s, El Tesoro and the Old Depot area.

Once the streetscape improvements are completed along the E. Trinity corridor and the Trinity Triangle project gets under way, this corridor will provide a more appealing pedestrian experience and a safe, attractive connection between downtown Decatur, Agnes Scott and the Winnona Park neighborhood.

Other new additions to the downtown area include the recently opened Tastings in the 335 W. Ponce de Leon building and Rockit Boutique at 145B Sycamore St. in the space formerly occupied by Vibes Music and More.

We continue to work on a few more anticipated changes in the downtown retail and restaurant market over the next few months. We have interest from a scooter store and a locally owned outdoor outfitter. If you have specific retail ideas you would like to see downtown or have an interest in opening a business, feel free to send your ideas to Lyn Menne.

Joining the Art Institute at One West Court Square is the Decatur campus of DeVry Institute. DeVry is selling their campus on DeKalb Industrial Way and moving into two floors of the West Court Square building. The Decatur campus was the only stand-alone location owned by DeVry. They decided to get out of the real estate business and lease space for their Decatur location as they do for their other six campuses in metro Atlanta. 

In addition to the administrative offices of DeVry Institute, DeVry leaders tell us the Decatur campus typically has 300 students on site at any one time. Most DeVry classes are offered online with students required to attend only one on-site class per week.

The downtown Decatur location was an attractive option for DeVry because of its easy access to the Decatur MARTA station right next door to their new space. The move, which is expected to take place this fall, has administrators, faculty and students excited about the opportunity to walk to restaurants, retail and coffee shops.

These two institutions will fill up the empty office space left vacant when CDC moved to their new campus 18 months ago. The loss of CDC’s 600 employees had a serious impact on our downtown businesses so we are pleased to see this office space filled. We welcome these new, young faces downtown.

Support Your Local Businesses
Vacancies are filling and we are all hoping the economy will rebound soon. Now is the time to make the extra effort to support your local businesses. As Neil Dobbs, president of the Decatur Business Association, likes to say, “Decatur now has the highest concentration of independent bookstores in the country.” We aren’t sure that fact can be verified but let’s make a point of supporting our independent businesses and prove that locally owned retailers and restaurants can succeed.

Affordable Housing Plan Under Way
Last fall the City of Decatur received funding through the Atlanta Regional Commission to develop an Affordable Housing Master Plan. This effort grew out of the city’s Strategic Plan that identified a concern about retaining the city’s diversity and providing a healthy mix of housing options for all stages of a person’s life.

While the city offers well-managed public housing through the Decatur Housing Authority, the increasing cost of market-rate housing is putting a squeeze on middle-income residents, downtown service employees and younger people interested in finding housing options within the city.

The Affordable Housing Study will create an inventory of existing affordable housing options in the city, help us identify the markets we want to target and present program options that the city can pursue in partnership with the private sector and the Decatur Housing Authority.

A series of Focus Groups was held earlier this year that included representatives from Decatur’s major employers, a cross section of downtown employees, current renters and a variety of single-family homeowners. Consultants working on this project gathered useful information from these meetings about employee profiles, commute times and the factors considered when making housing choices. In addition, they are completing extensive research on the Decatur housing market.

We invite residents to attend a public information session Tuesday, May 20, 7 p.m., at Decatur City Hall, 509 N. McDonough St., to get an update on the findings to date and offer insight into the process. For more information, contact Lyn Menne, 404-371-8386, or send an email.

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March 2008
You Gotta Break Some Eggs . . .

Demolition began on the Trinity Triangle property in mid March. This 2.5-acre site will be developed as a mixed-use project, with ground floor retail along Trinity and four residential floors above the retail. The project was approved for 180 apartment units. Approval of the project included the condition that Dairy Queen be offered the opportunity to acquire one of the street level retail units and that 30 parking spaces be included to serve the Old Depot.

315 W. Ponce de Leon Project
We continue to work through a development proposal for the 315 W. Ponce de Leon project. The developer presented a preliminary plan to a group of residents in March and continues to refine the site plan in preparation for a presentation to residents in late April or early May.

