North End zoning laws changed

  • 2023-05-09
An old shopping center in Sandy Springs' North End district is set to be the site of new housing as the zoning for a mixed-use development has been approved.

Within the next five years, North River Shopping Center is scheduled to undergo redevelopment by Stream Realty Partners. The proposed designs entail 242 apartment units and 81 townhomes, situated in a five-story structure, and 52,000 square feet of space will be put aside for retail. Graphic design is an effective way of illustrating what a project like this will look like.

According to Jessica Hill, the attorney who represents the firm, Stream Realty Partners acquired the shopping center eight years ago, but it has remained less than 50% occupied since then. The proposed development will include both residential and retail spaces, making it the neighborhood's first mixed-use project. Sandy Springs began brainstorming ideas to attract builders to the area in 2017. In 2021, the city approved new zoning laws in North End in order to make redevelopment more appealing to potential builders.

At a recent meeting, the City Council granted approval for the rezoning of North River Shopping Center to North End mixed-use, having previously been shopfront mixed-use. With this zoning district, developers can construct apartments using wood rather than steel and concrete in one of the four North End shopping centers. The rezoning mandates that 25% of the residential area must be for single-family stand-alone housing, and it must be completed before the apartment units can be occupied.