Columbus Suburbs

[ATLman1]

This thread will be dedicated to all of the new developments in Columbus's suburbs such as Midland, Cataula, Hamilton, Pine Mountain, Waverly Hall, Smiths Station, Ladonia, Box Springs, Warm Springs, and Cusseta. If you know about anything going on please share!

[gah]

Now that I am house hunting, I am amazed at the expensive houses that are for sale and being constructed -- talking high six-figures and some well over $1M. That might not seem like much to some who frequent Buckhead -- but it sure seems like a bundle to me! Real estate used to be a steal there (and still is compared to some places in the East and West) but not so much anymore. Just wish I knew whether this is a bubble to wait out or the right time to buy.

[ATLman1]

Now that I am house hunting, I am amazed at the expensive houses that are for sale and being constructed -- talking high six-figures and some well over $1M. That might not seem like much to some who frequent Buckhead -- but it sure seems like a bundle to me! Real estate used to be a steal there (and still is compared to some places in the East and West) but not so much anymore. Just wish I knew whether this is a bubble to wait out or the right time to buy.

Home prices do seem to be going up. The new gated community outside of Hamilton will have homes starting at $600,000! That lots are around $200,000! So the cheapest home will be $800,000, thats insane! That gives Green Island Hills and Tree Tops a run for their money haha. However, Columbu is full of people who can afford a home at that price. I wonder if the developer (who is Jeff Foxworthy) is trying to target south Atlanta workers who would just commute to the southern suburbs like Newnan or Peachtree City?

[ATLman1]

Blanchard Hall construction begins: $6.84 million project awarded to Auburn construction company.

Construction has begun on Blanchard Hall, a one-stop shop for outpatient therapy at Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute for Rehabilitation in Warm Springs, Ga. Bailey-Harris Construction Co. of Auburn, Ala., was awarded the $6.84 million contract for a project expected to be completed in 18 months. The 35,000-square-foot, three-story structure will house such things as outpatient clinic/therapeutics, diabetic foot care, prosthetics, wheelchair/seating mobility, public and administrative offices. It will bring together services that have been scattered across the campus.

[ATLman1]

Kia announcement is expected at the end of this month. Lets keep our fingers crossed!!!!

[Lady Celeste]

Kia announcement is expected at the end of this month. Lets keep our fingers crossed!!!!

This is definitely a project I would love to see Georgia land. This part of Georgia is really starting to pick up.

[ATLman1]

Harris County voters approved extending the 1-percent sales tax.

Projects that will be funded under the new tax, from 2007-2012, include:

[ATLman1]

Sweet Bay subdivision planned

A Fayetteville firm plans to develop a 314-home community on the north side of Hamilton along U.S. 27 near Park Elementary School. The firm, 3-D Communities LLC, plans a community called Sweet Bay, with plenty of greenspace, and houses with prices ranging from about $220,000 to $500,000.

The company hopes to complete the buildout of the project on some 496 acres within five years. The concept shows 100 houses to be built on 1/3-acre lots; 60 on 3/4-acre lots; 50 on 1/4-acre lots; and 52 each on 1/2- to 1-acre and 2-to 5-acre lots.

The Hamilton City Council voted 4-0 earlier this month to rezone the tract to a Planned Unit Development. Developer Bob Dixon said it will include 35 acres for commercial use plus six acres for amenities such as a swimming pool and clubhouse.

City officials have been talking to various developers and property owners about a large project on the tract for several years. Each city councilor recently toured a different project the company has developed between Harris County and Atlanta.

[ATLman1]

Newnan, Ga., developer is planning a 680-home subdivision in Fort Mitchell, Ala., near the back entrance to Fort Benning south of Phenix City. The development, which begins with a 173-home first phase, will be called Warrior Landing and will target the military market with homes ranging from $130,000 to $180,000.

[ATLman1]

Highland Grove project includes residential lots and commercial tracts:

The final development plan for Highland Grove, a 271.6-acre Planned Residential Development at U.S. 27 and Georgia Highway 208 south of Hamilton was approved by 4-1 vote of the Harris County Commission Tuesday night. The project includes 169 residential lots and six to seven commercial tracts along Highways 27 and 208, including a major commercial anchor expected to locate there during the second phase late this year. They are talking with several grocery store companies.

[ATLman1]

Smiths Station gets 30-acre retail center: Phenix City and Opelika continue to grow closure together

Realty company focuses on growing area

A Phenix City real estate company is pushing forward with a 30-acre commercial development that will target the high-growth east Alabama communities of Smiths Station, Bleeker, Salem and a lake residential area known as "The Backwaters."

Prudential Bowden Realtors is developing the property, located near the Lee County Flea Market off heavily trafficked U.S. Highway 280/431. The first phase, about three years old, includes an 8,000-square-foot Dollar General store with an additional 12,000 square feet of space.

Prudential Bowden has a dozen residential developments in the Smiths Station and north Phenix City area. The company's home sales topped 300 in 2005 and are expected to surpass 400 this year, Corser said.

'Backwaters Center'

The firm's commercial development is gaining steam as more people decide to call the area between Phenix City and Opelika home. U.S. Census projections indicate the population within a 10-mile radius of what is being billed as "Backwaters 280 Shopping Center" will grow from 74,845 in 1990 to nearly 100,000 by the year 2010.

Plans on Prudential Bowden's drawing board include a convenience store/gas station in front of the Dollar General and a self-storage facility behind it. Those businesses could be in place within nine to 12 months, Corser said, following engineering approval from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management.

Long-term potential includes a larger shopping center structure with more retail shops, eateries, a grocery store and pharmacy. At least eight outparcels will front U.S. Hwy. 280/431 and Old Opelika Road (Lee Road 430).

"We're trying to talk to the pizza chains and the Home Depots and Lowe's and the Winn-Dixies," said Corser, noting a church is considering leasing space temporarily until it can build a permanent sanctuary nearby.

The Alabama Department of Transportation estimated two years ago that 21,000 vehicles pass the shopping center site each day.

[ATLman1]

Pine Mountain asked to annex, rezone land:

The city of Pine Mountain has been asked to annex 191.2 acres off Georgia Highway 354 and to rezone it for an upper-end subdivision.

West Georgia Land Group LLC of Tyrone is expected to close on purchase of the property from Granger Investment Co. of Pine Mountain at the end of June.

David Denman, project development manager for Development Site Services Inc. of Tyrone, said West Georgia Land plans 77 lots of 1-1.5 acres each in the first phase on the larger tract. Houses would start at 3,000 square feet and cost $400,000-plus. He said infrastructure work -- roads, water and sewer -- should begin in November or December, if plans go smoothly.

He said the plan is to leave 25 percent of the land in permanent greenspace. Denman said the project will be laced with walking/exercise trails. The development would have a gate house, but would not restrict access. The roads are to be public and dedicated to the city.

[ATLman1]

Metal recycler picks Manchester

50,000-square-foot plant to employ 55 the first year

A company that specializes in recycling high-grade aluminum for the automotive industry is opening a plant in Manchester, Ga.

G&S Metal Consultants, Wabash, Ind., announced plans Thursday to open a plant in a 50,000-square-foot speculative building in Manchester Industrial Park employing 55 people the first year and 75 the second year, when the payroll should climb to $2 million.

Manchester was one of 14 cities initially considered by the company, which narrowed its choices in early May to Manchester and a city in Tennessee, according to Tyron Elliott, attorney for the Manchester Development Authority.

[ATLman1]

Harris OKs $3.7M sewer: Pipeline project will extend into Columbus

Suburban Harris County is about to see major changes along I-185 and GA 315. A sewer line is being extended to attract major retail and commercial growth. The area is half way between Columbus and LaGrange. Here is the article from the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer Harris County growth

[gah]

Another life-style community announced. Blackmon Realty has obtained approval for a 145-acre development off River Rd in N. Columbus. Will have 407 housing units, 30,000 sf of commercial space, two-acre town green and a trail system connecting the various elements of the development. Devloper will donate 12-acre site for new elementary school.

[ATLman1]

Valley, Alabama will get a "Lifestyle Center":

In public-private partnership, the City of Valley is joining the Chambers County Industrial Development Authority and the Greater Valley Development Group to create the first mixed-use "lifestyle center" in the county.

Preliminary plans, described in a news release, include more than 500 apartment homes and/or condominiums and mainstay retail businesses like nationally recognized grocery stores, restaurants and a wide variety of browsing, shopping and entertainment opportunities.

Work is expected to begin in January 2007 and complete by spring 2008 on a major commercial center, apartment complex and condominium homes. The complex will be built around the City of Valley

[ATLman1]

Callaway Gardens, in suburban Pine Mountain, has signed an agreement with an Atlanta developer to build more than 1,400 houses around a lake inside the resort.

[nitek_of_mobile]

Valley, Alabama will get a "Lifestyle Center":

Developers say it will look like TigerTown in Opelika.

It's a bit of a stretch to label TigerTown a "lifestyle center". It's more of a "power town".

[ATLman1]

Cusseta lands airship launch, recovery facility

Techsphere will test airships at site

Cyber Defense Systems Inc. and National Security Associates -- two companies focused on beefing up security worldwide -- have entered a partnership that will bring 15 jobs and possibly thousands of visitors to Chattahoochee County.

Atlanta-based Cyber Defense, which designs and develops manned and unmanned airships under the Techsphere Systems International subsidiary said it will begin construction in the next 30 to 60 days on a structure that will house the large globe-shaped aircraft. The launch and recovery facility for the airships is being built on a small tract of land that is part of a 692-acre parcel being prepared as a tactical training center. The property is located north of River Bend Road near the southern boundary of Fort Benning.

Techsphere already has a 60,000-square-foot facility in south Columbus, employing 25.

[ATLman1]

The Harris County commission voted 4-0 to name a new 200-acre county business park off Davidson Road and Georgia Highway 103 the Northwest Harris Business Park.

Special purpose local option sales tax money is being used to buy the property, which commissioners hope will attract suppliers for the Kia automotive plant being developed nearby in West Point. The site has been shown to Kia officials.

[ATLman1]

Pine Mountain: Construction on 150-room lodge nears end

After a year of construction, the 150-room lodge at The Lodge and Spa at Callaway Gardens officially opens Wednesday. The hotel will have 4-stars. The lodge and spa are part of $30 million in improvements that include renovation of cottages and 100 rooms of the Mountain Creek Inn. Another 100 inn rooms are to be renovated next year.

Few Facts about Callaway Gardens and the new hotel:

[ATLman1]

Valley, Alabama: from WTVM in Columbus:

The City of Valley is getting prepared for a housing boom. It's estimated that close to 1,000 homes, apartments and condominiums will soon be developed.

Plans are to add 60 more upscale houses to the Waterford subdivision. Thirty-five houses are also going up in the Fairfax community, and a developer is planning big things near the Chattahoochee River on the north side. This area will include 227 lots that will be mixed-use with some patio homes, upscale houses and townhouse apartments. Around 500 apartments and condos will be built around the Sportsplex.

[ATLman1]

Growth on tap for West Point:

Two tracts of land near the Kia construction site have been approved for development. The tracts that were considered were 189.7 acres on Sandtown Road to be developed by Norcross-based Dan Cowart Cos. into a commercial and residential development called Little Creek Station, and 17.6 acres on Gabbettville Road planned to be developed into a hotel by Hilton Patel of Valley, Ala. No word on the types of retailers, restaurants, and hotels.

[ATLman1]

Highland Grove, a new subdivision on U.S. 27 south of Hamilton, is now under construction. The subdivision will have 169 homes which will sell between $320,000-$380,000.

[ATLman1]

Harris County has received funds to build another middle school. Not sure where it will be located.