This illustratio entertainmen n shows what Duluth’s Pa t rs occupied by district will look like whe ons Alley kinds of dest restaurants. It is an ex n it is fully am in turn their dow ations Gwinnett’s cities ple of the ntown areas ar into. (File Illus e trying to tration)
Gwinnett cities aim to create destinations BY CURT YEOMANS •
Gwinnett County’s cities — and even the county government itself — are in the midst of a building boom focused on a common goal: Giving residents livable centers of activity in their own backyards. For the cities, this has meant major investment in the redevelopment of their downtown areas — or in Sugar Hill’s case, creating a downtown area. Meanwhile, the county has tried to create its own downtown-like centers in unincorporated areas, such as the planned
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public-private partnership to create an entertainment district at the Infinite Energy Forum. Mark Toro, managing partner at North American Properties, which is working with the county on the Infinite Energy Center entertainment district, said this is part of a trend going on not just in Gwinnett but in communities around metro Atlanta and elsewhere in the country. North American Properties has also worked on projects such as the Avalon development in
Alpharetta and a project at Atlantic Station. It is also working on the Colony Square redevelopment project in midtown Atlanta. “What we’ve learned with the recent repositioning of Atlantic Station, the development of Avalon and the reimagination of Colony Square is that whether we are a resident, hotel guest, an office worker or a visitor to shop and dine, we are seeking experiences that can best
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DULUTH
established: 1876
population: 29,193
downtown progress 2017
This architectural rendering shows the proposed design of the Residential Group’s The Village At Duluth. (Special Photo)
What’s there The city recently unveiled a mosaic in the Parsons Alley development at the corner of Lawrenceville and Main streets. The Duluth Fall Festival committee paid for the mosaic, which is located on the exterior side wall of Dreamland Barbecue. The mosaic includes portrayals of buildings around Duluth, both past and present, such as City Hall, The Duluth Festival Center and the old Duluth School, train depot, Parsons and Co. store, Dutch Mill, Calaboose and Ted’s Fruit Stand. There are also scenes of life in old Duluth as well as the Duluth Fall Festival’s logo and a scarecrow in front of the festival center. The location in Parsons Alley carries a lot of historical significance for longtime Duluth residents. The alley was framed in the past by the old Parsons and Co. store on one side and by its supply warehouse on the other. Both the store and warehouse were torn down and are being replaced by restaurants in the Parsons Alley project.
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What’s NEXT Nearly 100 new homes are expected to be built near downtown Duluth over the next few years. The residential development across from the Duluth Church Cemetery on Hardy Street is expected to include 59 town homes and 39 single-family homes. The first home is set to be ready in the fall of 2018. The development will be a couple of blocks away from the Duluth Town Green and the surrounding downtown Duluth retail and restaurant scene. In addition to its size, it is also noteworthy because it helps clear the way for another major downtown project: The new Duluth library branch. “Both the Downtown Development Author-
“
We feel like by doing this, that place is going to get better, and that place is going to get better, and the place down the road is going to get better.” — Mayor Nancy Harris said the day the old Proctor Square was toppled
ity as well as City Council have been working very hard over the past few years to make this project a reality,” Duluth Economic Development Specialist Will Corbin said in a statement. “We are excited to continue the transformation of downtown Duluth into a truly walkable community.”
expected arrival The new residential development and the library are just some of the major projects underway in Duluth’s downtown area. City officials said there has been $120 million in recently completed and currently under construction investment taking place in the downtown area. Other projects include a new yoga studio, a new bar and restaurant called Truck and Tap that makes use of food trucks, the $64 million District at Duluth mixed-use project at the former Proctor Square site and Parsons Alley, which is set to welcome several new restaurants including Simple Done Donuts, Good Word Brewing and Public House and Taiyo Ramen. Home South Communities is also leading the way on a 36-unit town home development that is being built next to City Hall.
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SUGAR HILL
population: 21,747 established: 1939
PROGRESS 2017
WHAT’S THERE City officials recently broke ground on a $36 million EpiCenter project, but they said the groundbreaking was the beginning of something bigger in the city. The EpiCenter is expected to be finished by December. It was, in a way, the birth of downtown Sugar Hill. Sugar Hill leaders have been working on plans to develop a downtown for 10 years after surveys showed residents wished the city had a downtown area. Now the town is looking at about $300 million in investments spread across four projects, including EpiCenter, that will be built around the intersection of Temple Drive and Broad Street over the next few years. So far, Sugar Hill already has a new City Hall and the Bowl at Sugar Hill next to it. However, the EpiCenter project will be a key piece in the development of new district, which will eventually mix retail, dining, entertainment, housing and a full-service hotel. EpiCenter alone will have a gymnasium, a 350seat movie theater, retail, restaurants, music space and office spaces. It will stretch from City Hall, down Broad Street and end roughly at the intersection with Level Creek Road. Awnings with plants growing through them will line a plaza that will overlook the Bowl with a grand staircase leading to the amphitheater.
WHAT’S NEXT The city is planning to push forward Sugar Loop Greenway, a 16.5-mile loop of multi-use trails connecting downtown to parks in the city. All of the projects officials have in the works for downtown Sugar Hill, as well as their vision for the area, is a big draw for investors, according to developers. One of those investors is JWM Ventures LLC, which has lined up an upscale, full-service Wyndham hotel, with possibly about 150 rooms, that will be built across Temple Drive from City Hall with views overlooking The Bowl. JWM CEO John McDonald said the company is also planning to build condos and a 20,000-squarefoot conference center that will adjoin the hotel. He added that he is working with groups to land a Trader Joes as well.
WHAT’S THERE Lawrenceville boasts a downtown scene full of businesses and restaurants. Mayor Judy Johnson said the town square has become one of the best for dining and entertainment in the metro Atlanta market. There’s been no shortage of growth to prove that point. Over the past year, the city welcomed more than 320 new businesses and about 900 new jobs. It also continued to build relationships that led to a stronger film industry base. But it’s not all business in Lawrenceville. The downtown area is known for entertainment and leisure as well. The city’s Heritage Trails have continued to host walkers from the Gwinnett Fallen Heroes Memorial to the Rhodes Jordan Park since it was constructed in 2013 to pay homage to residents who have significantly influenced the city. The city’s Aurora Theatre, the only professional theater in Gwinnett, won special recognition from Gov. Nathan Deal this year for its artistic impact on the region. The theater added that award to its cabinet full of 25 Suzi Bass awards, an award for excellence in the arts from the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and an IMPACT Regional Business Award from the Gwinnett County Chamber of Commerce.
This design drawing shows the proposed look of Sugar Hill’s EpiCenter downtown project from the gymnasium end. The businesses and gymnasium in the development will face Broad Street, next to City Hall. (Special Photo)
EXPECTED ARRIVAL Other projects in the pipeline include an independent living facility and a mixed-use development, both of which will be built around City Hall at EpiCenter as well. Macauley Investments Principal Stephen Macauley said the EpiCenter is a sign of the city’s commitment and leadership. McCauley Investments is working on a mixed-use project his company is working on across Broad Street from the EpiCenter site that McCall said will be a more than $60 million investment in the area. “This EpiCenter is really an incredible catalyst,” he said. “None of this would be happening without the vision and the the commitment and the investment the city has made itself. That is just huge.” Edwards said all of the projects will be ongoing at roughly the same time, with Radford adding that the hotel may open at the same time as EpiCenter. The city manager added that the mixed-use development and the independent living facility project, which will be built on the site of a former trailer park, are expected to open sometime between summer and fall. Edwards added that the city is also looking at adding some detached single-family housing and additional commercial development in the future as well.
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It’s been a long time in the making, and we’re finally in a position where we can get it done. We’re taking it to the next level and upping our game, so to speak, to make Sugar Hill a destination within the region.” — Sugar Hill Mayor Steve Edwards
LAWRENCEVILLE population: 30,493 established: 1821
WHAT’S NEXT The downtown community vibe of Lawrenceville will keep expanding in the future. The city plans to spend $1 billion on projects throughout the city within the next five years. Johnson said $400 million of that money will go toward developing a mixed-use project around Lawrenceville Lawn. The project, on 40 acres one block from the historic Lawrenceville square, will include residences, offices and shops. The Aurora Theatre will also expand in the next five years. The $22 million project will include a new 550-seat theater and a parking deck. The theater will also open a satellite office at Central Gwinnett High School. But it’s not only city-funded projects Lawrenceville residents have to look forward to in the near future. A local dentist is heading up a project to turn a 106-year-old building next to the old train station into the first beer brewery in both the city and Gwinnett County. Lawrenceville granted approval for the project on Sept. 7.
