The day that Sandy Springs Mayor Eva Galambos has waited for since 2008 has finally arrived.
On Jan. 6, demolition crews will knock down the old Target building at 235 Johnson Ferry Road. City Council purchased it in 2008 for $8 million. Questions have persisted about the wisdom of that purchase, given that the property had restrictive covenants and was an acre smaller than city officials told the public when the city bought the property.
The building has served as storage space for the city since 2008 and will be replaced with a park. Galambos said in a press release that the demolition will be an important moment for Sandy Springs. Galambos is leaving office in January and her successor will be Rusty Paul, a former City Councilman.
“The community worked hard in helping us develop the City’s Master Plan for the downtown area, and it is exciting to see progress happening. While there is still much work to be done, replacing the deteriorating building with green space helps signify the new growth we expect to see in the City Center area,” Galambos said.
The 6.9 acres the Target property occupies will become a key component of the downtown revitalization project. City Council approved a redevelopment plan in December 2012. Under the plan, future development will move the center of city life to what has traditionally been considered the heart of the community along Roswell Road between Hammond Drive and Sandy Springs Circle.
The plan seeks to make the city more walkable and provides for a mix of uses, expands green space and seeks revisions to the city’s zoning code to achieve the desired downtown aesthetic.
Here is more information from the city’s press release:
The City plans to leave the parking lot in place during this phase of redevelopment. The back entrance along Mount Vernon Road will be closed to the public, with only delivery and construction access permitted. The southwest entrance along Sandy Springs Circle will also be permanently closed. The Good Will facility will not be torn down as part of this phase.
During its Dec. 3, 2013 meeting, the City Council approved a contract for Alternative Construction and Environmental Solutions to handle demolition of the old Target facility. As part of the demolition process, the company hopes to recycle as much as 90 percent of the materials such as metal, wiring and concrete.