A couple of big developments are set to proceed in Gainesville, thanks to unanimous approval from the Gainesville City Council Tuesday night.
One of these developments, called Gainesville Township, will encompass 1,122 acres southwest of the intersection of Jesse Jewell Parkway and Old Cornelia Highway, and in between Floyd and Eberhart Cemetery Roads.
This mixed-use development will include 2,365 residential units broken down into 1,414 single family homes, 311 single family attached units and 640 multi-family units. The development also includes 75,000 square feet of commercial space and 645 acres of greenspace.
“The lowest price point of the single-family, detached houses will be in the 350s and go up into $500,000 to $600,000,” said Brian Rochester with Rochester and Associates, who spoke on behalf of the developer. “The townhomes will start right at the $300,000 price point.”
The city council voted to approve the two final requests submitted by development group Caballero Holdings, LLC: one to annex 140 acres into the city and the other to amend the existing Planned Unit Development zoning of 981 acres.
A 965-acre plot had previously been approved for a similar development referred to as Sussex.
The two proposals were approved with two conditions added onto the original 21. One condition requires Caballero Holdings to pay $100,000 to Hall County for road improvements on Old Cornelia Highway at the entrance to the development. The other prohibits the developer from receiving Certificates of Occupancy for more than 320 multi-family units before the same number of single-family units.
“The intent of this project is to develop all price points simultaneously…in large master plan communities like this, the important thing is that this is a ten-to-14-year buildout,” said Rochester.
The city council also gave approval to a rezoning request for the redevelopment of the Blue Ridge Shopping Center on Shallowford Road. The roughly 25-acre tract will be redeveloped into a mixed-use rental community with 15,000 square feet of retail space, 2,000 square feet of “pop up” retail and 385 rental units.
“I think it’s an opportunity to begin revitalizing, to begin changing the neighborhood and to create something that is incredibly high end,” said Rochester, speaking on behalf of developer Two Capital Partners.
Rochester said the development will target a population with an annual income of $75,000 to $175,000.
The city council approved the rezoning with seven conditions, including setting the total number of residential units at 295. The units are broken down into 165 multi-family apartments limited to studio, one bedroom and two bedrooms, as well as 35 four-bedroom units allowed in single family and townhomes.
In other business, the city council:
- Tabled a request for 44 residential townhomes near High Vista Point
- Approved unanimously a request to annex five acres at the corner of Jesse Jewell Parkway and Crescent Drive for a Dunkin’ store
- Approved unanimously a request to change the Pizza Hut at the corner of Thompson Bridge Road and Lanier Avenue into a medical/dental office and drive-thru restaurant