A crowd gathers on the Lawrenceville Lawn prior to the Abbey Road Live! concert. The city hopes to build a mixed-use development around the lawnin the next five years. (File Photo)
EXPECTED ARRIVAL The Aurora Theatre’s satellite office at Central Gwinnett High School is expected to open this spring, but the full theater expansion won’t likely be completed until 2020, depending on budgeting. The Lawrenceville Lawn mixed-use project is multifaceted. Officials expect it to move forward in the next two years, but the project likely won’t be completed for five to seven years, depending on how the project moves forward. This spring, the city will likely begin the $12 million project to convert Perry and Clayton streets into twoway roadways. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2018. Officials will also begin constructing this summer a 2.2-mile linear park between Georgia Gwinnett College and the historic downtown district for an estimated cost of $33 million. The project will likely take two years to complete.
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Every day we are preparing for more progress. We have been moving forward with strategic visioning that will equip us to manage and respond productively to all situations that may come our way.” — Lawrenceville Mayor Judy Johnson
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SUWANEE
downtown
population: 18,694 established: 1838
PROGRESS 2017
WHAT’S THERE
EXPECTED ARRIVAL
The city of Suwanee hosts some 40 events each year, most at Town Center Park, which is home to several concerts throughout the year, food trucks, an interactive fountain and a performance stage with a 1,000-seat terraced amphitheater area. It sits in front of Town Center, a set of buildings that includes City Hall and more than 63 acres, including a traditional neighborhood, Shadowbrook at Town Center. Town Center will encompass more than 100,000 square feet of retail space, 87,000 square feet of office space, 147 townhome and condominium units, 85 single-family homes, and the 10-acre Town Center Park.
More than 200 high-end apartments — with monthly rent above $1,500 — are coming in the next two to three years as part of a $46 million project that will expand Town Center and bring 10,000 square feet of mixed-use space to Buford Highway. Plans are to redevelop a 3.5-acre area along Chicago Street that would include a five-story structure and a parking garage, which would include about 520 structured public and private parking spaces. The 235 apartments will be primarily one- and two-bedrooms residences and marketed to appeal to millennials and empty-nesters. Average rent for those apartments is expected to be $1,568. The apartments will be constructed to allow for possible future conversion to condominiums. The city also expects a roundabout on Buford Highway at Russell Street to be underway by this summer. The changes are designed to create a more walkable and connected downtown area that’s pedestrian friendly. It will also have a bike line and on-street parallel parking. The roundabout will serve as a gateway into Old Town.
WHAT’S NEXT A new park is coming to a 25-acre site commonly known as the DeLay property — behind the Suwanee library on Suwanee Dam Road — that is also called Town Center West. The park will feature a mixture of urban and rural environments. Among the features are a roughly 900-foot, elevated signature bridge for pedestrian and bike use, which will span the entire park and cross an approximate one-acre water feature, an open terrace plaza and lawn area at the peak of the park’s elevation that will include several smallscale micro-business sites, and an extension of the existing Playtown Suwanee geared toward older children, which will expand the age range of Playtown Suwanee. The $12 million park will also include sandpit volleyball courts and a public art piece. The area will see a realignment of Main Street, which will shift around the park and exit onto Suwanee Dam Road at an existing traffic signal in hopes of improving the safety and traffic flow, which would allow the median break on Suwanee Dam Road to be closed. About 15 acres along the existing Brushy Creek Greenway will remain undisturbed. The new park design is influenced by the style of Town Center Park, but city officials said it won’t be a replica. Plans call for a more prominent pedestrian connection to rework City Hall Park into a linkage of the two sites. The topography of Town Center Park West will allow it to overlook Town Center.
WHAT’S THERE Norcross has worked toward a reputation as a sustainable city over the past year. The city opened Discovery Garden Park in October 2016 on the grounds of the Norcross Welcome Center and Museum on Lawrenceville Street. The park is a nature center, community garden and neighborhood park all in one and is meant to engage residents in the environment and community. It features an outdoor classroom pavillion, a grilling station, native plant collections, a pollinator garden and a children’s garden. Residents can also join in an organic community garden, where they can grow their own fruits, vegetables and flowers. While Norcross residents tended their new garden, a Georgia Tech startup manufacturing solar cells received a $93 million expansion this past year. That makes Suniva the largest U.S.-based solar cell manufacturing company in the world.
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(Town Center Park) draws over 200,000 visitors annually to events, as well as regularly serving our 18,000 citizens. The new Town Center Park West will help ease the demand on the existing park and surrounding community.” — Suwanee Mayor Jimmy Burnette
At top, more than 200 high-end apartments — with monthly rent above $1,500 — are coming in the next two to three years as part of a $46 million project that will expand Town Center and bring 10,000 square feet of mixed-use space to Buford Highway. (Special Photo) Above, Suwanee Fest patrons listen to a presentation at the amphitheater at Town Center Park in Suwanee. (File Photo)
NORCROSS
population: 16,643 established: 1870
WHAT’S NEXT Parks will continue to play a big part in Norcross’ development. City officials are now turning their sights toward an expansion of Lillian Webb Park that will turn the park and its surroundings into a mixed-use development meant to complement Norcross’ historic downtown. In all, the city is hoping to develop about 30 acres around the park. But they don’t own all of that yet, said Bucky Johnson said in his state of the city address Feb. 13. And what they do own is still in the development stages. Officials are hoping to surround the park with shops, restaurants and apartments. Johnson said the city is working with a developer who’s already talking about turning one parcel of land into either a hotel, shops, apartments or condos. It’s unsure at this time what it will turn into. What officials do know is that a library will stand next to the new park entrance on Buford Highway near a plaza. Johnson said the city is in the final weeks of contract negotiations with the county to get the library on its way.
Norcross expects to open its science, technology, engineering and math school, mapped out at left, this fall. An artist’s rendering of the building is pictured above. (Photos: City of Norcross)
EXPECTED ARRIVAL The library outside Lillian Webb Park could get underway in the next few weeks. The city has also begun to look at creating a system of trails friendly to both pedestrians and bike riders around the county. The entirety of the trails will take anywhere from 15 to 20 years to complete, but Johnson hinted in his state of the city address that residents may begin seeing bike-logo signs around the city in the near future. He said the ultimate goal would be to encourage kids at a handful of local schools to bike or walk to school with ease. One of those schools could be a new STEAM high school, which Norcross residents can expect to be open this fall. The school will mostly host students previously enrolled in Norcross High School.
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Many of you have your thumbprints on what we’ve got in the city today because you went to all those meetings to look at what we’re doing, where we were going. You gave us the vision and elected us to lead in that.” — Norcross Mayor Bucky Johnson
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STILL ROCKIN’ AT
70
We’re 70 and we’re in good company.
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Carlos Santana, b. 1947
Orchestrating progress for 70 years. #Rockin70
6C • SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017
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SNELLVILLE established: 1923
PROGRESS 2017
population: 20,000
WHAT’S THERE The city of Snellville has taken on the challenge of creating its downtown from scratch, city spokesman Brian Arrington said. It hopes a marketplace and library will create a bustling central area, which will lend itself to future projects. “Unlike cities like Lawrenceville or Decatur, Snellville does not have the luxury of an existing downtown with older buildings and public squares to bolster housing and development,” Arrington said.
The city of Snellville is seeking input from the community through social media and its website about its Towne Center project to create a thriving citizen-led downtown community. (Special Photo: City of Snellville)
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The mayor and council have identified the Towne Center as the city’s top priority. We have been meeting with developers and project planners for more than a year.” — Snellville spokesman Brian Arrington
EXPECTED ARRIVAL
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The city is in the process of asking for the community’s input for its Towne Center, a project about a decade in the making, at facebook. com/TheTowneCenter and snellville.org/thetowne-center-snellville. Officials have said in the past that they need the input to make sure development around the Towne Center matches residents’ desires. It’s still too soon to determine when construction will start, though.
