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• Norcross
• Chamblee
• Other Cities
• Historic Resources
• Recent Study Data

Norcross

HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL REZONING BY CITY

Last year's council amended the Land Use Plan and allowing the DDA to sell four city-owned Wingo Street houses in The National Registry to developer George Banks and Paladin Properties, setting precedent for high density infill (8-10 units /acre) by building 13 new units plus rehabbing 2 cottages for total of 15 cottages on 1.588 acres.

One DDA member questioned how the sale was handled.

• Read his Letter to DDA Chairperson and Board Members presented at February 16, 2006 Board Meeting
• See Attachments of Expired, Lapsed, or Incomplete Wingo Sale Documents
• Read article Selling Historic Wingo Street: Lessons Learned
• Read Norcross DDA Mission Statement and Vision Statements which purport to emphasize historic preservation together with economic development and view map of Downtown Development District the DDA controls that extends beyond the National Registry district

THE HISTORY OF NORCROSS

• Read article about historic log cabin's history
• Read article about Derek Norcross, DL, OBE and his visit to Norcross: "Derek Norcross Comes from England to Speak at Norcross H.S. Dedication"

Chamblee

Paladin Properties (company of proposed Norcross Wingo Street redevelopment) was turned down with a similar project proposal in the historic Chamblee neighborhood of Keswick Park. Concerned citizens inspired by our SHN website organized opposition, the Chamblee city council upheld its zoning, and Mr. Banks withdrew his proposal.

Mr. Banks also ran into difficulties with the Norcross Variance Board and the Federal Environmental Protection Agency at his proposed 14 units site on Holcomb Bridge Road in Norcross.

• Chamblee citizens web: Save Keswick Park!
• Historic Chamblee neighborhoods in the news. Read article Keswick development goes back to the drawing board in The Dunwoody Crier, August 9, 2005
• Read more about Keswick Park and Sexton Woods residents' efforts to save their 3-acre park from high-density "pocket community" infill proposed by Paladin Properties' zoning change petition.
• Paladin Properties, LLC. Home designs similar to a Washington State developer's website:
  www.cottagecompany.com
• Paladin Properties, LLC. Find out more about this developer:
  www.paladinprops.com

Interesting Sites, Other Georgia Cities

• The Georgia Trust's Main Street Design Assistance Program
• The City of Monticello has a successful preservation commission
• How The City of Gainesville Organizes a Preservation Commission Calendar
• Economic Benefits of Historic Preservation in Georgia
  • A Case Study: Athens, Georgia
  • A Case Study: Tifton, Georgia
  • A Case Study: Rome, Georgia

Other Resources for Historic Preservation

ELECTRONIC RESOURCES FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION

• Georgia Alliance of Preservation Commissions
• Georgia State Historic Preservation Office
  (Historic Preservation Division at the Dept. of Natural Resources
• National Trust for Historic Preservation
• Owens Resource Center, School of Environmental Design, UGA
  (Design Guidelines)
• The Georgia Trust
• "Working on the Past in Local Historic Districts"

PRINT RESOURCES FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION

Christman, Ray. "Changing the Image of Historic Preservation." Editorial, The Rambler, vol. 31 Number 2, March/April 2004, newsletter of The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation.
Historic preservation is a viable community and economic development strategy.

Livable Cities Initiative (LCI Study), 2001.

Norcross Downtown Study (EDAW), June 1987.

Rykema, Donovan K. "Economics and Historic Preservation."
Nationally known Real Estate and Economic Development states the physical environment is a major element in the quality of life criteria, and there is no greater threat to sustainable economic growth than the elimination of those community-based enactments whose sole purpose is the physical environment, whether it is built or natural.

PRESERVATION ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY

Important recent study shows community value enhancement through preservation. "Economic Impacts of Historic Preservation in Florida"
See links at bottom of web page to both the longer Technical Report and The Executive Summary.

Among the principal investigators on the report were Tim McLendon at the Center of Governmental Responsibility at UFlorida and David Listokin at Rutgers. Jim Nicholas who teaches land development and economics courses at UFL also contributed to the study.