Columbus Suburbs

[ATLman1]

G&S Metal is building a new $7-million dollar facility in Manchester. The company plans to create 77 jobs.

[ATLman1]

Development expected at I-185 interchange

HAMILTON - Development near the Interstate 185 and Georgia Highway 18 west interchange may be about to pick up soon.

Harris County commissioners on Tuesday unanimously approved two applications by Duluth-based Peachtree Five Harris Holdings LLC to rezone tracts of 27.18 acres and 19.77 acres near the interchange for mixed-use commercial development. The land is in the southwest quadrant of 18 and 185.

A conceptual sketch of the land area shows one street coming off Georgia 18 into the property, with another street crossing it east to west. The layout shows 11 parcels ranging from 8.25 acres to 1.2 acres, including a 2.5-acre parcel closest to the southbound 185 ramp that is marked for a hotel. Five outparcels are from 1.2-1.22 acres each. Five parcels contain four acres or more. At the southern tip of the property is seven acres set aside for a septic field.

[ATLman1]

West Point Growth:

Land along U.S. 29 near the Kia plant has been purchased by an Atlanta developer for a new subdivision. The property will be divided into 221 1-acre lots and the houses will sell for between $200,000 and $300,000.

[ATLman1]

Ellerslie:

The rezoning of 77.66 acres for a new subdivision on Harris Road, Ellerslie, was approved by 4-0 vote Tuesday by the Harris County Commission. Houses will range from 2,700 square feet and up and will sell for $350,000 or more.

[ATLman1]

Cusseta: Developer plans 1,200-residence subdivision

Developer Mark Woods of Newnan plans to start work early next year on a 1,200-residence subdivision in Cusseta. Woods plans to build 350 multi-family housing units and 850 single-family houses in five-10 years ranging in cost from $150,000-$179,000.

[ATLman1]

Harris County lands two companies

Columbus Ledger-Enquirer:

The 192-acre Northwest Harris Business Park landed its first two companies Wednesday.

First to announce was Xpress Materials LLC, which is constructing a facility on 50 acres. The site is already under construction, with the company investing $10 million, creating 45 jobs initially with a payroll of $2 million and growing to 100 employees by 2009.

[aboutmetro]

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.

Though it might be tough in the beginning, Marion and Chattahoochee counties could become the "new Harris". Found these on Loopnet...

Subdivision for sale

PUD Land Available

And the L-E reported last year a Chattahoochee County development with 1200 units.

It is incredibly more convenient for soldiers. I still doubted it because they don't have any shopping, medical, etc to speak of. But a military person pointed out that military folks get most of those services on base anyway. You certainly get more house for your money down there. And it would allow our metro area to become better rounded out.

[gah]

Though it might be tough in the beginning, Marion and Chattahoochee counties could become the "new Harris". Found these on Loopnet...

Subdivision for sale

PUD Land Available

And the L-E reported last year a Chattahoochee County development with 1200 units.

It is incredibly more convenient for soldiers. I still doubted it because they don't have any shopping, medical, etc to speak of. But a military person pointed out that military folks get most of those services on base anyway. You certainly get more house for your money down there. And it would allow our metro area to become better rounded out.

Good point. With Martin Army Hospital, new PX, the base is really a self-sustaining community. It is really interesting how the terrain changes in that area south of town. Flat to rolling hills and scrubby pines. Easy to imagine that it was, in fact, the bottom of the sea millions of years ago when the present Fall Line was the seacoast. Buena Vista in Marion is a quaint little town. I can see it as a stand in for Mayberry!

[aboutmetro]

Good point. With Martin Army Hospital, new PX, the base is really a self-sustaining community. It is really interesting how the terrain changes in that area south of town. Flat to rolling hills and scrubby pines. Easy to imagine that it was, in fact, the bottom of the sea millions of years ago when the present Fall Line was the seacoast. Buena Vista in Marion is a quaint little town. I can see it as a stand in for Mayberry!

I know. I'd never really thought of it like that before.

The Fall Line geology has always fascinated me. Heavy clay on one side, sandy loamy on the other.

BV is a quaint little town. Maybe they can get it going... I drove by a new development off of 41 down there not too long ago when I got a little lost trying to get from Butler to Americus... (need a gps). Anyway, they were some really nice houses for alot less than Harris, probably priced more like Smiths. It's been a while.

[aboutmetro]

Also, more like an Exurb, but a while back a report of a 1500 unit res dev in Eufaula called the Lakes of Eufaula... not too original, right.