WHAT’S NEXT The plans include relocating the Elizabeth H. Williams Library on Lenora Church Road and the addition of the City Market, which would be the centerpiece. The area would include bistros, restaurants, outside dining, retail space, pedestrian space and open building space for civic events. The market would be similar to Krog Street Market in Atlanta, which has revitalized nearby neighborhoods, according to reports. The city does not have a projected cost because the project is in its early planning stage, Arrington said. The library relocation will be funded by recently approved city and county SPLOST tax dollars, said Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Charlotte Nash. It would follow in the steps of other cities, including Lilburn, Duluth and Norcross, that have been working with county officials in recent years to get new library branches. “City leaders view the Towne Center as a vital piece of moving Snellville forward now and in the future,” Arrington said. “We want our residents to be able to shop, dine, work and live in our Towne Center. We want our young people to have a reason to move back to Snellville and our seniors to have a place to live when they no longer want the burden of owning a traditional home. The city wants to create a draw for future and quality development for those looking to invest here.”
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PEACHTREE CORNERS population: 40,978 established: 2012
meet me downtown PROGRESS 2017
“
This area is going to urbanize. We know it is — just look at its numbers. What we’re trying to do is urbanize thoughtfully.” — Peachtree Corners Mayor Mike Mason
WHAT’S THERE
WHAT’S NEXT
Peachtree Corners may be relatively new, but it’s already established itself as a major job hub, particularly in the tech community. Mayor Mike Mason estimated the city hosts about 40,900 residents and 40,600 jobs — coming close to having one job per resident. Most of those jobs are housed in the city’s Technology Park, which has been considered a hub for innovators since the 1970s. This past year, that park grew again. The city welcomed startup incubator Prototype Prime into its Technology Park in October. The incubator takes up a 12,500-square-foot space beneath City Hall where it provides new businesses with many things they might need to succeed, including workshops, a podcast room, a design lab with three 3-D printers and spaces that can be used for networking or events. By December, the incubator had picked the first two startup companies it would help grow. But it’s not all business in Peachtree Corners. The city saw the opening of an organic Thai restuarant call L’Thai Organic Cuisine and Wine Bar in the Peachtree Parkway Shopping Center off Peachtree Parkway in November. Residents also rejoiced as Aldi, a discount grocery chain, opened its doors in the Peachtree Marketplace shopping Center Feb. 9.
Mayor Mike Mason said city officials are well aware Peachtree Corners will continue to attract businesses and expand. Now they’re focused on making sure the city expands in a smart way. A portion of that goal should be accomplished with its long-anticipated town center project. The mixed-use development will include more than 70 townhomes, a movie theater, office space, shops and restaurants. No more than 50 percent of the restaurants can be national chains. No more than 85 percent can be a combination of national and regional chains. The rest will be chef-driven. But it won’t all be indoor spaces. A 2-acre portion of the center will serve as a town green complete with an amiptheater for outdoor councerts and other city events. Eventually, a pedestrian bridge will connect the city green to a botanical garden. The town center has been in the works for a while. Fuqua Acquisitions II LLC presented the plans for the mixed use development to council in July 2015. It was just another step in plans the city had been formulating since it bought the 20 acres of land across from The Forum, an open-air shopping center. Another company had been looking to turn the land into an apartment complex. But council didn’t feel that plan moved the city forward in the innovative way they’d planned.
ESTIMATED ARRIVAL
A partial view of the Town Center project, which shows Cinebistro located near the Town Green. (Photo: City of Peachtree Corners)
Peachtree Corners’ Town Center is expected to break ground this spring. But it’s not the only project Peachtree Corners is looking forward to in the near future. The city recently drew up plans for 11.2 miles of multi-use trail that will run through the city connecting neighborhoods, shops, restaurants, Technology Park and the new Town Center. The first phase of the trail plan is expected to be complete by the end of 2017.
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INFINITE ENERGY CENTER
This illustration shows the planned design of the full-service Marriott hotel that is expected to be built at the Infinite Energy Center. Explore Gwinnett officials said the hotel’s developers are in the final stages of designing and doing due diligence on the hotel plans. (Special Photo)
WHAT’S THERE
WHAT’S NEXT
The Infinite Energy Center campus currently includes an arena, a conference center and a performing arts center surrounded by a vast sea of parking spaces. The center, which is owned by the county and managed by the Gwinnett Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, opened in 1992, and the 13,000seat arena and the 21,600-square-foot grand ballroom opened in 2002 and 2003, respectively. The naming rights were sold to Infinite Energy in 2015 for $18 million. The center hosts conventions, concerts by big name artists and home games for the Atlanta Gladiators and Georgia Swarm. The performing arts center includes a 702-seat theater. There is also a 50,000-squarefoot Exhibit Hall and 23 versatile meeting rooms at the forum.
County and Explore Gwinnett officials are working with North American Properties to conduct a massive overhaul of the property in an effort to make it more of a destination attraction. Plans include the construction of an entertainment district designed to offer visitors a reason to “come early and stay late” when they come to the center for a conference or concert. The district would be built adjacent to the Infinite Energy Arena and the Infinite Energy Forum, in space that is currently used for parking. A parking deck would be built as well. “Working with Explore Gwinnett and the GCVB team, we intend to advance the work that they’ve been doing for years, leveraging the Gwinnett brand,” North American Properties’ Mark Toro said. “We’re extremely enthusiastic about this opportunity and we look forward to working handin-glove with Chairman Nash and the county commission to deliver the ‘third place’ to the residents of Gwinnett County.” A separate project, a full-service high-rise Marriott hotel, is also slated to be built on the property, bridging the forum and the arena. Officials also plan to expand of the Infinite Energy Forum’s conference space to compete for more conference business. The 2017 SPLOST approved last year included $67.3 million for the expansion. Gwinnett County officials also purchased land adjacent to the center last year, to build an additional entrance to the facility on Meadow Church Road. “While the Center is successful now, we believe it can be so much more,” County Commission Chairwoman Charlotte Nash said in her State of the County address earlier this month. “In fact, we see the Center as the catalyst to create a truly remarkable business and entertainment district unlike anything that exists in Gwinnett now. “We believe in this vision so much that we have acquired additional property, contracted to build another entrance and set aside millions of dollars for public investment at the Center.”
EXPECTED ARRIVAL Explore Gwinnett Executive Director Lisa Anders said the hotel developers are in the final design and due diligence stages of planning the Marriott. “While separate from the private (North American Properties) development, (the hotel) will be an important cornerstone of the overall complex,” she said. Anders also said Explore Gwinnett is still finalizing its letter of intent with North American Properties, but she expected that would be done within the next 30 to 45 days. Once the letter of intent is in place, the process of setting a timeline for proceeding with work will begin. “North American does not have a tenant list,” Anders said. “They have been working on due diligence, determining how the site will be broken up as far as the percentage of retail, office (and) residential.”
“
I think it is creating a downtown — or more aptly, a primary entertainment district — for Gwinnett. The Sugarloaf CID, as they begin to develop, will play a really important role in making this area more walkable and pedestrian friendly, as well, which is another very important piece of the puzzle.” — Explore Gwinnett Executive Director Lisa Anders
The above rendering shows proposed ideas for the expansion and redevelopment of the Infinite Energy Center. Explore Gwinnett officials are working with North American Properties on a final plan for developing an entertainment district and residential area at the center. (File Illustration) The illustration at left shows another view of the planned design of the full-service Marriott hotel that is expected to be built at the Infinite Energy Center. (Special Photo)
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LILBURN
downtown
population: 13,000 established: 1910
progress 2017
What’s there Last fall, the former site of an abandoned subdivision was transformed into the new Lilburn City Hall and the Lilburn branch of the Gwinnett County Public Library system on Main Street. The $11.3 million project was completed Oct. 18 with funding from the specialpurpose local-option sales tax, a 1-cent sales tax voters approved for special projects. The cost was shared by the city and the county. “Lilburn has come a long way over the past four or five years,” said Nikki Perry, a city spokeswoman. “I used to hear Old Town described as quaint, which suggests that it’s charming but antiquated. Not anymore. It still has all of the small-town charm, but it feels fresh and active now.”
