Peachtree Corners Magazine - June/July 2022 by Peachtree Corners Magazine

INSIDE: PEACHTREE CORNERS FESTIVAL

OFFICIAL CITY NEWS ►

PEACHTREE CORNERS JUNE / JULY 2022 ISSUE 21 ■ LIVINGINPEACHTREECORNERS.COM

MAILED TO EVERY HOUSEHOLD IN THE CITY

Norcross High Re-establishes Tradition of Winning State Titles PEACHTREE CORNERS CITYHOOD P30

IF YOUR HOUSE WERE A BOOK, THE FRONT YARD WOULD BE ITS COVER P58

THE FORUM UPDATE & PLANS P22

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Peachtree Corners Magazine ■ June/July 2022 ■ LivingInPeachtreeCorners.com

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June/July 2022 ■ Peachtree Corners Magazine

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Peachtree Corners Magazine ■ June/July 2022 ■ LivingInPeachtreeCorners.com

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IN THIS ISSUE COVER STORY

Norcross High Re-establishes Tradition of Winning State Titles

SPACES

PHOTO FEATURE

Your House Parks & Trails 58 IfWere 41 a Book, in Peachtree the Front Yard Corners Would Be Its Cover

FIRST UP

Local events

COMMUNITY

Peachtree Corners Distinctiveness Predates Cityhood

BUSINESS Finnish Company Moves U.S. Headquarters to Peachtree Corners 28 DOING GOOD

Local Nonprofit Breaking Down Barriers to Poverty 34

Bringing the Urban to the Suburbs

SPECIAL SECTION

SAFETY

The Peachtree Corners Festival Returns Triumphantly for Its 11th Year

Police Officers Honored 70

Summer Outdoor Fun Guide

Changes to The Forum, Surrounding Area Discussed at Public Forum

NOURISH GOHAN Market Brings Authentic Japanese Goods to Peachtree Corners

ABOUT THE COVER

GUIDE

BUSINESS

The Father’s House Holds Luncheon to Continue Building with Peachtree Corners 56

KNOWLEDGE Local Students Take Top Honors in International Creativity Contest 48 BELIEVE Chabad of Gwinnett Breaks Ground for New Center 52

Nocross High School coaches and Athletic Director. From Left, Ashley Luke Clanton, Jesse McMillan, Kirk Barton and Keith Maloof. Photography by George Hunter.

OFFICIAL CITY PAGES

PEACHTREE CORNERS The official city news and updates

June/July 2022 ■ Peachtree Corners Magazine

PEACHTREECORNERS EDITORIAL

EXECUTIVE EDITOR & PUBLISHER

THE TEAM & CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE

RICO FIGLIOLINI CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

ARLINDA SMITH BROADY EDITOR EMERITUS

KATHY DEAN EDITORIAL CONSULTANT

RICO FIGLIOLINI

ARLINDA SMITH BROADY

Rico Figliolini is a creative director and social media strategist, three-time magazine publisher and podcast host. He grew up in Brooklyn, New York and is a political junky, sci-fi and anime fan, and avid reader and movie binger.

Arlinda Smith Broady is of the Boomerang Generation of Blacks that moved back to the South after ancestors moved North. With 30 years of journalism experience, she’s worked in tiny newsrooms to major metropolitans. She brings professionalism, passion, pluck, and the desire to spread news.

Publisher & Executive Editor

RITA FIGLIOLINI

ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

JULIE DAVIS julie@livinginpeachtreecorners.com

RITA FIGLIOLINI

KATHY DEAN

Rita Figliolini has lived in PTC for 23 years with her husband and life partner, Rico Figliolini. Proud mom of 3 — Jason, Kinsey and Jack. Former Managing Editor of the original Inside Gwinnett, she’s now Advisor to PTC Magazine. Telling stories is in our blood!

Kathy Dean has been a writer and editor for over 20 years. Some of the publications she has contributed to are Atlanta Senior Life, Atlanta INtown, Transatlantic Journal and The Guide to Coweta and Fayette Counties.

Editorial Consultant

JULIE DAVIS

PATRIZIA WINSPER

Writer

HARRY J. PINKNEY, JR

GEORGE HUNTER

Harry J. Pinkney, Jr is an accomplished Graphic Designer with over 25 years of experience. A Philadelphia native who now calls Atlanta his home. He enjoys his dog, Chloeé, working out, movies, and running his own freelance graphic/ web design business.

George Hunter is an IT professional from Alaska by way of Texas. His primary hobby is photography, covering a wide range of subjects from pets to cosplay, sports to fashion. Volunteering and fostering dogs brings him much joy. George, his wife Lila and their rescued dogs have made their home in west Gwinnett for almost 20 years.

Graphic Designer

PEACHTREECORNERS PUBLISHED BY MIGHTY ROCKETS LLC. P. O. BOX 923207 Peachtree Corners, GA 30010 678-358-7858 editor@livinginpeachtreecorners.com Peachtree Corners Magazine is published six times a year by Mighty Rockets LLC. Opinions expressed by the contributing writers and editors are not necessarily those of the publishers, editors or Peachtree Corners Magazine. The publisher will not accept responsibility for submitted materials that are lost or stolen. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy of this publication. However, the publisher cannot assume responsibility for errors or omissions. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. Publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertisement it seems unfit for publication or does not fit in our guidelines.

Editor Emeritus

Account Executive

Julie Davis is an accomplished sales rep with over 20 years of experience in the telecom industry. When not working or spending time with friends and family, Julie can be found melting glass, as she is an avid fused glass artist.

instagram.com/peachtreecornerslife facebook.com/peachtreecornerslife twitter.com/peachtreecrnrs www.pinterest.com/ PeachtreeCornersMagazine

Contributing Editor

Patrizia hails from Toronto, Canada where she earned an Honors B.A. in French and Italian Studies at York University, and a B.Ed. at the University of Toronto. This trilingual former French teacher has called Georgia home since 1998. Catch her reporting about our vibrant city on the Peachtree Corners Network.

Photographer

KAREN HUPPERTZ

ISADORA PENNINGTON

Karen Huppertz is a freelance journalist with the AJC, content writer and volunteer with the International Dyslexia Association. When not posting gardening images or writing to meet a deadline, she is advocating for individuals struggling to learn to read.

Isadora Pennington is a writer, photographer, and designer living in Avondale Estates, GA. She has worked in print for the past decade and has been published in the Atlanta INtown, Oz Magazine, Atlanta Senior Life, and the Reporter Newspapers.

Writer

Writer/Photographer

IVY CLARKE

TRACEY RICE

Ivy Clarke is a writer, editor and artist currently studying English literature, creative writing and art at Mercer University. She also writes and edits for The Mercer Cluster, The Dulcimer, Macon Magazine and Mercer University Press.

After a long career in global marketing for Fortune 500 companies like The Coca-Cola Company and Texas Instruments, Tracey earned a degree in Commercial Photography and now owns her own photography business. She specializes in portraits, events and real estate photography. She is the President of the Peachtree Corners Photography Club.

Writer

Photographer

NATHAN DEEN Writer

Nathan Deen is a freelance journalist and content marketer, author and aspiring screenwriter. Nathan has written for Savannah Morning News, The Brunswick News and the Bayonet and Saber.

The editors welcome submissions, event listings, achievements and photography. Please direct them to editor@livinginpeachtreecorners.com. This publication is independently and privately owned, and managedby Mighty Rockets LLC

Peachtree Corners Magazine ■ June/July 2022 ■ LivingInPeachtreeCorners.com

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PODCASTS

Check our website and social media for our “Curb Appeal Giveaway” with over $700 in prizes and gift cards.

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Weekly On

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Peachtree Corners Life A podcast that explores Peachtree Corners’ community, people and businesses, hosted by Rico Figliolini

Capitalist Sage A twice a month business podcast, streamed on www.facebook.com/ thecapitalistsage, hosted by Karl Barham and Rico Figliolini thecapitalistsage.com Prime Lunchtime with The City Manager A monthly podcast about the city, development, issues and news with guest City Manager Brian Johnson, hosted by Rico Figliolini

EVERY PODCAST is Simulcast Live streamed on facebook.com/peachtreecornerslife and our YouTube Channel

Podcasts are available on the website livinginpeachtreecorners. com, and on iHeartRadio, Spotify, Apple Podcast, SoundCloud and YouTube

The best way to keep informed is follow us on social media.

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June/July 2022 ■ Peachtree Corners Magazine

FIRST UP

Events, Programs & Fun Things to Do

Lionheart Summer Drama Camps June 6-24. 12-3:30 p.m.

Town Green Calendar 5140 Town Center Boulevard Peachtree Corners 30092 peachtreecornersga.gov

Lionheart Theatre 10 College Street Norcross 30071 404-919-4022, lionhearttheatre.org Kids ages 8-14 can register for three week-long camps, Monday through Friday. Schedules, costs and registration available on the website.

Peachtree Corners Photography Club Group Meet Up Thursday, June 9, July 14, August 11. 6:45-8:15 p.m. Atlanta Tech Park 107 Technology Parkway, Peachtree Corners 30092 pcphotoclub.org June 9: Photo Kairos: Light, Time and the Theory of Everything with speaker Michael Boatright. Meetings are held on the second Thursday of each month at Atlanta Tech Park and/or online. Photographers of all skill levels are invited to arrive at 6:15 p.m. for fellowship and social time.

Peachtree Corners Festival July 1-3. Friday concert, 7 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, 12-5 p.m. Peachtree Corners Town Green 5140 Town Center Blvd., Peachtree Corners Admission: free Three days of family fun will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the incorporation of Peachtree Corners. The festival includes live music, arts and crafts booths, a car and bike show — and lots of food. Visit peachtreecornersfestival.com for all the details.

Cinderellie-Mae July 14-17. Lionheart Theatre 10 College Street Norcross 30071 404-919-4022, lionhearttheatre.org Prince Bubba is throwing a barn dance to find a new bride and all the single fillies in town are just a-chomping at the bit. Out of nowhere comes Cinderellie-Mae after her fairy God-Mamaw ‘purtied’ her up so she can attend the dance.

Important Note: All city events are subject to postponement or cancellation due to current health and safety concerns, as well as other mitigating factors. Please check the city website and calendar for updates and COVID protocols. If reservations, masks and other precautions are required, the city’s website will include all necessary information at least one week before the event. Check peachtreecornersga.gov. For the safety and convenience of all guests the following items are prohibited on the Town Green: glass containers; fires or barbecue grills; hard-sided or large coolers; large or over-sized bags/backpacks, luggage, or duffel bags; fireworks or sparklers; smoking, vaping or use of any tobacco products; illegal substances or drugs; pets or animals, with the exception of service animals; flying objects, including but not limited to sports balls, flying discs, beach, balls or drones; tents, tables or staking. No items can be affixed to any park infrastructure.

CrossFit at the Green Every Tuesday, 10-11 a.m. through September 29. June 2, 9, 16, 23, 30; July 7, 14, 21, 28; August 4, 11. Everyone is invited, regardless of age or fitness level, to join Terrance Fox with CrossFit PPG for a free workout every Thursday, May through September. This strength and conditioning program relies on varied, functional movements performed at high intensity to achieve a health and fitness level that sustains any lifestyle.

Yoga on the Green Every Tuesday, 8-9 a.m. through September 27. June 7, 14, 21, 28; July 5, 12, 19, 26; August 2, 9. Taught by David Penn from Sun Dragon Yoga, this is a free yoga class. Students are asked to bring water (no glass containers), a small towel or two, and a mat if you have one — and wear comfortable clothes.

Flicks on the Green July 2, August 6. 7-9 p.m. Families and friends gather monthly to watch films on the green through the spring and summer. Admission is free. July 2 — Big Hero Six Robotics prodigy Hiro lives with Baymax, a robot whose sole purpose is to take care of people. When Hiro is thrown into the middle of a dangerous plot, he transforms Baymax and his other friends into a band of high-tech heroes. August 6 — Megamind A highly intelligent supervillain, Megamind, is depressed after he finally defeats Metro Man, his nemesis, so he creates a new superhero. Things go awry when the new “hero” becomes a bigger threat than Megamind ever was.

Important Dates

Night Music

June 14 19 19 21 July 4 24

June 11, July 9, 7-10 p.m. August 13, 8-9:30 p.m.

Flag Day Fathers’ Day Juneteenth First Day of Summer Independence Day Parents Day

Peachtree Corners Magazine ■ June/July 2022 ■ LivingInPeachtreeCorners.com

The Night Music Series draws bands and tribute acts to Town Green every month, May through October. Admission is free. June 11 — Blair Crimmins & the Hookers Blair Crimmins began his current music career in Atlanta with a determination to bring Ragtime and 1920s style Dixieland Jazz to new audiences. His debut 2010 release “The Musical Stylings Of” became a college radio sensation on WRAS Atlanta.

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www.peachtreecornersfestival.org Arts & Crafts Show • Classic Car Show Kids Activities • Live Music on Stage Ice Cold Beer • Great Food

FEATURING The Drifters in Concert FRIDAY

JULY 1-3 FREE PARKING

SUNDAY

Friday Saturday Sunday

7:30pm - 9:30pm 10:00am - 6:00pm 12:00am - 5:00pm

On the Town Green at Peachtree Corners Town Center, 5200 Town Center Boulevard

June/July 2022 ■ Peachtree Corners Magazine

Peachtree Corners Library Branch Calendar Highlights

July 9 — Sailing to Denver with Trappers Cabin Sailing to Denver is a Unique Americana / Roots rock band that has been recording since 2011. Along with original songs, the plays B side covers that everyone forgot they loved. Trappers Cabin, an interestingly odd musical project, takes the stage at 7 p.m. August 13 — The Wildflowers The Wildflowers are America’s premier Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers tribute band. With a passion for Petty’s music, they bring music lovers the songs they adore.

The Wildflowers

5570 Spalding Drive, Peachtree Corners 30092 770-978-5154 | gwinnettpl.org

Doggie Tales

Painting Seascapes —

Saturday, June 4. 12:30-1:30 p.m. Doggie Tales is a Therapy Dogs International program providing trained therapy dogs in the Peachtree Corners Branch. Children will be able to work on their reading skills and build confidence by reading out loud to the dogs.

Kids Event

Reading Buddies

June 18, 2-5 p.m.

Mondays, June 6, 13, 20, 27 and July 11, 18, 25. 3-5 p.m.

Celebrate summer and being a kid with interactive inflatables, rock climbing, face painting and more. Admission is free.

Summer Concert Series June 25, July 30. 7-10 p.m. Come to Town Green for good music and a great time on the last Saturday of the month throughout the spring and summer. Admission is free. June 25 — Brotherhood with Guardians of the Jukebox Brotherhood, a Doobie Brothers Tribute Band, is made of up of eight veteran musicians who were brought together by their love of Doobie Brotherhood Brothers’ music. The show starts with 80s cover band Guardians of the Jukebox. Go to the peachtreecornersga.gov calendar and get the latest info. July 30 — Everclear with Hushmoney Everclear has written and recorded some truly iconic ‘90s alt-rock, including “Father of Mine” and “Santa Monica.” Hushmoney, Peachtree Corners’ own modern southern rock band, opens the show. Check out the peachtreecornersga.gov calendar for the latest info.

Bark in the Park July 16. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Dogs welcome! There will be treats, activities and vendors to please pets and their parents.

Sports on the Screen: Braves vs. Angels

Wednesdays, June 8, 15, 22, 29 and July 6, 13, 20, 27. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Reading Buddies is designed for children to develop their reading skills. They will practice reading aloud to build fluency, vocabulary and confidence with a volunteer Reading Buddy.

It’s a Puppet Show! — from the Deep Blue Sea Wednesday, June 8. 10:30-11 a.m. The GCPL puppeteers entertain kids with stories, antics and music. Four hilarious short stories feature sharks, jellyfish, octopi, mermaids and more! Puppets are a great way to explore books that to check out the library…don’t miss out on the fun!

UV Kid Saturday, June 11. 2-3 p.m. Teens, tweens and kids learn about the dangers of UV rays by making a UV kid from light-sensitive beads and test him out with and without protection from light.

Sea Creature Creations

— a component of the Summer Reading Challenge Monday, June 13. 2-2:45 p.m. Elementary school kids join Youth Services staff for a fun afternoon learning all about the Scyphozoa (jellyfish) family, making a sea creature puppet craft and possibly winning a prize playing an awesome bingo game.

July 23. 7:20-10 p.m. Tailgate with fellow sports fans. Fans are encouraged to bring coolers or purchase food and drink from Town Center restaurants. Admission is free.

Peachtree Corners Magazine ■ June/July 2022 ■ LivingInPeachtreeCorners.com

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a component of the Summer Reading Challenge Monday, June 13. 2-2:45 p.m. Teens will use acrylic paints and canvas to do a beginner’s painting of a seascape (with guidance and their own creativity).

Shark Tooth Dig Thursday, June 16. 3-4 p.m. Excavate a fossil and learn about how they are formed with this hands-on activity. Children ages 7+ will have the opportunity to find real sharks’ teeth, learn about sharks and match the teeth to their species.

Shark Magnets Tuesday, July 12. 2-3 p.m. Kids, tweens and teens learn some basic facts about sharks, including how to identify different types. Additionally, they will make a shark-themed magnet for the refrigerator.

Oil Spill Challenge Tuesday, July 19. 4-5 p.m. Learn why oil spills are dangerous and how they are cleaned up. This program for kids and tweens will use household items to mimic an oil spill and clean-up techniques.

Summer Reading Finale — with Ken Scott Tuesday, July 26. 3-3:45 p.m. Join Youth Services and the one and only Ken Scott for a 45-minute action-packed summer reading finale show full of magic tricks, entertaining jokes, music and storytelling. There is even fun audience participation.

Accessibility for Seniors at the Library Thursday, July 28. 1-2 p.m. Do you or someone you know experience a challenge when reading standard print? The library hosts a show and tell about library resources available to help resolve this issue.

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June/July 2022 ■ Peachtree Corners Magazine

Gwinnett County Parks gwinnettcounty.com

Splish Splash Stories Wednesdays, June 8, 15, 22, 29. 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Graves Park, 1540 Graves Road, Norcross 30093 Get immersed in a storybook for splash-tastic fun with the Gwinnett County Library. All ages welcome. Free for residents; $4 for non-residents.

Pint-Sized Picassos Saturday, June 11. 1-3 p.m. OneStop Norcross, 5030 Georgia Belle Court, Norcross 30093 678-225-5400, GwinnettOneStop.com Kids aged 11 to 13 are invited to

unleash their inner artist and paint their own masterpieces inspired by one of the 20th century’s greatest artists. The cost is $10 per child.

Scrapbooking for Fun Tuesday, June 14. 1 p.m. OneStop Norcross, 5030 Georgia Belle Court, Norcross 30093 678-225-5400, GwinnettOneStop.com This beginner’s guide to scrapbooking teaches how to make memories on paper. Participants should bring photos and other paper memorabilia. The cost of $10 for residents, $20 for non-residents, includes craft materials.

Firefly Frenzy

Detective Dad

Friday, June 17. 8-9 p.m.

Saturday, June 18. 1 p.m.

Simpsonwood Park

OneStop Norcross, 5030 Georgia Belle Court, Norcross 30093

4511 Jones Bridge Circle, Peachtree Corners 30092 678-277-0902 Witness the summer phenomenon of fireflies. Georgia has 50+ species of fireflies, more than any other U.S. state. The event is free for all ages.

