Bad Links?
Other glitches?
Notify Webmaster

Jeff Davis redevelopment
honored by ARC for vision

By J. FRANK LYNCH
jflynch@theCitizenNews.com

A residential redevelopment project in downtown Fayetteville has been named a Development of Excellence winner by the Atlanta Regional Commission for showing “visionary and cooperative” efforts between a builder and the city.

The Jeff Davis Intown Condominiums on North Jeff Davis Drive were recognized along with three other developments across metro Atlanta at the ARC’s annual State of the Region breakfast on Wednesday morning.

The sixth annual Developments of Excellence are co-sponsored by the Regional Business Coalition and designed to showcase those projects that stand out in the region as models for innovative and sustainable development.

In making the award to Jeff Davis Intown developer Alex Thompson and the City of Fayetteville, the ARC said the project “demonstrates how innovative thinking, combined with a strong public-private partnership, can improve and enhance redevelopment efforts in a community.”

The four-acre, 68-condo redevelopment of a former rundown apartment complex located behind Hudson Plaza in downtown Fayetteville emphasizes historical design styles to promote aesthetic appeal.

“While these homes are priced well below market averages for the area, historical accents give it a feel and complexity beyond the standard of today,” said the ARC.

In the process of changing its regulations to allow the construction of this development, the city of Fayetteville also created a new and unique zoning district.

“It allows residential density bonuses for reinvestment in older areas. The great collaboration between the city and developer, and the resulting new redevelopment zoning district will serve as benchmarks for cooperative planning and exceptional regulatory innovation in the future,” explained the ARC in giving the award.

Other projects cited on Wednesday were the Metropolis in Midtown, the Development of Excellence Award; the West Highlands Condominium, for Exceptional Merit Award - Mixed Income Community Design; and the Atlantic Station Development, for Environmental Innovation.

In awarding the annual Developments of Excellence, the ARC and RBC showcase both large-scale and smaller, innovative developments that are setting the standard for more livable communities.

Past winners include Technology Square, Milton Park, Old Suwanee, Lindbergh City Center, and Riverside by Post, among others. An interdisciplinary jury made up of members of the Georgia Planning Association, the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, the Georgia Conservancy, the American Institute of Architects and representatives of both the commercial and residential development communities, among others, made the award selections.