What’s next The city will move the Lilburn Police Department and the court from the Calvin Fitchett Municipal Complex, where City Hall was located. The police department will be moved to a 9.73-acre site at 4572 Lawrenceville Highway, next to Lilburn Commons office complex, less than one mile north of Indian Trail Road. The city purchased the property in October 2015 for the future public safety facility, which will also be funded by the recently approved county and municipal special purpose local option sales tax. “The move will increase police presence on the main business and transportation corridor,” Perry said. “It will also free up space next to Lilburn City Park, which opens all kinds of possibilities that have yet to be fully explored.” Plans to renovate Lilburn City Parks are on hold until the municipal complex is vacated. The city plans to upgrade Camp Creek Greenway boardwalks and bridges behind the new City Hall/library building from lumber to PermaTrak. The first precast concrete bridge in Georgia was completed on the Greenway in 2016. It will last much longer than the wooden planks that needed constant repair due to the flood-
The city of Lilburn finished construction of its new City Hall and library complex project downtown last fall. (File Photo) prone location next to Camp Creek. About $2.7 million in 2017 SPLOST funding is needed to repair the section between Main Street and Rockbridge Road. Repairs are set to begin next winter. Ultimately, city officials hope to use the new City Hall and library complex at the corner of Main and Church Streets as an anchor to spur an expansion of Lilburn’s downtown district from the current police headquarters to U.S. Highway 29. The city and the Lilburn Downtown Development Authority hope to provide high-density housing and commercial development on several acres of property it owns around the City Hall and library complex. The idea has been floated that the mixed-use project would target millennials.
Some of this property is under contract, but the sale isn’t done. The former City Hall annex property on First Avenue was recently sold to a developer for high-density single family housing.
expected arrival The timeframe for the relocation of the police department and city court has not been determined since it will depend on on the estimated cost of the building and the rate of SPLOST income over the next six years.
GWINNETT COUNTY population: 895,823 established: 1818
“
What’s there
We bought it with the idea that we were going to demolish the stadium and offer it to the private sector competitively. We want redevelopment on the property.”
Unincorporated Gwinnett offers two types of stories when it comes to development. The Gwinnett Prado Shopping Center, near Gwinnett Place Mall and the old Olympic Tennis facility are once-vibrant activity centers that have virtually turned into vacant ghost towns. These are places now being eyed for redevelopment. Then, there are other places, such as the corner of Mall of Georgia Boulevard and Woodward Crossing Boulevard, which are undeveloped spaces that are being eyed as new mixed-use activity centers where people can live, work and play.
— Gwinnett County Commission Chairwoman Charlotte Nash on the Olympic Tennis Center property
What’s next Several projects are either already going on around unincorporated Gwinnett or are in the pipeline, but there are three projects to watch for. One of them is the public-private redevelopment of the old Olympic Tennis Center property near Stone Mountain. It’s barely inside Gwinnett, right off U.S. Highway 78. The county acquired the land in a property trade with the Stone Mountain Memorial Association last year, and officials plan to turn it over to one or more developers to see what it can be turned into. Planning is also underway to redevelop the largely dormant Gwinnett Prado site, whose few remaining tenants include Great Wall supermarket and a few small restaurants. Plans call for a mixed-use development that will leverage the tools available to projects in the Venture Drive Redevelopment Overlay District to make it happen. The third project is the 16-acre mixeduse project next to the Mall of Georgia, at the corner of Woodward Crossing Boulevard and Mall of Georgia Boulevard. It will include a 21-story hotel and condo midrise building, office space, retail shops, bars, restaurants, comedy clubs, a grocery store, a 50,000-squarefoot family entertainment center, parking decks and more than 500 apartments. Among the partners affiliated with property owner J and J 360 LLC is Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones. The project is big enough that the Atlanta Regional Commission declared it a major regional impact project.
Gwinnett County officials are planning to demolish the old Olympic Tennis Center on the county line near Stone Mountain, shown above, and turn the property over to developers to see what they can turn it into. The intended goal of a mixed-use development is one of the major projects taking place in unincorporated Gwinnett. (Staff Photo: Curt Yeomans)
The redevelopment of the Gwinnett Prado site near Gwinnett Place Mall, at left, is one of the major development projects taking place in unincorporated Gwinnett. The plan is to convert the largely vacant shopping center into a mixed-use development with retail, office and residential spaces. (File Photo)
expected arrival The biggest project on the radar for county officials right now is the Olympic tennis center redevelopment. It will be a while before this project comes out of the ground, though. Gwinnett County Commission Chairwoman Charlotte Nash said officials are still working through the process of picking a company to demolish the tennis center. A request for proposals will be issued by the county, asking developers to list what they would do with the site if hired. A developer will be hired based on the RFP responses. “We’ll be seeking a private sector partner through a competi-
tive process, so start thinking about what makes sense for the site,” Nash said during her State of the County Address. Meanwhile, construction on the first phase of the mixed-use project at the Mall of Georgia, which is expected to include 23,000 square feet of street-level retail space and 336 multifamily residential units, is expected to begin this spring. At the same time, the Gwinnett Prado’s new owners are moving quickly on their plans to redevelop the site. Although the plans to redevelop the site were just announced in October, without much detail other than a vision, Gwinnett County Planning and Development Director Kathy Holland told the Daily Post in December that the owners had already brought concept drawings to county officials for feedback.
Sunday, February 26, 2017 • 11C
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your community: city by city
City by City is a weekly look at the happenings in the places you call home more from lawrenceville
AUBURN Seniors group hosting potluck lunch, Alzheimer’s talk The Auburn OWLS (Older, Wiser, Laughing Seniors) group is set to host a potluck lunch next month where a serious issue facing older people will be discussed. The potluck lunch on March 15 will feature a presentation form the Alzheimer’s Association. Attendees will learn about the 10 signs that indicate a person may have Alzheimer’s Disease, as well as ways that early detection can help a person who has it. The lunch workshop will last from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the J.D. Withers Building, 7 Seventh St. in Auburn. BARROW COUNTY Pre-K lottery applications being accepting in March Parents can submit the applications for the Barrow County School System from March 1-30. They must be turned in at the Barrow County School System at 179 W. Athens St. in Winder. To be eligible, each child must be age 4 or 5 before Sept. 1, and parents must provide proof of residency and a copy of the child’s birth certificate or other acceptable proof of age and identity. The pre-K drawing will take place April 1. For more information, visit barrow.k12. ga.us or call 770-867-4527. BERKELEY LAKE Pinckeyville Park to host Quince Girl Expo Everything anybody could ever need for the ultimate quinceanera celebration will be offered at Pinckneyville Park’s Community Recreation Center this March. The center will host the Quince Girl Expo March 11 from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. The event will feature fashion shows, interactive exhibitor demos, budget party planning tips and door prize drawings. There will also be party professionals on hand to help girls with tips on decorations, cakes, fashion and makeup. The first 50 girls in the door will win free swag bags. The Pickneyville Park Community Recreation Center is located at 4650 Peachtree Industrial Blvd. For more information, call 678-277-0920. BRASELTON Braselton Adult Coloring Club to meet at library Relax and practice coloring inside the lines at the Braselton Library this Thursday. The library’s Adult Coloring Club will meet for about an hour starting at 10:30 a.m. to color their woes away. Participants are welcome to bring their own materials, but coloring books and colored pencils will be provided. The Adult Coloring Club meets the first Thursday of every month in the Library’s meeting room. Braselton Library is located at 15 Brassie Lane. BUFORD Up-and-coming singer-songwriter Macy Todd to perform Folk/pop artist Macy Todd will put on a show at the Buford Community Center, 2200 Buford Highway, at 8 p.m. March 23. The 19-year-old Georgia native will take a break from working on her debut album to grace the city with her vocals, which she developed while performing at church. Her set will include her song “I’ve Got a Feelin.’ ” Buford’s own Eli Hannon will open for Todd. Tickets are $10 each. For more information or to buy tickets, visit bufordcommunitycenter.com/event/macytodd. DACULA Library hosting Dr. Seuss birthday party Thursday will mark the 113th anniversary of famous children’s author Theodor “Dr. Seuss” Geisel’s birth, and the Dacula library is
NORCROSS Positions open on city’s DDA The city’s Downtown Development Authority is looking for people to apply to serve with the group that works with development, growth and preservation of all business areas and works to advance projects. Submit applications to City Clerk Monique Lang at mlang@norcrossga.net. More information is available about meeting days, the organization’s mission and a list of other people serving on each board and commission on the city web site under City Government tab. The DDA Board meets the first Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. Applications are due by Friday.
