Luxury mall, offices planned for Forsyth County site | The Providence Group
October 23, 2007
Retail developer Taubman Co. unveiled a plan Tuesday for a luxury mall complex in Forsyth County.
By PATTI BOND
Retail developer Taubman Co. unveiled a plan Tuesday for a luxury mall complex in Forsyth County.
Michigan-based Taubman wants to build a regional mall, flanked by office buildings, apartments and a hotel, on a 163-acre site along Ga. 400 between McFarland and Union Hill roads.
Taubman officials, who presented their mixed-use proposal at a Forsyth County commissioners meeting Tuesday, have been looking at the surrounding Ga. 400 corridor area for more than five years but only recently locked into this specific property.
The south Forsyth site was initially pegged as a luxury mall target by another developer, Rouse Co., but that effort was dropped after Rouse failed to sign on enough retailers. Taubman began acquiring land on the site earlier this year.
Taubman, which typically builds malls with department stores such as Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue, doesn't have any named anchors yet for its project.
Mark Putney, vice president of development for Taubman, said plans are still in the initial stages.
"We've gained sufficient interest from department stores to confirm us going forward," Putney said in an interview. "We think the location is absolutely the right location for this type of development."
The initial site plan calls for 1.4 million square feet of retail and 900,000 square feet of office space. Taubman also wants to incorporate at least one hotel and 375 residential units.
Ronald Loch, vice president of planning and design for Taubman, described the project as a hybrid of an enclosed regional mall and an outdoor "lifestyle center."
Initial sketches of the exterior show brick-paved sidewalks and a valet drop-off at the mall entrance.
County officials have generally embraced previous plans to bring retail development to Forsyth.
Cousins Properties recently announced its first phase of retail for Avenue Forsyth, a 109-acre project at the intersection of Ga. 400 and Peachtree Parkway. The retailers include Ann Taylor Loft, Jos. A. Bank and Talbots.
The Taubman project is more ambitious, aiming for an "urban feel," the developer says, with mid-rise office and condo buildings and upscale hotels.
Brian Dill, vice president of economic development for the Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce, said the project would have a major impact.
"Based on size and capital improvements, it's our Kia," said Dill, referring to Kia Motors' plan to build a $1.2 billion plant in west Georgia.
Dill said the office space that's part of the project is huge for the county. "For all practical purposes, we're out of Class A and B office space," he said.
The additional tax revenues are "a tremendous deal for us and for North Georgia as a whole," he said.
Although the property is zoned for commercial use, Taubman will have to clear a few hurdles first, including water and sewer issues, road improvements and height restrictions, which are capped at 5 stories presently.
Taubman is asking the county to allow it to put in 12-story buildings for office and hotel space. Taubman also wants approval to incorporate 500 condos into the site.
— Staff writer Nancy Badertscher contributed to this article.