MARIETTA - Cobb Commissioners on Tuesday approved a rezoning application for a $100 million shopping center called Oakdale Towne Center that will complement south Cobb’s new mixed-use West Village.
Cobb planning commissioners on Oct. 2 unanimously voted to recommend approval of the application by Atlanta-based Aspen Hills Redevelopment, which zoning attorney John Moore said is a joint venture between Atlanta-based Eastland Capital and West Village collaborator Branch Properties, also of Atlanta.
The project entails redevelopment of 24 acres north of West Village, west of Interstate 285 and east of South Cobb Drive in southeast Cobb.
Moore said the favored anchor tenant is Super Target, which would occupy a 179,000-square-foot building. The shopping center would have about six buildings, 20 stores and a maximum 415,118 square feet.
Developers spent about two months listening to concerns from neighbors and planning commissioners and eventually scrapped plans for a 38-unit condominium, replaced it with additional shops and opted to pay Cobb $150,000 to alleviate traffic problems in the area.
Southeast Cobb Planning Commissioner Bob Ott has praised the developer’s hard work, which included talking with residents and producing detailed renderings of architecture and landscaping of the center.
“There is no aspect of uncertainty as to what this project will look like,” Ott said, further highlighting its pedestrian-friendliness.
Developers plan to raze an existing gas station and apartment complex to make way for Oakdale Towne Center.
According to Moore, in addition to SuperTarget, prospects for the primary anchor include Kohl’s, Kroger and Lowe’s, while prospects for a junior anchor include TJ Maxx, Bed, Bath and Beyond, Office Depot and PetSmart.
The project sits just south of West Village, a $450 million mixed-use project spearheaded by Atlanta-based Pacific Group that also involves Branch Properties and the Highlands Companies.
Moore said the proposal meets the larger retail needs of new residents moving to the area.
Previous zoning was for multi-family residential, tourist services and general commercial, while the new zoning is general commercial.
The Atlanta Regional Commission and the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority approved the project in a development of regional impact study.
Just north of the project, across Church Road, sit new White Oaks Townhomes and a subdivision in Smyrna city limits.