Georgia Manufacturing Alliance founder Jason Moss, right, receives a gubernatorial commendation from Georgia Commission on Equal Opportunity Director Melvin Everson during a recent celebration at the 1818 Club in Duluth. Everson presented the commendation on behalf of Gov. Nathan Deal. (Special Photo)
Industry champion
Gwinnett-based leader of state manufacturers commended
By Curt Yeomans
programs the Georgia Manufacturing Alliance has undertaken in the commendation. Those programs The Lawrenceville-based founder include the Georgia Manufacturing of the Georgia Manufacturing AlSummit, the Georgia Manufacturliance was recognized earlier this ing Awards, the Georgia Manumonth with a commendation from facturing Director, the Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal for a commitManufacturing Hall of Fame and ment to the state’s manufacturing the Georgia Manufacturing Calenindustry. dar. Jason Moss received a formal These programs are intended copy of the governor’s commenda- to serve a variety of roles for the tion from Georgia Commission on state’s manufacturing industry, Equal Opportunity Director Melvin whether it be the calendar listing Everson during a recent ceremony events hosted by 10 industry asat the 1818 Club in the Gwinnett sociations or the directory, which Chamber headquarters in Duluth. helps manufacturers find services, “I met Mr. Moss in 2007, and parts and equipment in their areas. he shared his vision for creating There’s also the work done by the Georgia Manufacturing Allithe Hall of Fame to honor people in ance,” Everson said in a statement. the industry for their contributions “Manufacturing is the backbone of to manufacturing in Georgia. our economy, and GMA has had a “I saw a need for manufacturing tremendous impact on the manufac- professionals to have events where turing industry in our state.” they can share best practices and to The governor highlighted several provide resources where they can
curt.yeomans@gwinnettdailypost.com
planning to celebrate. The library will fete the man who gave the world memorable characters — such as Things One and Two, the Grinch, the Cat In the Hat, the Lorax, Horton the Elephant and Sam I Am — with a birthday party from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursday. The celebration will include games, crafts, stories and special guest readers in celebration of Read Across America Day. The library is located at 265 Dacula Road in Dacula. DULUTH Local college receives Military Spouse honor Saint Leo University, which has a campus in Duluth, has earned the 2017 Military Spouse Friendly School designation by Victory Media, publisher of G.I. Jobs, Military Spouse, Vetrepreneur and STEM Jobs resources. Saint Leo ranked fifth in the nation among private institutions with at least 10,000 students. The annual companion list to Military Friendly School, in which Saint Leo was named No. 3 in the nation in its category and a Top 10 Gold-level MilitaryFriendly School, recognizes higher education institutions that actively recruit spouses of active-duty service members. The list recog-
nizes schools that promote student retention and career development policies and programs that acknowledge and support the unique challenges of military life. This year’s list features 100 institutions across 10 categories, demonstrating the growing success among post-secondary schools for tapping into this talented group of men and women. “Saint Leo University is humbled to be recognized for not only educating those who have served and continue to serve our country, but also for providing educational opportunities for their spouses and other family members,” said Pamela Martis, retired U.S. Army colonel and director of Saint Leo’s Office of Military Affairs and Services. “Being designated as a Military Spouse Friendly School is an honor for us because we value the sacrifice of our military families and want to support those spouses who are juggling the demands of family, military life, work, Permanent Changes of Station moves, and going back to school — all at the same time.” GRAYSON Library hosting Chess Club next weekend The first rule of Chess Club is you do not talk about Che … oh, sorry,
form strategic alliances with each other,” Moss said in a statement. “We started the Georgia Manufacturing Alliance with just a few members, and now we have five regional chapters across the state. “We are uniquely positioned to help Georgia capture much of the reshoring of manufacturing to America.” Deal praised Moss for his work to “strengthen the resources necessary to support Georgia’s manufacturing industry” in the document. “Mr. Moss has acted as a champion for the manufacturing sector by offering numerous opportunities for industry professionals to develop partnerships and learn best practices from leaders of the trade,” Deal said. “Through his commitment and dedication to the manufacturing industry, Mr. Jason Moss has had a positive impact on workers across the state and encouraged the growth of Georgia’s economy.”
wrong club. The Grayson library branch’s Chess Club — which officials don’t mind talking about — is set to gather from 3 to 4:30 p.m. next Sunday for its regular meeting. Attendees play games of chess against each other, socialize, learn new strategies and grow as players. The event is open to people of all ages, and participants can bring their own chess set or use one of the library’s sets. The library is located at 700 Grayson Parkway, in Grayson. LAWRENCEVILLE Gas department taking bids for Walnut Grove project Lawrenceville’s gas department is looking for someone to take on phase II of the city’s Walnut Grove pressure improvement project. The city announced recently that it is seeking bids for the project and that qualified contractors have until March 20 at 3 p.m. to submit their information. The project entails removing seven pressure regulating stations, and tie-overs of 10 pressure regulating stations, high-pressure steel gas mains and 154 gas services along Ga. Highway 81. Bids should be submitted
to Lawrenceville City Hall — Purchasing Department, 70 S. Clayton St., Lawrenceville, GA 30046. LILBURN Bulgarian Folk Dance Group of Atlanta to perform at library The group will perform authentic Bulgarian folk dances at the branch 4817 Church St. from 3 to 4 p.m. The free event will feature the group, which has grown in popularity since a few enthusiasts started it in 2010. The dance group shows off different folk dances from several Bulgarian regions and offers sessions to educate others about the culture. For more information, visit gwinnettpl.org. LOGANVILLE American Legion Post hosts Bingo all week long Bingo enthusiasts don’t have to be American Legion Post 233 members to get their game on all week long. The post hosts Bingo at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday and at 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Cards start at $7.50 and the jackpot gets up to $1,000. The American Legion Post 233 is located at 4635 Atlanta Highway. For more information, visit www. gapost233.com.
PEACHTREE CORNERS City looking for input on Arts & Culture Master Plan Peachtree Corners needs residents’ input for its Arts & Culture Master Plan. The idea of the plan is to provide future direction for public and performing arts in the community. The city is looking for input on whether Peachtree Corners should bring in more arts, what the purpose of the plan should be and what kinds of arts the city should focus on. To do that, officials have compiled a survey, which can be found at https://www. surveymonkey.com/r/ptcartsandculture. The city will keep the results of the survey in mind while compiling the Arts & Culture Master Plan. SNELLVILLE Craft garments, bedding for disadvantaged newborns You can sew, quilt, knit or crochet items for little ones in need in northeast Georgia at the Tiny Stitched Snellville Workshop on March 13. The workshop will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. the second Monday of each month at Eastside Hospital South Campus, Room H2U, 2160 Fountain Drive. Materials, patterns and instructions will be provided. For more information, contact Karen Fulford at 770638-4682 or k.fulford@att.net or visit www.tinystitches.org. SUGAR HILL Youth council attends conference in Atlanta Four members of the Sugar Hill Youth Council — Aysha Jerald, Roshni Patel, Taylor Morain, and Amber Nicholson — recently attended the Mayor’s Day Conference in Atlanta at the Hilton Hotel. The youth council observed three conferences, met several mayors, state senators and youth delegates from across the state. The group also took part in a youth leadership program. In that program, the SHYC was informed on how a bill becomes a law, learned the importance of public services and obtained advice from elected officials, including Rep. Dar’shun Kendrick, Rep. Dexter Sharper and Clarkston Mayor Ted Terry. SUWANEE Kiwanis Club hosts seventh annual Shamrock 5K Suwanee’s Kiwanis members are set to put on a 5K race at Town Center Park on March 18 and run through Town Center and the Suwanee Greenway Trail. The race will begin at 7:30 a.m., and is a certified Peachtree Road Race qualifier. Last year, the Shamrock Run, with 250 participants, was one of the group’s largest fundraisers. High school students can apply for scholarships funded by the race proceeds. The Kiwanis Club of Suwanee recently celebrated its 20th anniversary, and the club supports the local community through service projects and fundraisers. The race entry fee is $25 before March 3 and $35 on the day of the race. Awards will be given to the top three finishers overall and in the top three male and female categories, as well as to age group finishers. Registration is available at active.com.
