Like Sandy Springs, Alpharetta, Suwanee, and so many other metro Atlanta places before it, the City of Doraville wants to help carve out a new identity by way of a vibrant, multifaceted gathering place and residential hub.

A development team unveiled conceptual plans to Doraville government leaders this month illustrating how a centralized downtown could look and function for the ITP city, claiming municipal buildings and other underused or undeveloped parcels.

The site in question involves 13 acres the city owns and has been exploring means of activating soon. The properties are bound by New Peachtree Road and Central Avenue, just north of Buford Highway and northwest of Spaghetti Junction near Assembly Atlanta. MARTA’s Doraville station is located across New Peachtree Road from the site.

Broad view of 13 acres of parcels Doraville owns for redevelopment in relation to Spaghetti Junction (bottom right), Interstate 285, and other landmarks. Google Maps

Spanish steps-style elements leading to the centralized green, which would be placed atop stormwater retention infrastructure at the slopped site. HGOR/Flippo Civil Design; via City of Doraville

The team selected by Doraville includes developer Kaufman Capital, HGOR, and Flippo Civil Design.

Chris Mutter, a principal with Atlanta-based HGOR planners and architects, told city leaders the heart of the project would be comprised of two components: a central greenspace spanning roughly 10,000 to 12,000 square feet (similar to the size of Alpharetta City Center’s green) and dotted with low-rise retail buildings, likely topped with restaurant patios. Another key facet would be a three-story community building with city offices and chambers, a library, community space, and a coworking component, Mutter said.

Elsewhere would be hundreds of multifamily units, more commercial space, and a 15-foot-wide public trail to help tie it all together. At the site’s highest point along New Peachtree Road, a boutique hotel would be designed to capitalize on views into the central greenspace, Mutter said.

Chris Eldridge, Doraville city manager, stressed during the Oct. 16 meeting that all designs are tentative and subject to change. “We don’t have anything other than footprints of what could work, but it gives you a feel,” Eldridge said.  

Plans for an upgraded central boulevard, Park Avenue, between apartments and retail. HGOR/Flippo Civil Design; via City of Doraville

Initial phases of topographical, environmental, and geological studies are complete, and a process to estimate the project’s full cost is now underway. A bond referendum is being considered to potentially help fund aspects of the project, specifically the community building.

According to the development team, the project would likely be built in phases, with the green square component coming first as a means of attracting further investment.

In the gallery above, find a rundown of where Doraville’s made-from-scratch city center could sprout, and what it could entail in coming years.

The view near Buford Highway looking toward New Peachtree Road. HGOR/Flippo Civil Design; via City of Doraville

...

Follow us on social media: 

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Doraville news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta)