Cobb County’s first shopping center, Belmont Hills, opened in 1950 at the corner of Atlanta Road and Windy Hill Road in Smyrna. For years now, the Smyrna government has been pushing for the redevelopment of Belmont Hills. In fact, Belmont Hills was always considered the front-runner for $30 million in TAD financing that the city of Smyrna approved in 2003. As redevelopment plans bogged down for Belmont Hills, including the horrid thought of WalMart possibly moving into Belmont Hills, the redevelopment of Jonquil Plaza managed to pull off a bit of a coup and jump ahead of Belmont Hills.
Smyrna has committed $26.2 of the $30 million towards the Jonquil Plaza redevelopment at the corners of Atlanta Road and Spring Road. The forthcoming development will be known at Jonquil Village. With Cobb County’s school board having recently placed two moratoriums on TADs as well as a cap on money it will pledge for projects in Smyrna’s tax allocation district, it puts the Belmont Hills redevelopment in a bit of a conundrum.
Halpern Enterprises, Belmont Hills developer, has asked the city for $32.8 million in TAD financing. With the current moratorium and cap in place, there is only about $4 million available.
Halpern Enterprises has set forth a plan fo create Belmont, a dynamic mixed-use development. This exciting new retail, office and residential community will completely replace the existing Belmont Hills shopping center and present the community with new and unique dining, shopping and living alternatives. The 47.5 acre development will feature a pedestrian friendly atmosphere with wide sidewalks and bike paths. Additionally, Belmont will proudly offer a variety of architectural styles, patios, roundabout intersections and extensive landscaping creating a charming community sure to be the choice for the people of Smyrna.
The current plan includes 5 acres of green space within the mixed use development and include 912 residences split amongs condos, townhomes, luxury apartments and houses. This is something desperately needed as Smyrna continues to build for the future.
As a means of garnering support, a mailer may have just arrived at your home this past week. The mailer stipulates that the Belmont “redevelopment would not be possible, depriving the area of the benefits of a dynamic mixed-use community. You can make the Belmont redevelopment a reality by urging your District 2 County Commissioner, Joe L. Thompson, to support county TAD guidelines that would include this project.”
The Cobb County school board ultimately has the final say in the matter based on the current legislation surrounding TAD financing. What impact this mailer will have in persuading the Cobb County Commission to act will be interesting to see, but more importantly whether it will have any impact on the Cobb County school board.
If you would like to voice your support for the Belmont Redevelopment, send an email to District 2 Commissioner Joe L. Thompson at jthompson@cobbcounty.org or to the County Commissioner Sam Olens at solens@cobbcounty.org
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