12C • SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017
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Dyer Elementary chorus receives honor Members of the Dyer Elementary chorus recently visited the Gold Dome and met with state lawmakers and other leaders at the Capitol. Gwinnett School Board member Carole Boyce, and Professional Association of Georgia Educators legislative liaison Margaret Ciccarelli accompanied music teacher Sherry Coulombe and the students. Rep. Chuck Efstration, R-Dacula, wrote a resolution for Dyer being named one of two elementary schools in the state to perform at the annual Georgia Music Educators Association conference in January. Last year, Dyer was performed for President Jimmy Carter and his wife. As part of the Gold Dome visit, the Dyer students met with State School Superintendent
Good News from Schools
Members of the Dyer Elementary chorus recently visited the Gold Dome and met with state lawmakers and other leaders at the Capitol. Here, they posed for a picture with State School Superintendent Richard Woods. (Special Photo)
Keith Farner Richard Woods. “He was so gracious and kind,” Coulombe said. “He (talked) with my students about education and his own life. He answered all questions and spent a whopping hour and a half with us.” Duluth millionaire Duluth Middle student Naman Shah is $20,000 richer after appearing on a hit TV game show. Shah was one of a handful of contestants selected to compete on a special “Whiz Kids” episode of the long-running
televised game show, “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” More than 10,000 students from across the country applied to appear on the show.
Peachtree Corners Business Association donates to Norcross Foundation At its January networking breakfast, the Peachtree Corners Busi-
ness Association presented a check to the Norcross High School Foundation for Excellence in the amount of $1,500. This donation will go to help fund the After School
Matters Program at the school. Keith Farner writes about education. Good News from Schools appears in the Sunday edition of the Daily Post.
Marriage takes away Reduce your words, a fantastic character increase your impact Forget Perfect
One of my favorite characters ever and one that readers have unfailingly enjoyed is my friend Poet, the scion of a cotton family who speaks in lyrical tones and has always been interestingly unconventional. For Poet, life has never held rules. Let me clarify. He is honorable, kind, smart and filled with integrity, so he doesn’t cheat or lie and he takes pride in his word. But for years, I have watched with fascination as Poet colored outside the lines and took his cue from no one but himself. Perhaps I even lived vicariously through him. He was brave about his choices and obedient to his restlessness. He did what he wanted when he wanted. Often were the days that he’d climb into his truck, take off with a trail of farm dust scattering behind him and wind up wherever he took a notion. He answered to no one. He always made sure that he owed nary a soul, though he does like for others to owe him either in money or favors. Some of my most enjoyable times have been the adventures with Poet for he’s always game for anything and he has a beautiful way of expressing himself in rich Southern language so he’s terrifically entertaining. His observations are wise and summed up in wit. One night out at dinner, the conversation turned to a Southern politician whom I hold in admiration while Poet teeters, skeptically, on the center line. We debated and I defended. We were sitting
in a booth that didn’t have a partition between us and the adjoining booths. The group of four dining behind us got up to leave and one of the men came over and introduced himself to Poet, reminding him that they had met previously. He said, “I couldn’t help but overhear your discussion. You know that I’m his nephew, right?” Cool as cucumber, Poet drawled beautifully, “Yes, indeed, I am well aware of that. And a fine man he is. We’re all the better for him having served so honorably. Please, relay my kindest regards to him. And tell him my contribution is in the mail.” As he walked away, Poet’s eyes widened. “Did I say anything that would have sounded disparaging to such a fine man and humble civil servant?” I nearly went under the table, laughing. Another time, he showed up at a conference I was attending that was being held in a hotel/ casino. He wanted to play blackjack, so I followed him to the table and watched in admiration as he coolly, assuredly played the game. I have no card sense. I don’t understand cards, so I can’t play them though he tried
to explain. After a while, he laid his hand on the table and, with nonchalant panache, instructed the dealer, “Color me out.” “Color me out? What does that mean?” I asked as we left the casino. “Just another way of saying ‘deal me out.’” See, Poet has a way with words that makes him memorable. Because of his answerto-no-one style and penchant for living life on his own terms, I have considered him to be one of the South’s greatest characters in modern times and he has given me lots of material. And then, without a word to anyone, he up and married. Tink laughed as he watched the conversation between Poet and me for I was taken aback. It felt like my favorite character in my favorite book had been killed off. He’d never have that same devil-may-care attitude again. “Be happy for him,” Tink said. “The Tarleton twins have died,” I responded glumly. “Who?” “Gone With the Wind. Killed in battle. Characters I loved.” Tink rolled his eyes and Poet laughed. I slumped lower in my chair. “Now, he’s just like the rest of us. He’s ordinary. He used to be exciting.” So I’m in mourning. The rambling, adventurous Poet has been colored out. Ronda Rich is a bestselling Southern author. Visit www.rondarich.com to sign up for her free weekly newsletter.
Have you ever experienced death by PowerPoint? How about your boss asking you to read the endless business plan? We’ve all been there. A well-intended person puts pen to paper, or hands to keyboard, and they cram everything they know into a document. Their intention is to share important information, but too much information is almost as bad as too little. When it comes to communication, there are three levels: 1. Stoic silence If you’ve ever dwelled in the silent vortex of no information, you’ve know the chilling effect the absence of communication has on organizations and relationships. When people don’t know what’s going on, they feel disconnected from the task at hand and disconnected from each other. Malaise ensues. 2. Regurgitation On the flip side of no communication is regurgitation. Decks with 37 slides, business plans with 15 different strategies. It’s not quite as bad as noncommunication, but it’s not particularly helpful either. It’s not over communication; it’s overly wordy communication. In the face of 17 goals, no one knows which one is most important. 3. Concise The most effective communication is to distill the information down into the most important points and communicate it with brevity. It’s challenging because you
ing instructions with to kids. Before you speak, or go for the slide deck, ask yourself: Is this essential for my audience? And I mean absolutely essential. If you have 10 top priorities, you might as well have none. Strategy is about making Lisa McLeod choices. It means saying yes, and saying no. If you want others to take have to sort and prioritize your information, prioritize, don’t list more than three things. discarding anything not Is this relevant to my absolutely essential. audience? The famous quote, “If Nothing obliterates I had more time, I would have written you a short- a solid point more than er letter” illustrates why endless data before and afterward. Your CEO brevity is so difficult. It doesn’t need all the takes more time. details of your job, your The quote was first customer doesn’t need attributed in writing to to know the inner workFrench mathematician ing of your software, and philosopher Blaise and your spouse doesn’t Pascal. The statement need every detail of your (in French) appeared in conversation with the a letter in a collection neighbor. Share what’s called “Lettres Provinciales” in the year 1657. relevant to the listener, The quote was also later not what you find interesting. People don’t need attributed to Voltaire, as much background as Benjamin Franklin, you might think. Mark Twain and WinWhat do I want my ston Churchill, amongst audience to do? others. No doubt these Whenever I work leadexcellent writers reers on goals and strategy, peated and internalized it, because they all know, the litmus test I use is, “I’m a middle manager, I being concise requires more mental acuity than just heard this. It’s Monday morning, what do I simply blathering on. do?” Good communicaWhen I work with setors connect the dots for nior leaders, it’s always challenging to help them people. They draw the distill their strategies and line from the big picture to daily actions. goals into the most saWords matter. The lient points. Here are the fewer you choose, the questions I use to help more they stand out. leaders be concise with Lisa McLeod is the their teams. The same questions can be used if author of the bestseller “Selling with Noble Puryou’re in the middle of pose.” Her most recent an organization, combook is titled “Leading municating with your with Noble Purpose.” volunteer group, or giv-
Many American Christians are struggling with the refugee question: How do we reconcile our commission to care for the poor with the need to protect our communities? After all, Americans are the most charitable people in the world. A new study by the Almanac of American Philanthropy found that we out-donate Britain and Canada by a 2-to-1 ratio and other western nations by 20-to-1. If we weren’t so charitable, the influx of refugees from war-torn Middle-Eastern nations might not pose such a dilemma. We’d simply turn them away. At the same time, reports of growing violence
infiltrate the ranks of refuges in order to export fighters to the U.S., along with reports that they have already done so. Even if some accounts are exaggerated, the truth is sobering enough. How many jihadists vowRob ing death to Americans Jenkins represent an acceptable number? in Western Europe, where As Christians, we don’t the numbers of immiwant to turn away people grants have skyrocketed with legitimate needs. in recent years, are difChrist declared that we ficult to ignore. For that must love our neighbor as matter, we see similar ourselves and taught that reports from American we are to feed the hungry, cities with large refugee clothe the naked and tend populations, such as to the sick — regardless Dearborn, Mich. of nationality or religion. We also read stateYet the Savior also ments by ISIS leadcautioned about thieves ers that they intend to that come “to kill and
to destroy” and warned of “wolves in sheep’s clothing.” It’s true that, in both cases, He was speaking figuratively; however, such passages indicate a clear awareness on His part of evil in the world — of bad people who would do us harm, against whom we must be ever vigilant. I don’t think Jesus would have said that loving our neighbor means allowing thieves into our homes or wolves into our folds. Clearly, charity is a commandment — but just as clearly, it is not a suicide pact. Fortunately, there are many ways of expressing Christian charity. As individuals
and congregations, we can and should extend a helping hand to those peaceful refugees who are already here, giving both our substance and our time. Many churches, like mine, have collected clothes, blankets and food for needy refugee families, put together “hygiene kits” containing basic necessities, or performed other charitable acts. Meanwhile, the federal government has both the right and the responsibility to protect its citizens, taking every precaution to make sure we’re not allowing jihadists into our country. It should not discriminate based on
Ronda Rich
Balancing charity with wisdom and knowledge
faith but should prioritize those most endangered in their home countries — especially victims of religious genocide. It should work with our allies in the Middle East and elsewhere to find workable solutions to the refugee crisis. Most of all, it should focus on defeating ISIS and other radical groups so as many refugees as possible can go home. Rob Jenkins is a local freelance writer and the author of four books, including “Family Man: The Art of Surviving Domestic Tranquility,” available at Books for Less in Buford and on Amazon. Email Rob at rjenkinsgdp@yahoo.com.
