No need to travel to the Ole Miss campus – Snellville is pouring $85 million into a Grove of its own. Mayor Barbara Bender says an agreement has been reached with a development team to build the first phase of the city’s The Grove at Towne Center. The project’s $85 million first phase will commence construction in 2020 and begin to deliver in 2021. The project will include multiple private and public buildings to be developed through a public-private partnership.
The project will be led by CASTO, one of the country’s leading commercial real estate companies, along with Atlanta based development partner MidCity Real Estate Partners, in a joint venture with the City of Snellville. The Grove at Towne Center, will be a large scale, mixed-use town center property, comprising 18 acres between Oak Road, Wisteria Drive, North Road and Clower Street, in downtown Snellville. The Grove at Towne Center’s first phase will include over 50,000 square feet of retail, restaurant, office and entertainment space, and approximately 250 multi-family luxury apartments. In addition, the new Elizabeth Williams Library will be constructed and include a 2nd floor community/incubator space.
On August 26, Mayor Bender, MidCity President Kirk Demetrops, and city council and staff held a “signing day” for the development agreement. At the signing, city officials were available for comment, the developers explained project details and expected outcomes, and renderings of the proposed project were shown.
The Grove at Towne Center will be a walkable, destination space that will feature inviting restaurants, entertainment and retail spaces that will serve as key amenities for office users, residents and visitors. Shared use paths for pedestrians and cyclists will be located throughout the development, connecting the various components of the master-planned project and the surrounding neighborhoods via the Snellville Greenway.
“This project is a major piece in our goal to create great places to live, play, work, learn and shop in Snellville,” said Mayor Barbara Bender. “The Grove at Towne Center’s design and its connections to existing parks via greenways and neighborhoods will be a wonderful place where community and commerce meet.”
The Market Center building will be a unique anchor of the project. CASTO and MidCity are working with the city to customize the overall design and uses within the building. Early ideas include a brewpub on the first floor and upscale event space on the second floor. The Grove Apartments will provide residents upscale urban living in the heart of The Grove with designer finishes and will include amenities such as a fitness center, pool, grilling area, parking deck, and business center. The Commons area will allow the city to host many of the community’s wonderful festivals and activities in one centrally located space.
“Our goal is to create a very unique shopping, entertainment and living experience with something for every age group to enjoy,” stated Shannon Dixon, EVP of Southeast Development for CASTO. “Mayor Bender and the city staff have been incredible to work with, as we have collaborated on a unique deal structure that will provide the city one of the most well-positioned master plans in terms of visibility, accessibility and proximity to on-site and nearby amenities.”
The first phase of construction of The Grove at Towne Center project will include the relocation of the city’s U.S. Post Office, expected to occur in early 2020 with a groundbreaking on the project anticipated for the second quarter of 2020.
“We are looking forward to our partnership with the City and County to deliver The Grove at Towne Center,” stated Kirk Demetrops, President of MidCity. “These types of projects have a tremendous impact on the quality of life and provide a real sense of community. We believe The Grove will be a destination point for the city for decades to come.”