The site plan presented removed all of the existing curb-cuts on Montgomery Street and limited the height of the project to three floors along the Montgomery Street frontage. The project extends back into the site for 90 feet before transitioning up to a four-story building and then to a five-story building near the existing 10-story office building.  The parking deck has been located to the center of the site and will serve both the office building and the residential units. Originally the developer proposed constructing a small boutique hotel on the Ponce de Leon side of the building. Because of neighborhood concerns, the developer dropped those plans and moved some of the residential units to front W. Ponce de Leon. 

The project under consideration proposes 220 apartment units with approximately 180 units on the back of the site and 40 units to be built on Ponce de Leon over street-level retail surrounding the existing 10-story office building that occupies the 4.9-acre site.  Neighborhood concerns center around the number of proposed units, concerns about the quality and value of the units, traffic and adequate parking. A shadow line study showed no impact on surrounding properties. The design team is now working to detail out design of the exterior and prepare a concept plan showing the parking deck view from the rear of the Fairview properties. 
The Downtown Development Authority is funding the development of a traffic study. As electronic files become available we will post preliminary plans to the city’s website as well as neighborhood websites.

Retail and Restaurant Openings
Retail and restaurant spaces are filling up. Leases have been signed for Mick’s and the Angel. The owner of the Zocalo space reports a high level of interest and expects to announce a lease soon. Tesoro, a fantastic Mexican restaurant, opened in March on Church Street just past Twain’s .

At the time of this article, Cakes and Ale was scheduled to open March 26 and Little Shop of Stories, Wordsmith Books and Worthmore Jewelers were on schedule for April openings around the square. Moxie Java opened to great reviews in the W. College corridor, filling the last remaining spot in the newly renovated building in the 900 block of W. College that burned several years ago. 
Please remember to shop locally as much as possible.

Downtown Flower Baskets
In case you are wondering about flower baskets and landscape plantings in the downtown district, we decided to wait a few extra months to see what happens with water restrictions. Our landscape contractor and the city grounds crew both found ways to capture gray water for watering but we still thought it was wise to wait a few extra months before planting.

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December 2007
Ring Out the Old, Ring in the New

Who knows what 2008 will bring? We can tell you a few things: the Trinity Triangle project will move forward, an old West Ponce office building will get a new life, a well-known art school will begin classes in Decatur, and we’ll say a sad goodbye to Mick’s restaurant.

Trinity Triangle
It appears that we are making progress with the Trinity Triangle project after months of delay. A demolition contractor has been hired and will begin interior demolition of the Relax Inn and the temporary city hall building during December.

Removal of the buildings should occur the first week in January. Plans are to demolish these two buildings and what remains of My Sisters Room and fence the site.  The developer is working with us to leave much of the existing parking area open for use by the Depeaux until construction begins next year.

The Dairy Queen will be allowed to remain open for as long as possible. While we secured an agreement that allows the Dairy Queen to reopen in the new project, we continue to look for a temporary location for them to operate during construction. 

315 W. Ponce de Leon Ave.
This 1960s-era office building was sold this fall. The new owner plans to keep the existing office building and develop a residential project on the large surface parking lot to the rear of the building. A parking structure to serve both buildings would be placed at the center of the site. We are coordinating meetings between the developer and residents who live near the site and hope to have approved plans early next year.

The Art Institute of Atlanta
The Art Institute of Atlanta recently opened a campus in downtown Decatur in the One West Court Square building. Plans are to start small and add classes over the next year. A student art gallery will be in the commercial space fronting W. Ponce de Leon Avenue behind Quiznos, bringing much-needed life to this block of W. Ponce de Leon. We welcome this new organization into downtown Decatur and look forward to meeting the students.

Mick’s Closing
Mick’s was the restaurant that paved the way for Decatur’s rebirth as a destination dining center. Financial problems apparently caused the restaurant to close abruptly in November along with several other restaurants in metro Atlanta that carried the Mick’s name. Interest in the Decatur site is very high. We are working with the property owner to make certain we get the perfect restaurant for that space.

Support for locally owned businesses is critical to retaining the special character of any business district like downtown Decatur. Spending your money locally feels like the right thing to do but it also keeps more of your money circulating throughout the city. In an article in the June 2007 issue of Main Street News, Doug Loescher, director of the National Main Street Center, pointed out several interesting facts related to the impact locally owned businesses have on a community’s economic base.

