Below is a release from the City of Dunwoody, which has made plans, if the park's acquisition bond passes, to purchase a 42-acre apartment complex off Peachtree Industrial (between Tilly Mill Rd. and Winters Chapel Rd.) and turn it into a sports complex. The cost of the purchase is $19 million.
One of the major problems I've had with each of the two bonds is the lack of specifics. This certainly goes a long way towards answering some of my questions regarding specifics. However, I still feel the city is taking on too much debt (this is a want and not a need), and with this purchase, why is the purchase of the old Emory Hospital site necessary? What becomes of that land?
The potential purchase of this property is a big step in the right direction as far as specifics, but there are still many unanswered questions.
Dunwoody, Ga. – October 24, 2011 - The City of Dunwoody has concluded negotiations with Cortland Partners, LLC and plans to acquire 42 acres of land for $19,000,000 on Peachtree Industrial Boulevard for the development of a consolidated sports complex. The new sports complex would replace the existing 519 unit Dunwoody Glen apartment complex. In addition to the new sports complex, in the Letter of Intent, Cortland Partners agrees to demolish and redevelop the adjacent 266 unit Lacota Apartments Complex into owner occupied housing in concert with the development of the sports complex. The total site includes 63 acres and over 785 existing apartment units.
“This purchase sets in motion the accomplishment of many of the goals in our adopted Parks, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan,” said Mayor Ken Wright. “It provides us with adequate space for a much needed sports complex to meet the needs of our youth as well as freeing up Dunwoody Park for the expansion of the Dunwoody Nature Center.”
Mayor Wright continued, saying, “The City regrets the need to displace residents (785 apartment units), however, in a built out environment like Dunwoody, we have found it challenging to locate a sufficient amount of vacant land for the athletic facilities desired by the community. The City will work with Cortland Partners on a transition plan for the current residents, which includes 560 school age children who are in the Dunwoody cluster; all current leases will be honored without the threat of early cancellation.”
This purchase is contingent upon the passage of the Parks Bond for Acquisition (Nov. 2011). If the referendum fails, the City will drop the contract without financial penalty.
City Manager Warren Hutmacher explained, “Combined with the 19 acres under contract on North Shallowford Road, with this purchase the City has identified for the voters 61 acres of property that will be purchased if the Parks Bond Acquisition referendum passes. This deal provides an assurance to the voters for how over 75% of the bond funds ($25,000,000 out of $33,000,000) will be spent.”
Mr. Hutmacher continued, saying, “The remaining bond funds will likely be spent on some smaller neighborhood parks and the acquisition of land for a ’Town Green’ in Dunwoody Village. This purchase provides transparency for the citizens of Dunwoody; when the voters go to the polls, they will now know what properties will be purchased if they approve the Parks Bond Acquisition referendum.”
For more information please contact City Manager Warren Hutmacher, at 678-382-6700.
6 comments:
no indoor gym, no outdoor basketball courts. Why does all city planning leave these things out? Are they afraid of the 'bad' element?
The announcement at this time is an obvious attempt to blur the issues and sway a yes vote on the Bond issue.
The 19 acres of the hospital site could now be out of the picture. Warren was asked that last night. We can cancell that contract without penalty with 45 days. Can some one say, land bank? Bait and Switch.
The letter of intent was heard fro the first time last night on an agenda item that was added at the last monent without any advance warning.
The criteria for purchsing land says "distressed" properties. This property is 94% leased and according to the City's own press release NOT a distressed property.
The only distress is that some of our council members feel distressed that it is even a part of Dunwoody.
The real distrss is the displacement of over 2000 residents from their homes and the threat of over 560 KIDS being taken out of their Dunwoody school.
This is different than buying vacant land to prevent apartments. This is an eviction so we can have the right kids play baseball.
http://sdocpublishing.blogspot.com/2011/10/opportunity-knocking-what-exactly-is.html
Check out the above.
Bob
Bob relax...There are plenty of apartments for these folks to move into. No one is throwing them out into the streets, they will have plenty of time to move into another apartment or home. When you rent a house or an apartment, you sign a lease, you have the right to leave or the owner has the right to take over the property at the end of the lease...
An interesting question becomes "how much of a premium is Dunwoody paying after going thru 2 1/2 years of code enforcement and improvement activities on these properties?"
At $450 K/acre this represents a purchase price that's 150% greater than paid previously.
Seem that the Council has agreed to make the owner/developer more than "whole" on this deal, at the expense of the citizenry of Dunwoody.
Another way of looking at this is, we get 42 acres for this property, when we could have had 60 acres at the $300K price we paid for Shallowford and the PVC park.
Curious-er and curious-er...
Chip
Ps. It's now evident that the PVC property will NEVER become a park; so what's the City going to do with that? Future city hall? Rollover to a "preferred" developer? Questions, questions, and more questions.
Mom 99
Who gave us the right to evict anyone?
They can just move? how callous can you get?
Think of the outrage oever redistricting and now you do it to 560of the "other kids" because you want to play baseball and Murphey Candler is soooo far way.
Dont tell me to relax.
This idea is morally bankrupt.
We get ballfields on the backs of 5% of our population.
Great deal, sleep well
A sports complex should posses all the amenities. It should posses some USP compared to other one.
Sample leases
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