Construction is slated to begin early next year on the commercial section of The Villages of LaFayette Park, fulfilling the developers’ vision of a vibrant live-work-play community in downtown Fayetteville.

Residents of The Villages soon will be able to walk to specialty shops, restaurants, office space and a new branch bank along a wide brick-paved, tree-lined promenade linking their homes with the new commercial area and downtown Fayetteville.

When completed, The Villages of LaFayette Park will have a total of 203 single family homes and town homes in a variety of price ranges, a first-rate amenity package, green space, parks, commercial and office space, a branch bank and a major hotel. In addition, the 2,000-seat Villages Amphitheater is on the property and the community is adjacent to the Fayette County High School complex.

“The vision is coming together. The new commercial development is a great thing for Fayetteville because it provides much-needed office and commercial space while maintaining the historic feel of downtown,” said Lane Brown of Lane Brown Properties real estate company and a member of the Fayetteville Main Street board of directors.

JEBCO Ventures plans to break ground early next year on the first phase of the Village Corner, a development of all-brick vintage-style buildings with retail space on the main floor and office space above. The first phase will be two two-story buildings and one-one- story building with a total of about 15,000 square feet of retail space and 10,000 square feet of office space. Regions Bank is moving its downtown Fayetteville branch bank to the main floor of the two-story Main Street Financial Center being built across the street from the Village Corner.

“We’re excited being in location where people can walk to the bank. Fayetteville has always been a hometown community and it’s wonderful that the new development will create a town square feeling where people can live and work and walk to shopping, restaurants and the amphitheater,” said Cathy Cochran, branch manager.

Two other commercial parcels that are part of the 110-acre Villages of LaFayette Park mixed-use development are under contract. A Hampton Inn opened in 2006.

“The Village at LaFayette Park is already a great place to live. We’re creating a devel opment where people also can work and play. People will be able to live downtown, work downtown, shop and dine downtown and buy a picnic and take it to the amphitheater and enjoy great entertainment, all without getting in their cars,” said Jay Jenkins, principal with JEBCO Ventures.

Work is nearing completion on a wide brick-paved promenade connecting the residential portion of The Villages with the commercial section and downtown Fayetteville.

Developed with funds from the City of Fayetteville’s Livable Centers Initiative grant, the tree-lined promenade includes park benches and old-fashioned street lights as well as new pedestrian crosswalks in the downtown area.
“The wide sidewalks, landscaping, trees and lighting will encourage people to leave their cars at home and walk into the historic downtown area to shop or eat dinner,” said Fayetteville City Manager Joe Morton.

The Villages at LaFayette Park is a 110- acre development located three blocks west of the Old Courthouse Square in Fayetteville and bordered by GA Highway 54 on the south and the Fayette County High School complex on the north.

“The Villages of LaFayette Park represents a return to small town living a century ago when residents could walk to work, to shop and to dine. We have the residential area, the retail and office buildings going in, a major hotel, a bank, and the Villages Amphitheater. It’s truly the neighborhood that has everything, all within walking distance,” said Jane Foster, representing Lee-Dixon Realty.

The community has the charm of a small town at the turn of the 20th Century with vintage-style homes and tree-lined streets and sidewalks leading to lush green parks.

Housing opportunities include Village homes on the smallest single- family lots, Cottage homes on slightly larger lots and Estate Homes on lots of a half-acre of more. The 30 townhomes in the community have all been sold.

The carefully-chosen primary homebuilder team for the Villages include Chris Dixon & Associates, Mike Harrell & Associates, Ravin Homes, Ray Wright Homes and Guthrie Construction.

At least 20% of The Villages property is devoted to green space. The community’s amenity package includes a community parks, bike paths, a Junior Olympic swimming pool with a water mushroom and a trellis area to shade parents while their children play in the pool, a playground and a community gazebo.

The Villages Amphitheater is a multi-use venue which hosts nationally known musical acts and local entertainment. The Amphitheater is owned by the Fayetteville Downtown Development Authority and managed by the Fayetteville Downtown Tourism Association.

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