Atlanta-based Arris Realty Partners (formerly Ben Carter Properties) is planning an approximately 27,000 square foot retail center on Roswell Road in Sandy Springs.
Arris, which in architecture is "a sharp edge or ridge formed by the intersection of two curved surfaces," was established in 2012 by Steven Cadranel and Jim Woodcox, who served as President and EVP of Ben Carter Properties. Ben Carter, notorious to Buckhead area residents as the original visionary of "The Streets of Buckhead," and to Savannah residents for his current upscaling of Broughton Street, is not involved in Arris and how heads Ben Carter Enterprises.
The new Sandy Springs development, The Plaza at City Springs South, will be comprised of three separate buildings and about 160 surface parking spaces over 3.5 acres. The center is "two blocks north of 285, on Roswell Road in Sandy Springs." The complex will span Roswell Road, between Allen Road and Cliftwood Drive. While McCullough Auto Care (A NAPA facility) at Allen Road and a Shell gas station at Cliftwood Drive will remain, everything between them will be demolished for the new development.
The three former businesses slated for demolition are Charlie Mopps Public House, Cartunes (relocated a few miles north on Roswell Road to a former NTB), and American Pie. American Pie was formerly an area icon that lasted over 20 years before closing in 2007. Cocktail Cove, which opened in its place in 2009, closed in 2012.
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| The former Cartunes |
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| The former Charlie Mopps |
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| The former American Pie / Cocktail Cove |
The center's name, The Plaza at City Springs, is meant to connect it with the nearby large scale mixed-use redevelopment, City Springs. City Springs, being developed in part by Atlanta's Selig Enterprises, will include retail, residential, restaurant and civic space, replaces the former Target (Richway) and Harris Teeter (A&P), among other structures.
The Plaza will serve as the retail/restaurant companion to The Cliftwood, a 248-unit, 5-story mid-rise "luxury" apartment building under construction behind the center. A new street, to be named Cliftwood Way, will separate the two developments and will connect Allen Road to Cliftwood Drive.
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| The new street to be known as Cliftwood Way |
According to The Cliftwood website, a 655 square foot studio apartment will start at $1,192 while a 1,103 square foot 2 bed/2 bath apartment will start at $1,632. The largest apartment, a 1,516 square foot 3/2, starts at $2,198.
The Cliftwood represents the demolition of an early 1970s office campus, and is expected to have its first move-ins before the end of the year. The residential portion is is a joint venture between ECI Group and Arris Realty Partners, LLC.
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| The Cliftwood apartments as seen from Cliftwood Drive |
While I was able to speak to Cadranel regarding the project, he was unable to confirm much in the way of tenants, as leases are still being finalized. One tenant I know is opening is new-to-market quick serve pizza chain is Pieology. Rancho Santa Margarita, California-based Pieology opened its first Atlanta area location last month at The Atwater, on Old Milton Parkway, across from Avalon. In addition to Sandy Springs, Pieology plans to join Sprouts Farmers Market at Fuqua's Decatur Crossing center.
Another "Mediterranean-focused quick serve restaurant" with existing Atlanta area locations is reportedly also coming to the center.
Cadranel said to expect other regional and national quick serve restaurants to be part of The Plaza. Additionally, Cadranel indicated that the center's groundbreaking should happen "in the fall" with "delivery" scheduled for the second quarter of 2017.
What would you like to see open in The Plaza at City Springs? What are your thoughts on the pricing of The Cliftwood? What is your favorite memory of American Pie?
Please share your thoughts below.