Storybook Adventures Saturday, June 18. 10 a.m. OneStop Norcross, 5030 Georgia Belle Court, Norcross 30093

678-225-5400, GwinnettOneStop.com Dads and grandpas, along with kids aged 5 and up, use their powers of deduction to solve a scavenger hunt, mysteries and more. Light refreshments are included in the cost of $15 for residents, $30 for non-residents.

Family Scavenger Hunt Monday, June 27. 10 a.m. Graves Park, 1540 Graves Road, Norcross 30093

678-225-5400, GwinnettOneStop.com Children 5 to 8 share and enact favorite stories from books, movies and TV, then write and draw their own creative storybooks. The cost is $3 per child.

Scavengers of all ages will get their lists at the fountain, then explore the park while hunting for items to win a prize. Free for residents, $4 for non-residents.

678-969-3385, peachtreecornersba. com

10 College Street, Norcross 30071

Meetings are held in the large meeting space behind the SWGC office at Atlanta Tech Park.

PCBA Connecting Over Coffee Morning Meetup

Rotary Club Meetings

Business Organizations and Events

Tuesdays, June 14 and July 12. 8:30-9:30 a.m.

Atlanta Tech Park 107 Technology Parkway, Peachtree Corners 30092 470-482-1800, atlantatechpark.com ▲Summer Cookouts Wednesday, June 22 and July 27. 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Members are invited to attend Atlanta Tech Park’s annual Summer Cookouts.

Peachtree Corners Business Association 4989 Peachtree Parkway, Suite 215, Peachtree Corners 30092

Firebirds Wood Fired Grill, 5215 Town Center Boulevard, Peachtree Corners 30092 On the second Tuesday of the month, there is a standing invitation to connect over coffee and have conversations with other PCBA members and business professionals in a positive atmosphere. All attendees are encouraged to share business cards. No admission cost is required for PCBA members and their guests, but please register online as space is limited.

Rotary Club of Peachtree Corners Norcross Cultural Arts & Community Center

Peachtree Corners Magazine ■ June/July 2022 ■ LivingInPeachtreeCorners.com

770-330-7477, peachtreecornersrotary.org

Mondays, June 13; July 18, 25; August 8. 12-1 p.m. Special guests are featured at some of the meetings. On June 13, the speaker is Rotary District Governor Mike Berg.

Southwest Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce Office in Atlanta Tech Park 470-482-1899, southwestgwinnettchamber.com SWGC Coffee Connections Fridays, June 10, 17, 24; July 15, 22, 27; August 12. 8:30-9:30 a.m. Free event for SWGC members and visitors. Meet up with local business professionals on Friday mornings for coffee and conversation. This networking event was created to expand professional relationships. SWGC members are invited to share business cards with all attendees.

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First Friday Breakfast: Mayors Panel Friday, July 8, 7:30-9 a.m. The mayors of Peachtree Corners, Norcross and Berkeley Lake gather for a panel discussion of common issues that face their cities. Registration before July 5 required. Cost is $28 for members, $35 for non-members and includes breakfast, coffee and juice.

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June/July 2022 ■ Peachtree Corners Magazine

COVER STORY

Norcross High Re-establishes Tradition of Winning State Titles A look back at the athletic success of a powerhouse program

n 2013, Norcross High athletics enjoyed a banner year that saw a total of four state championships. First, the girls’ and boys’ basketball teams won state titles. The boys’ golf team followed in the fall,

By Nathan Deen

and finally, the football team won its second straight state championship in December.

Blue Devil sports peaked that year, and the four state titles were the result of top-tier coaching hires made years beforehand. Under names like former girls’ basketball coach Angie Hembree, football coach Keith Maloff, former boys’ basketball coach Eddie Martin and his successor,

Photos by George Hunter

Peachtree Corners Magazine ■ June/July 2022 ■ LivingInPeachtreeCorners.com

Jesse McMillan, the Blue Devils amassed 10 state championships from 2005 to 2013, a stretch rarely seen anywhere in high school athletics. But after that unforgettable year in 2013, the Blue Devils came up empty. McMillan has led the boys’ basketball team to four semifinal appearances and finished state runner-up twice. Hembree also finished state runner-up twice, and Maloof’s football team made it to the semifinals in 2020. But another title eluded them, and some began to wonder if the glory days had passed.

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“I thought maybe our window had closed,” McMillan said. But the boys’ and girls’ basketball teams put those fears to rest in March when they both found their grooves and made runs to the state championship games in Macon, Ga. The boys knocked off Berkmar 58-45, and the girls outlasted Harrison High 41-37 to claim the sixth overall title for the boys and the fourth overall for the girls. “I’ve spent my adult working life here at this school, so it’s something I personally take great pride in,” McMillan said. “It’s a commu-

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It’s one thing for one coach to come into a school and win a state championship, but to have two separate coaches win at the same school, that means the school itself has some things in place that are working. Kirk Barton, Norcross Athletic Director hires

Left, Diamond DeShields WNBA, Louisville ATP (Photo courtesy of Tennessee AthleticsUTsports.com) Above, Left, Jesse McMillan and Ashley Luke Clanton Below, Kirk Barton

nity thing for us. I was an assistant coach when we started this run of success, and it’s been a lot of pressure at times to maintain that because you want to keep the program at the level it’s accustomed to. It was hugely rewarding for me to win that championship and get back to where we should be.” If winning another title was important for the boys’ program, it may have been even bigger for the Lady Blue Devils. For the last 15 years, the team has been synonymous with Angie Hembree, who retired from coaching due to health concerns in 2018. To fill Hembree’s shoes, Norcross athletic director Kirk Barton brought in Ashley Clanton, who played as a point guard at Penn State and DePaul before starting her coaching career in Chicago. Clanton didn’t know much about the high school basketball scene in Georgia, but in three seasons she has catapulted the Lady Blue Devils back to the top spot

in Georgia’s highest classification. “It’s one thing for one coach to come into a school and win a state championship, but to have two separate coaches win at the same school, that means the school itself has some things in place that are working,” Barton said. “It speaks volumes to the community and the kids who are here.”

Making the right

Clanton is just one in a line of impressive hires Barton has made since he became the school’s athletic director in 2007, and former athletic directors Mike Emery and Nathan Franklin made before him. When he makes a hire, Barton said the most important things he looks for are a coach’s ability to teach and their potential for longevity in establishing a winning program. “I think the most important thing we do as athletic directors is hire good coaches,” Barton said. “I’ve never fired a coach for wins and losses. We’ve let people go for not doing right by the kids. When you do right by the kids, wins and losses tend to take care of themselves. I think that’s the biggest reason we’ve been successful is that we’ve had a lot of coaches in place for a long time.” The longest-tenured of those coaches is head football coach Keith Maloof, who took the job at Norcross in 1999 after three successful seasons at Tucker. Maloof laid the foundation

for not only a successful football program, but a successful athletic department, Barton said. Before Maloof, Norcross football had only two 10-win seasons in team history. By 2005, the Blue Devils went 7-4 and made the state playoffs for the first time since 1994. The next year, they went 12-1, with their only loss coming in the state quarterfinals. Since 2005, the Blue Devils have won back-to-back state titles in 2012 and 2013, have only missed the state playoffs once and have had six seasons with 10 or more wins. The next big hire came in 2002, when former athletic director Emery persuaded Eddie Martin to come to Norcross after spending 20 seasons and earning 350 career wins at Brookwood. The impact was instantaneous. Martin led the Blue Devils to the state quarterfinals in his first season. Two years later, Martin and the Blue Devils won their first of three consecutive titles. By that time, Barton, who came to Norcross as an assistant football coach under Maloof, had taken over as athletic director. As far as coaches were concerned, Barton was set at football and boys’ basketball — until Martin delivered him some unexpected news. He had accepted the head coach opening at Greater Atlanta Christian, where he went on to win four more state titles before moving over to Buford, where he led the Wolves to two state championships. He finished his high school career with nine state championships and 852 wins and is now an assistant coach at Geor-

June/July 2022 ■ Peachtree Corners Magazine

Above, Alvin Kamara, Vanderbilt (Photo courtesy of Tennessee AthleticsUTsports. com)

gia Southern. Barton interviewed several candidates from in-state and out-of-state to replace Martin but gave the job to Martin’s top assistant, McMillan, who was originally hired by Martin’s predecessor, Dave Corder. “Coach Martin is still one of my closest friends and my coaching mentor, but as an assistant coach, you’re never prepared for what goes into coaching a high-level program,” McMillan said. “You think it might not take as much work for it to happen, but then you realize everything that goes into it. It’s a daunting experience when you’re younger. “I think it was finding a balance of things. Not too many things had to change in regard to system and expectations. It was trying to connect to the kids differently. I had only been seen as the assistant coach, so it was trying to find ways to change that perception.” Just a year before, former athletic director Nathan Franklin, who served in the position for less than a year before accepting another position, and former principal Jonathan Patterson, made another splash hire by landing Hembree, who had won three state titles at Collins Hill and coached WBNA superstar Maya Moore before coaching at the University of Miami as an assistant for three seasons.

Peachtree Corners Magazine ■ June/July 2022 ■ LivingInPeachtreeCorners.com

Left, Keith Maloof

Barton said he learned Franklin and Patterson had heard Hembree was interested in coming back to the Atlanta area, and they immediately picked up the phone. Barton took over as athletic director later that year, and it didn’t take long before he realized they had made the best possible hire. A year later, a young player named Diamond DeShields walked through the doors as a freshman, and a new dynasty was created. DeShields became the school’s all-time leading scorer with 2,324 career points and went on to star at the University of Tennessee and later became the third overall pick in the 2018 WNBA Draft. She now plays for the Phoenix Mercury. With DeShields leading the way, the Lady Blue Devils won state titles in 2010, 2011 and 2013, giving Hembree six titles for her coaching career. Meanwhile, McMillan led the boys to state championships in 2011 and 2013. The latest championships in 2022 became the third time the boys’ and girls’ programs have won state in the same season. Norcross is the only school to do that in Georgia’s largpeachtreecornerslife

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est classification. “It really is unbelievable that we’ve been able to do that multiple times,” McMillan said. “It really comes down to that there’s a culture within our entire school and there’s an expectation for success in all of our programs. The players may be different, but most years we’ve been very comparable in our level of success.”

Supporting one another In the 10 seasons that Hembree and McMillan coached together, from 2008-2018, the girls’ basketball team compiled a 265-48 record with three state titles, and the boys went 253-59 with two championships. McMillan said the two programs have always had a supportive relationship built on mutual respect between McMillan and Hembree. “It was fun having great teams with her. Boys’ and girls’ programs are separate to an extent, but you’re still in the gym together, you’re still on the road together,” McMillan said. “It’s huge when the two coaches are on the same page and see eye to eye and know what they want to do with their programs. “I’ve been at other schools where there is a bit of disconnect between the boys’ and girls’ programs, so when the kids see the adults acting like adults and working together and respecting one another, our guys respected everything Coach Hembree did because of our relationship.” Even though Hembree has since retired, that relationship and respect between the two programs has carried over with Clanton helming the girls’ program. “This past year, I feel like our relationship has grown tremendously,” McMillan said of Clanton. “She’s very impressive. She came from out of state, didn’t have experience or background with our history or culture. She’s hit the ground running and done it her way. The girls absolutely love her.” Clanton had ties to the area, and she said the move was right for her because her husband was already working for an Atlanta-based company that often required him to travel from Chicago. Her brother, RJ Luke, is the defensive line coach at North Gwinnett High school. The biggest challenge for Clanton was being hired just before the COVID-19 pandemic began, and McMillan said the boys’ and girls’ teams didn’t practice much

Notable NHS Players Alvin Kamara | Football | 2008-2012 ■ Current running back for the NFL’s New Orleans Saints ■ Tallied 4,238 rushing yards and 47 rushing TDs along with 3,263 receiving yards and 20 TD receptions in five seasons with the Saints ■ First running back in NFL history with at least 500 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards in first four seasons of his career ■ NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year | 2017 ■ Drafted in the third round at No. 67 overall in the 2017 NFL Draft ■ Finished with 1,168 all-purpose yards and 13 touchdowns as a junior at University of Tennessee ■ University of Tennessee | 2015-2016 ■ Hutchinson (Kansas) Community College | 2014 ■ University of Alabama | 2013 ■ Under Armour All-American Game participant | 2013 ■ Member of the 2012 Norcross football state championship team ■ Rushed for 2,265 yards and 26 touchdowns senior year in 2012 Diamond Deshields | Girls’ basketball | 2009-2013 ■ Current member of WNBA team Phoenix Mercury ■ Third overall pick in the 2018 WNBA Draft (Chicago Sky) ■ University of Tennessee | 2014-2017 ■ Averaged 17.3 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game as redshirt junior ■ University of North Carolina | 2013-2014 ■ ACC Rookie of the Year at the University of North Carolina ■ Naismith Girls’ High School Player of the Year | 2012-2013 ■ McDonald’s All-American | 2012-2013 ■ Member of 2009-2010, 2010-2011, 2012-2013 Norcross Girls’ basketball state championship teams ■ Scored a school record 2,324 points in her Norcross career ■ Scored a school record 858 points in her senior season ■ Made a school record 125 assists in her senior season ■ Made a school record 148 steals in her senior season Jeremy Lamb | Boys’ basketball | 2007-2010 ■ Current guard-forward for the NBA’s Sacramento Kings ■ Averaged a career best 15.5 points per game and 5.5 rebounds per game as a member of the Charlotte Hornets ■ Drafted No. 12 overall in the first round of the 2012 NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets ■ Member of the 2011 University of Connecticut men’s basketball national championship team ■ Averaged 17.7 points and 4.9 rebounds per game as a sophomore at UConn ■ Averaged 20 points and 6 rebounds per game at Norcross Max Garcia | Football | 2006-2009 ■ Current offensive guard for the NFL’s New York Giants ■ Drafted 133rd overall in the fourth round by the Denver Broncos in 2015 NFL Draft ■ Member of the 2016 Denver Broncos Super Bowl 50 championship team ■ Started 32 consecutive games over the 2016 and 2017 seasons ■ University of Florida | 2012-2014 ■ University of Maryland | 2010-2011 Tiffany Clarke | Girls’ basketball, track and field | 2005-2009 ■ Vanderbilt University | 2009-2013 ■ Associated Press First-team All-SEC selection | 2012-2013 ■ Ranked third in the SEC her senior season in scoring (16.6 points per game) and rebounding (8.5 points per game) ■ Owns Norcross school record with 450 rebounds in a season ■ 858 career rebounds at Norcross are fourth-most in school history ■ Collected 23 rebounds in one game her senior season ■ Set school records for most blocks in a game and in a season ■ Won the Class 5A triple jump state title and became the first female student-athlete at Norcross to win a track and field state championship ■

June/July 2022 ■ Peachtree Corners Magazine

A Look Back on the Year in Athletics at Norcross High By Nathan Deen

The Norcross High boys’ and girls’ basketball teams capped off another memorable year for Blue Devils athletics by winning state championships in March. The two programs have 10 state titles between them, all coming within the last 20 years, and this season was the third time both teams have won the title in the same season. Boys’ coach Jesse McMillan and girls’ coach Ashley Clanton both said their teams came into the season with talent but not much experience.

Instagram posts from @ norcross.soccer

Both coaches watched their teams grow up quickly as they faced early tests in the first half of the season before hitting their peak in early February. The boys’ team won 11 of their last 12 games to close out the season, finishing with a 26-6 overall record and a 10-2 mark in Region 7-7A. The Blue Devils won the title game 58-45 against division rival Berkmar, a team that had beaten Norcross three times during the regular season. The Blue Devils were led by junior guard London Johnson, who is ranked by 247 Sports as the 27th best prospect for the 2023 recruiting class and is the thirdranked player in the state. According to 247, Johnson has offers from 18 Division I schools, including Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, North Carolina, Southern California, Arizona State, Cincinnati, Auburn and Georgetown. He averaged 18.7 points per game along with 3.3 assists and 1.8 steals. On the inside, Jerry Deng helped lead the Blue Devils with 14.7 points per game and 8.1 rebounds per game. Deng is a threestar recruiting prospect, according to 247, and has offers from Georgia State, Mercer, Georgia, East Carolina and Akron. With a menacing defense, the girls’ team finished unblemished in region play at 13-0 in Region 7-7A and 26-5 overall as they went on to defeat Harrison

Peachtree Corners Magazine ■ June/July 2022 ■ LivingInPeachtreeCorners.com

High of Kennesaw, Ga., 41-37 in the championship game. The Lady Blue Devils held their opponents to under 30 points nine times and gave up an average of 39.3 points per game throughout the season. Senior forward Zaria Hurston propelled the Lady Blue Devils, averaging 18 points and 10 rebounds per game. She was named the 2022 Girls’ Basketball Player of the Year by the Gwinnett Daily Post.

More sports success at NHS The Norcross football team finished 8-4 in 2021 after going 13-1 and making the state semifinals in 2020. The Blue Devils made noise with a near upset of Lowndes, losing 35-34 in a thriller in the second round of the state playoffs. Standout junior receiver Nakai Poole averaged 58.6 receiving yards per game and hauled in 11 touchdown catches on the season. He has not earned a star ranking yet, according to 247 sports, but has early offers from 23 Division I programs, including LSU, Ole Miss, Georgia Tech, Auburn, Cincinnati, Virginia Tech and Virginia. The girls’ volleyball team won its fourth consecutive region title in Georgia’s highest classification, earning a perfect 6-0 mark in Region 7-7A. The Lady Blue Devils came on strong in the second half of the season after an 8-15 start that included a six-game losing streak. But starting with a 2-1 win over Chamblee High on Sept. 9, the Lady Blue Devils reeled off 11 straight victories and defeated Dunwoody 3-0 in the region title game before falling to Roswell High in the first round of the state tournament. The girls’ soccer team also had a successful season, tallying a 135-1 record and finishing second in Region 7-7A at 9-3. The Lady Blue Devils won seven of their last nine games and earned a first-round playoff win over Milton before losing 3-2 to North Paulding in the second round. Cameron Chapman led the way with 23 goals and eight assists on the season, while goalkeeper Leah Smith made 81 saves. The girls’ and boys’ tennis teams both made the state tournament, with the girls falling in the first round, while the boys made a run to the state quarterfinals before losing to North Gwinnett. ■

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together. That changed this past season, and neither coach believes it’s coincidence that the result was two more championships. “We work really well together,” Clanton said of McMillan. “I think we’re both quiet people in general. I think we both respect what each other is doing. “I like to take credit for his wins because I feel like my girls had a positive impact on his boys, and he likes to claim the opposite. They really helped nurture each other in a way. I think there’s a competitive nature between the two groups, too. If one won a big game, the other had to match them.” When Clanton first arrived at Norcross, she started learning about the school’s history of success in athletics and sought out Hembree to understand the girls’ program and expectations. “I sat and spoke with her quite a bit when I first got the job,” Clanton said. “We talked x’s and o’s, everything under the sun. “I’ve taken over a couple of programs in the past that weren’t as successful and you have to build it up, and that takes a lot of work. I almost think it’s a bigger challenge. I think that’s what’s most exciting to me. People say, ‘You’re going into a program that’s been so good for so long; must be easy.’ This is the tougher thing to do.” Clanton runs her program her own way, and the players have responded to her, but that’s something that couldn’t be done without the support of Barton and the other coaches at the school, she said. “It’s a winning culture, something we take a lot of pride in,” she said. “You’ve got a lot of people with a lot of years under their belt. I like to sit with other coaches and talk about what they’re doing. Having a lot of people with a lot of success and experience around you isn’t going to do anything but make you better.”

