Thursday March 28th, 2024 1:02PM

Rezoning opens the door to more student based housing in Oakwood near UNG

Oakwood City Council unanimously approved the rezoning for a student housing apartment complex on Atlanta Highway, as well as the annexation and rezoning for a light industrial operation on White Road.
 
City Manager Stan Brown said Umar Sayed and Mitch Reddick had previously brought the idea of the student housing complex, but came back Monday night with a more defined plan for the three parcels on Atlanta Highway and Frontage Road.
 
"They came back with a revised plan where they added an additional property to it, which is the Lanier Produce property, that will now be a part of that development," said Brown. "They're basically revising their plan to adjust the locations of the buildings and the parking."
 
The complex would have five buildings, 156 units and 490 bedrooms. Initially there was a first floor commercial component, but that was scrapped. The plan now features a grand entrance way that also allows motorists to enter a physicians' office parking lot.
 
The developer also wants to include a park in the design, to be named Mills Park, after one of the founders of Gainesville State College, which is now the University of North Georgia - Gainesville. The park ideally would connect students at the complex to the student commuter parking lot and to the Highlands to the Islands trail.
 
Brown said the only active student housing development currently was the Residential Property Group project on Mundy Mill, which is doing grading plans, but none were actively building at this point.
 
"I think the university is looking at some things as well and it's just recognition that the university will continue to grow here in the Oakwood area and there will be a continuing need for housing," said Brown. "We're excited about that, that along with the University Commons project with the cottages, which are doing well, we hope to see these projects work out well too."
 
Also rezoned were two parcels held by the Logistics Property Company LLC. They hoped to build a distribution center that local businesses could rent on West White Road that was originally in Hall County.
 
"The property is really adjacent to other industrial properties, so we're looking at a couple of office distribution-type, warehouse distribution-type facilities that would go in there," said Brown.
 
He said the developer has previously produced similar developments in other communities, and Oakwood was looking forward their work.
 
"For us, it just continues to build the tax base and provide jobs in the area," said Brown. "I think it's just another example of the benefit of Exit 14 being completed, it'll have quick access to the interstate and relieve truck traffic on some of our surface streets. I think we'll benefit from that type of development that can get on the interstate and go about the movement of good throughout the area."
 
The council approved both developments unanimously.
 
The council also adopted the 2020 budget at the meeting.
  • Associated Categories: Homepage, Local/State News
  • Associated Tags: University of North Georgia, oakwood, Oakwood City Council, City of Oakwood
© Copyright 2024 AccessWDUN.com
All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission.