Another new Lifestyle Center for Augusta

[Topher1]

An article in yesterday's Chronicle makes it appear that the rezoning for the Forum shopping center was NOT approved...

"Foxhall subdivision celebrates win"

http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/01260...c_6333736.shtml

[socaguy]

Interesting. My mother and father never mentioned anything about that. Mom said though, regardless of whether or not the center gets built, they are going to develop that land. She said most likely apartments but it is zoned single family so really not sure now. Id rather see The Avenue get built anyway. Its a more familar name and will probably have the same type stores, (and its not in such a congested area like The Forum would have been).

[socaguy]

I think the owners of that land are planning on sueing Augusta-Richmond County, as they wont get nearly the amount they had expected now that they are having to sell to residential developers.

[PJA]

The re-zoning for the Forum Lifestyle center is going to go before the commissioners again. Two commissioners have asked that it be reconsidered. Last time the majority of the commissioners voted against it but now they think they have one or two more on their side which will make it a tie and then the mayor would have to break the tie.

I hope they pass it this time.

[PJA]

The Augusta Commission upholds the decision to block the strip mall. I guess that means the developers are going to sue Augusta.

Full Story

[PJA]

The land for the Village at Riverwatch project has finally been purchased and ground breaking will begin in March with a grand opening scheduled for October 2007. So far the confirmed stores are Belk, Dillards, Barnes & Noble,and two movie theatres with 18 screens. There will be trails leading to the Augusta Canal as well as an information kiosk to serve as a gateway to the canal. Here's more information.

More Info

[socaguy]

Great News!! I guess the Barnes and Noble on Wrightsboro road will close? That whole shopping center it is located in looks almost empty. Will also put a dent in Books-A-Millions business, since it will be a lot closer. The Borders at Augusta Exchange is still my favorite chain bookstore in the metro area though.

[PJA]

Forum Development Group and the owners of the land behind Foxhall, have filed a suit against the city of Augusta for denying the rezoning request. Here's the full story.

Full Story

[PJA]

Great News!! I guess the Barnes and Noble on Wrightsboro road will close? That whole shopping center it is located in looks almost empty. Will also put a dent in Books-A-Millions business, since it will be a lot closer. The Borders at Augusta Exchange is still my favorite chain bookstore in the metro area though.

I think that Augusta could use two Barnes & Noble. It seems to be the most popular bookstore in Augusta and plus it's the closest bookstore to South Augusta. We don't really have one here. If they close the one down on Augusta West, then they should put one in South Augusta.

[socaguy]

Not another lifestyle center! This was in Columbia County News/Times the other week. Part of the article...

Planning commissioners also approved the rezoning of 23.5-acres of land in the Horizon South Industrial Park from M-2, medium manufacturing, to C-2, medium commercial. Developer Andy Allgood said after the meeting he intends to build an upscale retail center similar to Surrey Center in Augusta, for the tract that borders the John Deere plant and has road access to Wrightsboro Road and Horizon South Parkway.

<http://newstimes.augusta.com/images/misc/email.gif> E-

Probably nothing with standard lifestyle center stores, but does Columbia County need another shopping center? I think when the like 5-6 new shopping centers that are under construction on Washinton Road alone get finished, they will be saturated for a while.

[PJA]

Here's an update on the Forum Lifestyle Center re-zoning situation. The case went before Judge Fleming and he is currently reviewing the case. The property owners feel it is unfair for the commissioners not to rezone because it will cost them 5.5 million dollars in profits. The site that the county will receive over 2 million tax dollars a year, and would gain 600 full time and 200 part time jobs if the center is built. Opposers of the project state that Walton Way Ext. is only a minor artery street and that commercial developments are supposed to be limited to major artery streets. They also site more traffic and drainage problems. The judge is doubtful that he will make a decision in the next week or so. Here's the full article if you want to read it.

Full Article

[PJA]

Many people know that the land is currently being cleared for the Village at Riverwatch. The building is expected to start in the fall. Originally the plan called for a Dillards, Belk, Barnes & Noble, and two movie theatres, one being a an 18 screen Starplex Cinemas Inc. Theatre, and a Movie Tavern which is a restaurant/theatre chain owned by Starplex, however the group decided the project couldn't support two theatres. The Village at Riverwatch is being modeled after the Eastern Shores Centre in Spanish Fort Ala. The Eastern Shores has stores like Talbots, Pottery Barn, Ann Taylor Loft and Coldwater Creek as well as Dillards, Belk, Ruby Tuesday, Barnes & Noble and Chilli's. According to the leaders of the project, we will most likely be hearing confirmation for more tenants this summer.

[PJA]

I just heard that Xtreme Pizza will be one of the tenants at the Village at Riverwatch. It will be a 40,000 sq. foot restaurant and entertainment venue.

[socaguy]

Hmm, that must be the two-story "Italian" restaurant they mentioned in another article.

[PJA]

Hmm, that must be the two-story "Italian" restaurant they mentioned in another article.

I guess so. Supposedly Xtreme Pizza serves other italian dishes besides pizza. I just hope that one of the other restaurants is a Cheesecake Factory (unless that's one of the restaurants Augusta Mall adds).

