Home > Gwinnett > Rick Badie / My Opinion > Archives > 2005 > November > 01 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.US‘Village’ moniker not fitting for strip
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
You’ve probably seen them by now. The signs that have been erected on Jimmy Carter Boulevard.
“Gwinnett Village,” they state.
What, exactly, do you envision when you hear the term “village”? Hold that thought. Let’s ride. We’ll head east on Jimmy Carter. Our starting point will be the intersection of JCB and Brook Hollow Parkway, where one of the new signs greets motorists.
Pappadeux’s Restaurant and Global Mall, a shopping destination for people from India, sits to our left as we approach the I-85 ramps. Can’t get to the restaurant or shops from here, though. Instead, you have to drive down to the next traffic light and make a U-turn at the intersection of JCB and Live Oak Parkway.
So let’s keep cruising east and see what makes up this village. There’s plenty of places to buy gas. Two Shell Food Marts sit on both sides of Jimmy Carter. Another is under construction farther east. Need money till payday? Well, the village is your place. The strip has at least seven title loan/check-cashing businesses. It’s easy to miss some of them because they are tucked away in strips malls on side streets.
Looking for a pawn shop? The village has three of them. And if you get caught drinking and driving, you can can take classes at one of three DUI driving schools.
By now we are well beyond Rockbridge Road and fast approaching Britt Road. We’ve passed three churches, dozens of fast food joints, restaurants, and professional offices for medical doctors, accountants, insurance agents and notary publics. Quaintness doesn’t befit this village.
Besides the two signs on JCB, there’s another one on I-85. It says, “Gwinnett Village — Next three exits.” That would be Jimmy Carter, Indian Trail Road and Beaver Ruin Road. The DOT put them up last week at the request of civic leaders and property owners who support formation of a Southwest Gwinnett Village Community Improvement District.
For Jimmy Carter, the goal is noble: cut crime, improve traffic and beautify storefronts. Advocates are working to get a majority of property owners to agree to tax themselves to pay for enhancements. The money would be used for landscaping, sidewalks, marketing and other efforts to raise property values in the area.
The idea is to make JCB a destination area, one with an identity that carries cache. I’m for it. My subdivision sits off a less problematic strip of Jimmy Carter Boulevard. But it’s still Jimmy Carter Boulevard. Homeowners in my neighborhood await the transformation of the dingy shopping centers that offer zero curb appeal.
Signs point to Gwinnett Village, but what is it? A village is a place where you can walk without the possibility of getting mowed down. It’s a place with bistros and boutiques, not billiards and laundry mats. It’s hip, cool and appetizing.
It’s everything that JCB isn’t. Many of the shops and businesses need to be hosed down, painted, renovated — something. Some of them need to move on. Right now, this district needs to be prettied up.
And until it is, calling it a village is a stretch.
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Comments
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By Bruce Wilcox
November 1, 2005 11:23 AM | Link to this
I believe it’s called an incentive, a goal, an identity. Most of the area is in unincorporated Gwinnett, it’s not Lilburn, it’s not Norcross, now it has an indentity.
In a county that believes it’s easier to build new than rehabilate the old this is the first serious attempt to revitalize a section that has been forgotten for too long.
Like the Broken Windows project, the three signs on I-85 and businesses getting involved is the first step. The next step is getting the residents supporting the effort and keeping pressure on the county to keep putting effort into the idea.
By Rick Badie
November 1, 2005 02:13 PM | Link to this
What’s up? My Nov. 1 column dealt with Jimmy Carter Blvd., and how it doesn’t deserve to be called “Gwinnett Village,” as a couple of road signs so state. Well, if not GV, then what? What name befits the area? Think in terms of a ‘prettied up’ JCB, something supporters of the special taxing hope becomes reality someday. Also, how can the county capitalize on the ethnicity of the area. Ship me a comment. Take care. RB.
By Bruce Wilcox
November 1, 2005 03:21 PM | Link to this
I believe “Gwinnett Village” is a fine name for the area. it is the gateway to Gwinnett coming up I-85. My point is that it isn’t going to happen overnight, but at least it now has an identity.
Other names may fit the area better like, “Welcome to the neglected section of Gwinnett” or “Lets make this dive into a village”.
