Sandy Springs moves ahead with downtown expansion

Driving the news: The Council on Oct. 20 voted to approve a resolution authorizing plans to begin the redevelopment.

The intrigue: Trammell's subsidiary, High Street Residential, is also building Hillcrest, a mixed-use development on 8.1 acres at the corner of Mt. Vernon Highway and Sandy Springs Circle.

• Hillcrest will contain 362 apartments, 30 for-rent townhomes and 19,240 square feet of retail space.

Zoom in: The 5.5-acre site that will be developed into City Springs 2.0 is across from Hillcrest development. Plans for the second phase call for housing, restaurants and a new hotel, Sandy Springs said in a press release.

• Hedgewood Homes also plans to construct 28 single-family residences at the corner of Hilderbrand Drive and Blue Stone Road, city documents show.
• City Springs' first phase transformed 14-acres along Roswell Road into a mixed-use development that's home to City Hall, the Performing Arts Center, apartments and retail space.

What they're saying: The plan prioritizes "attracting additional local restaurants and retailers, introducing a boutique hotel, expanding green space and public gathering areas, and incorporating high-quality single-family and multifamily residential options," Sandy Springs said last week in its press release.

What's next: The city will begin the necessary steps to facilitate the redevelopment process, including the required rezoning and documentation needed for the sale of the property.