Money Spent Locally Stays Local
One study referenced showed that for every $100 spent at a national bookstore chain the impact on the local economy amounted to only $13. Compare that figure to $45 returned to the local economy by an independent bookseller. A case study in Maine showed that local retailers spent more than 44 percent of their revenue in the surrounding two counties while big-box retailers returned only 14 percent to the community, primarily through payroll.

More Local Charity Support
Locally owned businesses support locally based charities including our schools, PTAs and the many community-based nonprofits. This support comes in the form of cash donations, in-kind support, retail items for charity auctions, and posting of event fliers in storefront windows.

A More Stable Job Market
The big guys come and go but the small, locally owned business offers the most stable base for a local economy.

Local Means Green
Mr. Loescher refers to a study produced at the Institute of Local Self Reliance that indicates that locally owned businesses have much less impact on local ecosystems than larger retailers. This fact is particularly true in areas like Decatur where infrastructure is already in place and options for alternative transportation are available and encouraged. Our local business owners are much more likely to participate in recycling programs too.

Tax Revenue Goes Further
The article references a study conducted in Barnstable, Mass., that showed local businesses are more cost efficient for local government to support. Because they require relatively few city services, locally owned businesses tend to generate a net surplus in tax revenue of approximately $300 per square foot. Big-box stores and fast-food outlets require more services from local government and generally create a tax deficit of more than $450 per 1,000 square feet. (Source: Main Street News, No. 240, June 2007)

The Decatur Downtown Development Authority is investigating joining the American Independent Business Association network to identify opportunities to attract more independent business owners and help our existing businesses grow and thrive. Now that the summer heat is behind us, make a pledge to visit our many locally owned businesses more often and “Spend Your Money Where Your Home Is.”

What do Manhattan, Tel Aviv, London and Decatur have in common? All were pictured on the front of the New York Times Arts section as a sampling of Harry Potter fans acquired their copies of the latest book at the stroke of midnight. 

Decatur’s Little Shop of Stories, which was the site of the Harry Potter photo, was also included in a recent article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution featuring Decatur’s success at attracting independent bookstores. Wordsmiths Books, Decatur’s newest bookstore, Indie Coffee and Books and Books Again were also featured in the article. If you haven’t taken the opportunity to browse the shelves of these independent bookstores and get to know the owners of these locally owned businesses, you are missing a treat.

From Picnics to Gourmet Meals
In another recognition of Decatur’s unique charm, the August issue of Everyday with Rachel Ray included a reference to Decatur in an article on best spots to picnic in metro Atlanta. The article invited readers to pick up lunch at Watershed and walk up to Decatur’s square for a pleasant afternoon of people watching.

Depeaux, located in the Old Depot, is now open for business. Drop in and meet the owners and sample some of their great Louisiana cooking. Sawicki’s, a new gourmet market on Ponce de Leon, opened to rave reviews. It’s the perfect place to shop for all the fixings for a great do-it-yourself gourmet meal – including simple suggestions for preparation.

Scooters and FlexCars
The new scooter parking on Ponce de Leon has been well received. The city is working to locate additional scooter parking in the Church Street corridor and along East and West Ponce de Leon Avenue. We would love to bring a scooter dealership into Decatur. If anyone is looking for a business opportunity, we would love to work with a local resident to bring this type of business here.

The FlexCar program has been a big success in our city. Currently FlexCar is operating at Atlantic Station, Buckhead, downtown Decatur, downtown Atlanta, Emory University, Georgia Tech and Midtown. The FlexCars in downtown Decatur average 9.19 hours of use per month – the highest usage rate in all of metropolitan Atlanta. The next highest location is Emory University with 3.77 hours averaged per month. FlexCar recently placed two cars at Agnes Scott College.

Development Progress
Development plans at the Trinity Triangle location are moving forward slowly. Cypress Realty Investors, the company that holds title to the property, is moving forward with the approved plans. We stay in contact with this group to monitor their progress and continue to work on Dairy Queen’s behalf. We are working with Nisar Momin to find a temporary location for Dairy Queen to operate during construction but it must meet Dairy Queen’s corporate requirements.

The Master Plan and Phase One construction plans for the Oakhurst Business District Streetscape Project are moving forward. The citywide Wayfinding Signage project will begin installation this month.