Business
Proposed Mixed-use Development May Include Luxury Hotel
A rezoning request for a nearly 20-acre site near the Central Business District tabled for June’s City Council meeting
A vacant office building located within the curve of Engineering Drive just west of Peachtree Parkway may become the site of a new luxury hotel. Atlanta-based TPA Residential has requested the rezoning of 19.46 acres from M-1 (Light Industry District) to MUD (Mixed-Use Development District) to develop a campus master plan consisting of an existing office building; a new five-story, 315-unit multi-family residential building; a new five-story boutique-style hotel; and an extension to the public trail system.
The plan is to add more than 300 apartments and a five-story, 100-room hotel at Engineering Drive and Peachtree Parkway, according to documents submitted to the city of Peachtree Corners.
A subsidiary of The Dilweg Cos., a real estate investment firm based in Durham, N.C., the company also requested a variance to allow for a reduction in parking in the multifamily building from 1.5 spaces per unit to 1.38 spaces per unit due to the fact that the project has a majority of one-bedroom units. 434 total parking spaces are proposed, 324 in a two-level deck internal to the site and 110 surface parking spaces.
The Peachtree Parkway properties are located at the northwest corner of Peachtree and Engineering, adjacent to the aforementioned property and directly south of the office building best known as the home of CarMax’s Peachtree Corners offices. These properties share the same 5707 address as the CarMax building, but the CarMax parcel is not part of this rezoning request.
Both properties are across Engineering Drive from the city’s future trail hub at the southwest corner of Peachtree and Engineering. This proposal plans to extend the trail system from the hub into this site and prepare it for future connections north to The Forum area.
The site plan submitted by TPA indicates two points of entry into the multifamily development from Engineering Drive. One point of access is shown to the hotel site from Engineering Drive. Additional cross-access is provided into the CarMax site and onto Peachtree Parkway via that property’s existing driveway.
Most properties surrounding the subject property are zoned M-1 (Light Industry) with the exception of the city’s trail hub site which is zoned T-O (Trails and Open Space).
The city’s future Corners Connector trail system will run parallel along the west side of Peachtree Parkway from Holcomb Bridge Road to The Forum. TPA also proposed to construct the portion of the trail on its property with connections south to the city’s trail hub and north to future expansion towards The Forum.
The application included architectural elevations as part of the rezoning request which shows modern designs with flat rooflines, rectilinear massing, a mixture of exterior cladding materials and a variety of colors. The proposed structures appear to blend with the contemporary aesthetic of Technology Park.
The site plan also includes numerous amenities that would benefit residents, office workers and hotel guests. These include a dog park, community garden, sports courts, event plaza, walking trails, lake trail, boat dock, water feature and connectivity to the city’s trail system.
City staff appeared in favor of the plan with conditions that included:
- The site may be developed with up to 315 multifamily units. However, the maximum number of units is dependent on site conditions, compliance with zoning conditions and fully engineered plans that meet regulations. Units shall consist primarily of one- and two-bedroom units; however, up to 5% of the units may be three-bedroom units.
- The property owner shall develop a Hotel Indigo or comparable boutique hotel as defined by the hotel industry, and as approved by the City Council. The hotel shall have a minimum of 100 rooms. The property owner shall be prohibited from developing a non-boutique hotel brand such as Holiday Inn or Hampton Inn.
- The developer shall construct the trail system as proposed including the trail connection to the trail hub across Engineering Drive and the trail around the lake along the entire length of the developer’s property. Such trail system shall be built to city standards (width, depth, furnishings, etc.), and dedicated for public use by an easement or land conveyance that ensures its open access to the public. A minimum of 10 parking spaces on the hotel site shall be available for (non-exclusive) trail use.
- The development shall incorporate public art in the form of a large wall mural on the side of the hotel building visible from Peachtree Parkway or in the form of a sculpture located at the corner of Peachtree Parkway and Engineering Drive. The design of the mural or sculpture shall be approved by staff with assistance from the Arts Council. Completion of the artwork shall occur prior to the issuance of the Certificate of Occupancy for the hotel building. The total cost of the artwork shall not exceed $25,000.
- Multifamily parking shall be designed to be ‘electrical vehicle ready’ by providing wiring and outlets in convenient garage locations to accommodate residential electric vehicle charging. A minimum of four electric vehicle stations shall be included in the hotel parking lot.
- An upscale hotel may be built as part of a mixed-use project in Peachtree Corners, a suburban city home to a growing technology park.
On March 22, Peachtree Corners City Council decided to defer a vote on the application until June.
The Peachtree Corners Business Association (PCBA) awarded a check for $500 to the United Way of Greater Atlanta (Gwinnett County) at their Business After Hours networking event in November.
The local organization was chosen by PCBA’s Outreach Committee because of their commitment to providing assistance and bettering the lives of children within the community.
United Way of Greater Atlanta
The mission of United Way of Greater Atlanta is to engage and bring together people and resources to drive sustainable and equitable improvements in the well-being of children, families and individuals in local communities.
“Greater Atlanta is one of the most vibrant regions in the country, but the region has significant barriers to realizing its potential in the future because of its continued ranking at the bottom of the list of metro areas in income mobility,” stated Vanessa Roussell, United Way senior director of corporate relations.
“Children born in low-income households have only a 4% chance of getting out of poverty in their lifetime,” she continued. “We at United Way of Greater Atlanta don’t like those odds. Our work is about changing them so that children — regardless of where they’re born — have the chance to realize their potential and build lives that sustain themselves, their families and their communities.
Assessing needs within the county
The organization’s goal is to help every child unlock their full potential, by improving education, healthcare, resources and economic mobility in the communities where they live. Their “every child program” includes every child in Gwinnett.
Based on the 2023 census track for Gwinnett County, 94,308 people living in Gwinnett County are at risk, particularly in and around Sugar Hill/Buford, Duluth, Norcross, Lawrenceville, Lilburn and Snellville. The highest-need residents are located in the I-85 corridor, mainly around Duluth, Norcross and Lilburn.
Giving back to support the community
“The PCBA is proud to donate a check for $500 to United Way of Greater Atlanta (Gwinnett County),” said PCBA President, Lisa Proctor. “Our outreach committee and board are committed to supporting our community, and investing in the well-being of the children in our community aligns with our core principles. We know that our dollars will be targeted to help those at highest risk … We are glad to have the local Gwinnett chapter located right in our community.”
Funds for the PCBA Community Outreach Program are raised throughout the year from PCBA membership, sponsorship and an annual charity event. Donations and scholarships are awarded at their monthly events so that members have the opportunity to learn more about the community organizations and their programs.
Over the past 12 years, the PCBA has awarded 19 scholarships to outstanding graduating high school seniors and donated in excess of $165,500 back into the community.
About Peachtree Corners Business Association
“Where businesses come to grow,” the Peachtree Corners Business Association (PCBA) is a business membership organization that focuses on innovative approaches, programs, shared resources, community outreach and opportunities for member businesses and professionals to connect, develop, grow and prosper.
The PCBA is made up of businesses of all sizes and types who want to expand their reach and grow their business within Peachtree Corners and the greater metro Atlanta area.
For more information visit peachtreecornersba.com.
The strategic acquisition strengthens TransPak’s Southeast presence and expands their capabilities in custom packaging for military, aerospace and high-value equipment.
TransPak, a global leader in logistics, packaging and crating services, recently announced the acquisition of Reid Packaging, a long-standing provider of custom packaging solutions based in Peachtree Corners. Both family-owned and operated companies share a deep-rooted commitment to quality craftsmanship, reliability and customer service, making the acquisition a natural fit.
Reid Packaging, founded in 1982, has distinguished itself as the go-to customer industrial packager in the metro Atlanta region, providing corrugated, foam and custom-engineered crating solutions, particularly in the military and aerospace industries.
Under the ownership of Ward Phillips since 2008, the company has grown to become one of the largest packaging facilities in the region, with a 60,000-square-foot site.
The acquisition will allow TransPak to expand its local manufacturing capabilities in the Southeast, while leveraging Reid Packaging’s expertise in specialized and heavy-duty custom crates.
Strategic Atlanta location and enhanced capabilities
The acquisition is part of TransPak’s strategic expansion into the Atlanta market, a critical logistics hub for both the renewable energy and semiconductor industries.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Reid Packaging into the TransPak family,” said Tomas Molet, executive vice president of East and Midwest Operations, TransPak. “With Reid Packaging’s prime location in Peachtree Corners, we are now able to serve customers throughout the Southeast, including direct routes to the Carolinas and beyond. This acquisition strengthens our ability to meet the needs of existing clients, especially those in the semiconductor and renewable energy sectors.”
In addition to the strategic location, the acquisition brings new manufacturing capabilities to TransPak’s East Coast operations. Reid Packaging’s facility is now the largest of TransPak’s locations in the region. Its offerings include enhanced services, such as heavy-duty and triple-wall corrugated packaging, which will enable TransPak to meet the growing demand for custom-designed packaging solutions for fragile, high-value equipment.
Commitment to employees and leadership appointments
A key focus of the acquisition was ensuring a smooth transition for Reid Packaging’s employees.
“We made a commitment to Ward Phillips to take care of the staff, and we’ve delivered on that promise,” said Molet. “All employees were retained, and we’ve introduced benefits they previously didn’t have as part of our commitment to making this a positive transition for everyone involved.”
Amanda Gautney, a longtime member of TransPak’s leadership team, has been appointed as the operations manager for the Peachtree Corners facility. “I’m excited to work with the team at Reid and continue the legacy of this respected company,” said Gautney.
Looking forward in Atlanta
TransPak plans to continue operating under the Reid Packaging name for the immediate future. However, the facility will gradually transition to full integration under the TransPak brand, reflecting the shared values and commitment to quality of both companies.
About TransPak
Headquartered in Silicon Valley, TransPak has been providing innovative and cost-effective design, crating, packaging and global logistics for over 70 years.
As a customer-focused, women- and family-owned company, TransPak combines the agility of a small business with the reliability of a global powerhouse. TransPak lives by the slogan, “We make it happen,” ensuring that high-value, fragile, and oversized goods reach their destinations safely and efficiently.
For more information about TransPak, visit transpak.com.
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