A new Arby's restaurant is being proposed in Tucker marking the the potential return of the roast beef chain to the area after an approximately decade long absence. The new restaurant, part of a four tenant proposal, would be built at the corner of Lynburn Drive and Lawrenceville Highway, bound by Burns Drive (aka Railroad Avenue), across from Cofer Crossing shopping center. The parcel in question is currently home to a pair of two-story homes which sit on a combined roughly two acres. Debra A. Harden and B and A Ventures, LLC are listed in redevelopment documents as the property's current owners.
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| Proposed siteplan of redevelopment project |
The Arby's would be built on a roughly .8 acre freestanding out-parcel and would be about 2,900 square feet with a drive-thru.
Specifically, the redevelopment would include the homes at 4260 and 4270 Lawrenceville Highway. The home at 4260 Lawrenceville Highway was built in 1937, according to DeKalb County records, and is currently zoned R-75. The home at 4270 Lawrenceville Highway was built in 1950 and is currently zoned C-1. The two vacant single family homes were most recently home to separate commercial businesses, according to redevelopment documents.
The developer would like both properties rezoned as C-1 to allow the redevelopment to move forward as planned. The developer, GMC Real Estate Acquisitions, LLC, has applied to the City of Tucker for a SLUP (Special Land Use Permit) to get the property rezoned.
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| Current site as two parcels |
GMC has enlisted Kathryn Zickert, Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP Partner and Chair of the firm’s Zoning, Planning and Land Use Practice, to bring the developer's SLUP proposal to the City of Tucker Community Council. Zickert is well known in metro Atlanta and has also been involved in the redevelop plans at North DeKalb Mall, among other projects.
The developer's attorneys describe Arby's:
"Arby's serves a variety of sandwich items including its signature roast beef sandwiches, which are not offered at the other nearby drive-thru restaurants. This will be much appreciated by the surrounding workers and nearby residents and will add to the variety of dining in the City. It is the Applicant's firm belief that the Arby's restaurant will very successful in the area as it fills a void in the dining options."
In addition to the freestanding Arby's restaurant, the development also calls for the construction of a three tenant separate building that planning documents indicate would include two "retail" tenants and one "restaurant" tenant, and sit on roughly 1.25 acres. The three suites - 2,500, 2,300 and 3,500 - equal a total of an additional 8,300 square feet. The one tenant identified on the proposal is My Eyelab, an eyewear retailer, that has been expanding in metro Atlanta and would presumably occupy one of the two retail spaces.
The GMC case is due to be presented to the Community Council at 7 PM on Wednesday April 10.
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| A classic Arby's building with the classic sign that once stood along LaVista Road |
After closing dozens of Arby's locations around the greater metro Atlanta area over the years, the Atlanta-based fast food chain has in recent years added a number of new locations, and remodeled others. Among the new Arby's in metro Atlanta area those on State Bridge Road in Johns Creek (in a converted former Pollo Tropical) and on Scenic Highway in Snellville.
In the Tucker vicinity, Arby's previously operated a restaurant at 3897 LaVista Road where it and an adjacent McDonald's were demolished for a updated and enlarged McDonald's. The Arby's was one of few left in operation to feature a Vegas-like illuminated giant street sign version of the restaurant's famous cowboy hat. Another Arby's was located in the food court of Northlake Mall.
Are you excited for the possible return of Arby's to Tucker? What else would you like to see open as part of the redevelopment? Do you, like us, miss the days when fast food restaurants (like classic Arby's) had distinguishing visual features rather than just being another box?
Please share your thoughts below