Avondale Estates granted South City Partners an easement last week for a wastewater detention vault beneath its proposed redevelopment of three acres at Sams Crossing and U.S. 278.
South City expects to break ground by the end of the year on a mixed-use development that includes 196 apartments and 8,000 square feet of retail/restaurant space.
But the property still has a sign advertising “3+ acres” as “Available.” The poster is crumpled, off its support pole and out of date, among others claiming the land is in unincorporated DeKalb County (it was annexed into Avondale several years ago).
But in truth South City still hasn’t closed with longtime landowner Joe Gargiulo. Negotiations between Gargiulo and brokers Ackerman & Co. over the site date to May 2015. Earlier this year an Ackerman representative said he hoped to close by late June.
“I can’t really comment except to say we should have an update by the end of November,” said Ben Campbell, a brokerage associate with Ackerman now handling the project. “I would only say there’s no concern.”
Mayor Jonathan Elmore said Tuesday he was “100 percent confident” that closing is inevitable. City Manager Clai Brown added the project is “moving forward.
“All their permits are approved,” Brown said. “Their plan’s approved, the sewer vault plan is finished. They’ve cleared all the big hurdles. Only thing left is to close.”
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