The vision for a vibrant retail and restaurant row adjacent to Avondale Estates' Town Green is one step closer to reality. In a little over a year, the Town Green will be fronted by restaurants, retail spaces, an abundance of outdoor seating, and a new place for the community to meet and enjoy the two-acre park. The Dale, a 24,000-square-foot mixed-use commercial development being built by the development team of Fabric Developers, LLC and Healey Weatherholtz Properties, is poised to break ground in the fourth quarter of this year.
Rendering of the commercial buildings known as The Dale as seen from N. Avondale Rd.
The Dale will consist of two adjacent two-story buildings fronting the Town Green next to the open-air Market Pavilion along N. Avondale Road. In addition to at least two restaurants, there will be a rooftop bar and event space on the second level overlooking the park, retail opportunities fronting N. Avondale Road, and second-floor space devoted to a variety of tenants including co-working or office space. The buildings will include restroom facilities available to the public during the Town Green’s operating hours.
While the Avondale Estates Downtown Development Authority (DDA) voted unanimously last January to approve the development contract for what was then referred to as the Town Green Mixed-Use Project, The Dale is the product of many years of planning and collaboration. The city, the DDA and the development team have created a community-oriented space designed to align with the city’s Downtown Master Plan to build a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly downtown.
"We are thrilled to witness the next phase of growth for Avondale Estates as the new commercial construction prepares to break ground next to our sparkling new and already beloved Town Green. Our intent was to invest in the Town Green to attract development to our downtown that would not only be enjoyed by our residents but would also serve to even out the city’s tax base so that more of the tax burden would be carried by the commercial properties. This development represents an additional and very important step in that direction," said Dave Deiters, chair of the DDA.
“This project is more than buildings; it's a reflection of a vision created over many years with lots of community input. We’ve been working really hard to get here,” added Mayor Jonathan Elmore. “The new development symbolizes progress with a purpose. This development serves as a testament to our dedication to smart urban planning and reflects our vision for a dynamic and inclusive downtown.”
SSOE, the engineering and architecture firm that hatched the original concept design of the Town Green, master planned the site and designed the performance pavilion, has created an adaptation of Avondale’s distinctive Tudor style for the commercial buildings. With the start of the U.S. 278 (N. Avondale Road/East College Avenue) Complete Street Project imminent, the two-story development is designed to maintain a human scale along N. Avondale Road complimenting the improvements that will be made to the city’s “Main Street” including the 10-foot path for pedestrians and bikes. With a 40-foot-deep highly landscaped belvedere overlooking the Town Green, The Dale will be the community gathering place. It will reinforce the city’s open-air Market Pavilion next door and provide a place for parents to look over the playground and visitors and residents to take in a performance at the Town Green.
Fabric Developers and Healey Weatherholtz Properties both have a track record of creating successful placemaking projects. Fabric Developers co-developed Parsons Alley, an award-winning restaurant/retail center that has re-energized Duluth’s town green and downtown area. Healey Weatherholtz has been involved in the dramatic transformation of Summerhill and its Georgia Avenue commercial corridor, as well as the Collier Hills Howell Mill corridor and Shops Around Lenox. Through its design, the team has focused on injecting energy into the highly successful Town Green, reinforcing the city’s $5 million investment in the nucleus of downtown Avondale Estates.
“We’ve designed The Dale to be Avondale’s living room – the place where the community can relax and recharge,” said Quill Healey, Healey Weatherholtz Properties managing partner.
Jerry Miller of Fabric Developers noted, “This project has been community-driven from the outset. It’s a testament to the city’s vision. It was always our goal to build a downtown that will be here one hundred years from now.”
Peter Constructive, Inc. will be the contractor of record for this $13 million development. The firm has extensive experience in notable placemaking projects, including Alpharetta Town Center, Vickery and creative loft offices in West Midtown.
Learn more about development projects surrounding the Town Green.