Site work has begun on redeveloping the old AT&T building in Decatur at Park Place and East Lake Drive. Developer Thrive Homes plans to build up to 34 multi-family units (the precise number remains undetermined) within the 35,719 square foot structure. Thrive will add a third story, not counting the basement, with four units set aside for work force housing.
Thrive President Chris Rudd said that actual construction should begin this summer with the first units opening late fall/early winter 2019-20.
This project was subject a of strange Decatur city commission last November. It appeared commission approval that night was all but routine until attorney Richard Hubert spoke during public comment. Representing a group called Green East Lake, Hubert claimed AT&T didn’t have the authority to sell the land because it seized the property by eminent domain for public telecommunications purposes.
In his lengthy comment, Hubert essentially concluded the property had to be offered to the original owner before it could be sold to Thrive.
Decatur’s commission ultimately granted Thrive a conditional use permit by a 4-1 vote but with an understanding that the project might collapse without clear claim to the title.
But Rudd said this week the land and building were never taken by eminent domain.
“We cleared up [the title claim] pretty quickly [after that Nov. 20 meeting],” he said. “It was built in 1937 and always belonged to [AT&T or its predecessor Bell South] until they sold it to us.”
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