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RESTAURANT SCORES
PETS OF THE WEEK
Restaurant Address ...................................................................................................................Score B.B.’s Wings 3920 Peachtree Industrial Blvd., Duluth.....................................................................84 Don Quixote 1630 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth ..............................................................................100 Arcado Elementary School 5150 Arcado Road, Lilburn.............................................................100 Messina’s 4075 U.S. Highway 29, Lilburn ......................................................................................81 B.B. Harris Elementary School 3123 Claiborne Ave., Duluth ....................................................100 Capaldis New York Pizza Company 3170 Peachtree Industrial Blvd., Duluth ..........................100 Hibachi Express 1417 Grayson Highway, Lawrenceville ...............................................................98 D. Cuban Cafe 5942 Buford Highway, Norcross .............................................................................85 Pasta and Grill 1291 Old Peachtree Road, Suwanee ....................................................................84 Oriental Garden 4132 Atlanta Highway, Loganville ........................................................................87 China Chef 2420 Wisteria Drive, Snellville ......................................................................................80 Autumn Leaves of Sugarloaf 1475 Satellite Blvd., Suwanee .......................................................98 Tutti Frutti Frozen Yogurt 5900 Sugarloaf Parkway, Lawrenceville .............................................100 Auntie Anne’s Pretzels 5900 Sugarloaf Parkway, Lawrenceville ..................................................94 Medieval Times at Discover Mills 5900 Sugarloaf Parkway, Lawrenceville ..............................100 Lattea 2131 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth ...........................................................................................91 Culinart at Phi College Osteopathic Medicine 625 Old Peachtree Road N.W., Suwanee.......73 Pings Place 2300 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth .................................................................................91 Jade Dragon 4601 Satellite Blvd., Duluth ........................................................................................91 Cho Won Buffet 3635 Satellite Blvd., Duluth ...................................................................................87
Each week the Gwinnett Daily Post will feature an animal available for adoption at the Georgia SPCA, which is located at 1175 Buford Highway, Suite 109, Suwanee, GA. The hours of operation are Mondays through Fridays 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturdays 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays 1 to 4 p.m. You can see the rest of the adoptable cats and dogs at www.georgiaspca.org.
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Tickets available at the Infinite Energy Arena box office or online at infiniteenergycenter.com
Tickets available at the Philips Arena Box office or online at ticketmaster.com
Tickets available at the Infinite Energy Arena box office or online at infiniteenergycenter.com
SAVE $7 ON TICKETS SAVE $7
Use code word: COURT. Valid on select tickets. May not be combined with any other offers or used with previous purchased tickets. Offer valid through game day.
ON TICKETS
Use code word: COURT. Valid on select tickets. May not be combined with any other offers or used with previous purchased tickets. Offer valid through game day.
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Huey and Louie are a couple of 1.5-half-year-old brothers who would love to go to a forever home together. This orange tabby pair loves to play and be petted. They are both very affectionate and would love to share some of that affection with you. Huey and Louie were brought to us after a divorce in the family, and unfortunately for these lovable brothers, they got the short end of the stick. They lost their family, but wouldn’t you love to make them a part of yours?
COMMUNITY CALENDAR March 4
Lilburn City Hall will host Tree Planting and Maintenance Lunch and Learn from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. It is suggested to bring a sack lunch, and the event will be led by Master Gardener Kate Pittman. The event will be located at 340 Main St. in Lilburn. For more information, visit cityoflilburn.com.
March 18
Suwanee Town Center Park will host the fifth annual Suwanee Kiwanis Shamrock 5K Run beginning at 7:30 a.m. The event will be located at 330 Town Center Ave. in Suwanee. Registration will begin at 7 a.m. For more information, send an email to A.edge@suwanee.com. Suwanee Town Center Park will host the seventh annual Suwanee Beer Fest beginning from 1 to 5 p.m. Advance tickets will cost $50 and day-of-event tickets will be $60. The event will be located at 330 Town Center Ave. in Suwanee.
April 22
The Infinite Energy Center will host an All About Kids Expo from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will be located at 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway in Duluth. More information can be found on the event’s Facebook page. Suwanee Town Center Park will host Suwanee Beat Cancer Fest beginning at 7 a.m. The event will be located at 330 Town Center Ave. in Suwanee. For more information, visit suwaneebeatcan-
cerfest.com. Lawrenceville Lawn will host Paws in the Park at 10 a.m. Vendor tables are $50, and sponsorships begin at $100 to raise money for the Bow Wow Buddies Foundation. The event will be free to the public. The event will be located at 147 Luckie St. in Lawrenceville. For more information, visit campbowwow.com.
April 29
Coolray Field will host the 4th annual Greater Atlanta Congenital Heart Walk. Registration will begin at 8 a.m., and the walk will start at 9:30 a.m. The event will be located at 2500 Buford Drive N.E. in Lawrenceville. For more information, contact info@ congenitalheartwalk.org.
Ongoing
The Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation is sponsoring Writer’s Groups from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. every Monday. The groups will meet at the Pinckneyville Park Community Recreation Center, which is located at 4650 Peachtree Industrial Blvd. in Berkeley Lake. For more information, visit gwinnettcounty.com. There will be badminton playing from 5 to 8 p.m. every Friday. These badminton nights will take place at Best Friend Park, which is located at 6224 Jimmy Carter Blvd. in Norcross. For more information, visit gwinnettcounty.com. The Atlanta Hobby Robot Club will meet from 10 a.m. to noon the last Saturday
of every month. The club meetings will take place at Pinckneyville Community Recreation Center, which is located at 4650 Peachtree Industrial Blvd. in Berkeley Lake. For more information, visit gwinnettcounty.com. There will be Northeast Georgia Civil War Round Table meetings starting at 3 p.m. the second Sunday of each month. The meetings will take place at the Gwinnett History Museum, which is located at 455 S. Perry St. in Lawrenceville. For more information, visit gwinnettcounty. org. There will be Gwinnoters meetings starting at 2 p.m the fourth Sunday of every month. The meetings will take place at the Gwinnett History Museum, which is located at 455 S. Perry St. in Lawrenceville. For more information, visit gwinnettcounty.com. HOOKED: Teen Volunteer Club, a service volunteer club, will meet monthly the first Saturday of each month. The club will meet at the Shorty Howell Park Activity Building, which is located at 2750 Pleasant Hill Road in Duluth. For more information, visit gwinnettcounty.com. McDaniel Marchers, a walking club, meets from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. the third Wednesday and Saturdays of each month. The club will meet at the McDaniel Farm Park, which is located at 3251 McDaniel Road in Duluth. For more information, visit gwinnettcounty.com.
