Condo Towers planned near Lake Lanier

[Guest donaltopablo]

This was a little unexpected. Lake Lanier, although generally well developed with houses, has only had limited large scale development. Interesting to see such a large planned project for it. At 750,000 feet though, I imagine it will yield some decent size towers, I'd guess at 20 stories or so, but the article doesn't really give an indication of size.

BTW For those who aren't familiar with Lake Lanier, it's a very large corp of engineering lake about 45-50 miles north of Atlanta. It's the main recreation lake for the metro area (although obviously, there are others).

Conyers developer plans luxury high-rise near Lake Lanier

A Conyers developer is planning two luxury high-rise condominium towers and other resort amenities near Lake Lanier.

The 750,000-square-foot project, called The Canterbury at Lake Lanier, is expected to consist of the condo towers, as well as a boutique hotel with restaurants, a lounge and retail shops, as well as a fitness center and spa, and a heliport, according to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs.

American CBI Ltd. expects the project, at Thompson Bridge and Old Thompson Bridge roads, to take 18 months to complete.

The majority of the project will be in the city of Gainesville, but some will be in unincorporated Hall County, according to planning department information.

The project is subject to rezoning and annexation, however.

[Guest donaltopablo]

It seems these towers are going to be much taller than I originally thought: 34 and 36 stories.

Two high-rise towers planned for Gainesville

The developers of two high-rise towers proposed for Gainesville are seeking to attract "people of wealth, position and power."

American CBI of Conyers has filed plans for 750,000 square feet -- two buildings of 34 and 36 stories -- to accommodate condominiums, hotel rooms, retail space, restaurants, a spa and a helipad. The 10.6-acre site is at Thompson Bridge and Old Thompson Bridge roads, overlooking Lake Lanier. The company will develop the $325 million project with Endeco International, a New York-based developer and builder.

Canterbury at Lake Lanier would include 150 condos, ranging from 1,350 to 4,000 square feet each. The 34 hotel rooms would have "the amenities of a six-star boutique hotel," according to the filing.

Rental units also would include 14 rooms on the lowest level of the towers for guests of the guests, "devoted to the entourage of people that our residents and guests will require to assist them in their stay at the Canterbury."

A two-story restaurant, bar and lounge is planned at the top of one of the circular towers.

Lou Fiorenza, a consultant for the companies, said the developers selected Gainesville because of Lake Lanier and the proximity to Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. "It's one of the most renowned lakes in the country," he said.

Gainesville is more than 50 miles from the airport, but Fiorenza said the development would use two helicopters as shuttles.

Jessica Dempsey-Tullar, senior planner for the city of Gainesville, said the buildings would be the tallest in Hall County but may not seem like skyscrapers. "The property sits down in a hole because of terrain on the lake," she explained. "From the road side, you probably won't see that many stories."

Dempsey-Tullar said the Gainesville planning commission is likely to hear the proposal at its Feb. 10 meeting. The developers are asking for rezoning and annexation into the city.

-- Janet Frankston

[tocoto]

I don't like towers near the beach or lake. They look great when looking out from inside the building. BUT they cast shadows on the beach and water, and generally draw too many people to one area, making it noisy and polluted.

[Allan]

I don't like towers near the beach or lake. They look great when looking out from inside the building. BUT they cast shadows on the beach and water, and generally draw too many people to one area, making it noisy and polluted.

I agree. Also, bringing too many people to the area kind of defeats the purpose of living on a lake anyway. People live on lakes to get away from other people....and obviously that doesn't happen when there are all these condo towers all over. Not only that, but they also block other people's views of the water. Towers belong DOWNTOWN. Not in the suburbs or on some getaway beach surrounded by small apartments & houses. (Why on earth am I sounding a bit like an NIMBY here?) Anyway, just my $.02

[turlough]

I agree that towers near "some" bodies of water shouldn't be there I could see them near a beach but not a lake it just doesn't look right and I would like to live naer a beach than the small rock shores of a lake.

[Guest donaltopablo]

Well, if you go to the Lake to get away from people, Lake Lanier isn't the place to go. Warm weekends that place is absolutely packed with people.

I wouldn't mind if they built high rises on the lake, as long as they kept it to one part of the lake. BTW For those who don't know much about Lake Lanier, it is a VERY large lake, there are likely parts of the lake far enough away and covered with enough trees that you would not even be able to see these towers.