Stars in the halls Starting with Martin’s tenure as boys’ basketball coach, Norcross athletics has seen dozens of athletes move on to successful college athletic careers, and more than a few have played or are playing their sport professionally. Jodie Meeks, Al-Farouq Aminu and Gani Lawal all played under Martin and were first- or second-round NBA draft picks. Meeks played collegiately at

peachtreecornerslife

NHS State Championship Teams (Since 2005) Boys’ basketball 2005-2006

Head coach Eddie Martin

Boys’ basketball 2006-2007

Head coach Eddie Martin

Boys’ basketball 2007-2008

Head coach Eddie Martin

Girls’ basketball 2009-2010

Head coach Angie Hembree

Boys’ basketball 2010-2011

Head coach Jesse McMillan

Girls’ basketball 2010-2011

Head coach Angie Hembree

Football 2012

Head coach Keith Maloof

Boys’ basketball 2012-2013

Head coach Jesse McMillan

Girls’ basketball 2012-2013

Head coach Angie Hembree

Boys’ golf 2013

Head coach Chris Hall

Football 2013

Head coach Keith Maloof

Boys’ basketball 2021-2022

Head coach Jesse McMillan

Girls’ basketball 2021-2022

Head coach Ashley Clanton

Kentucky, while Aminu starred at Wake Forest and Lawal played at Georgia Tech. McMillan’s tenure saw the rise of Jeremy Lamb, who led Connecticut to the 2011 NCAA national championship and currently plays for the Sacramento Kings, and Jordan Goldwire, a standout guard at Duke and Oklahoma. Hembree had DeShields, former Ohio State star and current Connecticut Sun forward Shayla Cooper and Dearica Hamby, who became the all-time leading scorer and rebounder at Wake Forest and was the No. 6 overall in the 2015 WNBA draft. She plays for the Las Vegas Aces and was named the WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year in 2019 and 2020. Maloof coached nine players who would go on to play in the NFL, including New Orleans Saints star running back Alvin Kamara, New York Giants defensive end and former University of Georgia standout Lorenzo Carter and New York Giants offensive guard and former University of Florida star Max Garcia. “That really shows the mix of the kids at this school,” Barton said. “At that time, we had, I want to say, five NFL players on campus, two NBA players, three WNBA players and a professional male golfer and a female professional golfer, all at the same time. “We probably should have enjoyed it more than we did, but we had to wait four or five years

Some Things are Better Left to the Experts

down the road, and then all of a sudden — wow! we had a lot of talent walking down those halls at that time.”

Measuring success Barton knows that athletic success expands beyond just the big three of football, boys’ basketball and girls’ basketball. He makes sure everyone remembers the golf team was the team that made 2013 even more special with their state championship. He believes the volleyball team, which has won four straight region titles, is close to competing for state championships. Boys’ tennis made it to the state quarterfinals this season. He believes the right coaches are in place at every program. “We keep working,” he said. “I’ve got good coaches in those positions. They’re just a step away, and hopefully they’ll be able to get there soon.” But as it is, Barton also knows very few schools have accomplished what Norcross has over the last two decades, and he hopes this era is just the foundation for the success they’ll see in the future. “Norcross has a very different dynamic about it,” Barton said. “I’ve had people tell me Norcross High School is not like any other school, and I believe it.” ■

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BUSINESS

Changes to The Forum, Surrounding Area Discussed at Public Meeting Although the crowd at the discussion session appeared satisfied by NAP’s presentation, social media posts have a few questioning the effects on traffic, property values, public safety, etc.

he changes coming to The Forum at Peachtree Parkway are perhaps the biggest thing happening in Peachtree Corners in a long time. So, it was probably no surprise that about 250-plus residents and stakeholders turned out for an information session on May 18 hosted by United Peachtree Corners Civic Association (UPCCA).

By Arlinda Smith Broady

Tim Perry, managing partner of North American Properties’ (NAP) Atlanta location, presented the plans

Peachtree Corners Magazine ■ June/July 2022 ■ LivingInPeachtreeCorners.com

the developer has for the property. For those who didn’t know his background, Perry explained that he’s neighbor, living just five miles from Peachtree Corners. “[The Forum] has been on my morning commute for years. I’ve driven by it, sort of coveted it a little bit and thought… it has deteriorated so much over the past few years,” he told the audience.

Opportunity for improvement Perry explained that he saw The peachtreecornerslife

peachtreecornerslife

The Forum as imagined by North American Properties (NAP) (renderings courtesy of NAP)

Forum as a great opportunity to bring about a success similar to what NAP has done in other areas. He cited a property called Birkdale in the Charlotte, N.C. area, near Lake Norman, that’s like The Forum and The Avenue in East Cobb. It’s not as large but was developed with a similar strategy. Of peachtreecornerslife

We’ve Got The MAIN

course, NAP’s most successful local development, Avalon, is the measure for what mixed-use buildouts should be. “We focus on places, not spaces. I’m sure all of you recognize this from Avalon. It’s not about the physical buildings,” Perry said. “It needs to be expressed with the brands, but it’s about the space between the buildings.” While he lamented that a great property like The Forum had gone downhill, Perry was optimistic that it hadn’t hit rock bottom. “There’s a certain point [where these properties] can’t necessarily be revived. When you start getting into the [resale stores]… that tenant profile, it chases the rest of [the higher end tenants] out,” Perry said. “You really have to be able to change that perception and right that ship. And what that means is you have to be able to drive sales. This is all about driving sales. “[The property] has been a victim of this really bad institutional ownership that… doesn’t necessarily invest on the operating expense side the way that you have to to keep these [types of investments] running,” he added. Before looking at purchasing the property, Perry said NAP contacted the previous owner about investing in the location and helping to bring it back to its former luster, or even go one better and elevate its profile. In the mindset that a rising tide raises all ships, he reasoned that a corridor of luxury development would be good for everyone — not just The Forum. “I started calling the owner,” he said. “[I’d say] ‘Hey, come on, let us be an investor. Let’s put some money in and stick with you and your partner in this.’” Perry presented some plans. “We want to define downtown Peachtree Corners as this amazing community amenity that, again raises all

tides,” Perry said. “And like a house, people don’t move to buy houses just for the bedrooms. They buy a house for the great kitchens where they spend time cooking, and dining rooms where they hang out for boardgames, and living rooms where they socialize with family and friends. And what great downtowns are, they are great social places where people convene and play boardgames in the plaza and spend time at concerts and have great meal options where people kind of get together.”

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Setting the record straight In the end, the partnership didn’t materialize, and NAP purchased The Forum in March. “We will increase the operating expenses… at The Forum by about $2 million a year over what the previous owner invested on an annual basis,” Perry said. The immediate fixes will include investments in music, lights, uniforms and opportunities to get to know the tenants. Things like replacing chewed-up speaker wires in flower beds, upgrading lights and fixing small things that aren’t noticeable when they’re done right — but can give an air of shabbiness when done wrong — cost $35,000, Perry said. Before the land use meeting, Perry did his homework. Living so close to Peachtree Corners, he can access local posts on NextDoor. He wanted to see what people were saying. “We always start with community engagement. One of the first calls we made here was, ‘What’s the community interaction here?’” he said. Perry debunked some of the misinformation that’s been spreading. “A hedge fund raised the rent,” said one post. “We didn’t buy from the hedge fund. It was a core trust. The Forum has been going downhill for years. Even before COVID, it put in a liquor store. It’s not an optimistic picture,”

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Perry said. “There was a pretty dire picture with Williams Sonoma leaving, and even the tenants that were there were seeking something to buy into.” “The city should buy the property and change it to an Avalon or have more family open field stuff,” wrote another poster. “We’ll do the Avalon if the city wants to pay for it,” said Perry. He added that the city leaders have already shown tremendous enthusiasm for creating a vibrant downtown. He mentioned the subsidies to the Town Center, the foresight in building the pedestrian bridge over Peachtree Parkway and the planning for a walkable city center. “The Forum is suffering because the prior owner was charging too much,” a NextDoor post said. “Just for a very quick side note, it’s not about rent, y’all. It’s about sales. About 35% of [business] expenses are

payroll, another 35% are cost of goods sold and 10% are [general and administrative costs], 10% are rent and 10% are profit. When their top line sales start suffering, the first thing that goes away is profit. Then comes the quality of the product and the quality of customers. So, it is all about sales,” Perry said. He encouraged everyone to communicate with NAP and The Forum through social media channels if that’s how they feel most comfortable. “We do monitor our Instagram feeds, our Facebook feeds and all that other kind of stuff,” he said. “But we’re here to listen, and really do read these. So please let us know.”

Five-year plan After setting up the premises, Perry showed what can be expected at The Forum in the next five years. He shared a conceptual plan for nine

Peachtree Corners Magazine ■ June/July 2022 ■ LivingInPeachtreeCorners.com

major improvements or additions to the property. City Councilman Eric Christ posted a comprehensive diagram outlining those items on a NextDoor post. Here’s his take (map pictured above): 1. NAP plans to convert the empty Kinnucan’s location into a Food Hall with multiple food stalls (think a mini–Ponce City Market). Diners could sit indoors or at a patio outside the Food Hall or in the new North Court. 2. The North Court will be built on the central parking spaces and feature an outdoor seating area with small retail buildings (2,000 square feet each) at both ends. While cars will continue to circulate on both sides of the North Court, the roadway will be raised to be even with the sidewalk height to facilitate pedestrian access to/from the North Court. 3. A Center Court will also be peachtreecornerslife

peachtreecornerslife

built on the central parking spaces and feature a gathering area bounded by two tiny retail buildings (450 square feet each). 4. At the Belk end is the South Court with the lawn, a gathering area with a performance stage and a concierge building with public restrooms and valet parking service. 5. There’s another small retail building (2,400 square feet). Note that constructing items 2-5 removes about 200 parking spaces from The Forum’s main street. 6. To replace lost parking spaces, NAP will build a parking deck. The parking deck will be built on the existing parking lot next to Belk. It will have 300 spaces on three floors and be about 35 feet high. Per Perry, the existing Belk building is approximately 28-30 feet high. For comparison, this is about half the size of the Town Center parking deck which has 617 spaces. You will be able to access the deck via car by coming in the main entrance and under the clock tower, but also by going behind the Belk building by Ted’s Montana Grill or by going behind the retail stores by the Aiomi restaurant end. Pedestrians would get from the deck to the main street by using the cutthrough at Grace 1720. Removing 200 street parking spaces but adding a 300-space parking deck would net 100 more spaces for shoppers and diners. 7. The entrance boulevard will be redesigned with sidewalks. 8. A boutique hotel would be built above current parking spaces in the upper parking lot next to Peachtree Parkway. The room count has not been finalized, but the target range is 125 to 175 rooms. New dedicated parking for hotel guests would also be built. Note that items 1-8 are all permitted under the current zoning and while there are requirements for building heights, construction materials, etc., these proposed items do not require City Council approval. 9. The final component is a proposed residential complex built above current parking spaces on the Peachtree Parkway side of The Forum. There will be 300 apartments, a mix of one- and two-bedroom, no three-bedroom, units The complex would also include new dedicated parking spaces for residents. The target market would be young professionals and empty nesters. Perry stated that at Avalon, there is one school-age child in all of the apartments at that site. Residing in a C-2 zoning district is not permitted, so item 9 would require a rezoning application, a hearing before the Planning Commission and a vote by the City Council before it could be constructed. Regarding timing, items 1-7 will peachtreecornerslife

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be underway in the next two years while items 8 (the hotel) and item 9 (the residential, if approved by council) are four to five years away.

Questions and answers At the end of his presentation, Perry suggested rebranding the site with a new name. “The Forum is still going to be called ‘The Forum,’ but let’s float this out for the public forum.” He reasoned that since The Forum will be cementing the downtown of Peachtree Corners, why not change the name to “The Forum at Peachtree Corners”? That question got no real reaction. It appeared the attendees were eager to have their concerns addressed. “You mentioned housing units. Are those rented?” a man in the audience asked. “They’re all rented. We don’t do homes. The restaurants really need some of the turnover, so, you have a whole new set of diners, one set of patrons every year,” said Perry. “And it’s kind of a big part of why these downtowns work.” He added that the success of the city center creates concentric outgrowth with townhomes and single family detached homes further out. But the buildings aren’t so far away that someone who rented on the property and then decided

they wanted to own nearby property couldn’t take advantage of the amenities. “Have you done any traffic impact studies relative to all this development?” asked another person in the audience. “The increase in traffic impact studies are part of the zoning submission; that’s on the way,” said Perry. He added that there is already a traffic circle proposed at one of the entrances. Another person asked about the number of rooms in the proposed hotel and how that will impact parking at The Forum. “Almost all the residential development has to self-park. …We took out 300 or 200 spaces of diagonal and stuff in the middle and replaced it with 300 that’s purely for commercial parking, so it’s actually increasing the amount of parking at The Forum,” Perry said. He added that the hotel will be boutique-style which typically has 125 or 150 rooms. As the evening progressed, questions about parking, traffic, property values, public safety and a timeline of work were asked. In general, the reactions were favorable, and everyone appeared to leave with a feeling that the development was the right thing for the area.

Lines of communication

Peachtree Corners Magazine ■ June/July 2022 ■ LivingInPeachtreeCorners.com

stay open UPCCA President Matt Lombardi said he was surprised that the queries weren’t more aggressive, and that the audience seemed accept Perry’s responses to the tougher questions. “I haven’t received a single phone call or text or email with concerns or additional questions,” he said. “Just from what I observed at the event, Tim Perry was very transparent and seemed to want to listen to any concerns.” But a few days later, City Councilman Eric Christ gave his synopsis of the townhall meeting on Nextdoor. It appeared that the detractors chose to save their remarks for social media: “I would hope that our city would actually use all data available to make apartments sustainable, equitable and affordable. If the city is already adding so many apartments, it should ensure developers are doing so thoughtfully. Otherwise, all we’re doing is adding traffic without infrastructure.” “As a handicap individual, this WAS the only shopping center I used as it was so easy to park and walk directly into the store. [I] went to Avalon once and never returned due to difficulty for handicap people.” As Perry and Christ explained, peachtreecornerslife

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NAP plans to convert the empty Kinnucan’s location into a Food Hall with multiple food stalls (think a mini–Ponce City Market). Diners could sit indoors or at a patio outside the Food Hall or in the new North Court. Plus, an outdoor seating area with small retail buildings (renderings courtesy of NAP)

none of the zoning changes have been enacted. The purpose of the townhall was to get community input. To have one’s voice heard, both men encourage those with questions or concerns to reach out instead of suffering in silence or just grumbling to neighbors. “Over the next 90 to 120 days, we’re going to be going through city processes,” said Perry. “We have a very, very engaged social media, so I’ll be happy to answer questions on NextDoor, since I live so close. Follow our Instagram or Facebook or Twitter. We try to be really, really good at communicating, especially when there are things that are inconvenient.” Residents are encouraged to contact NAP at naproperties.com, or connect through instagram.com/ forumpeachpkwy, facebook.com/ forumpeachpkwy or twitter.com/ forumpeachpkwy. ■

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Finnish Company Moves U.S. Headquarters to Peachtree Corners Valmet’s corporate mission of sustainable energy and carbon-neutral production fits in with local goals.

Left, from left, President and CEO Pasi Laine, Mayor Mike Mason and Vice President Tim Betteridge

By Arlinda Smith Broady

The appealing aspects of Peachtree Corners led leaders of Valmet, a Finnish-based global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries, to move its headquarters to the city. “In about March of last year, we started thinking about relocating our office from Duluth to somewhere else,” said Jukka Tiitinen, Valmet area president, North America. “To find a new home for our North American headquarters that represents our values and represents the flavor and nature of our company, we took quite a bit of time to go and visit different neighborhoods, different areas and looked at different buildings. And we settled here. …I don’t see how we could have done any better. This is fantastic.” The company cut the ribbon on its new offices on May 11 with local dignitaries, media and the Valmet

CEO Pasi Laine, who came in from Finland for the occasion. Laine explained how Valmet didn’t have early successes in the North American pulp and paper industry. In 1988, the company had some business interests here, but the capital activities were on the decline and continued that way for decades. “We weren’t selling too many machines and didn’t have too many partners,” he said, adding that Valmet didn’t give up on North America and kept strengthening the business through several mergers and acquisitions. Part of the issue, Laine said, was that there were a lot of small businesses in the group that wanted their own processes and procedures. They wanted to maintain their old identity, offices and even logos. “It was practically impossible to get the people even in automation,” he said, adding that the North American customers weren’t seeing any continuity.

Peachtree Corners Magazine ■ June/July 2022 ■ LivingInPeachtreeCorners.com

But the company continued to invest and improve production through technological advances and a management style that had come together in a “learning cluster” of sorts. Now, 30 years later, Valmet has added some of the state’s and the country’s major players in the industry as partners. Household names like International Paper and Georgia Pacific have Valmet machines and staff working in their plants and mills. “Now, currently, we have about 2,000 people here, we have big business under civilian revenue and a lot of lot of customers and good personnel as well,” said Laine. “Now we have learned how important it is to work with each other, talk with each other and learn from each other. And I think that’s the big change that has happened over the decades in the company.”

Like-minded neighbors The collaboration Valmet has seen with Curiosity Lab and other peachtreecornerslife

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Above, the ribbon cutting celebrating the opening of Valemt’s new offices.

endeavors in Peachtree Corners is the exact business model the company projects. Laine’s interactions with local CEOs have shown that maintaining the status quo isn’t good enough any longer. “They were saying that it’s not a good strategy anymore just to maintain the old machines and run them out. They started to say that they have to start to invest to make the difference. And today, we have a totally different situation than 10 years ago. Most of our customers are believing that it’s worthwhile to invest in North America,” said Laine. The company isn’t limited to paper products like tissue, boxes and the like. Valmet is organized around five business lines: services, pulp and energy, paper, automation systems and flow control. The company serves five geographical peachtreecornerslife

areas, North America, South America, EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa), Asia Pacific and China. With more than 220 years of industrial history, Valmet has a strong track record in continuous improvement and renewal, and more than 17,000 employees worldwide. The combined company net sales in 2021 were approximately 4.5 billion euros which converts to about $4.7 billion

in U.S. currency. Valmet’s continuing mission is to convert renewable resources into sustainable results. This means that its technology and services make it possible for customers to manufacture sustainable products from renewable resources. “We believe that technology plays a crucial role to mitigate climate change and global warming. Our

target is to enable 100% carbon-neutral production for all our pulp and paper customers by 2030,” according to corporate statements. “We believe that technology plays a key role in mitigating climate change and global warming in the transition to a carbon-neutral economy. Valmet has a long track record in providing solutions that convert biomass into renewable energy and recyclable products such as pulp, paper, board and tissue. We have also developed and commercialized new biomass conversion technologies for producing new bio-based end products such as biogas, biofuels and biomaterials.” Peachtree Corners Mayor Mike Mason agreed that Valmet fits in with the local business climate of companies that are working to change the world for the better. “Welcome to the community — and most importantly, thank you for making the decision to come here,” Mason said. “And from talking with your leadership, hearing what you do, you make, what’s important to you about this decision, you made the right decision.”