[socaguy]

LOL PJA I was going to say the same thing....

[PJA]

Well it looks like the lifestyle center The Forum is a go. As previously mentioned, the commissioners had decided against the rezoning of the land on Walton Way Ext. behind Foxhall. The owners of the land and the developers of the shopping center took the city to court and won. The judge ruled the commissioners decision unconstitutional and demanded that they rezone the land immediately. According to some of the residents, they are probably not going to fight it, as they don't want to spend anymore of the taxpayers money. The commission basically said the same thing.

[Pillsbury]

Well it looks like the lifestyle center The Forum is a go. As previously mentioned, the commissioners had decided against the rezoning of the land on Walton Way Ext. behind Foxhall. The owners of the land and the developers of the shopping center took the city to court and won. The judge ruled the commissioners decision unconstitutional and demanded that they rezone the land immediately. According to some of the residents, they are probably not going to fight it, as they don't want to spend anymore of the taxpayers money. The commission basically said the same thing.

That was weird anyway. I mean, you had southside commissioners voting against it along with the westside residents and you had the westside commissioners going against their own people and voting for it because they were afraid of being sued.

[DaGABoyStinger]

Is this what it has to come to?? In order for Augusta to actaully GET SOMETHING put here the city has to be sued first? What will happen if another situation happens like this again? where does the line drawn. I do have to sympathise with the residents on the point of it (the Forum) having ONE entrance/exit. I think this is an legitimate issue to bring up, however if the shopping center keeps this in mind in their planning for the facility, and if the GDOT keeps its end of the bargin, then it really shouldn't be a problem.

But we have to just admit that the Developers WANT West Augusta and Columbia County, no questions asked. They LITERLLY will fight tooth and nail to get what they want, which is West Augusta's money!!! EVEN IF WEST AUGUSTA DOESN'T ACTUALLY WANT IT!! As much as anybody in Augusta, I do want Augusta to progress, AS A WHOLE. However this seems like a sad story, to have to bow down to the force of development. The city should be a more friendly invite to development and progress, not forced upon them, and since the citizens see a serious concern and problem lurking, should they have the right to refuse it? It's not like they don't want Augusta to prosper further?

But in all fairness, both sides can argue good points and advantages, but where does all this political and economic madness end?

[socaguy]

I really dont think it has anything to do with how many entrances/exits this project has. It is going to be built on a road that is pretty much all commercial with the exception of a few apartment complexes. The road is being widened and there will be a new exit at Walton Way extension soon enough. (Im still a little concerned with traffic ESPECIALLY when they finish the new exit at WWExtension and close down the Bobby Jones Exit for construction of the new interchange...this WILL cause a gridlocked nightmare for a few years!.)

Most of the concern for the Foxhall residents was that it would be so close to their backyards, even though the Forum would put in trees/hedges that would block the view for most of the year..or even all year if they use evergreens. Sue Burmeister used to live in one of those homes that the center would back up to and Im sure she still has lots of friends that still live there. Im sure she had something to do with all this in the first place...as corrupt as she is.

Something that was not mentioned is that this center will actually RAISE the property value of many homes in Foxhall. Being so close to an upscale venue like this definately wont hurt (all but the 11 homeowners whose backyards butt up to the property). My parents are some of the ones that voted against this development (although they secretly wanted it).

[PJA]

Well hopefully this will be a lesson learned. I personally don't see anything wrong with the center. Foxhall is in the middle of one of the most commercialized areas already, so you're not going to be able to escape it no unless you move out into the deep country. I felt bad for the owners of the property because they were going to be forced to sell their propert for less than it was worth. Not to mention the fact that no developer had approached the owners of the land about putting residential properties on the land in over twenty years. The sad thing is that when I was watching the news this morning, one of the residents who was interviewed still wants the commissioners and the mayor to fight it...basically he wants us to waste even more tax dollars just so he can get what he wants. If the commission does appeal the decision and tries to take it back to court, a judge can rule for the land to become free of zoning which means the developers can put whatever they want on the property, and the city can't do anything about it.

[PJA]

Update: Now Foxhall residents may appeal the judge's decision. They site because there are no plans to widen Pleasant Home Road, and they don't feel that one exit is adequate. Also they state that the jude is neighbors with the owner of the property. The judge stated that he has never even been to the owners house and that neither party in the lawsuit asked him to recuse himself.

At this point the foxhall residents are just grasping at straws IMO.

[socaguy]

The Judge is neighbors to the owners property? I thought there was only one house on that piece of land which is bordered by an office park on one side and I-20 on the other..(and Foxhall to the rear.) Across the street are not so new apartments.

This is ridiculous!

[PJA]

The Judge is neighbors to the owners property? I thought there was only one house on that piece of land which is bordered by an office park on one side and I-20 on the other..(and Foxhall to the rear.) Across the street are not so new apartments.

This is ridiculous!

No, apparently the owner of the property lives in the same neighborhood as the judge. Sorry if I confused you. But I agree, it is ridiculous. They want to waste the rest of our tax money just because they don't want something built next to them. I don't think it's fair to the rest of the citizens in the county.

[socaguy]

Oh...I see. So the owner of the property doesnt live in that house. Makes sense now...