For that matter, I'm not crazy about the name 'The Grove'... maybe it's just me. Doesn't Waddell already had a 'Grove' something...

[aboutmetro]

I wonder what ever happened to that retail/residential development in Ellerslie that Moon Properties was planning a while back. It made a big splash like the Grove did. Now that I think of it, I seem to remember reading that is going away. Do any of you remember anything?

[ATLman1]

I wonder what ever happened to that retail/residential development in Ellerslie that Moon Properties was planning a while back. It made a big splash like the Grove did. Now that I think of it, I seem to remember reading that is going away. Do any of you remember anything?

That is a really good question. I have not heard anything for a long time.

[aboutmetro]

Cusseta: Developer plans 1,200-residence subdivision

Developer Mark Woods of Newnan plans to start work early next year on a 1,200-residence subdivision in Cusseta. Woods plans to build 350 multi-family housing units and 850 single-family houses in five-10 years ranging in cost from $150,000-$179,000.

THe Tri-County Journal + Chatt Chronical reported that the new Chatt Commission has deadlocked on co-development (with Woods Dev Co) of a sewerage treatement plant for the area. The company plans to move forward with a much scaled down version. Instead of serving the new development + other dev in the county, it will serve only his development. They paln to move forward with rooftops by next spring ('08) and grow with demand, which will likely be slow to start with.

The Fort Benning Armor Division planners are not happy about this development. It is adjacent to the base and to the area the Lt's will be trained on firing very loud tanks...

[ATLman1]

Harris commission OKs land purchase

$1.31 million deal for 131 acres could close in September

The Harris County Commission voted 5-0 Tuesday to exercise an option to buy 131.31 acres off Georgia Highway 103 for $10,000 an acre from Frank Ponder III to expand the size of the adjacent Northwest Harris Business Park.

Total cost will exceed $1.31 million, which is to be paid from county Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax money and other county funds. County Attorney John Taylor said the deadline to exercise the option is Oct. 31, but that everything is in place now. He said they could shoot for a mid-September closing.

The additional property will increase the acreage in the business park to more than 325 acres.

Commissioner Harry Lange said county officials have been talking seriously to two industrial prospects and have shown business park property to a number of other potential prospects.

With the Kia automotive plant in nearby West Point scheduled to begin production in early 2009, subsidiary companies are likely to make commitments to tracts in the next few weeks so they will have time to build and equip plants and hire employees to meet the expected production dates.

Airport upgrades

Commissioners also met in a work session Tuesday with Carol Comer, aviation development engineer for the Georgia Department of Transportation, to discuss grant money available to upgrade the Harris County Airport outside Pine Mountain.

Comer said DOT officials hoped Harris County would make a commitment Tuesday to accept $325,000 in funds, since the end of the federal fiscal year is Sept. 30 and most of the funds would be federal. The Federal Aviation Administration has the money available and uncommitted. The state and local governments must each match 2 1/2 percent.

Accepting the FAA funds will commit the county to maintaining the airport for 20 years, Comer said, noting that DOT is committed to working with the county to make improvements.

Comer also reported that another $718,000 in federal funds is being held for the county to make additional improvements. Needed work includes upgrading taxiways and runways, adding hangars and others that are estimated to cost more than $2 million.

Commissioners voted to accept the $325,000 and also will employ W.K. Dickson Co. of Atlanta as airport engineer for three years, paying the firm only for services rendered.

[aboutmetro]

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.

This is looking like a very smart move. The Villages at West Gate have accounted for about 50% of all homes sold in east Alabama in the last quarter... Is south Russell the new Harris County for our area? With homes in that price range, this area will likely continue to capture the soldier and other workforce market. Other employers will take note and soon new jobs and retail will follow... The one hang-up is, all of Columbus' freeway infrastructure goes north or west...

FYI, a Columbus builder just bought a 52-lot subdivision in Marion County.... another contender for the new Harris County...

[aboutmetro]

Valley, Alabama - River Oaks Development

"RIVER OAKS ESTATE is a 227 unit residential subdivision, situated on an approximately 90 acre parcel of woodland located on the south bank of the Chattahoochee River, being developed by River Oaks Partners, LLC." Read more at River Oaks Estates

[ATLman1]

West Point streetscape nearly finished

A $1 million streetscape project on Third Avenue - West Point

[aboutmetro]

That is a really good question. I have not heard anything for a long time.