In about March of last year, we started thinking about relocating our office from Duluth to somewhere else. To find a new home for our North American headquarters that represents our values and represents the flavor and nature of our company... I don’t see how we could have done any better. This is fantastic. Jukka Tiitinen

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June/July 2022 ■ Peachtree Corners Magazine

COMMUNITY

Peachtree Corners Distinctiveness Predates Cityhood

The wild, wooly wilderness of western Gwinnett holds a richness that has drawn many to settle on these banks of the Chattahoochee River to this day.

Above from left, City Councilman Alex Wright, Pat Bruschini, Wayne Knox, Debbie Mason, Mayor Mike Mason, Matt Houser, Gay Shook, Mike Murphy, Tom Rice, Lynette Howard

By Arlinda Smith Broady

Photos by George Hunter

Peachtree Corners Magazine ■ June/July 2022 ■ LivingInPeachtreeCorners.com

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n its 10 years as a city, Peachtree Corners has built a reputation as an innovative center for technology and a community that strives to maintain family values and a quality way of life. To get a perspective on why this city is a jewel in the crown of Gwinnett County, it’s important to go back to the origins of how this area

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became settled.

Atlanta native Carole Townsend wrote a book, released last year, about the history of the area. Titled “Peachtree Corners, the History of an Innovative and Remarkable City 1777-2020,” she chronicles the city from the early days of the Creek Indians, who claimed the area as their home, through the creation of the technology hub that exists today. In a podcast interview with Peachtree Corners Magazine shortly after the book was published, Townsend gave insight into why Peachtree Corners is such an innovative and remarkable place. The boundary that defines the westernmost part of Gwinnett County, the Chattahoochee River, was perhaps the main reason the area was so coveted by many. For the indigenous peoples, it was a lifeblood, explained Townsend. And as Europeans moved into the area, they naturally built their settlements along it. “The Europeans brought with them diseases that the Native Americans had no immunities to,” said Townsend. “A lot of them were wiped out.” Eventually about 16 different native tribes formed a nation of Native Americans that was mainly made up of Creek with a little Cherokee mixed in. “The Cherokee tribes were mainly north of the Chattahoochee,” said Townsend. By the time the colonies had formed to become American, there were few Indigenous people left. That’s when many of the founding families moved to this area. “When we look at Holcomb Bridge Road and we look at Nesbitt Ferry… these are not names just pulled out of a hat. We even have recent history that they go back a long way,” she continued. In 1777, western Gwinnett County, in what is now Peachtree Corners, had its first White landowners. “I can tell you the absolute earliest family was the Medlocks. And I can say that with certainty because Isham Medlock was the first recorded Medlock in the area,” Townsend added. Another prominent family that Townsend chose to highlight, the Nesbitts, wasn’t of European descent. “Of course, there are many important families that settled the area, but the Nesbitt family — the

Perry Nesbitt family — struck me as another group that really needed to be part of the story,” said Townsend. “The patriarch and the matriarch of that family were born into slavery. They were born before the Civil War ended, and in fact, the grand patriarch — they actually called the gentleman Perry P. Nesbitt — was also born into slavery and was emancipated at age nine; he became a prominent landowner in Pinckneyville and that was highly unusual.” In that period of the nation’s history, it was very unusual for someone of color – especially someone who had been born into slavery — to become a well-known and prominent landowner. “That was done strictly through work ethic and a love of education and that it was a story that had to be told,” added Townsend. Fast forward to the mid-1900s, and Gwinnett County hadn’t changed much from its early days. To the people in Fulton and DeKalb counties, Gwinnett was pretty much the wild and wooly wilderness. There wasn’t much development, but there was a lot of trade with the railroad coming through Norcross.

Attracting best, brightest minds You really can’t document Peachtree Corners history without mentioning Paul Duke. After graduating from the Georgia Institute of Technology, he worked for L.B. Foster, a railroad equipment manufacturer. In the late 1960s, he pitched an idea for a planned community in the area known as Pinckneyville, now Peachtree Corners. He had the vision for a place where people could live and work in the same area to eliminate long commutes. In essence, he designed one of the first live-work developments. Duke was concerned that Georgia Tech grads basically had their bags packed before graduation and headed to places outside the state. This “brain drain” was taking away the best Georgia-grown intelligence to help other areas prosper. “Part of his job with [Foster] was to acquire properties on which to build their facilities. And as a result of those responsibilities, he ended up in western Gwinnett County and he immediately dubbed it ‘God’s country.’ He

thought it was the most beautiful place he had ever seen,” Townsend said. “That’s when he got the idea to build this cutting-edge technology campus or business campus with a focus on technology to attract those engineers.” Duke developed the business area called Technology Park which brought high-tech industries into the area. In the mid1970s, another developer, Jim Cowart, built upon Duke’s idea with the neighborhoods of Peachtree Station, River Station and others. In the 30-plus years since the vision of Peachtree Corners, the population has skyrocketed with an estimated current total of nearly 50,000.

The original purpose of the city was self-determination. We all felt that the citizens of Peachtree Corners should make decisions about our future, not the county, or anyone else. So, from a self-determination point of view, it’s been exactly what we hoped. Mike Mason, Mayor

Protecting the quality of life Although Technology Park has a lot to do with Peachtree Corners success and growth, the uniqueness of the city is so much more than that. With the seven-mile northwestern boundary of the Chattahoochee River, Peachtree Corners residents have an abundance of natural beauty within their sight. The 277-acre Simpsonwood Park is a heavily wooded area along the

Chattahoochee. In 2016, Gwinnett County developed a $7 million plan to upgrade the area. It added a learning playground, nature overlooks, trail improvements and camping amenities. Jones Bridge and Holcomb Bridge parks are also located along the banks of the Chattahoochee. They are parcels of natural beauty that offer playgrounds, river overlooks, fishing pavilions and open meadow space. With so much emphasis on growth and development, the city founders believed it was important to keep in mind quality of life issues. Some of the same breathtaking scenery that first drew the Creek and Cherokee tribes, as well as the first European settlements, has survived to this day. Maintaining that balance of progress and preservation has been a goal for the United Peachtree Corners Civic Association (UPCCA). The nonprofit, non-partisan organization serves the residents of Peachtree Corners in their desire to maintain high quality of life standards. The association monitors and communicates land use and rezonings, transportation, education, public safety and other issues of significance to the community. It recently held a townhall meeting allowing all interested parties to learn about planned changes to The Forum at Peachtree Parkway and surrounding areas. It also held its annual COPS forum where residents learned about public safety issues in their neighborhoods, schools and all throughout the city. “We actually predate the city,” explained UPCCA President Matt Lombardi. “It was from this organization that the question of cityhood first arose — and it wasn’t an impulsive decision. We all weighed the pros and cons of adding another layer of bureaucracy to the area.” Peachtree Corners was a citylike area, but not quite what the Census Bureau calls a designated place —a statistical geographic entity representing a closely settled, unincorporated community that is locally recognized and identified by name. Lombardi admitted that he wasn’t completely sold on the idea of cityhood at first. “I thought we had a good thing at the time and wasn’t sure we needed to change

June/July 2022 ■ Peachtree Corners Magazine

it,” he said. “I’d been pulled over three times in Dunwoody, which had just become a city, and was concerned that we’d become a speed trap needing the revenue to pay for police and other services.” Lombardi said one of the selling points for forming a city was that there wouldn’t be a city police force. To this day, Peachtree Corners uses Gwinnett County law enforcement.

A city is born As early as 1999, the notion of forming a city had been bandied about. On July 1, 2012, Peachtree Corners officially became a city, the county’s 16th — and largest — city, and the first to incorporate since 1956. “The people have spoken,” said Mike Mason, who had led the campaign as the president of the UPCCA, in a statement to the Gwinnett Daily News. “Now, we have a voice. We can have a plan for the future.” Gwinnett County Commissioner Lynette Howard, who represented the area at the time, said cityhood allows local residents to have more control of their own destiny. “I just love the branding and the identity, and it’s just going to strengthen,” she told Gwinnett Daily Post. “It’s so exciting. It’s not (just) a volunteer community anymore.” Now mayor of Peachtree Corners, Mike Mason said the city is what he and other envisioned — and more. “The original purpose of the city was self-determination. We all felt that the citizens of Peachtree Corners should make decisions about our future, not the county,

or anyone else. So, from a self-determination point of view, it’s been exactly what we hoped,” he said. “What’s been better than we hoped has been the extent that self-determination has fueled innovation, creativity and flexibility. Curiosity Lab is a world class entity. No one was talking about incubators or sophisticated high tech, global economic development programs in 2011. No one knew we’d have to pivot and save the trees in Simpsonwood Park from development in our first year of existence. No one was thinking about a Town Center or multiuse trails either. “I’ve been told many times by former county officials and citizens alike that without the city, Peachtree Corners would have a very, very different look. A look our citizens would not approve,” Mason concluded. Lisa Proctor, president of Peachtree Corners Business Association (PCBA), a civic organization that is also celebrating a 10-year anniversary, agreed. “Celebrating milestones such as the 10-year anniversary of the City of Peachtree Corners provides the unique opportunity to take a step back and reflect on what is working and what can continue to be improved and enhanced,” she said. “Like any new city, we are experiencing change and growing pains. Being informed and staying up to date on what is happening is a challenge when growth is happening so quickly,” Proctor added. “As a longterm resident and business owner in the city, I have the opportunity to evaluate these questions from

both perspectives. “I continue to feel strongly that in order to have effective planned growth, we need our planning and zoning to maintain the quality of our community by limiting exceptions, changes in zoning and overgrowth with too many apartments, too much traffic and overcrowding our natural resources, schools, sewers and amenities,” she said. But Proctor stressed that she believes that Peachtree Corners is living up to its mission. “I would love to see Peachtree Corners continue to grow and evolve while maintaining a sense of community and service that reflects our values and community spirit. I think with a balance of continued input from both the residential and business community, these objectives can be met. I do believe it is important to have a community that respects its citizens throughout their life — from child to senior citizen — and a city that does not only focus on limited demographics.”

Ready to take on the future Through her research, Townsend gained a new respect for Peachtree Corners. “My takeaway from this book is the fact that Peachtree Corners is undisputedly the crown jewel of Gwinnett County,” she said. “The American dream today is not what it was in the late 60s and 70s. Millennials — the workforce now — they don’t want the big house and the two cars in the driveway and the 2.2 kids … They want smaller, more efficient housing. They want walkability. I’m not sure a

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visionary as Paul Duke could have understood where technology was going by this time. So, Technology Park has been reimagined and it’s an example for the world not just for the nation.” Mayor Mason admitted he doesn’t have a crystal ball, but he has high hopes for the city’s future. “Who knows where Curiosity Lab will go, how Intuitive Surgical will change the city or the impact of the redevelopment of The Forum? After 10 years, I am still trying to find that magic bullet to initiate redevelopment on the southside,” he said. “What I’d like to see is a rapid bus corridor leaving Doraville Station, going down Buford Highway, then on to Jimmy Carter and Holcomb Bridge Road, turning around at the little Publix with several transit hubs along the way. I’ve been told our citizens living along that corridor would benefit from transit and this would be a real spur to redevelopment.” Mason added, “My other dream is to have a college in Peachtree Corners. We have two high schools in our community and lots of other residents — of all ages — would benefit from educational opportunities in the city. I’m not just talking about general education, but technical programs that complement Curiosity Lab, Intuitive Surgical and our other technology-based businesses. “The possibilities for Peachtree Corners are limitless given the innovation and creativity of our citizens.”

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June/July 2022 ■ Peachtree Corners Magazine

DOING GOOD

Local Nonprofit Breaking Down Barriers to Poverty Georgia Center for Opportunity programs bring resources together for struggling individuals

W By Karen Huppertz

ith gas prices soaring and supply chain issues driving up consumer prices, it’s not hard to imagine more individuals are struggling to make ends meet. Complicate those issues with a lack of education, medical issues, trouble within the home or other barriers to success and you find some families hanging by a thread. Some find themselves homeless.

Peachtree Corners Magazine ■ June/July 2022 ■ LivingInPeachtreeCorners.com

The Peachtree Corners-based Georgia Center for Opportunity (GCO) is working to break down those barriers to ensure everyone has access to a quality education, fulfilling work and a healthy family life. “Sometimes these barriers are created by policies, sometimes by events that have occurred, other times by circumstances of birth,” stated Corey Burres, Vice President Communications for GCO.

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Better Work Gwinnett brings everyone together Among their initiatives is Better Work Gwinnett, which brings together individuals seeking employment, businesses looking to hire and community-based service providers. The program, first piloted in Columbus, Ga., helps people wanting to work identify the obstacles that might be preventing them from securing a position, and helps peachtreecornerslife

Businesses were telling us ‘We want to help people,’ but people are taking jobs and leaving them, and we don’t know why this is happening. We don’t understand why people are turning down raises, or why all of these things are happening. Corey Burres

local businesses understand what they can do on their end to retain employees. “Businesses were telling us ‘We want to help people,’ but people are taking jobs and leaving them, and we don’t know why this is happening,” Burres said. “We don’t understand why people are turning down raises, or why all of these things are happening.” When they brought these businesses and organizations providing support together for a discussion, they found a huge disconnect. “When a business owner has a local employee that isn’t able to get to their job, instead of them just not showing up, we reach out to them to find out what is going on,” said Burres. “We find out the social issues that are

happening in their life and then we can address them.” For the employee whose car has broken down or whose bus route changed, GCO can help them find alternative transportation. For the worker who has lost childcare, they help find new resources. “It’s really looking at the idea of unemployment as a wholistic issue, not just a work issue,” added Burres.

Web portal provides connection for employers, services and workers Better Work Gwinnett now has a very easy to use web portal that allows businesses, support services and individuals to come together easily. Businesses post

their employment needs along with job requirements, salary and opportunities for advancement. Job seekers complete one form that allows them to apply to more than one position at a time. Employers participating in the program have committed to responding to applications within a week, and most are ready to hire immediately. Support services are listed by categories like transportation, housing, food, health, education and legal. Individuals can search for support services by zip code and see the kind of help available within each category. For instance, if transportation is the issue, someone might see services offering bus passes, financial as-

Photos on this and opposite page from drive up and walk-in job fairs. Above, Corey Burres

June/July 2022 ■ Peachtree Corners Magazine

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Peachtree Corners Magazine

sistance to purchase a vehicle, or services helping pay for gas. Another link lists all upcoming job fairs in addition to ones organized by GCO. Anyone applying can also sign up to be paired with a mentor who can help them write their resume, identify the best jobs to apply for and help them improve their interview skills. Mentors also help employees identify their unique barriers to success before they become a problem and help entry level workers chart a path for advancement. The program is entirely free. Presently, 33 local businesses are participating with a commitment to providing 160 jobs. Eight volunteers have signed on to mentor job seekers. To reach individuals experiencing job loss, Better Work is focusing on local libraries and their support service partners to help spread the word. “One of the things we realized is the one place you go to apply for a job if you don’t have an internet connection is the area library,” said Burres. “If you go to a public library in Gwinnett County, you’ll most likely find more information about us on your computer monitor. You can just type in ‘Better Work Gwinnett’ and see hundreds of jobs.”

Education is critical to success Georgia Center for Opportunity believes helping people climb out of poverty is about more than a steady job. That’s why the organization also focuses on education and family relationships. GCO advocates for policies and develops programs to ensure every child has access to a quality education. Through their Georgia Parents Alliance program, GCO worked to educate the public and legislators about the recently failed Promise Scholarships which would have allowed children access to instruction that fits their needs. Despite widespread public support, House

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Bill 999, which failed to achieve enough legislative votes in April, would have provided scholarships and allowed parents to use their tax dollars on any approved education expense, such as private school tuition, tutoring, homeschool curriculum, curriculum, virtual classes, college classes, therapies for kids with special needs or technology. Additional efforts include GCO’s College and Career Pathways Initiative that helps students stay in school to obtain their high school or college degrees.

Family relations are equally important The organization believes strong family relationships is the third key component to building thriving communities. Elevate Workshops bring couples together to learn skills to manage stress in their relationships. Through eight 90-minute sessions, couples discuss conflict resolution, stress management and ways to connect in more effective ways. Couples completing all eight sessions can receive a gift card worth up to $160. Additional programs focused on family relationships include: ■ Winning the Workplace Challenge — training on how to deal with home and workplace relationships. ■ Healthy @ Home — videos and expert advice on identifying and building mental wellness. ■ Healthy @ Work — resources for employees and employers to provide a stable relationship foundation. Georgia Center for Opportunity is not state or federally funded. The nonprofit is accomplishing success through individual, foundation and corporate donations. Learn more, volunteer, donate or seek assistance at georgiaopportunity.org and betteropportunity. org/better-work-gwinnett. ■

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The Peachtree Corners Festival

Returns Triumphantly for Its 11th Year By Ivy Marie Clarke

uly 1-3 is gearing up to be an exciting weekend for Peachtree Corners. Not only is it the lead up to Independence Day, but it’s also the 10th anniversary of Peachtree Corner’s founding. Why not celebrate it all at the 11th annual Peachtree Corners Festival? Enjoy food, entertainment, music and art with your family and friends — not to mention, the festival (and parking) is free and open to the public.

The Peachtree Corners Festival has been a staple of Peachtree Corners since before the city was even officially, well, a city. The festival is a nonprofit “dedicated to bringing a safe, wholesome and family-friendly festival to the City of Peachtree Corners,” according to peachtreecornersfestival.com. It’s volunteer-run, so its success is due to the passionate citizens who are driven by pride for their homes as well as its sponsors. Funds earned by the festival are directed towards beautification and education projects in Peachtree Corners. Dave Huffman has been involved with the festival for 10 years and served as its president for nine. He said that it can be stressful at times to handle the hundreds of details that go into planning a festival, but the volunteers make it manageable, and the sponsors’ funding makes it all come to fruition. “As our city has grown, the festival has kept pace with that growth,” Huffman said. “That makes the work a bit more every year, but when we see the smiles of our attendees and hear good things from our vendors and sponsors, it makes it all worthwhile and we start to think about how we can make the next year even better!”

The Dirfters

As the saying goes, it truly takes a village. Huffman cited several members of the Peachtree Corners Festival team who make the dream come true, including Arts Director Ayanna Graham, Music Director Becky Lyon and the First Lady of Peachtree Corners, Debbie Mason, as vice president. “Debbie was one of the founders of the festival and spearheads our work with the many sponsors we depend on,” Huffman said. “She is wonderful!” This year, the festival will return to the Town Green located in the Town Center development, which has become the entertainment hub of the city. Due to the tight fit and muddiness that the festival experienced last year, though, it will also be returning to its roots in a sense: while the Town Green will still host music and kids’ activities, a section of Peachtree Corners Circle will be blocked off to make room for the booths, food

court and classic car show. Saturday’s Classic Car Show and Sunday’s Georgia Concours d’Elegance will be located in the Hexagon building parking lot next to the food court. The weekend-long event will kick off with a concert at 7:30 p.m. on Fri-

day, July 1, followed by a festival on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Read on for more information about what to expect from this year’s Peachtree Corners Festival.

