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2 big box stores set for PTC’s 54 W.Tue, 02/26/2008 - 4:58pm
By: John Munford
Capital City Development has secured tenants for two big box stores at the rear of its property, but CCD principal Doug McMurrain declined to reveal them after Monday night’s meeting of the Peachtree City Planning Commission. CCD’s 14-acre site is located at the southwest corner of Ga. Highway 54 and Planterra Way, and McMurrain recently won a controversial road abandonment decision from the Peachtree City Council by a 3-2 vote. But instead of developing the entire shopping center at once, McMurrain is asking for the project to be done in phases. McMurrain said he is negotiating with two grocery store chains to be located directly off the highway and near the entrance to Planterra Ridge subdivision, but as of now no one is signed on. Planning Commission Chairman Marty Mullin said he didn’t want to see a large grocery store directly off the highway. Rather, he wants to see smaller shops to create a “community” feel for the shopping center. McMurrain resisted the idea, saying two of his tenants in small shops across the street are having difficult financial times. McMurrain has also said that 20 percent of that retail center — also developed by McMurrain — on the north side of Hwy. 54 is vacant. McMurrain said one of the grocery stores needs about 20,000 square feet and if that’s the case, he could perhaps “do something” along the line of Mullin’s thinking. The other chain, however, is looking at about 40,000 square feet and that would leave no room for smaller shops along Hwy. 54, McMurrain indicated. The main reason of putting the grocery store along the highway is the concern of the adjacent Cardiff Park neighborhood, which McMurrain has pledged won’t see, hear or smell the development. The grocery store could violate the smell condition, McMurrain indicated. It is not yet clear if the city will allow the development to be built in phases since McMurrain can propose up to three buildings with a maximum size each of 50,000 square feet. That triggers the city’s untested special use permit process. CCD engineer Jim Lowe said the company could leave an undisturbed buffer from the highway on back until the front phase is developed. The total shopping center will add up to 170,000 square feet of commercial space. Previously McMurrain was limited to about 99,000 square feet, but the City Council voted 3-2 on Feb. 13 to abandon Line Creek Drive and Line Creek Circle on the property in exchange for a payment of at least $500,000 from CCD. In a development agreement with the council, McMurrain has agreed to a number of concessions, including lowering the grade of the property and significant buffering to protect residents in Cardiff Park. In return, the city has agreed not to object when CCD applies for a traffic light to serve the development. That light would be between the current traffic lights on Hwy. 54 for Planterra Way and MacDuff Parkway. Responding to other issues raised by the planning commission, McMurrain said he could redesign the parking lots into five areas rather than the current three. McMurrain added that he has retained the same landscape architect for his project that was responsible for the look and feel of The Avenue shopping center. “I know with the three (stores) in the back, I can give you what you want,” McMurrain said. Mullin said the front of the building along the highway should face the highway and not the interior of the development where the parking lot will be. He added that if a large building is erected directly off the highway, citizens will complain that the developer got exactly what he wanted. McMurrain said the interest on the property is costing him $40,000 a month. login to post comments
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