I hear it's been re-zoned for SFR - "South Haven" I think they're calling it.

[ATLman1]

Dongwon to create 300 jobs in Meriwether: Atlanta Business Chronicle

Another automotive supplier is opening a plant to serve Kia in Georgia, Gov. Sonny Perdue reported from Seoul while on an economic development mission to Japan and Korea.

Dongwon Autopart Technology will build a 120,000- to 150,000-square-foot plant in Meriwether County to serve the Kia Motors plant under construction in West Point. Dongwon will create 300 jobs and invest $30 million in the facility, which will be ready for production in July 2008. The plant will produce door frames, side impact beams, roof molding, side absorbers and cross bars for Kia.

The facility will be Dongwon's second in the United States.

"As we work with Kia's trusted suppliers, I'm confident that Georgia will continue to benefit from the wave of economic growth sparked by the Kia plant," Perdue said.

Dongwon is the latest Kia supplier to announce plans for a Georgia facility. Hyundai Mobis signed on in August to open a plant in West Point, creating 600 jobs. Other automotive suppliers, including Pretty Products, DaeLim USA and Sumika Polymer Compounds America Inc., have recently announced plans for west Georgia facilities.

[aboutmetro]

The Venue The development, which will be known as the Venue, will include 932 multi-family residences and 350,000 square feet of retail and hospitality space. The development will also feature a fitness and recreational facility with an indoor Olympic pool.

[ATLman1]

The Venue The development, which will be known as the Venue, will include 932 multi-family residences and 350,000 square feet of retail and hospitality space. The development will also feature a fitness and recreational facility with an indoor Olympic pool.

That is impressive! This will be a great development for West Point!

[ATLman1]

New Middle School for Harris County

Torrance Construction Co. of LaGrange, a well-respected firm, submitted the apparent low bid among four companies, bidding $12.41 million for a school intended to serve 675 students.

The 118,000-square-foot school will be built beside Mulberry Creek Elementary off Ga. Highway 315 west of Cataula. It will contain 43 instructional units, including a media center, air-conditioned gymnasium and arts facilities, Denney said. The exterior will be brick with block construction.

The building contains gym and administration wings and three classroom wings and is designed as self-contained wings under the middle school concept.

Based on 420 calendar days to finish it, the facility could be completed in March 2009 if construction begins in December. The school is expected to open in fall of 2009.

[ATLman1]

Hamilton project to add 314 houses

A planned 500-acre subdivision could double the population of Hamilton.

Construction is set to begin soon on the first of 314 houses expected to be built over the next eight to 10 years in the Sweetbay subdivision, said Chris Dixon of 3-D Communities, Fayetteville. He and his father, Bob Dixon, are developing the project.

"We plan to start with a few model homes in January and go from there," Chris Dixon said Tuesday. "The first houses will have a craftsman look, a turn-of-the-century look with nice front porches and a mix of different materials: siding, brick and stone access."

The early houses will cost in the upper $200,000s to the mid-$300,000s, he said, with prices reaching $375,000 or more later.

"The first one will be Honeysuckle Ridge, with 1,800-square-foot minimum on one-third acre. The Oaks will be a half-acre to acre, with 2,000-square-foot minimum. We will have as many four-bedroom houses as possible, perhaps three with a study in some cases. We will start doing the building, but are talking with several builders in Fayetteville and Harris County."

About 33 acres fronting on U.S. 27 has been set aside for commercial development.

Hamilton officials say they have been impressed so far.

"It has an incredibly beautiful landscaped front," said Buddy Walker, Hamilton public services director. "They have already turned over two sewer lift stations to the city and have built a 150,000-gallon water tower to service Sweetbay they plan to turn over to us soon."

Half of a parkway running through the project has been completed. Dixon said houses will be built in pods off the parkway.

"We're looking to not throw in a bunch of houses off the bat, but to do it in phases and have an upscale look," said Dixon. "We've had a lot of interest."

[aboutmetro]

Harris County reported issuing 6 permits in November 2007, a 74% drop from Nov '06. There is no other single digit month in data dating back to Jan 1995. November 2000 had the next lowest issued permits with 10.

[ATLman1]

Harris County reported issuing 6 permits in November 2007, a 74% drop from Nov '06. There is no other single digit month in data dating back to Jan 1995. November 2000 had the next lowest issued permits with 10.

Just goes to show how bad the U.S. housing market is.