By Deb
November 2, 2005 08:46 AM | Link to this
As a Yankee American who immigrated to the “Village” in the 1980’s from Northeast America I remember not being able to find a pizza. The idea of making a trip to experience food and people from all over the world in Gwinnett County is amazing to me. I like the term village. You could say many things with it. Like “It takes a Village… to make good Chicken Enchiladas…to MacDaddy this place up… I think that one day it will be a destination that people from all over will want to visit.
By BJ Van Gundy
November 2, 2005 10:53 AM | Link to this
Rick, you hit the nail on the head when you described this area and your description of how it IS NOW is exactly the reason that we are working so hard to make the CID a reality sooner rather than later!
I appreciate both Deb and Mr. Wilcox’s comments that also very well state the reason for the formation of the Village. It may not look like a village now but our intentions are definitely to make this area, once again, the “IN” place to live and work.
The Gwinnett Village web sit ecan be reached at www.gwinnettvillage.com.
As the Executive Director, I also welcome everyone’s comments and suggestions and input for this Community Improvement District.
I can be reached at 770-449-6515.
By Gregg
November 2, 2005 12:33 PM | Link to this
Great commentary on the ‘village’ scam, and good reporting. Now at least I know who is responsible for further accelerating my decreasing property value. Village in this area does not conjure up imagages of happy yeomanry going about their productive business in immaculate surrondings but instead a 3rd world hovel of decaying property, crime, and a generaly miserable enviroment. These signs must come down.
By Deb
November 2, 2005 01:19 PM | Link to this
Gregg, Hold on to your real estate because it will increase in value.I have first hand experience. I am from an area in Baltimore, called Essex exactly like “The Village”. Growing up there we were on the Chesapeake Bay where they dumped the sewage and where working class steel mill workers and auto workers lived. We were considered trash and had the highest crime rate. Well, guess what, TIMES CHANGE, steel work and auto workers no longer live there and thanks to the EPA sewage goes elsewhere. The old workers have all died and young people have come to the area and condominiums are being built along the water so rich Washingtonians can drive over to their weekend homes. No restaurants wanted to invest in our high crime drug infested neighborhoods so we had family bars and restaurants and crab shacks and that is what drawls the people from Washington. It is different from all the homogenous entertainment that is out there now. My mother’s 50 year old 1200 square foot house is worth more than my house. People are on a waiting list to purchase it to flip it when she passes.
By Shiv Aggarwal
November 2, 2005 05:57 PM | Link to this
I am delighted to hear from many community people about Gwinnett village. This is the way revolution take place by get noticed. Jimmy Carter Blvd. was overlooked for long time, now the business community and residents are willing to take action Just like OUR “Atrium Mall” Now “Global Mall” have revived after long time. Come and see on the weekends that how many nationalities and visitors are coming to the Global Mall. Same way I am confident that Gwinnett Village will be revived and Polished for the Atlanta Residents and Gwinnett Governments to be proud of IT.
By Michael H. Smith
November 2, 2005 08:58 PM | Link to this
It takes a barrio to make a Gwinnett Village? Few people seem to remember what this area once was, and even fewer people seem willing to admit demographics made the difference, which cause this decline. It will take more than a CID or CIA to turn the Barrio back into an acceptable American community. Let alone return JCB – past Norcross – Tucker Rd. corridor – to past days of glory.
Like Scarlet O’Hara Tara, they’re “Gone with the Wind�.
By Lee
November 2, 2005 09:42 PM | Link to this
Mr. Smith, What demographics are you talking about? The ones who wore KKK robes on Beaver Ruin when I lived there in 1982? Do you know the saying, “THAT WAS THEN AND THIS IS NOW?” Why did the demographics of that area let the area decline? Why is the demographics of the area now willing to ignore your scepticism and proceed with their vision of a community that is in the 21st centuty? You can not go back,so don’t fight it.
By Lee
November 2, 2005 09:56 PM | Link to this
Mr. Badie, You really don’t hit ROCK BOTTOM until you have a BAIL BONDSMAN and a RENT TO OWN on every corner.
