Get With the Program Roswell: Town Green Edition

So, while Roswell has been busy putting money in its piggy bank, our neighbors around the region have been encouraging exactly the walkable lifestyle that we are saying we want.. Here's a tour of what our neighbors have done or are up to currently..

Alpharetta is building a town green in front of the new city hall. There will also be a new park, parking garage and library on the property along with mixed use buildings flanking the green.

Duluth's town green is part of their Livable Centers Initiative and has been around for about a decade and continues to drive walkable development in the heart of the city. image: Duluth Historical

Suwanee's town green is almost ten years old and is a model of walkable development in the heart of Gwinnett County. image: CaptureGwinnett

If one green in Alpharetta wasn't enough, we are putting this on one for effect. It is not publicly funded but it is publicly supported and it will be an iconic part of the Avalon development.

The Historic 4th Ward Park along the Beltline in Atlanta has radically improved the area just south of North Avenue and has spurred millions in redevelopment while also solving a nasty stormwater drainage issue. image: Historic 4th Ward Park Conservancy

Sandy Springs is moving forward on the master plan that they adopted back in 2012. This segment is where many of you may know as the old Target shopping center. As you can see, there is a nice public green that will be added next to a parking deck and office that may be the new City Hall.The city of Dunwoody is currently building three new parks as part of the Project Renaissance that borders the Georgetown area on the north. The park pictured here is Georgetown Park and will be surrounded by residential and some retail/restaurant.

Lillian Webb Park in Historic Norcross has been a vital element of that area's revitalization. image: wayfinding.comCentennial Olympic Park is obviously on a different scale but the past several years have proven the power of a civic space to attract development. In the next 6 months we will see the College Football Hall of Fame, National Center for Human Rights and Atlanta Streetcar all open on or near the park. Additionally the Sky View ferris wheel recently opened and who can forget the Aquarium and World of Coke. Coca-Cola is moving ~2k tech jobs adjacent to the park as well.. image: DeltaSkyMag

So, Roswell.. let's build the Green!

Let your leaders know you support City Green by adding your signature to our petition!  

http://www.change.org/petitions/support-the-roswell-city-green-project

Also, you can email them with your support at roswellmayorandcouncil@roswellgov.com

Comments

[Scott Long]

I'd be 112% for this if not for the City-owned retail component (where we would take bidders to operate restaurants and bike shops in city-funded and managed buildings). As it is now with this included i'm more like 67% for it. I just think it will complicate and cause contention and cost long term to have the city in that kind of direct business. I wish we could pull out that aspect of the project and look to true private investment for that part of it which this project should almost certainly generate anyway. Do most of these great examples above have city-owned retail as a component or have they been able to succeed without it?

[Michael D Hadden]

Scott, the city will not own the mixed-use building. It would be owned and operated by the Downtown Development Authority which is an independent entity. They would need to purchase the land from the city.

That's also not necessarily a part of the green decision as it is phase two of the project. At this point, I'd just like to see the council & mayor definitively come out in support of the concept.

Also, I'm not sure of the funding mechanisms behind all of the above examples and whether they have DDA owned buildings.