Woodstock smart growth returns, Wieland Homes behind it
Downtown Woodstock, a highly praised smart-growth community that the crashing real estate wave put underwater, is getting its nose back above the surface with new homes and retail.
John Wieland Homes is working with a bank to take more than 100 empty lots to build houses and townhomes. More than 100 homes, some of whose prices ranged north of $500,000, were finished and mostly sold in the 37-acre development before the economic downturn.
"We and the bank are interested in continuing the very high quality development there," Wieland said.
"We hope to be under way very soon."
That is not the only sign of life. Eight months ago, Pure Taqueria opened in one of the long-empty restaurant sites in the development just off Woodstock's town square, and J. Christopher's restaurant should open in June. Between the two, Canyons Burger Co. is a survivor of the downturn. Across the street, not in the development but affected by it, a dressy Italian restaurant that makes its own mozzarella cheeses opened this year along with a book store.
"It tells me that what we have been feeling the last six to eight months is right, things are getting better," said Mayor Donnie Henriques.
He said that Embers, a hot yoga facility where practitioners work in a 105-degree room, will open in retail space in the bottom of the sparsely lived-in, five-story brick condominium building whose lowest level sports store fronts.
Richard McLeod, the city's economic development director, said they are glad to see Wieland take a part of the massive, unfinished development.
It dwarfs the old 20th century downtown. The neighborhood evokes a well-to-do, 20th century, small-town with a mix of housing styles and materials. Homes are mostly brick, with some stone features and front porches. It was designed by Hedgewood Properties, whose creative driver Pam Sessions is one of metro Atlanta's most recognized purveyors of new urbanist design. It had projects in downtown Marietta, Norcross and Serenbe in Fulton County. By 2008, the company was in financial trouble and began losing control of many of its properties.
McLeod said Wieland has been working on architectural drawings, and the city wants to make sure the new houses fit the homes already built.
"We want there to be congruency there," McLeod said.
He expects work to restart in the neighborhood within a month.
About the Author
Christopher Quinn is a writer and editor who has worked for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution since 1999. He writes stories on Veterans Affairs, business including high-tech growth in metro Atlanta, Georgia's $72 billion farm economy, and he oversees assigning and editing news obituaries.