By Michael H. Smith
November 3, 2005 01:05 AM | Link to this
Oh well here we go with the KKK bit. Lee, I’ve lived in this county since long before 82 and even then the KKK was a dying wacko sect, what little of it remained - then was in the late 60’s my friend. What you don’t get, is until this area assimilates back to American standards readily identifiable with American culture, what you see is what you will get. This phony international diversity claim is a hoax. Gwinnett like most of America has been diverse for many years. Difference Lee, is this. Before the massive illegal invasion from south of the border the JCB area was convincingly all American, today it is as Mr. Badie said.
We never had Western Union check-cash-send-money establishments on nearly every corner and pawnshops were rare. Immigrants came to this country legally, spoke English and strived hard to become like Americans. If they opened a shop in a stripe mall the sign was in English. They integrated into communities in smaller numbers “purposely� not to become a separate ethnic community of a sub-culture. Because they were legal, they had less to fear, usually understood U.S. law offered protections to them, and “they respected that law�.
Proceeding with a few signs touting hoopla, a new coat of paint here and there and a clean up effort, is vision? A new tax created (by Republicans) passed on to consumers and lobbyists leading the effort to procure grant money is futuristic? Nah. That’s been going on for years, it’s nothing but politics as usual.
From an English dictionary Lee, Demographics: The characteristics of human populations and population segments, especially when used to identify consumer markets.
Have no fear I’m not going back to spend any money in that “exclusive extra tax� area which does not reflect American characteristics and identify with this American consumer.
Scarlet’s way of life died for all the right reasons, the American way of life is passing away for all the wrong ones. Which as appears in the JCB barrio, has indeed, “Gone with the Wind�.
By Bruce Wilcox
November 3, 2005 11:52 AM | Link to this
Mr. Smith what came first the aliens or the pawn shops? The area was forgotten long before your so-called invasion, lets save that for Iraq. Property values dropped and the slumlords moved in, changing single family homes into boarding houses because the county enforcement is so weak. Why are they here, like any other wave of Immigrants they came here for a better life. The illegals are hired by our honorable contractors who use them for cheap labor, nothing has changed.
The South never had the influx of Immigrants that the North had during the last few centuries, the difference is most were white Europeans. As far as signs and language, depending on what neighborhood you visited most signs were in both English and the native language, as well as church services.
It takes decades for any new wave of Immigrants to be accepted. Discrimination is just easier in the South it seems because anyone not white doesn’t belong.
In closing I’m part and very proud of it Potawatomi, a native American tribe from the Michigan area. I guess a good part of me would consider you an illegal alien.
By MJK
November 3, 2005 04:42 PM | Link to this
Calling this area Gwinnett Village in hopes of what it might become reminds me of “Your Playoff Bound Atlanta Hawks”.
By Michael H. Smith
November 3, 2005 06:10 PM | Link to this
Legal immigrants who obey the law I have no problem with and as far as discrimination the North has plenty of that to more equal the South. About all we do agree on Mr. Wilcox is the county has not done its job.
By the way I’m the great, great, grandson of the indigenes Creek, native to Georgia and Gwinnett County. Also, the Muskogee-Creek nation, is native to just about all of the Southeastern U.S., - they lost it to one invader I’ll not lose it for them to another.
By Bruce Wilcox
November 4, 2005 12:10 PM | Link to this
Just one more comment, the new “Atlanta Station” downtown is the perfect example of what can be done with a little vision, hope and a dream.
The area was far worse than JCB, for one it had no one living there, second it was a waste land, a polluted rusted sheel of a old factory. Now look at it, it is really the IN place to be in downtown Atlanta.
Imagine if those who had a vision and a hope listened to the nay-sayers, no I rather stick with those that at least attempt to try.
By Michael H. Smith
November 4, 2005 04:37 PM | Link to this
Please don’t stop now Mr. Wilcox, we may actually have begun to go somewhere with this discussion. The new “Atlanta Station� downtown goes far beyond the term, “a little vision�.
Could safe assumption be made that those visionaries you so rightly applaud decided in advance of construction to change the demographics of that area in building something, in this case the new Atlanta Station, that would accept nothing less?
Now image I’m an investor with one hundred million dollars in pocket ready to begin part one, of phase one, in something like this Gwinnett Village and have five other partners ready to go into this project with me. Each having one hundred million dollars in pocket ready to begin construction. Convince me why I would want to build in this envisioned Gwinnett Village – say across the street from Aztec Auto and the Dukin’ Donuts where illegal alien day labors may regularly congregate – at the intersection of JCB and Singleton Rd., given I’ll have to accept the present area demographics of what I’ve called the Barrio?
By John Perlman
November 4, 2005 10:10 PM | Link to this
Amazing. Here we are, a group of concerned property owners, local business people, religious leaders and educators, representing a rainbow of race and variety of religious backgrounds, working hard together to try to improve our community.
The reaction we’re seeing here? Instead of acknowledging our goals, the critics are focusing on a name we have chosen for the organization and offering a series of vents about what has happened to the area, rather than a recognition that concerned people, working together, can turn around an area by increasing property values and occupancy rates, raising the quality of retail and restaurant offerings, improving the quality of the schools, bringing new parkland to the area, and creating road improvements that mitigate the traffic problems.
John Perlman Board Member Southwest Gwinnett Village Community improvement District.
By Bruce Wilcox
November 5, 2005 07:12 AM | Link to this
Fine Mr Smith, I would invest in a venture something like the Atlanta Station, condo’s, townhouses’s, businesses and shops. Remember it’s location, location, location in real estate. With the new trend of moving closer to the city instead of running for the hills, it makes perfect sense. While not quite downtown it’s close enough where traffic wouldn’t be such a nighmare.
Property values rise, as they do so does the tax base, ah now the county really pays attention. Maybe they could buy some land in secret and locate a much needed park between the Meadowcreek High area and the new village. Again property values rise and again more county services.
Also Mr. Smith I take offense at your use of “Barrio” to define the area. I live in the general area and I find it a diverse ethic community. Like Deb, I would like to see that deversity represented by the food and people from all over the world.
I’m tired of the chain stores repeated in every mall in the ‘better’ sections of the county and sick of the Southern cuisine, fry it, if you can’t fry it, pour gravy on it and the topper grits.
By Michael H. Smith
November 5, 2005 10:04 AM | Link to this
I fined the area “sorely lacking in diversityâ€?. The affluence that fled for the hills moving back into the area is what’s needed, with the businesses catering to real diversity. Once crime has been brought under control, the gang stigma is dissipated, if occupancy code is strictly enforced, and steps taken to ensure this decline “never makes a repeat”, then you might have a fighting chance to revitalize. If the Barrio begins to speak English takes on American culture gets rid of flying Mexican flags over sovereign U.S. real estate including store front signs made to look like Mexican flags Americans will not be offended, in fact, we’ll be more receptive to promoting the success of the Village. However, Mr. Wilcox the demographics will have changed.
But I’ll go you one better, if Pedro Marin turns pro American on immigration reform speaks out to end Mexican poverty in Mexico and the corrupt Mexican government promoting illegal immigration at the root that caused a lot of these problems, I’ll not remind the Republicans of this pork-earmark project and the tax they created to make the Village.
By Bruce Wilcox
November 5, 2005 01:13 PM | Link to this
I wouldn’t consider the affluent an ethic group. When I say diversity I’m not talking social standing I’m referring to the great diversity of ethic popluations in the area. South Americans, not all come from Mexico and not all are illegals, Middle Easterners, Asians and over the past several years Southern Europeans, mostly from the Balkan region. Add to the mix the Whites, both your type the affluent, and those of the middle class. And I believe the Whites still hold the majority.
As far as crime and gangs consider this, the county has a population of 645,000 thousand and only 500 uniformed police officers, now break down those 500 officers into three shifts, it is an embarrassment, not to mention dangerous.
We both agree the county hasn’t done it’s job, but the building boom is doing fine and we have great parks in just the right sections, what more could one ask for?
By Michael H. Smith
November 5, 2005 02:57 PM | Link to this
Nah. Still needs rainbow diversity, affluence and more Americanism.
I have more than consider this shortage of law enforcement. I’ve advocated for enlarging the gang task force, called for increasing entry-level pay.
GV and the county are running a “trust deficit� with the folks, we got to know the county is going to make good on “no repeats� of past failures.
By Greg Shaw
November 13, 2005 10:35 PM | Link to this
I would invite all to look into the future 5, 10, 15 years down the road. Whatever your desires are for this area, it has to start now. As a business owner and home owner in the area, I welcome the Gwinnett Village group and encourage all business owners to join immediately so we can get the re-development started ASAP!