2021 Car Show

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Music The Saturday and Sunday entertainment lineup is still under construction, but Huffman assured that it would be one of the highlights of the festival, with Lyon carefully evaluating and selecting entertainers from a myriad of submissions. The Friday night headliner has been announced as none other than the iconic R&B group of the 50s and 60s, The Drifters. Best known for their classics “Under the Boardwalk,” “Save the Last Dance for Me” and “This Magic Moment,” among numerous other hits, The Drifters will have you swaying on the Town Green and celebrating the festival as well as the 10th anniversary of Peachtree Corners. Festival attendees are encouraged to bring picnic baskets and coolers full of food and non-alcoholic beverages to enjoy during the performance.

Cars, Bikes, Hot Rides The Classic Car & Bike Show (“classic” for both the types of cars it represents and its traditional presence at the Peachtree Corners Festival) will take place on Saturday, July 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It’s free for spectators; if you decide to register your car or bike on-site, you’ll only pay $15. The awesome vehicles will be lined up at the ready for you to photograph and admire. Meanwhile, trained judges will assess which rides are worthy of the coveted Top Car & Bike Awards and Top Class trophies. Enjoy food, a DJ and fantastic door prizes. 1954 Cadillac Convertible (Photo courtesy Georgia’s Concours d’Elegance)

Arts, Crafts and More Local artisans and business owners will represent their wares at the festival. They’ll be selling everything from home goods to jewelry to crafts, so be a good neighbor and shop ‘til you drop! ► Built by Bees: Tim Haratine started his honey business in 2015 with two goals: to make customers and employees happy, and to do so by promising good products and great value. All of Built by Bees’ many delicious products use raw honey and earn repeat customers. Visit builtbybees.com. ◄ Chili P. Designs: Owner Julia channels her artistic skill and love for her family into creating beautiful wood signs perfect for home decor. Gift a design to a family member or display it in your own home for guests to admire. More at chilipdesigns.com. ■ Goddess Luxe: Necklace chains of delicate gold or silver, rings embedded with dazzling crystals, elegantly shaped earrings: this shop lives up to its name and makes jewelry fit for a goddess. See the collection at goddessluxejewelry.com. ► Discover Atlanta Chinese Art: Godwin Kou and Kuansoi (Christine) Kou are both accomplished painters and calligraphers dedicated to sharing authentic Chinese art with the world. Their work is delicate and striking while staying pure and unconfined. Go to discoveratlantachineseart.com for info. ■ Kettlebrook Brewing: You can support this new, upand-coming, family-run brewery boasting good stories and great beer with a purchase of their shirts or mugs. Go to kettlerockbrewing.com.

Georgia’s Concours d’Elegance will exhibit on Sunday, July 3, from 12 noon to 4 p.m., and admission is also free. Here, you’ll be witness to a lot of rare, collectible and vintage cars. The special “Sneak Peak” will show what’s coming in 2023 to Atlanta. A classic car is more than merely a car. It’s an aesthetic, an artwork, a relic of history, a feat of technology. Concours d’Elegance brings that glorious showmanship and craftsmanship directly to you — and for free at the Peachtree Corners Festival. Support Peachtree Corners’ Concours with your attendance this year so that even more beautiful motor vehicles can be brought in next year and continue to unite our community in the pursuit of beauty.

Peachtree Corners Magazine ■ June/July 2022 ■ LivingInPeachtreeCorners.com

▼ Knox Carter Kandles: The 100% soy candles melt into a gorgeous marbling so, with their pretty packaging and wide variety of scents, they look just as incredible as they smell. More info at knoxcarterkandles. com. ■ Puppy Present Designs: Specializing in matching collars and leashes for all sizes of dogs, your puppy is sure to be the prettiest at the park. Find their shop on Etsy.

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◄ Reminis Soaps: Stacey, the maker of Reminis Soaps, began her soap-making journey in 2016 because she was looking for a solution to her oily skin and post-shower itchiness. Now she handmakes beautiful, delicious-smelling soaps using only all-natural ingredients. Check out reminissoaps.com. ■ Whatnot Bear Mobile: This business is family-owned and operated. It began with the purpose of bringing children support and joy. Make your own child happy at the festival by coming home with a fuzzy friend! Find more at whatnotbearmobile.com.

▲ XOC Designs: Specializing in a variety of materials to handmake stunning furniture and other homewares, you’re sure to wow your guests with these pieces. Browse xocdesigns.com for details. ■ Ziparoos: Committed to a sustainable home, Ziparoos makes and sells multi-purpose, reusable storage bags — but they also sell other eco-friendly products that are perfect for the kitchen or cleaning around the house. And they come in cute prints, so they’re fun for the whole family! Find the full vendor list on the Exhibitor page at peachtreecornersfestival.com.

Call for Volunteers Need to complete volunteer hours this summer? Part of a service group and looking for a direction to channel your goodwill? Or just need to kill some time this season? The Peachtree Corners Festival is volunteer-run, and volunteers are still being sought. With so many fun things to do all weekend, there are multiple avenues to get involved, no matter what your interests are — whether that’s assisting with the car show, distributing water to thirsty festivalgoers, setting up vendor booths or managing the hospitality suite. Volunteers need to be above the age of 18 or have parental permission if younger. Volunteers will receive a commemorative T-shirt and pride in having supported their home city. Sign and return the 2022 volunteer waiver form via the Volunteer page on the festival’s website, peachtreecornersfestival.com.

Food and Beverage Vendors Whatever you’re craving, Peachtree Corners Festival is serving it up. From sweet treats to cool down in the heat or a little spice to intensify your day, the food court has you covered. Speaking of sweet and spicy, Chocolate & Spice Eatery will be dishing it out both ways. Their Caribbean-French-Brazilian fusion-inspired offerings include islander’s sorbet served in pineapple, a Creole low country boil served with your choice of protein and vegetables, savory Brazilian barbecue and, of course, the classic festival food — turkey legs. Find them at facebook. com/chocoandspice. ►Or chew on this: Chew-on Chuan stands out at festivals with their Latino-Asian fusion street food, and the Peachtree Corners Festival is no different. Smack on Asian street skewers (your choice of protein) with a side of mango salsa and tortilla, Dominican empanadas that sound so good they’ll make your mouth water just looking at the ingredients list, yucca fries, Thai Tom yum soup, scallion pancakes and grilled corn in a 13-spice barbecue sauce. Yum! Check them out at facebook.com/chewonchuan. For more can’t-miss-it, gotta-have-it festival food, check out Tasty Yum Yum. Not only do they have the classics — fried Oreos, funnel cake, sweet tea and ice-cold lemonade — but they’ll also be selling hearty stuff like rice and peas, steamed cabbage, loaded fries, sausage, Philly cheesesteak and chicken any way you want it: popcorn chicken, chicken on a stick, jerk chicken, curry chicken–yum! Visit them on Instagram. Thirsty? Phoenix Roasters will be roasting up a full espresso and cold brew bar. If you haven’t tried a nitro-based craft drink yet, this festival will be your chance! Get details at phoenixroasters.coffee. What’s lunch without a snack, or dinner without dessert? After your meal, top it off with national award-winning homemade ice cream from Daddy O’Brien’s Irish Ice Cream Pub. Find out more at daddyosicecream. com. If ice cream’s not your taste, Sweetacular Treats will have every other treat available to choose from, including popcorn, cotton candy, candied pickles and apples, Rice Krispies, cake, soda and lemonade. Find them on Instagram.

Sponsors It cannot be said enough times how important sponsors are to making the Peachtree Corners Festival great. This year’s sponsors can be found by clicking on the Sponsors page at peachtreecornersfestival.com; from there, you can click on each of their logos and be directed to more information. Notably, the Title Sponsor is the City of Peachtree Corners, and Peachtree Corners Magazine has been recognized as a Silver Sponsor. Come visit our table when you attend the festival.

June/July 2022 ■ Peachtree Corners Magazine

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Check the festival Facebook page for update-to-date information: facebook.com/peachtreecornersfestival This map was created specifically for Peachtree Corners Magazine.

GA Concours Cars

Peachtree Corners Magazine ■ June/July 2022 ■ LivingInPeachtreeCorners.com

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Parks & Trails in Peachtree Corners

sn’t it amazing that out of the 17 square miles that make up Peachtree Corners, there is always a park or trail within a few minutes drive or walk? From the popular and well-visited Jones Bridge Park,

to the wild and ever-changing trails of Simpsonwood, to the Pinkneyville ponds, and the newest Connector Park Trails in Technology Park, there is always a place to get away from the everyday hustle-bustle. It’s also a photographer’s dream for nature, wildlife, and landscape photography, as shared in this issue by members of the Peachtree Corners Photography Club. The meetings of the Club are open to everyone from beginners to pros. For more information about the Club, go to their website at https://pcphotoclub.org.

Scan QR to find out more about the club.

Top left, clockwise, Eric Richter, Corners Connector Marker Brian Walton, A Walk In The Simpsonwoods Tracey Rice, Cool Mist

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Top row from left: Alfonso Caycedo - Feeding the Ducks Jurgen Kohler - Corners Connector Trail Mike Walker - Chattahoochee Reserve Medlock Bridge Anna Niziol - Jones Bridge Park Artist Second row from left: Rafael Garcia - Crooked Creek Park - In The Woods Anna Niziol - Dusk Tranquility Bob Walker- Blood Root Alfonso Caycedo - Kayaking dog Jurgen Kohler - Corners Connectors Trail Third row from left: David Dunagan - Flyfish Eric Richter - Lakeview from the Park Trail Bottom row from left: Jennifer Whiddon - Squirrel Raphael Garcia - Peachtree Corners Town Center Park

Peachtree Corners Magazine ■ June/July 2022 ■ LivingInPeachtreeCorners.com

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June/July 2022 ■ Peachtree Corners Magazine

JUNE

11: Night Music - Blair Crimmins & the Hookers 18: Kids Event 2pm-5pm 25: Summer Concert Series - Brotherhood (Doobie Brothers Tribute)

JULY

1-3: Peachtree Corners Festival 2: Flicks on the Green - Big Hero Six 9: Night Music - Sailing to Denver 16: Bark at the Park 23: Sports on the Screen 30: Summer Concert - Everclear

AUGUST

6: Flicks on the Green - Megamind 13: Night Music - Wildflowers (Tom Petty Tribute) 8pm 20: Light Up the Corners Run 20: Sports on the Screen 27: Summer Concert Series Stayin Alive (Bee Gees Tribute)

TIMES Flicks on the Green: 7pm Night Music: 7pm (Aug 13 8pm) Summer Concert Series: 7pm

Yoga on the Green (by Sun Dragon Yoga): Tues 8am (May-Sep) CrossFit (by PPG CrossFit): Thurs 10am (May-Sep) Cornhole ATL League: Wed 6:30pm (Jan-Oct)

Are Your Kids Curious?

Come See What Curiosity Lab Peachtree Corners is All About

Join the Gwinnett County Public Library Peachtree Corners Branch and the Curiosity Lab to learn more about the smart city ecosystem, how it works, what it means for the City, and get hands on with some of the coolest technology around. Meet Pepper, T-Mobile’s AI Robot, Gita, our follow you anywhere bot, see a real drone, and find out how testing of Autonomous shuttles in Peachtree Corners are changing the future of transportation.

Wednesday, July 13 at 1:00 pm at GCPL Peachtree Corners 5570 Spalding Drive, Peachtree Corners

Peachtree Corners Magazine ■ June/July 2022 ■ LivingInPeachtreeCorners.com

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Summer Outdoor Fun Guide By Karen Huppertz

eachtree Corners residents can save gas and avoid escalating airfare prices by enjoying the many summer activities right at home. From the various trails and parks nearby, to a flurry of regular activities at the Peachtree Corners Town Green (and soon to be regular events at The Forum), fun for all ages abounds. It’s a significant year for Peachtree Corners as it celebrates its 10th anniversary as a city. Now that the pandemic is largely a thing of the past, residents can count on a regular schedule of activities, all of which can be found on the city’s calendar at tinyurl.com/PTC-Calendar. According to Diana Wheeler, Peachtree Corners Community Development Director, “We are trying to help the community become accustomed to consistent timing of events at the Town Green.” She noted that residents can enjoy a meal or snack at any of the more than 15 eateries located in the Town Green before or during an event. Most restaurants will even deliver food to the Town Green during a local concert. “Dinner and a movie or a show... Hopefully people will come out and enjoy themselves,” added Wheeler.

Free music events at Town Green The second Saturday of each month is dedicated to local bands in the Night Music Series. Residents might even spot a neighbor on stage from time to time. Larger, touring bands can be found on the last Saturday night of the month in

the Summer Concert Series. All Town Green. “We are bringing the invited musical groups promise a legendary R&B group The Drifters family-friendly performance. to Peachtree Corners! This is not a Blair Crimmins and the Hooktribute band but is the real thing,” ers joins the summer Night Music said Dave Huffman, Peachtree fun at 7 p.m. on June 11. According Corners Festival President. to the city, Blair Crimmins began “Think of hits like ‘Under the his music career in Atlanta with Boardwalk,’ ‘Save the Last Dance a determination to bring Ragtime for Me,’ and ‘This Magic Moment’ and 1920s style Dixieland Jazz to and then come on out to the Town new audiences. “His debut 2010 Green to hear them live. It will be release ‘The Musical Stylings Of’ a special evening celebrating the became a college radio sensation on WRAS Atlanta making him the most requested band on the air.” Next in the summer series is Brotherhood (Doobie Brothers Tribute band) with Guardians of the Jukebox (80s cover band) at 7 p.m. June 25. These Summer Concert Series bands will have everyone up on their feet singing and dancing. Brotherhood honors the original Doobie Brothers’ sound with two drummers and a percussionist, two guitars, bass and keyboards, and “all Everclear the vocal harmonies that made the Doobies incredible sound.” Guardians of the Jukebox will be festival and the tenth anniversary bringing the hair, clothing and of our great city.” music you remember and love Sailing to Denver with Trapfrom the 80s. They promise “The pers Cabin joins the Night Music definitive tribute to MTV’s Pop, series at 7 p.m. on July 9. Sailing Rock, New Wave and New Romanto Denver describes themselves as tic Era.” a unique Americana / Roots-Rock Rhythm and Blues fans should band that has been recording since mark their calendars now for the 2011. They can regularly be seen original Drifters on opening night around town at many different of the Peachtree Corners Fesvenues, city concerts, and corpotival at 7:30 p.m. on July 1 at the rate events and have been known

to feature amazing special guest musicians from all over the southeast. Georgia’s Joel Nettesheim’s musical project, Trappers Cabin, is said to be a blend of art-rock, freak-folk, psychedelia and space rock — with plenty of surprises thrown in. Everclear with Hushmoney helps wrap up the month at 7 p.m. on July 30. Considered a 90s Alt-Rock Band, Everclear continues to tour extensively. Fans may remember,

and certainly will enjoy, Everclear’s rendition of ‘Santa Monica’ and ‘Father of Mine.’ The local band Hushmoney starts off the evening. The Hard-Southern Rock band is known for playing covers of lesser-known deep cuts.

Fun for children and pets Peachtree Corners will host a Kids Festival 2 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, June

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18 at Town Green. “We’ll have lots of inflatables, slides and family-focused vendors,” said Wheeler. “King of Pops is coming, and the Bubble Lady and we’ll have a DJ.” Children are welcome on the expanded playground and can enjoy the splash pad on hot summer afternoons. The playground is open 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. and the splash pad is operational 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. during

Penn from Sun Dragon Yoga. Yoga is known to help improve flexibility, increase blood flow, correct posture and helps improve mental focus. “Yoga is an ancient practice that brings together the human mind and body,” according to Penn’s website. “It’s a practice that incorporates meditation, breathing exercises, and poses that are designed to reduce stress and Photo by Anna Niziol – Town Green

Mat sessions of Pilates might remind first-time participants of yoga with a strong emphasis on core strength and alignment. This low-impact workout improves flexibility, balance and posture. Look for a loyalty rewards program built into the Forum Fit offering. With every five classes attended, guests will receive exclusive prizes. For future events at The Forum. visit theforumonpeachtree.com/events/.

Play ball (or cornhole) Sporting events can be found on the big screen at Peachtree Corners Town Green, including the Atlanta Braves versus the Los Angeles Angels at 7:20 p.m. on July 23. Additional special viewing events are announced closer to sporting dates.

the summer months. Kids (or just adults) are welcome at the Town Green, along with their furry friends 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on July 16 for Bark in the Park. The event will include vendors, special doggie treats, and fun activities only a canine can enjoy. Turns out the pups enjoy bubbles too.

Fitness fun Not just for the summer months, the city offers year-round physical activities for all fitness levels. Tuesday mornings at 8 a.m. are dedicated to Yoga on the Green. Everyone from beginners to experienced yogis are welcome to join this free class taught by David

encourage relaxation.” On Thursdays, exercise fans can try free CrossFit at the Green with TJ Fox of CrossFit PPG. The classes are offered 10 to 11 a.m. through September. According to their website, “CrossFit is a lifestyle characterized by safe, effective exercise and sound nutrition. It involves constantly varied functional movements performed at high intensity.” Beginning in June, North American Properties, the new owner of The Forum, is launching a Forum Fit program 6 to 7 p.m. every Wednesday through October. Kicking off the program is Club Pilates Peachtree Corners, who will be leading classes outdoors under the clock tower at The Forum.

JOIN US THIS SUMMER FOR CAMP PETERBROOKE

CALL TO SCHEDULE The Forum at 5135 Peachtree Parkway, Peachtree Corners, GA 30092

(770) 817-8118 | www.PeterbrookeAtlanta.com

Peachtree Corners Magazine ■ June/July 2022 ■ LivingInPeachtreeCorners.com

Cornhole

At 6:30 p.m., Wednesday nights at the Town Green, residents can bring their chairs or grab an outdoor table to cheer on their favorite cornhole team. CornholeATL, Georgia’s largest and fastest growing cornhole league, will showcase four different divisions of play. The fun continues for 7 weeks beginning in June.

Hike, fish, play or grill If all of the above is not enough, families can check out Gwinnett County Parks & Recreation’s four Peachtree Corners parks for a wide variety of outdoor fun. All county parks are open sunrise to sunset. Additional information and everything to know about renting Gwinnett County Park facilities is at GwinnettParks.com. Here’s a glimpse at the options. Holcomb Bridge Park, 4300 Holcomb Bridge Road, includes a pavilion with picnic tables, grill, playground, restrooms, amphitheater, a quarter-mile unpaved trail and fishing from a river overlook.

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Jones Bridge Park, 4901 East Jones Bridge Road is a 30-acre park along the Chattahoochee River that offers pavilions, grill, playground, sand volleyball court, three soccer fields, a Good Age Building rental room, restrooms, a lovely meadow and river overlook areas for fishing. Simpsonwood Park, 4511 Jones Bridge Circle, the 223-acre park, features a chapel, pavilion, grills, a 3.1-mile non-paved trail, sand volleyball court, group camping, meadow and restrooms. Pinckneyville Park has its park entrance at 4785 South Old Peachtree Road. Families with children playing baseball or soccer are probably already familiar with the 93-acre park which includes a seven-field baseball / softball complex, the 5,000-square foot Medlock Corporate Pavilion with catering kitchen and the Danny Cochran Pavilion. This beautiful park also boasts a dog park, roller hockey rink, free-skate area, playground, grill, fishing pond, meadow, 1.53 paved trail and restrooms. From a separate entrance to the park, at 4707 South Old Peachtree Road, the community can access the five-field soccer complex with pavilion, grill, playground, restrooms, pond, 1.47 miles of paved trail and access to 6.6 miles of the Western Gwinnett Pathway. A third entrance to this park, technically in Berkeley Lake at 4650 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard, leads to a Community Recreation Center with catering kitchen, pottery / art studio, hidden courtyard, rental rooms and .21 miles of paved trail that connect to the soccer complex. The county offers a variety of summer camps at the Pinckneyville Park Community Recreation Center. Ages 5 to 6 and 7 to 13 are eligible for week-long Adventure Camps beginning June 6 through July 29. Ages 8 to 16 may also want to consider the Draw, Paint and Sculpt Camp that runs June 6-10 or the Drama Camp, July 11-15. Information and registration is available at GwinnettCommunityServices.com. ■

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June/July 2022 ■ Peachtree Corners Magazine

KNOWLEDGE

Local Students Take Top Honors in International Creativity Competition Paul Duke STEM HS Odyssey of the Mind team beat out much of the competition at the World Finals in Iowa.

group of seven talented and determined young ladies from Peachtree Corners returned home triumphant after setting off in late May to conquer the world in a compe-

tition that requires creativity, wit, spontaneity and a whole lot of courage. The Paul Duke STEM High School Odyssey of the Mind team recently took second place overall in their division in the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. They came in first place for their long performance skit. “Being at World Finals was an incredible experience. Since we

By Arlinda Smith Broady

Photos by George Hunter

Peachtree Corners Magazine ■ June/July 2022 ■ LivingInPeachtreeCorners.com

were competing at the high school level with such a young team (six freshmen and one 7th grader), our goal was to try and place in the top 10, which we knew would be a feat,” said Coach Lisa Dommert. “Placing second overall and first in the skit was amazing!” Although she presented this as a “fun fact,” Coach Dommert said the Paul Duke team received the highest score for skit amongst all problems / divisions at World Finals since Odyssey first started publishing scores in 2006. The girls scored 194 out of a possible 200. These students competed against youth from as far away as Europe and South America. This was the fifth year in a row for the team

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Left, the Paul Duke STEM HS Odyssey of the Mind team on stage taking their trophy from this year’s finals. (Photo courtesy of the team) Above, Top row: Emma Betteridge, 14, freshman at Paul Duke, Sophia Dommert, 13, 7-grader at Pinckneyville MS, Molly Ellner, 14, freshman at Norcross HS, Claire Ott, 15, freshman at Paul Duke, Elisa Banks, 14, freshman at Paul Duke. Bottom row: Addie Ebert, 15, freshman at Paul Duke and Kyle Dommert, 15, freshman at Norcross High. (Photo courtesy of the team)

Reactions to this year’s competition from team members “My favorite moment of the competition was watching the girls’ faces when they received a standing ovation for their performance. We were told by other coaches and spectators that it was one of the best skits they have ever seen.” — Coach Lisa Dommert “I love how Odyssey of the Mind has allowed me to compete with and meet other people from all over the globe, make new friends and learn how all of our hard work has paid off.” — Kylie Dommert “Odyssey has given me a chance to express myself in a new way and grow life skills, better character and true friendships.” — Molly Ellner “Being in Odyssey of the Mind has taught me so many skills that I will need in life, including problem-solving, teamwork and being able to work under pressure. I am also very grateful for the valuable friendships that I have made in Odyssey that will last a lifetime.” — Elisa Banks “Through Odyssey, I not only learned hard skills like construction and design, but also soft skills like collaboration and creative problem-solving.” — Addie Ebert

comprised of six high school freshmen who attend Paul Duke and Norcross High School and one middle schooler from Pinckneyville Middle School. Five of the seven members of this team have been to Odyssey of the Mind World Finals four times before. Each one competed on Pinckneyville Middle’s team for the last three years, which won fourth place in 2019 and first place in 2020 as well as first place in the World Finals Virtual and In-person competition. Five of the members won first place in 2018 on the team from Simpson Elementary.

The Odyssey of the Mind program The Odyssey of the Mind World Finals is the pinnacle of a decades-old program that teaches youngsters to use creative problem-solving activities that require knowledge along with their imagination to build, fix and create what might have been unimaginable. Odyssey of the Mind was founded in 1978 to foster original and divergent thinking. Through the Odyssey of the Mind program, organizers promote creativity by challenging teams to solve problems with more than one solution, according to its program guide. By working as one unit, participants learn teamwork,

the appreciation and understanding of others and that a group is a more powerful thinking force than an individual. The guide went on to add that the students develop a sense of self-respect and respect for others through preparatory activities such as brainstorming and role-playing. Many of the most successful teams are those with participants with a wide difference in interests such as dance and sports, math and poetry, etc. The competition has three divisions for K-12 students that break down by age, but are generally elementary, middle and high school. And within the divisions there are five different types of “problems”

“Odyssey of the Mind has given me the opportunity to be creative in different ways and learn many important skills such as teamwork and quick problem-solving.” — Claire Ott “Odyssey has helped me meet so many new people and get closer to my teammates. I have learned so many new skills and have had so much fun. Getting a standing ovation this year was so amazing and is something I will never forget.” — Sophia Dommert “Odyssey has given me new ways to express myself creatively. By working together building sets and figuring out problems, I have learned problem-solving skills and how to work with a team to achieve great things.” — Emma Betteridge

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for students to tackle. The Peachtree Corners kids always focus on Problem 5 – Performance, where scoring is based mostly on the performance and elements within the performance. It sometimes requires a specific character, sometimes humor, sometimes an original story, but it’s always supposed to be fun.

Creativity within a budget Although the costumes and props may look like they cost a lot to construct, the team can’t spend more than $150 for all the materials. “You have to keep it within that limit,” said Coach Dommert. “A lot of times they try to build some-

thing and it doesn’t work, so they don’t have to expense that. But we are required to submit receipts.” Along with thriftiness and ingenuity, the teams are encouraged to think about environmentalism. “Luckily, most of our stuff is recyclable. The PVC pipe was reused from last year, instead of throwing in the dumpster. We just took it back home and we’re able to reuse it,” she added. She pointed out that one of the elaborately designed costumes could have rivaled an “unconventional materials” challenge on the popular TV competition, Project Runway. “I think this outfit might have cost $3,” said Coach Dommert. “I’m really proud of this team that

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Peachtree Corners Magazine ■ June/July 2022 ■ LivingInPeachtreeCorners.com

they just make beautiful things out of recyclable junk or trash that people are throwing out.” Before they headed off to the World Finals, the team explained to Peachtree Corners Magazine how they came up with their award-winning concept. “Our problem is a girl is in a regular world and then suddenly, she wakes up in the circus world,” said Kylie Dommert. “We didn’t want to do a normal circus because that’s what a lot of other teams would do. We wanted to do something original and creative.” After a lot of brainstorming the girls decided on a Cirque du Soleiltype theme with a lot of word play. The main character is named Sir Gus. “The way we are scored is based on our performance, the originality of the performance, the overall creativity and then our tricks and

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style elements,” said Emma Betteridge. That’s one of the cool things about the Performance Problem. But the other areas have cool factors as well. “Other teams are scored on things like how much weight they can hold, if it’s a structure problem,” said Molly Ellner.

Plans to build on success Coach Dommert has seen the girls grow in so many ways that she’d love to see more schools get involved. And it’s possible for Paul Duke to have more than one Odyssey of the Mind team. “We would love to start building that because it really starts at the elementary school level,” she said. “It’s hard to get formed at a lot of schools because many have coaches that are also teachers.” After a full day at school, it’s not easy to devote weekends and peachtreecornerslife

afterschool hours for just about the entire school year. The teams will get the problems for next year this summer and start the process all over again. Although the materials are lowcost and creativity is free, registration, transportation to tournaments and lodging for events can run into the thousands of dollars. The team created a GoFundMe page to raise money to get to this year’s finals. “I am so amazed by what these girls accomplished, not only this year but for the last six years. They work beautifully together and strive to set the bar higher every year. I am honored to work with such a talented group of young women made up of scholars, art-

ists, musicians and athletes,” said Coach Dommert. “Every year they make me laugh, cry, and go a little crazy. That is the life of an Odyssey coach, and I wouldn’t change a thing.” Learn more about the Paul Duke STEM High School Odyssey of the Mind team at performance-pc. info. ■

Visit our website for a full photo gallery of the team and this year’s problem for Performance Teams Life is a Circus!

Odyssey of the Mind Results for Local Team

2022: 1st in Georgia, 2nd in World 2021: 1st in Georgia, 1st in World (virtual), 1st in World (in-person) 2020: 1st in Georgia, 1st in World 2019: 1st in Georgia, 4th in World 2018: 1st in Georgia, 1st in World

Leadership Faith Intellect Community Come learn what it means to

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Visit GAC June/July 2022 ■ Peachtree Corners Magazine

BELIEVE

Chabad of Gwinnett Breaks Ground for New Center The corner of Spalding Drive and Crooked Creek Drive is the site of a new building for learning, fellowship, outreach.

n a time when divisiveness and radical separatist beliefs have seen a rise in persecution for religious, racial, ethnic, economic, sexual orientation and a host of other reasons, it’s refreshing to see people come together in their faith.

On a blazing Sunday afternoon, all of Gwinnett County was in-

By Arlinda Smith Broady

vited to a special groundbreaking ceremony for the new Chabad Enrichment Center. Although there is a current structure next door, the new building will be at the corner of Spalding Drive and Crooked Creek Drive in Peachtree Corners. “Honestly, I can’t believe that we have reached this moment. From a child, we have been dreaming of this. And I see many of you in the crowd who have dragged with us. And yet we are here,” said Rabbi Mendel Lerman in his introductory remarks. The Chabad first opened its doors in 2001 as a center for Jewish connection for hundreds of families. It has been a “gentle magnet and a beacon of light which draws

Peachtree Corners Magazine ■ June/July 2022 ■ LivingInPeachtreeCorners.com

Jews of all backgrounds closer to their Jewish roots,” according to its mission statement. Non-Jews may not be familiar with the concept.

History of Chabad In Czarist and Communist Russia, the leaders of Chabad led the struggle for the survival of Torah Judaism, often facing imprisonment and relentless persecution for their activities. After the Holocaust, under the direction of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchaak Schneerson and his successor, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory, Chabad became a worldwide movement, caring for the spiritual and material needs of all Jews, wherever they could be found, peachtreecornerslife

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Left, Rabbi Mendel Lerman speaking to the audience at the groundbreaking ceremony. Above, among the engineers, architects and others were elected officials City Councilmen Eric Christ, Phil Sadd and Joe Sawyer, and Mayor Mike Mason. Top picture opposite page going clockwise: Rabbi Yossi Lerman, his wife Esther and Marie and Scott Frank Scott Frank Mayor Mike Mason Shelley Katzef Jim Gaffe with Scott Frank and Rabbi Lerman Michael Greenbaum, owner of TOWER Beer, Wine & Spirits flanked by Rabbis Yossi and Mendel Lerman peachtreecornerslife

June/July 2022 ■ Peachtree Corners Magazine

Those in attendance were asked to participate in the ceremony by adding gravel to the area of the groundbreaking.

according Chabad.org. The website added that today, over 3,500 Chabad institutions are located in more than 85 countries, with a new center opening on the average every 10 days. In South Africa, South America, Russia, Australia, Asia, the UK and many parts of the USA, Chabad has become the most dynamic and dominant force within the Jewish community. So, to be concise, a Chabad house is a form of Jewish community center, primarily serving both educational and observance purposes. Rabbi Yossi New, director of Chabad of Georgia, put the significance of the groundbreaking into perspective. “At Chabad, we believe that every Jew belongs simply because they are Jewish. We don’t charge a membership fee. You shouldn’t have to pay to be Jewish

and to spend time with your own family. In fact, you are the secret and beauty of this community. “And so, when we set out to build this center, we wanted to demonstrate this message to the entire Gwinnett County,” Rabbi New continued. “And for that reason, we want to gift every Jewish family in Gwinnett County with a brick. On this brick, they can have their family name. This brick, along with hundreds of others will be prominently displayed on the future center. And your grandchildren… 50 years from now will say, “Who are the pioneers who are the founders of this great synagogue?” And they can see grandma and grandpa’s name there.”

Significance of coming together “My friends, you can gain infor-

Peachtree Corners Magazine ■ June/July 2022 ■ LivingInPeachtreeCorners.com

mation on Zoom. But you cannot connect in a deep and meaningful way — not with God and not with each other,” said Rabbi New. “And the significance of this beautiful building that is about to be erected is not the bricks and the mortar, as beautiful as it will be. But it will be a place where everyone involved in this beautiful community will have the opportunity to connect with God, and to connect with each other in a deep and meaningful way.” The long road to get to where they are today, was explained by a longtime member and supporter, Shelley Katzef. “A few years ago, the Chabad was at a crossroad. We knew we needed to grow, but we didn’t know how far we can jump. We thought we take it safe and in slow steps, so we purchased the home on Crooked Creek, thinking that we would make our base for a few years from the small home,” she said. “But not when you have Mr. Michael Greenbaum as part of your community. Michael taught us to stop thinking slices and start thinking pies. Shoot for the top. And that’s just what we did. Thanks to his vision and to the generosity of Anna and Michael Greenbaum, we are able to be here today to begin this magnificent Chabad center.” Another person who was instrumental in getting to this point in the process was Scott Frank, who served as campaign chair for the building fund. “I’m just like you. I’m just one peachtreecornerslife

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of the team. And I’m just blessed to be a part of the team,” he said. “Today is a moment in time that we’re going to look back on for many, many years, you know. May 22, 2022 — this is the day that we consecrated this land. “It is going to help many Jews, but it’s going to help many other people in this community,” Frank continued. “It is here to help people. And that’s one of the things that draws me — it’s about people. It’s about each and every one of us. We’re all unique. We’re all special and we all have gifts. And when we come together, we can make miracles happen.” Before the heat and the beating sun caused sunstroke, Rabbi Yossi Lerman wrapped up the ceremony and gathered the dignitaries to “break the ground.” “It’s been a very long hard road with lots of ups and downs. Nevertheless, here we are at the entrance to our future home. A huge ‘Mazel Tov’ to everyone here today. And to all of you who persevered to make this miracle happen, thank you. Thank you for coming out and celebrating with us today,” he said. “I don’t know if it was just because it was Passover, but it occurs to me that we have something in common with some other amazing people who celebrate Passover,” Rabbi Yossi Lerman added. “We’re very similar to the Jews that left Egypt. Now, the Israelites, it took them 40 years, but they believed in Moses. And there were lots of times I’m sure… they were like, ‘What the heck are we doing here?’ ‘Moses, where are we going?’ ‘What’s this all about?’” But they kept moving forward and 40 years later they found the Promised Land. Rabbi Yossi Lerman stressed that while this Chabad project didn’t have Moses, it had a dedicated group of people who were able to accomplish the goal in half the time — 20 years. “We give them a round of applause,” he said. “We are blessed to be a part of a very special group of people a family.” The Chabad Enrichment Center is located at 5830 Spalding Drive. Find more information at chabadofgwinnett.org. ■

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June/July 2022 ■ Peachtree Corners Magazine

The Father’s House Holds Luncheon to Continue Building with Peachtree Corners

On May 17, The Father’s House Church held “Building with Peachtree Corners,” a Community Partnership Luncheon, at the church. The focus was on building relationships with the broader Peachtree Corners community and becoming more established as a community resource center. Mayor Mike Mason and City Council Members Phil Sadd, Eric Christ, Lorri Christopher and Joe Sawyer attended. Mayor Mason was invited by Bishop Garland Hunt to provide a few words to those in attendance. Our Father’s House has had a

presence in Peachtree Corners for 10 years. During that time, the church and its members have been involved in mentoring programs with local schools. They have also run a food pantry for neighbors in the community, sponsored Angel Tree gifts for children with incarcerated parents and supported a prison ministry for prisoners all over the state of Georgia. The church is located at 6060 Spalding Drive. Find out more at thefathershouseatl.org. ■

Peachtree Corners Magazine ■ June/July 2022 ■ LivingInPeachtreeCorners.com

Pastors are Bishop Garland and Eileen Hunt. In attendance, Mayor Mike Mason, City Councilmembers Phil Sadd and Joe Sawyer, Schoolboard member Mary Kay Murphy, Congresswoman Carolyn Bourdeaux, also Event coordinators and Chairman and Co-Chairman of the Capital Campaign are Clinton Bothwell and Janet Ewers-Bentley.

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SPACES

Real Estate & Home

If Your Home Were a Book, the Front Yard Would Be Its Cover

e know better, but let’s be honest, covers are judged! As the sunshine draws us out, suddenly our home’s aesthetic takes center stage. Our property’s attractiveness — or lack thereof — commands attention in the spring as we combat the proliferation of both flowers and weeds.

You can almost hear the collective sigh of homeowners ev-

By Patrizia Winsper

erywhere pondering what can be done to improve their curb appeal. However big or small your goals and budget are for the front yard, I hope to enthuse you with some savvy tips and ideas because we all win when our neighborhood is teeming with attractive homes.

Look at the complete picture A renovation to the front of the house can be offset if you don’t also address an older, stained roof, for example. Eliad Vaknin, owner of EV Remodeling headquartered in Peachtree Corners, advises homeowners to take everything into consideration when making improvements. Vaknin has the experience and knowledge to spearhead largescale residential redesigns. For ambitious façade improvements like adding an awning over the

Peachtree Corners Magazine ■ June/July 2022 ■ LivingInPeachtreeCorners.com

front entrance, changing the exterior envelope of the home, a fresh coat of paint or new windows and doors, Vaknin is well-equipped to orchestrate projects of this magnitude. His company focuses on private home renovations, and they’ve done it all, from the smallest revamps to new construction. The only limits are your imagination and financial plan. Since multiple trades are involved to complete such a remodel, it’s best if a professional coordinates these endeavors. “Someone needs to see the full picture, oversee the whole project, so the final result is better,” Vaknin said.

home instantly. Even so, some customers are surprised by the cost of painting,” Vaknin said. He recommends opting for specialized, more durable — and yes — pricier products obtained at a brick supply company that can last 20

Does the outside of your home need some TLC? The easiest and least expensive way to enhance your home’s curb appeal is to paint the exterior. “You can go from red brick to a white peachtreecornerslife

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Eliad Vaknin

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Opposite page, An example provided by Realtor Amy Fuchs, of curb appeal that will sell your home faster and for top dollar. Sabrina Samuel Photography. Center (after) inset (before): This home underwent a transformation that resulted in an updated and refreshed looking facade, with the help of EV Remodeling. Photo courtesy of Eliad Vaknin. Below right (after) inset (before): A curved walkway and new plants were added to revive this front yard in Amberfield. Provided by Sonya Harrison.

years rather than getting regular exterior paint from a paint store. “It will apply fine; it will work, but it’s not going to last as long,” Vaknin warned. Using paint gives you many color options. But Vaknin cautions, “There’s no going back, once you paint brick.” Another option is limewash. Used for centuries, limewash is made of crushed limestone. It gets absorbed into the brick, but you’ll need to reapply it every five to seven years. “It fades the brick color. Imagine a milky wash on top; you still see the brick, but it’s faded. Applying more coats gets it lighter,” Vaknin said.

Rethink those plain envelopes Make sure any new additions match the overall style of your home. Modern updates will look

out of place on a more traditional style home, and vice versa, unless you change everything. Even front porch railings should be selected with this in mind. To add definition and interest to the front of a home, Vaknin likes combining a few different materials rather than using a single material and color. “Combine stucco or brick with wood or use stone with siding. It’s more interesting,” he said.

The domino effect Sometimes you peel off stucco and find the wood sheathing underneath has rotted. You’ll need to replace that. Work required behind the walls adds to exterior renovation costs and that number can increase dramatically. Rotted sheathing usually means new windows are required, as the moulding around them has likely

decayed as well. Having experts like EV Remodeling on hand to manage all the unforeseeable developments during exterior renovations is invaluable. Besides factoring in the cost of an exterior remodel (anywhere from $40,000 to $100,000) and timeframe (a month or so), Vaknin ensures that all necessary information is submitted to the city for approval. It’s an easy enough process in Peachtree Corners if you submit the proper documents.

Make a statement with nature Landscape Designer Sonya Harrison of My Secret Garden quite possibly has the greenest thumb in town. Who better to consult for pointers on beautifying our front yards? Harrison can help you take your home’s curb appeal to the next level with her flair for

landscape and hardscape design. Her deep seeded love for plants stems from a childhood of gardening with her grandmother in Rome, Georgia. “I always knew it was spring when her purple bearded irises were in bloom,” Harrison said.

More is better She recommends plentiful blooms. Hydrangeas are among her favorites. A back layer of hydrangeas coupled with colorful annual beds can be striking. New varieties like the Endless Summer will bloom two or three times until fall. According to Harrison, “There’s nothing prettier than hydrangeas spilling over all summer saying, ‘Come on in.’” Sonya She also recommends accentuHarrison ating your (Photo by front walkway with Patriziaplantings of boxwoods inground andWinsper) trimming the front door with

June/July 2022 ■ Peachtree Corners Magazine

attractive containers. “When you do containers at the front door, go big or go home. People tend to buy smaller ones. Your door is really big, it’s six to eight feet tall! You need proportion,” Harrison said.

A perfect blend As with remodeling, landscaping should complement the home’s architecture. “Plant choices should match the look of the house. If you have a more modern house, you’ll want things like straight grasses. For southern style homes you’ll want more traditional plants like hydrangeas, azaleas, camelias and roses. Sprucing up your front yard landscape with the help of My Secret Garden begins with a consul-

weren’t available when these houses were built,” Harrison said. Hardscaping is next — walkways, porches, retaining walls, bed lines. “Once planting begins, we work from big to small: trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals, mulch — and grass is last. That’s how we approach it for the integrity of the project,” Harrison shared. Perhaps you weren’t aware that the owner of My Secret Garden also designs and builds boulder walls, dry creek beds, pathways, small border walls and stacked stone borders around beds, porches and patios.

Show off your house, don’t cover it up Keeping older shrubs trimmed Coral Bark

feet by five feet, and eventually it’ll get to 10 by 10 feet. “The upright Coral Bark is my favorite Japanese maple. It has coral-colored bark with leaves that go from green to bright yellow in fall. The Ginkgo is another favorite. The dainty leaves remind me of butterflies. The foliage gets bright yellow and then overnight it drops all its leaves at once for easy clean up,” Harrison said. “We stock everything, and we can custom order for you.” Georgia clay is harsh on hungry, thirsty plants; they need to be fertilized and watered. Harrison suggests fertilizing blooming annuals every 7 to 10 days so they’ll bloom all season. Trees and shrubs should be fertilized in spring. Her fertilizers of choice are Fox Farm and Espoma.

Curb appeal killers ■ Plastic or metal edgings – they inevitably move. “Make an edge a couple of inches into the soil like a small trench. It’s all about the details,” Harrison smiled.

Crimson Prince

tation. Harrison provides at home consultations to see what the rest of the yard is like so she can create a cohesive design. Typical installations in Peachtree Corners average around $7,000, including shrubs and plants.

Breathe new life into your garden Any removal of trees and older or dead plants happens first. Per Harrison, some people don’t realize that plants have a lifespan. She’s familiar with our city and knows many plots still include flora that have gotten too big for their spots or have exceeded their life expectancy. It’s time to start fresh and get new varieties. “When these houses were planted, azaleas were very large. Now people want a two-foot-tall azalea that blooms three times a year that you can plant in full sun. I can give you that now. A lot of things

underneath windowsills and not covering up your house greatly benefits curb appeal. If you have a two-story house, you’ll want to accent the corners on either side to soften the edges. Harrison suggests junipers, camelias and Emerald green arborvitae for this purpose. Although yards are square or rectangular, curvy flower beds make them more appealing. “I don’t like right angles in yards. They should all be soft edges, 40 or 45-degree angles,” Harrison said.

Leave a green legacy Trees will likely outlive us, allowing us to leave a legacy that’s great for the environment. Harrison’s top choices are dogwoods, redbuds and Japanese maples. “We have a weeping redbud that grows five feet tall. Japanese maples can be upright or dwarf. People like the Crimson Queen. It grows slowly to about five

Peachtree Corners Magazine ■ June/July 2022 ■ LivingInPeachtreeCorners.com

■ Mistakenly planting shade plants in the sun or sun plants in the shade. ■ Edging with monkey grass on both sides of a walkway up to the house. “It’s outdated. It’s fine on a bed edge, but on a path across the front, I like grass all the way up to it, then a bed on the other side so it’s not covered up.” ■ “Too many different perennials — one here, one there — make the yard look polka-dotted. Choose three or five varieties instead and plant each one in large swooshes so it doesn’t look discombobulated,” Harrison advised.

Shut the Front Door! When it comes to curb appeal, realtors have seen it all — the good, the bad and the downright… I don’t want to spell it out, but you know what I mean. I picked the brains of some trusted local realtors for front yard tips that work whether you’re

peachtreecornerslife

planning to sell your home or enjoy it yourself.

Amy Fuchs — FamilyHomesGa Team, Keller Williams Chattahoochee North

Realtor, Amy Fuchs of FamilyHomesGA, Keller Williams Chattahoochee North provides some great tips for boosting the curb appeal of your home for a great first impression. Photo courtesy of Amy Fuchs

Amy Fuchs of FamilyHomesGa advises we don’t skimp on perking up our homes’ exteriors. “You never get a second chance to make a first impression,” she said, and that certainly holds true when staging your property. “Even in a seller’s market, presenting your home in the best light will help you get better offers faster,” Fuchs added. In today’s fastpaced market, buyers often drive by the property before making an appointment to see it. An alluring front yard allows homebuyers to be hopeful about the interior.

Keep it fresh and make it pop! “We all know the lawn should be freshly cut, but don’t forget to put down fresh pine straw or mulch before photos are taken and going live. It will add a well-maintained look and cover up any unwanted weeds,” Fuchs said. “Add bright colors by the front door, along the walkway or at the mailbox with blooming flowers, providing a happy welcome.” Fuchs forewarns: if house numbers are obscure and your mailbox is covered in cobwebs and falling over, your home is not going to make a favorable impact. Make sure numbers are clearly visible and keep the mailbox and pole in good repair. Power-wash the doorway and get rid of any pollen, cobwebs or debris. This is the first closeup look buyers get of your home. Avoid tree limbs

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June/July 2022 ■ Peachtree Corners Magazine

and bushes blocking walkways or parking areas; keep them trimmed. Your front yard should say, “Welcome to my well-maintained home!”

house through the eyes of a buyer, “Does it paint a pretty picture?” The entryway sets the stage for your home according to Richards. She suggests painting your door and changing weathered-looking hardware. Don’t forget to update outdoor lighting. Finally, Richards proposes a designated seating area, especially on a front porch.

Sandy St. John Hippeli — Palmer House Properties

Above, from a single front door to a double front door, the Hippeli home in Peachtree Corners. Bottom left, Realtors Anthony Hippeli and Sandy St. John Hippeli — Palmer House Properties Martina and David Watson

The Perfect House on a Hill Sandy St. John Hippeli of the dynamic real estate duo — her husband, Anthony Hippeli is also a realtor — shared some pointers for achieving a loved home look. The couple enhanced their own residence by replacing rounded columns with squared posts and a single door with a double door for both functionality and a more upscale look. To install the larger door, transoms above and on either side of the original were removed to accommodate custom iron doors. Hippeli recommends hiring a color specialist like Clarice Sell who specializes in paint color selection for stylish exterior color combinations sure to make your home look stunning. For the lawn, she likes landscaping company Outdoor Solutions. Other hints by Hippeli include creating a focal point in your yard like stonewall flower beds, a bench, fountain or tree, focusing on symmetry and perusing Pinterest for inspiration. In addition to the driveway, pressure washing should include sidewalks and stone surfaces. Add flowers and a new doormat for a winning combination.

Preferences and pet peeves Hippeli prefers mulch over white rocks. “Rocks allow weeds to grow causing more maintenance in the long run. They also get hot and lead to stressed, thirsty plants,” she said. She also likes big boulders and rocks over railroad ties for retain-

Martina and David Watson planned for 10 years before embarking on a total transformation of their front yard that took eight months and about $80,000. Atlanta Custom Landscapes completed the rock work, landscaping, grading, lighting, sprinklers, grass and plan design. Anthony

After

Before and after photos of the Hippeli home in Peachtree Corners. From round columns to square, from a single front door to a double, and exterior colors updated with the help of a color specialist.

ing walls, and little to no lawn art over a busy space with several pieces. “For a sophisticated look, limit the number of yard sculptures, bird baths, or metal pieces,” Hippeli said. What worries her? Neglected shutters and windows, visible rotten wood soffits or trim, leaves or pine needles in

Peachtree Corners Magazine ■ June/July 2022 ■ LivingInPeachtreeCorners.com

gutters and on the roof, weeds, bald patches in the lawn, unedged walkways and lawn “art.”

Marsha Richards

Marsha Richards — The Richards Team, Keller Williams Chattahoochee North

Marsha Richards would have us stand across the street to look at our

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Faust drew plans that brought the Watsons’ vision to life. Allgood Construction built piers and limestone steps leading from the sidewalk to their front porch. The stone columns and wall are by Mark Allgood. “We added a landscape water meter, replaced our water line to the house from the street and rebuilt our retaining wall along the driveway at the same time to alleviate any risk of having to do that after completing the project,” Martina shared. Improvements include hardscape, softscape, grading, lighting and lawn. Their favorites are the peonies in the spring and the limestone steps. Martina suggests breaking large projects into phases. Phase one for them was the driveway retaining

wall. Phase two was the main staircase and landscaping. “Give your neighbors a heads up to prepare everyone for the fun,” she said. “A great plan from a professional is the key. Get what you really want. Then the money spent is well worth it.”

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The dramatic result of a lot of planning, designing, and contruction work in the front yard of Peachtree Corners couple, Martina and David Watson. Photo courtesy of the Watsons.

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Story and photos by Isadora Pennington

or simply curious about Japanese dishes and culture, GOHAN Market has an incredible selection of grocery items.

The shop officially opened on December 22 of 2021, and the reception has been overwhelmingly positive. While there are other similar Asian markets and shops, GOHAN is the only market specializing in Japanese items in Peachtree Corners. “Many people visit the store and inform us how they’ve been waiting for a market like this,” explained owner Takahiko Sugita. What really sets GOHAN apart is their commitment to selling Japanese foods and goods. As opposed to many Asian markets that might feature some Japanese items alongside Korean, Chinese and Thai options, GOHAN has chosen

Peachtree Corners Magazine ■ June/July 2022 ■ LivingInPeachtreeCorners.com

to stock only authentic Japanese goods for sale. “We wanted the customers to enjoy a Japanese market in Peachtree Corners,” said Sugita. “There are many Asian grocery stores in Georgia, but I noticed that there’s only a few stores that are dedicated to selling only Japanese items.” This 3,200 square foot storefront occupied by GOHAN Market in Spalding Woods Village has been transformed into a market akin to those you might find in Japan. Featuring row upon row stacked floor to ceiling with dry goods, snack foods and quality ingredients, the space is flanked by coolers and fridges that are similarly full of delectable, prepared foods, desserts and drinks. At the back of the store is Ozaku

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Cafe, a counter-service eatery where customers can enjoy rich and creamy authentic Japanese Tonkotsu ramen. “Our most popular products are the Onigiri rice balls that we make in our kitchen. Many customers compliment on how it reminds them of the convenience stores in Japan and how hard it is to find something like this here in Georgia.”

A welcoming store in a welcoming city With 9.3% of the Peachtree Corners population falling under the category of Asian per the 2020 census, and Forsyth County, which sits just north of Peachtree Corners, labeled the “fastest growing Asian population in the U.S.” by WABE in 2019, the area is ripe for peachtreecornerslife

Noriko Brewer (left) & Kira Webb

development of businesses that serve those communities. Additionally, the opening of the state-chartered Japanese-English dual language International Charter Academy of Georgia in the area in June 2018 has cemented Peachtree Corners as a diverse community that is welcoming to people of all walks of life. As I meandered through the market on the day I visited, I saw plenty of items that I did recognize, but there were far more I did not. With labels that are often exclusively written in Japanese, I found myself taking my time as I looked closely at pictures, reading the ingredients lists and trying to infer using context clues what exactly I was looking at. If you, like me, have never been to Japan and don’t read or speak Japanese, never fear. The staff of GOHAN Market were incredibly friendly and helpful from the moment I walked through the door. Greeting me cheerily, they offered me help and actually fetched me a basket when they saw my arms overloaded with goodies as I

shopped. Shoppers here can select from dozens of ramens, curries, soy sauces, marinades, snacks, sweets and much, much more. In one aisle, I recognized a snack food called Popin’ Cookin’, a gummy treat that you mix yourself and mold into different shapes like burgers, donuts and Kawaii characters. Knowing my niece loves these types of treats, I got one for her as well as some Hello Kitty green tea marshmallows and Pocky chocolates. For myself, I picked up a bag of Jagarico Sukiyaki. I had never tried this before, but I was immensely pleased with the flavor. I am not ashamed to admit that I ate every last bite before I even got home from the store. It was that good.

A taste of Japan in Peachtree Corners When asked what Sugita hopes that customers feel when they step into GOHAN Market, he said he hopes it feels relaxing and familiar for lovers of Japanese culture and foods. “I think many people who’ve been to Japan will say that they feel like they’re back in Japan. Whether it’s just the atmosphere or how the store is set up, it would be great if they are able to think they are back in Japan,” he said. Sugita has worked in a number

of Japanese markets in various states in America, and when it was time to strike out and open a store of his own, Peachtree Corners was the perfect place to settle down and open up shop. “Even though Atlanta is a big city, I was surprised to hear that they don’t have a Japanese Market.” Reminiscent of convenience stores that you might encounter on the streets of Japan, GOHAN Market is a unique store that fills a

need in Peachtree Corners. Located in a popular shopping center on Holcomb Bridge Road, it is a welcome addition to the community. Whether you’re a ramen aficionado, a lover of all things anime, fond of authentic sushi, wanting to try a Bento box prepared meal or seeking hard-to-find staples like Kewpie Mayonnaise and fermented soybeans, you’ll find that and much more at this unique and popular local shop. ■

June/July 2022 ■ Peachtree Corners Magazine

Bringing the Urban to the Suburbs

Evans Urban Market a Welcome Addition to Peachtree Corners displays are similarly clean and pretty. The ceiling features strands of twinkle lights hanging in a zigzag pattern the length of the restaurant. “I feel like it’s a starry night in here,” she said. Behind a glass partition are the day’s freshly prepared dishes. Offerings typically include salads, sandwiches and soups, plus specialty meals, such as meatloaf, biscuits, biscuit sandwiches, beef stroganoff, Asian beef with rice and even Moroccan and Belizean cuisine. Nearby is also a dessert case full of decadent treats like donuts, cakes and cookies. Artists’ works are set up on free-standing shelves, while a selection of dry goods and prepared meals to take home and heat up can be found around the outskirts of the shop. A few small tables are located by the front window and a patio outside offers additional seating. Evan Hanson

lean, bright, friendly, enticing. All of these are words that describe the vibe at Evans Urban Market. Located in a storefront which once housed Ten Bistro in the Wellington Center Shopping Strip at 5005 Peachtree Parkway, Evans Urban Market is a refreshing homage to the types of markets and eateries you’re more likely to find on the streets of New York City than in a Georgia

suburb.

Story and photos by Isadora Pennington

The space has been significantly transformed since it was purchased and renovated by owner Evan Hanson. This fun and casual eatery officially opened its doors for business in March of 2022. Prior to that time, when it was in oper-

Peachtree Corners Magazine ■ June/July 2022 ■ LivingInPeachtreeCorners.com

ation as Ten Bistro and owned by Hanson’s former husband, it was your typical dark and intimate bar setting. Today, there is a central L-shaped counter with a register and display cases, all bright and clean and white. The walls and

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The road to the market Hanson, the visionary behind this concept, has always loved cooking and baking. She recalled experimenting with brownies, emblazoned with her initials, as far back as eight or nine years old. At the time, Hanson wanted to become a baker. Her mother worried that this would not be a profitable and stable career, so for many years baking was relegated to a passionate hobby in her life. Several careers and many paths later, today Hanson owns her own restaurant where she is able to use her creativity to craft a vibrant menu of dishes plus custom desserts. “This is a career that has stuck with me,” explained Hanson, who says that owning and operating Evans Urban Market is truly her living out her dream. Her career includes a variety of positions including sales, teaching, working at Ten Bistro and when she opened Pub Ten, she made desserts for both restaurants. It was during her time with Pub Ten that she developed many of

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June/July 2022 ■ Peachtree Corners Magazine

Evan Hanson, center, flanked by Karin Susskind on the left and Tina Knoedler.

her staple desserts, including the renowned dish called ‘Sweet Heaven from Evan,’ often shortened to Sweet Heaven. This dish, the market’s most popular, features delectable bites of cake topped with mascarpone cream, a chocolate ganache and her mother’s recipe for chocolate pecan brittle. Following the separation from her second husband, she became determined to find a way to channel her love for baking into a career. So, when she saw the space that was formerly Ten Bistro for sale, she decided to make her move. “I wanted to do something with cooking and baking. I loved cooking so much but didn’t know if I could sustain doing just baking. I love cooking and wanted to support local artists. So that’s why I ended up doing the gifts too,” explained Hanson.

Peachtree Corners Magazine ■ June/July 2022 ■ LivingInPeachtreeCorners.com

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A family feel and home cooking She hopes that this shop will function as a sort of one-stop-shop for locals. Whether you just need a quick bite, a prepared meal to reheat at home, desserts, corporate catering or even a gift for someone special, she hopes it fills a void for those who call the neighborhood home. “I used to say that it’s comfort food elevated, but then someone else said it was ‘home cooking that I don’t have to cook.’ I was like ‘oh, I like that.’” It’s not just the food that is comforting, it is the very atmosphere of this cozy urban market. Clocking in at only 2,000 square feet, Hanson has to be thoughtful when deciding how many local artists she can invite to sell in her shop and who she employs to work behind the counter and in the kitchen. Her careful selection of crew and

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employees is certainly a part of why the vibe at Evans Urban Market is so delightful. It’s not uncommon to see a team of only women behind the counter. In fact, the majority of her crew are women, and like Hanson, most are also mothers. This is part of what Hanson has curated here, a group that feels like a family. They look out for one another and step in when someone needs to attend to a child outside of work. As a result, her 15 staff mem-

bers are all part time. This allows them to balance their family lives with work and encourages a healthy and, according to Hanson, drama-free work environment. “This is a neighborhood space. We treat the neighbors like we are friends. That’s how people want to be treated. Here you’re not a number.” Hanson gushed about her staff. “We all get it. We all chip in to help each other. That’s one of the things with this group; they work so hard. This is my dream team. Everybody has a special skill that helps us to succeed. I tell them: this isn’t just my place, this is for all of us.” ■

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SAFETY

Police Officers Honored

Six West Precinct police officers were recognized by the Peachtree Corners City Council at a recent City Council meeting. Sergeant J. L. Bing Jr., Master Police Officer K. A. Anderson, Master Police Officer Frantz E. Augustin, Master Police Officer W. N. Merkley, Police Officer Senior D. E. Osorio Giraldo and Police Officer Senior T. D. Worth II were commended for their role in apprehending two suspects charged with multiple armed robberies around Gwinnett County and neighboring area. On March 18, 2022, the officers responded to a FLOCK camera notification and apprehended the men in a business park after a brief foot chase. Sergeant Bing first saw the suspect vehicle and was joined by MPO Augustin. They approached the vehicle giving verbal commands. The suspects rammed another patrol vehicle head-on driven by PO Senior Giraldo, who got out of the vehicle, drew his weapon and gave commands.