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Destinations
•From Page 1C be described as The Third Place — that place beyond work and home where we go to recreate and to commune,” Toro said. “In a time when we’re all hyperconnected by these (mobile) devices, tweeting and texting and posting, we’re as isolated as we’ve ever been. It is The Third Place that provides that communal aspect of life that we all crave. And those of us charged with creating place must provide it in order to succeed.” The flurry of downtown development is not a Gwinnett-specific phenomenon. John Tuley, a senior principal planner with the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Community Development Division, said suburban downtowns and commercial nodes are reinventing themselves as livable centers with new amenities, such as restaurants, shops and additional housing. “This is a trend we’ve been seeing in the region for several years,” Tuley said. “You really see it more so on the north side than the south side. Some of that, there’s some other regional economics and other things at play there, but you do still see sort of similar things happening.” Tuley pointed to a trio of Gwinnett cities — Norcross, Duluth and Suwanee — as early adapters of this trend and models for other communities to follow. Norcross and Duluth, in particular, were two of the first communities to adopt Livable Centers Initiative plans for their downtowns, he said. As a result, both cities have created large town green spaces in their historic downtown districts and brought in a mix of shops and restaurants to get people back into those areas. Both cities are also working on plans for a mix of new commercial and residential developments near and around
gwinnettdailypost.com
downtown progress 2017
Some cities still in early planning
Clockwise, from upper left, The Bowl at Sugar Hill’s rise has caused city leaders to pour several million dollars into upgrades, most notably $3 million into the amphitheater. (File Photo) Brian and Erica Etheridge from Alpharetta enjoy ice cream with their kids on a beautiful Sunday afternoon in downtown Duluth. (Photo: Karl L. Moore) A rendering of a portion of the planned Town Green in Peachtree Corners is pictured. (Special Photo: City of Peachtree Corners) This illustration shows a proposed look for the 16-acre mixed-use development expected to begin construction this spring next to the Mall of Georgia. (File Photo)
their downtowns to further enhance those areas. Meanwhile, Suwanee built an an entirely new activity center, the Town Center, that has become its new downtown. It includes a new City Hall, a town green, shops, restaurants and residential spaces all in one location. “Gwinnett has had some of the most success with a lot of their little town centers,” Tuley said. “We reference those cities, those jurisdictions a lot, and Gwinnett County as a whole has done a pretty good job of working together to do a lot of good development and attract some good employment. “We honestly do use a lot of those examples. Folks may be getting tired of hearing us talk about them, but nevertheless, … Suwanee has consistently been (an example), Duluth has been one and Norcross is another
one. Even when we talk to folks nationally, we bring up those three cities as examples again and again.” Tuley said it’s part of a movement of cities, as they build out to their city limits, to look at revitalizing their existing downtown areas as ways to keep their economies prosperous. At the same time, Tuley said people are looking for places to live which are denser and more urbanized. Although it may appear that everyone who wants that is gravitating to midtown and downtown Atlanta, Tuley said the downtown areas of the suburbs remain viable alternatives. “You’ve seen a lot of interest in people wanting to be somewhere where, when they’re home, especially, they have urbantype amenities close by,” Tuley said. “It’s kind of this ongo-
ing trend of an urban renaissance that we’ve been seeing for the past almost 20 years in the region of, not necessarily everybody wanting to live (in downtown Atlanta), but folks want to live in a slightly more urban, slightly more walkable area and have things like restaurants and parks and potential entertainment options close to their home.” One example of this movement is Sugar Hill’s EpiCenter project. Unlike many of its counterparts elsewhere in Gwinnett, Sugar Hill has never had a traditional downtown area. EpiCenter builds off the momentum created when the new City Hall opened a few years ago, followed by the Bowl at Sugar Hill and the town green. The EpiCenter will include recreation, dining and social and office spaces next to City Hall. Similarly, Gwinnett’s
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some of its community improvement districts on economic development and revitalization projects. Other walkable
Open House includes: Guided campus tours and lunch with faculty and current students. Breakout sessions include: Financial aid, GGC majors, campus life and student housing.
newest city, Peachtree Corners, is planning to establish its own downtowntype area with its town center project next to The Forum. It will include townhomes, a movie theater, office space, shops, restaurants and green spaces where the community can gather. “I think also having a sense of identity for those communities has maybe gotten to be more important,” Tuley said. “Peachtree Corners is one of those that incorporated and didn’t really have a center, and is now kind of moving quickly toward developing their identity, reinvigorating that technology hub that they were for so many years, building a new town center and realizing that to attract those new businesses, in their case, they may need to rethink what their identity is a little bit. “Not a wholesale change. Not throw out the past, but reinvigorate and reinvent themselves.” Meanwhile, Snellville has its own projects in the pipeline, including the creation of a city market and development around its town green. At the same time, Lilburn officials are looking to eventually extend their downtown along the newly rerouted Main Street out to the new City Hall, library complex and U.S. Highway 29. Lawrenceville is looking to develop the property around the Lawrenceville Lawn in an effort that will take years to complete, while Clayton and Perry streets will be converted from one-way roads to two-way streets. Other cities in Gwinnett, such as Grayson and Loganville, may not have development projects under construction right now, but they are eyeing some development of their own. Grayson, for example, sold its old post office to its Downtown Development Authority in November with plans for the DDA to do a turnaround and sell it to a developer. At the same time, Loganville officials are looking at a variety of potential uses for property its city leaders bought on Main Street last year. “The Gwinnett brand is … community building and place making,” county commission Chairwoman Charlotte Nash said in her recent State of the County address. “All of the cities in Gwinnett are engaged in this work and have made great progress.” Elsewhere, in unincorporated Gwinnett, the county is working with
What’s there now Loganville has purchased land on Main Street, between Covington and Church streets, for future development and has taken over the former Loganville Elementary School site. Meanwhile, Grayson officials are working with the county to overhaul the intersection of Grayson Parkway and Rosebud Road to relieve traffic tie-ups. Buford officials, on the other hand, are grappling with parking issues downtown. What’s next Loganville has two projects on tap for its downtown area, according to city spokesman Robbie Schwartz. One is the redevelopment of the former school to become the new City Hall. “This entails about 10 acres of the downtown area and is tying up a lot of our time and efforts right now,” Schwartz said. The city is still looking at possible uses for the site between Covington and Church streets on Main Street, and received a presentation on various potential options last month. “The presentation at January’s council meeting was centered on showing our council members the potential of land purchased by the City of Loganville over the past 18 months,” Schwartz said. “We have been in discussions with different private investors on a variety of different options, but we wanted to put something before them so they could visually see the potential.” In Buford, officials are looking to take action soon on the parking situation. They included funding for a downtown parking deck in the 2017 SPLOST project list. At the same time, Grayson officials sold the former post office on Pine Grove Avenue to the city’s Downtown Development Authority in November with plans for it to eventually be sold to a developer for redevelopment. Expected arrival Other than Grayson’s road project, a lot of these projects are still in the early stages, so it will be a while before residents see them fulfilled. Schwartz said the Loganville project on Main Street, for example, must still undergo a needs assessment before it can proceed.
mixed-use developments are expected to pop up at the Infinite Energy Center and the Mall of Georgia. These types of developments outside of traditional downtown areas are not limited to Gwinnett. Tuley pointed to similar developments at Cumberland Mall and the new Atlanta Braves stadium in Cobb County, and the Perimeter Mall area in north Fulton, as examples of denser downtown-like activity centers popping up in traditional commercial centers. “This doesn’t have to be historic cities,” Tuley said. “These are places that maybe traditionally weren’t actual literal town centers but were centers of activity that are now trying to become a little more urban.”