255 South Chestatee Street

MIXED-USE INFILL

Located on busy South Chestatee Street between downtown and Georgia Highway 52, this parcel is seen by approximately 6,750 drivers daily according to GDOT estimates. With prominent frontage along one of Dahlonega’s prime corridors and close proximity to the University of North Georgia, this parcel has potential for both commercial and residential use. Currently, this site is classified as C3-Commercial and houses Wash World Car Wash, an active local business. Looking forward, in future decades this site could be the ideal location for mixed-use infill development.

Wash World Car Wash has been providing services to the Dahlonega community since 1990. Not only is this self-service car wash a source of income for the property owner, it also requires little maintenance. However, looking to the highest and best use of this site, repurposing this parcel for other uses could increase the property value and give the community room to grow and expand. Although constructing new infill and redesigning this lot would require significant upfront costs, a long-term investment in this parcel could help expand the city’s vibrant downtown and provide benefits for both the property owner and the local community. EXISTING

The rendering above shows this parcel with mixed-use infill and on-street parallel parking, modeled on a building in the redeveloped downtown of a suburban Atlanta neighborhood. The brick façade and traditional commercial storefronts help tie this contemporary look to the more historic buildings in the downtown core. A multistory building in this lot could include retail spaces on the ground floor and much-needed residential development on the top two floors. While time limitations of this 12-week fellowship prohibited working directly with the property owner, many different styles of infill development would be appropriate on this site.