Sandy Springs created its downtown with City Springs

City Springs File photo The Sandy Springs City Council created a downtown using an empty parking lotbeside Roswell Road with the adoption of a master plan in It would be six more years before the first phase of City Springs was completed with the opening of the new city hall and Performing Arts Center in May Theretail and restaurant spaces took longer to open and City Springs was considered fully opened in September The vision set by the council was to promote locality interaction by creatinga safe and welcoming area for all residents Mayor Rusty Paul announced the city had no place where the residents could come together and build the connective tissue of the city This was just one big asphalt parking lot but we identified this as the place wewanted to put city hall because it s one of the highest points in the city and you could see it Paul commented In addition to the population regime buildings and a four-acre City Green the -acre City Springs mixed-use maturation has restaurants exercise boutiques and apartments Paul noted the City Green is where the spirit of Sandy Springs can be ascertained A neighborhood skating rink opened for the season in November Concerts are held using the stage The Sparkle Sandy Springs parade draws to people And for the Fourth of July celebration to people attend He commented none of this could have been done before City Springs was developed When I talk about it being transformative I don t think anybody in Sandy Springs can imagine Sandy Springs without this complex because of the versatility the ability to do so a multitude of different things to come together as a neighborhood Paul declared The neighborhood can visit and put a blanket out or a table they can set up a table for their organization or just come out to have a great time with friends Paul declared When the original plans for a city hall at the site expanded to include a Performing Arts Center and a conference center it opened up opportunities Paul announced soon after he was elected he was at a concert at the Heritage Green when he looked up at the hill to the future city hall site Looking at the concertgoers enjoying themselves around him he realized the space on the hill offered more opportunities for the population to gather and connect The City Council supported the idea and then-city manager John McDonough was charged with starting the process on something that had no plans or concepts Paul wasn t the only person who saw opportunities at the City Springs site Andy Bauman had founded the Sandy Springs Farmers Sphere in with JeffLangfelder in a bank parking lot on the corner of Sandy Springs Circle and JohnsonFerry Road drawing attention to the site s possibilities When Bauman was elected to the City Council two years later he beganworking with other council members on the City Springs master plan Council set the budget for the population part of City Springs at million selecting Holder Construction to construct the buildings Agreements were signed with private partners Carter Associates and Selig Enterprises for the residential andretail growth Demolition crews began work to take down the former Target building at Johnson Ferry Road in January a big step in the city s revitalization efforts Populace input was taken through with the name City Springs revealed at agroundbreaking event in September of that year Four years later City Springs opened with a ribbon-cutting Bauman envisions more for City Springs even for its first phase Extensive powerconnections were installed next to the City Green along Mount Vernon Highway offering an opportunity for small retail or food spaces He stated the location for the standalone restroom facilities on that side of the City Green could be repurposed and still retain those facilities Attempts to develop Phase Two of City Springs have stalled due to domain constraints and financing difficulties When the council awarded a contract to a rise crew in June construction had been expected to begin in late The idea is to develop the parcels the city owns just south of Mount VernonRoad across from City Green The concepts call for more restaurants experiential retail an upscale boutique hotel office spaces limited residential options additional green spaces and shared parking facilities The post Sandy Springs created its downtown with City Springs appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta