Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Theater group left Suburban Plaza because of the Walmart development.
OnStage Atlanta, the theater group that called Suburban Plaza home for 11 1/2 years, has moved to its new location at 2969 East Ponce de Leon Ave. in Decatur. The theatre will open its first show, The 39 Steps, in its new space later this month. OnStage Atlanta had to move from its Suburban Plaza digs because of the planned and controversial Walmart for that site, Barry West, the theater's managing director, told Patch. The landlord told them they'd have to find a new location. In the end, it ended up being a blessing in disguise as the new spot is larger than the old location, he said. Even so, the some construction and building delays have pushed back some plans. The 39 Steps, based on the Alfred Hitchcock film, was to have opened next …
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Reader Judd Owen writes: "Somewhere, on this big issue at least, there arose a disconnect between the vision of Decatur that I think is generally held by its residents and the vision held by its political leadership: Indie vs. Walmart."
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Wednesday, March 27
Judd Owen lives in Decatur with his wife and two children. He has served on the enrollment committee and annexation committee for the City Schools of Decatur. He teaches political science at Emory. The first of a two-part series. By Judd Owen Decatur Metro directed readers last week to a brief story in the print edition of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporting that Decatur City Manager Peggy Merriss had said “potential annexation of two heavily commercial areas outside the city limits has apparently died quietly in the legislature.” I have been keenly interested in the push for large-scale annexation that has just died, and I’ve followed it closely since I first learned of it in October 2008. So I decided to write an obituary. I have …
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
The production is apparently using Suburban Plaza, according to recent Internet chatter Monday.
Walmart isn't the only big player with designs on Suburban Plaza. Will Ferrell and his Anchorman: The Legend Continues production do as well, according to Internet chatter Monday afternoon. The comedy film production, which has been seen filming throughout the Atlanta metro area recently, has been using the shopping center in some capacity, according to the Kitsch'n 155 Facebook page and several posters on it.
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Good Growth DeKalb's lawsuit against DeKalb County must be resolved before Selig Enterprises can move forward with construction in North Decatur, a Selig official said.
Good Growth DeKalb's lawsuit against DeKalb County over the construction of a Walmart Supercenter in Suburban Plaza will delay the project's start, the North Decatur shopping center's management said Tuesday. The lawsuit, which focuses on the county's issuance of a construction permit to Walmart in January, must be resolved before Selig Enterprises – which owns the shopping center – and Walmart can begin construction, said Scott Selig, the company's vice president. “I believe that you can still possibly move forward but you do so at your own risk," he said. "So, the reality is that, yes, this needs to play out before we move forward." The lawsuit also will also likely delay redevelopment of the larger shopping center, he said. Selig …
Friday, March 15, 2013
The group claims its appeal of a construction permit was incorrectly heard and dismissed by the DeKalb County Zoning Board of Appeals.
Good Growth DeKalb, the local group fighting the construction of a Walmart Supercenter in North Decatur, sued DeKalb County on Friday for granting the international retail giant a construction permit. The suit, filed in DeKalb County Superior Court, contends that the county violated its own ordinances when it heard the group's administrative appeal of the permit issuance in January with the Zoning Board of Appeals rather than the Technical Board of Appeals, which Good Growth DeKalb claims is required by county law. The county does not currently have a Technical Board of Appeals. At the February hearing, attorneys with Good Growth DeKalb also said county ordinances related to trucking, trees and hydrology were not followed when the permit …
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
The development is now clear to proceed unless the organization decides to continue its legal fight.
The DeKalb Zoning Board of Appeals has rejected an appeal by a local organization fighting the construction of a Walmart Supercenter in Suburban Plaza. The board rejected the challenge by Good Growth DeKalb, the local organization fighting the project, during its Wednesday afternoon meeting. The project is now cleared to move forward, unless Good Growth DeKalb decides to file additional lawsuits to block the project. The group filed the appeal Jan. 9, which they said was a "necessary precursor to filing a lawsuit," according to a note from the group sent out to residents who signed an online petition over the summer protesting the Walmart. Bill Wertz, spokesman for Walmart, said, “We are delighted to be partners with Selig Enterprises in …
Monday, January 28, 2013
The issue will go before the DeKalb County Board of Appeals on Feb. 13.
Good Growth DeKalb, the local organization fighting the construction of a Walmart Supercenter in North Decatur, has filed an appeal against the redevelopment and will get a chance to argue its case next month. Selig Enterprises, which was recently issued a building permit to move forward, will go before the DeKalb County Board of Appeals on Feb. 13 at 1 p.m., according to county signs posted at the site. The group filed the appeal Jan. 9, which they said was a "necessary precursor to filing a lawsuiti," according to a note from the group sent out to residents who signed an online petition over the summer protesting the Walmart. The Medlock Area Neighborhood Association offered more details last week on what basis Good Growth DeKalb filed …
Friday, December 14, 2012
Selig Enterprises has secured all necessary permits as well.
Selig Enterprises has acquired all necessary permits to begin construction of a new Walmart Supercenter in Suburban Plaza early next year. The shopping center is undergoing an overall renovation with the Walmart serving as the centerpiece. A number of retailers have already departed the shopping center in anticipation of the renovation and have been let out of their leases without penalty, according to the Medlock Area Neighborhood Association. The association's zoning committee also included more information in their update this week, including: • Maggie Monastesse, the owner of Decatur Estate & Wayback Antique (and longtime tenant at Suburban Plaza), reports that they have secured a site for their store at 2272 Lawrenceville Highway. …
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Decatur City Manager Peggy Merriss recommended the city limit annexation to commercial areas around Suburban Plaza, Emory Commons Shopping Center and nearby apartments and houses.
Decatur City Manager Peggy Merriss recommended Monday night that almost all residential areas be dropped from the annexation discussion – a move that might eliminate the need for a referendum. Her recommendation could also reduce public opposition since the impact on city schools would be much less. Merriss urged the city commission to only annex two primarily commercial areas – Suburban Plaza on the northeast corner and Emory Commons Shopping Center on the northwest. (Those are the purple and bright green areas in the attached map.) Some adjacent homes and apartments would be annexed, she said. Four other residential areas would be taken off the table. The commission will meet Dec. 17 and decide how to proceed with annexation. Public …
Monday, December 3, 2012
The group also plans to protest in front of the forthcoming development Friday.
Good Growth DeKalb, the North Decatur group fighting the construction of a Walmart Supercenter in Suburban Plaza, told residents Sunday a lawsuit to stop the international retailer is imminent after the shopping center's owners were granted a permit last week to begin construction. "DeKalb County finally granted Selig Enterprises their first permit (for land disturbance) this past week," the group wrote in an email to supporters. "This means that we have 30 days to take legal action." The group has said for months on its website that its lawyers, hired in February, have identified an issue in the development plans to challenge legally. They have not clarified that publicly, however, saying only on their site: "In the face of the county’s …
Baileyspet
5:02 pm on Tuesday, March 26, 2013
This one will probably be worse, more ›