Peachtree Corners Magazine ■ June/July 2022 ■ LivingInPeachtreeCorners.com

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The suspects tried to get away by driving over a curb and their vehicle got lodged in some bushes. The passenger got out and was taken into custody by Officer Worth and Sergeant Bing. The driver jumped out and began to run. Officer Augustin, MPO Anderson and MPO Merkley pursued and were able to catch the driver. The two suspects were each charged with nine counts of armed robbery, while one of the suspects was charged with an additional nine counts of aggravated assault. Mayor Mike Mason was on hand to congratulate the officers, noting that without their effort and professionalism, these individuals would have continued victimizing Gwinnett County businesses and citizens.

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INSIDE PEACHTREE CORNERS

From the Mayor’s Desk

Intersection Takeovers - City Works with GCPD to Shut Down Activity Over the past several weeks, the City has received a lot of praise from residents regarding the successful Gwinnett County Police Department operation and the arrests that were made at a traffic intersection takeover on May 2nd. Following those arrests, I have received numerous requests that we make sure those responsible are prosecuted to the highest extent of the law. I couldn’t agree more, and that is what we plan to do. However, there are limits that exist for the punishment of these types of offenses. Currently, these types of incidents are classified as misdemeanor crimes and do not allow for the same strict punishments as a felony would allow. On a good note, about a year ago, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed a new law that enacts tougher penalties for those that are convicted of these types of events. The law, called “Reckless Stunt Driving”, cracks down harshly on street racers in Georgia. The law now makes reckless stunt driving a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature that carries stiffer penalties for those that are convicted, and penalties increase in severity with the number of convictions. Following an incident in April of this year, a meeting was held between Precinct Commander Major Edward Restrepo, and Peachtree Corners City Manager, Brian Johnson. During these meetings, GCPD and the City worked to develop new ways and techniques to deal with these types of activities. The result of this meeting has been nothing short of excellent. To restate the incident, on Saturday, April 30, and into Sunday, May 1st, Gwinnett County Police Department (GCPD), with assistance from Lilburn and Norcross officers, off-duty officers, and other special units responded to an intersection takeover at the intersection of Peachtree Corners Circle and Spalding Drive. The officers cordoned off the area and blocked vehicles, leading to the arrest of 68 adults and 20 juveniles, the recovery of 5 guns, and the impounding of 26 vehicles. Currently, GCPD has charged numerous individuals under Section 16-11-43.1, which prohibits promoting or organizing drag races or laying drag exhibitions and states any person who knowingly promotes or organizes an exhibition of illegal drag racing shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature. While charges are still pending, those convicted for the first time can face a fine of

not less than $300.00 but no more than $750.00, and a period of imprisonment of not fewer than ten days nor more than six months. While it would be to our liking that punishments were harsher for a first offense, if habitual offenders continue to be found guilty, they could eventually face increased fines and find themselves in prison for between one and five years. According to a release distributed by GCPD, “This exceptional response and coordination amongst numerous agencies achieved incredible results. The Gwinnett Police Department recognizes the hazard these illegal street racing activities pose to the motoring and pedestrian public. These dangerous and reckless activities will not be tolerated. We are committed to keeping the streets of Gwinnett County safe for all residents and visitors.” We are proud of this operation, but we will not stop here. It will always be our goal to provide the highest level of protection and quality of life to our Peachtree Corners residents, and we will continue to work with GCPD and partner agencies to strengthen the laws and penalties regarding these types of activities. For anyone interested in learning more, or who would like to personally think our local law enforcement, please look to attend the GCPD COPS meeting being held by the United Peachtree Corners Civic Association on Thursday, May 26th from 7 pm to 9 pm at Christ the King Lutheran Church at 5575 Peachtree Parkway in Peachtree Corners.

Stay safe, Mike Mason, Mayor

To view the full version of O.C.G.A. 40-6-390.1 please scan the QR code

Be sure to visit the city’s new YouTube Channel Peachtree Corners Network at Youtube.com/peachtreecornersnetwork

Mike Mason, Mayor

Gwinnett County’s newest and largest city, Peachtree Corners, was founded July 1, 2012 and is located along the Chattahoochee River in the southwest corner of the county. The city is home to over 45,000 residents and 3,000 businesses.

Peachtree Corners City Hall 310 Technology Parkway Peachtree Corners, GA 30092 Telephone: 678-691-1200

June/July 2022 ■ Inside Peachtree Corners

INSIDE PEACHTREE CORNERS Peachtree Corners and Israeli Startup ACiiST – Smart Networks Announce Partnership Providing Smart City Network Solutions Peachtree Corners has announced a partnership with Israeli startup ACiiST – Smart Networks (ACiiST), a manufacturer of SD-LAN network solutions optimized for connecting outdoor cameras and sensors through a robust networking system. This partnership provides Peachtree Corners with connected infrastructure network solutions via fiber that allow various mobility technologies on Peachtree Corners’ smart city streets to communicate with minimal digging, saving the city and residents time and money. Installed in Technology Parkway earlier this year, ACiiST’s technology spans across a half-mile of Peachtree Corners’ “city street of the future,” allowing deployed technologies and smart infrastructure with cameras, wireless links, and other communication equipment, to be streamed directly to the Curiosity Lab’s IoT Control Room, the first of its kind to be implemented in a city in the United States. Communication between the smart infrastructure and the

IoT Control Room is possible via self-managed ACiiST Polarity units that create a low latency, high performance and fully manageable network. “Working with ACiiST to demonstrate their technologies at Curiosity Lab is another great example of how international companies are showing great interest in the most unique real-world smart city ecosystem in the country,” said Brandon Branham, Peachtree Corners Assistant City Manager and CTO. “We are able to demonstrate to

other cities across the country the unique network connectivity, redundancy and monitoring capabilities of ACiiST’s technology through this implementation on public infrastructure. This is a true testament of how the partnership between Israel and Curiosity Lab offers startups a one-of-a-kind experience to bring their products to the North American market.” ACiiST’s network solutions allow Peachtree Corners to have a more secure smart city environment and make informed deci-

sions based on data, such as traffic management. This solution also makes it easier for new edge devices such as cameras, radar sensors, digital signs, V2I access points, and more, to be deployed and installed as smart infrastructure across the city street of the future, supporting the Curiosity Lab and Peachtree Corners’ position as one of the leading smart cities in the United States. “It was clear from the very first time we met with the Peachtree Corners management team that we are talking with leaders who want to promote positive change – with smart roads and streets as a platform to better manage their public spaces. They are open-minded to the implementation of new technologies, and we are happy to have our network solutions in action at the most unique smart city environment in the USA,” said Sagi Gurfinkel, ACiiST Co-Founder and CEO. “The ACiiST network is already installed as the connectivity platform for multiple cities in Israel, Africa, and the European Union, and we are excited to now add the United States to this list.” ■

Cleaning Up After Your Pets Protects our Waterways Did you know that…

■ The Chattahoochee River supplies 70 percent of metro Atlanta’s drinking water? ■ In the Chattahoochee River Basin there are 205 rivers and streams not supporting their designated uses according to the EPD’s 2016 draft 305(b)/303(d) list? Two of these 205 waterways fall within the City of Peachtree Corners boundaries – as shown on the map.

Here’s the Scoop….

Polluted stormwater is the primary cause of water quality problems in the Chattahoochee River Basin. Every time it rains, water runs off the land as stormwater and picks up pol-

lutants and debris - including pet waste. Pet waste left on sidewalks, streets, yards, or other open areas can be washed away and carried by rainwater into storm drains and drainage ditches that flow to nearby streams, rivers, and lakes. As it decays, it uses up dissolved oxygen and releases compounds that are harmful to fish and other aquatic life. Pet waste also contains nutrients that can cause excessive algae growth in a pond or lake, upsetting the natural balance. Most importantly, pet waste contains harmful bacteria such as E. Coli and fecal coliform, some of which can cause disease in humans and make the water dangerous for swimming and other recreation.

Inside Peachtree Corners ■ June/July 2022 ■ peachtreecornersga.gov

How can you help?

You can help protect Atlanta’s valuable water source and restore the two impaired waterways inside Peachtree Corners to support their designated use by doing the following: ■ Pick up pet waste in your yard or on a walk with a plastic bag or pooper scooper. ■ Dispose of the pet waste using one of the following methods: o Put pet waste in your regular garbage can or dumpster— ensure that it is in a securely tied or closed plastic bag. o Bury pet waste at least one foot deep and cover it with soil in your yard or garden. Avoid burying in food-growing areas. o If your home is on a sanitary sewer, flush pet waste down

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the toilet, but don’t flush plastic bags or cat litter. Do not flush into a septic system. Septic systems are not designed to accommodate the high pollutant load in pet waste and doing so can cause premature failure.

PtreeCorners

INSIDE PEACHTREE CORNERS Construction Tech is Taking Off at Curiosity Lab: SkyMul Tests Rebar-Tying Drones at the Innovation Center

Why do I need a permit to build a Deck?

Q&A with CEO Eohan Georgi

Spring and summer months are a good time to consider building, repairing, or replacing a deck. The first and most important of our deck-building tips is to always get a permit. According to a recent study, 90 percent of the people building decks do not get a permit. Permits and inspections are very important, whether you are building the deck yourself or having a contractor do it. Obtaining a permit comes with great benefits to ensure a safe quality deck is built. I’m sure you have seen news reports covering decks that have collapsed causing injury, property damage or worse. Many of these incidents could have been avoided if permits and inspections had been obtained.

A SkyMul drone and the rebar it will scan and tie together before concrete is poured. SkyMul is taking construction to new heights at Curiosity Lab’s Innovation Center. The young company, headed by CEO Eohan George, just took over half of our design lab to further develop its SkyTy drone solution, which aims to tie reinforcing bar (rebar) at construction sites almost two and half times faster, 32% cheaper, and with 84% less labor than manual rebar tying. We sat down with Eohan to learn more about his company, the SkyTy solution, and why he chose to set up shop at Curiosity Lab. Q: Tell us about SkyMul? When and why did you start the company? A: We are a robotics startup that, at first, primarily focused on drone deliveries for construction sites. Our original goal was to help facilitate delivering tools and supplies from one place on a construction site to another. However, in 2018, we noticed many construction projects were bogged down by the cumbersome and inefficient task of tying rebar. We assumed that there must be some solution to this problem already in the market, but our research did not turn up any viable solutions. So we applied for a Phase I grant from the National Science Foundation to start solving this problem ourselves. Q: How does SkyMul’s technology work? A: Rebar is delivered in bundles and then carefully placed by workers at the appropriate spots around a construction site. However, before concrete can be poured over the rebar, the rebar must be tied together to keep the pieces from flying around. That is where SkyMul’s drones come in. Our drones can scan the area

How do I obtain a Deck permit?

where the rebar is laid out, identify the right areas to tie the rebar together, and then do the physical tying, too. Q: What types of buildings can SkyMul work on? A: We can work on any slabs that are flat. Bridges, for example.

gional headquarters in Atlanta. SkyMul is an alumnus of their program. We moved to Curiosity Lab in February of this year. We wanted to come to Curiosity Lab because the Innovation Center here has an open, indoor testing area that is perfect for us to test and develop our drones.

Q: What are your 2022 development goals? A: We are working towards building the technology to enable a pilot program this year with a large rebar installer on the West Coast. They work a lot on towers, bridges and parking lots. Q: How did you first hear about Curiosity Lab, and why did you choose to move SkyMul here? A: I heard about Curiosity Lab through The Farm, which is an innovation hub at Comcast’s re-

Be sure to visit the city’s new YouTube Channel Peachtree Corners Network at Youtube.com/peachtreecornersnetwork

Scan the QR Code to visit SkyMul’s website to learn more about their SkyTy drone solution.

First, you or your contractor will make an application for the deck permit and submit a drawing of the proposed deck. By following the rules and going through the process, you: ■ Will have a plan review of your deck by a certified plans examiner ■ The plans examiner will make all life safety checks for code compliance before a permit is issued ■ Once plans have passed the review process, a permit will be issued and inspections will be made by certified inspectors. This will help to protect the safety of your home and family.

What does the Building Department look for during a plan review of a deck? 1. Footing depths and sizes: Are the footings deep enough and large enough to Continued on the next page

June/July 2022 ■ Inside Peachtree Corners

INSIDE PEACHTREE CORNERS Continued from previous page

support the proposed deck? And will they stay put during winter frosts? 2. Post Sizes: Are the proposed post supports large enough to support the structure and the intended loads? 3. Beams, Joist sizes, and spans: Will the joist and beam sizes span the distance with adequate support for the load? 4. House Attachment: Will the methods shown on the plans to tie the deck to the house be adequate, or do you need a freestanding deck? Stairs and guardrails: Do they meet the parameters for life safety?

These are the types of requirements your city building department will review. Remember, the building code is meant to serve your best interest. Nobody wants to build a deck that is substandard or will need to be torn down or repaired soon.

Inspections: Part of your deck building permit fee includes inspections, usually a footing inspection and a final inspection. The inspector will check the footing depths before you pour them and inspect the

framing after everything is complete. Other decks may have electrical inspections and roof inspections as well, when you obtain your permit the list of inspections will be provided on your permit by the plan reviewer. Always use your city inspectors as a source of information, while inspectors cannot design or advise you on how to build the deck, they can keep you informed on code-compliant means to build your deck to keep it safe for you and your family for years to come. More information on decks may be found on the Peachtree Corners website under Building & Permitting or call the Building Department at City Hall, 678-6911200. ■

Peachtree Corners Public Works Project Roundup Gunnin Road Sidewalks ■ Overview - Sidewalks on the west side of Gunnin Road from Spalding Drive to Willbanks Drive. ■ Update - Construction has suffered many delays due to supply shortages, construction schedules, and the impact of COVID on their crew. Construction had sped up but there is still trouble getting on the list for concrete. ■ Scheduled Completion – Delayed until Summer 2022

Bush Road and Medlock Road ■ Overview - Intersection improvement of Bush Road and Medlock Bridge Road. The project adds an extra through lane on Medlock Bridge Road and an additional slip lane from Bush Road onto SR 141/ Peachtree Parkway. ■ Update - Construction is underway but had a delay because of utilities and the delivery of the joint use pole being delayed. The project was also delayed due to a Gwinnett County revision. Both issues have been resolved and construction should be ramping back up soon.

■ Scheduled Summer of 2022.

Completion

Town Center Corners Connector

■ Overview – Added trail adjacent to Town Center connecting Peachtree Corners Circle, Town Center, the adjacent shopping plaza, the Pedestrian Bridge, and SR 141. ■ Update – Construction ongoing. ■ Scheduled Completion – Summer 2022

Bankers Industrial Bioretention and Stormwater Installation ■ Overview - The project will install 10 linear Bioretention cells/ bioswales totaling up to 13,00 square feet along Bankers Industrial Drive ■ Update - Currently under utility relocation. The contractor

Inside Peachtree Corners ■ June/July 2022 ■ peachtreecornersga.gov

will start immediately upon completion. ■ Scheduled Completion – Summer 2022

Town Center Enhancements ■ New playground at Town Center including walls sidewalks and shade structures ■ Construction is underway. Drainage lines have been installed. Grading is ongoing. Soil testing for the playground foundation is complete. ■ Scheduled Completion – Summer 2022

Spalding Drive Widening

■ Spalding Drive Widening from Winters Chappel Road to Holcomb Bridge Road and includes the widening of the bridge over Crooked Creek. ■ Construction is underway but had a slight delay in April 2021. The issues were resolved in June 2021 and construction is on-

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going. ■ Scheduled Completion – Fall 2022

East Jones Bridge Riverlands Trail

■ Overview - A 10- to 12-footwide multi-use trail on the east side of East Jones Bridge Road from SR 141 to Jones Bridge Park. ■ Update – The project is underway and moving. It starts at SR 141 heading north. Some adjustments and stormwater revisions are located near Broadgreen. This project offers increased safety for pedestrians and drivers. ■ Scheduled Completion – Fall 2022

Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant Sidewalk Program – ed.

■ Project essentially complet-

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LOOK TO NORTHSIDE A Community of Care on a Mission to Heal At Northside Hospital, you can look forward to new beginnings, look ahead to comeback seasons, and look up for hope and strength. Led by our expertise in maternity, heart, cancer, orthopedics and more, you can move into tomorrow with confidence knowing there is a community of care at Northside that’s guided by one clear direction, a mission to heal. For a healthier future together, look to Northside Hospital.

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Peachtree Corners Magazine ■ June/July 2022 ■ LivingInPeachtreeCorners.com

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Y O U R W I N E . Y O U R S P I R I T S . Y O U R C O M M U N I T Y.

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June/July 2022 ■ Peachtree Corners Magazine

Welcome to Waterside. A gated, master-planned, age-in-place community situated along the shores of the Chattahoochee.

Waterside is a community where aging in place is not only possible, but desirable. With multiple housing options for a range of life stages and an abundance of both passive and active amenities that take full advantage of the stunning river vistas, Waterside is poised to become a destination, age in place community where

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Amenities • Clubhouse with fitness center and kitchen • Multiple large lawn spaces for community gatherings • Resort-style pool • Large riverfront pavilion with decks and fire pit overlooking the river • Groomed walking trails along the river frontage and throughout the community • Gated entrance and private roads approved for golf cart access • 0.75 Miles of river frontage.

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Peachtree Corners Magazine ■ June/July 2022 ■ LivingInPeachtreeCorners.com

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5701 Spalding Drive Peachtree Corners, GA 30092

555 Wills Road Alpharetta, GA 30009

Village Park Alpharetta

12300 Morris Road Alpharetta, GA 30005

Peachtree Corners Magazine ■ June/July 2022 ■ LivingInPeachtreeCorners.com

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Peachtree Corners Magazine - June/July 2022

Articles inside

Bringing the Urban to the Suburbs

The Father’s House Holds Luncheon to Continue Building with Peachtree Corners

Local Students Take Top Honors in International Creativity Contest

Summer Outdoor Fun Guide

Local Nonprofit Breaking Down Barriers to Poverty

Chabad of Gwinnett Breaks Ground for New Center

GOHAN Market Brings Authentic Japanese Goods to Peachtree Corners

The Peachtree Corners Festival Returns Triumphantly for Its 11th Year