Large, mixed-use development in Smyrna clears first hurdle

Apr. 14—A 277-unit mixed-use development off Cobb Parkway in Smyrna cleared its first hurdle Monday, when the city's Planning and Zoning Board unanimously recommended approval by the City Council.

The proposal includes 21,000 square feet of ground-level commercial space, with roughly half set aside for retail and the other half for office and co-working space.

The development is geared toward young professionals, according to documents filed by the developer, Grubb Properties. The target demographic is between 25 and 34 years old, and 77% of the 277 apartments would be one-bedroom apartments, with the remaining 23% being two-bedroom apartments.

The Planning Board is an advisory body, and can only make recommendations. Should Smyrna City Council approve the proposal, the developer would build on the 10-acre parking lot surrounding an existing 105,000 square-foot office building on a small road off Cobb Parkway, about one mile from The Battery Atlanta.

The developer is asking for exceptions to the city's zoning code that would allow it to increase density. Those exceptions include halving the number of parking spaces it would otherwise need to provide and dropping the minimum square-footage from 900 square feet to 765 square feet.

Planning Board member Victor Jones is excited about the proposal. He said it would bring to Smyrna a type of housing the city does not currently have.

"Smyrna has a lot of housing for families, which is good," he said, "but nothing like this where it's a multi-family unit that is specifically geared towards young professionals."

Jones said there were a number of other, smaller details that make the proposal stand out, including on-site recycling, a commitment to filling the retail space with local businesses and the construction of a walking and biking trail that could eventually extend to the Battery.

According to city documents, the developer has proposed building part of the incomplete Mountain to River Trail, which will eventually run the 13.5-miles from Kennesaw Mountain to the Chattahoochee River.

The proposed development is in Smyrna's Ward 2, represented by Councilman Austin Wagner.

Wagner said he wouldn't make any definitive statements about the proposal until it comes before the council for a vote, saying the developer could still tweak some of the details. But, from what he has seen, "it's very promising."

"I think it's something that we need, especially as they have an eye on affordability in the area," he said. "We need some more homes, and we need different types of (homes), especially things like apartments, in the area. We're having an influx of people wanting to come, and there's not really anywhere for them to go."

Documents detailing the proposal did not include what the homes are expected to go for. The developer's attorney did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Smyrna City Council is scheduled to consider the proposed development in May, according to Wagner.