Refrigeration firm moves headquarters from Peachtree City to Fayetteville

Graphic of planned headquarters building.

Peachtree City-based commercial refrigeration and cold storage firm Cool Runnings International (CRI) will be moving its corporate headquarters to Fayetteville. The site off Ga. Highway 85 North is expected to open in late 2018, with the potential for a mixed-use development on adjacent property coming in 2020.

Above, graphic of planned headquarters building.

There is significant development on the horizon in Fayetteville’s downtown area and on the west side. Getting into the mix is CRI, with a planned 17,000 sq. ft. corporate office and a 10,000 sq. ft. warehouse, situated on 9.5 acres along Hwy. 85 North near North 85 Parkway, according to commercial real estate firm Randolph Williamson.

Peachtree City-based Randolph Williamson announced the plans on Jan. 3, noting that the sale of the parcel clears the way for a new corporate office project and mixed-use development that is expected to generate jobs and provide a boost to the local economy.

CRI Global, the development arm of parent company Cool Runnings International, Inc., purchased the 9.5-acre property from the Lester Family Limited Partnership, LLLP.

“The acquisition of this property marks an exciting new chapter not just for Cool Runnings International, but also for the residents of Fayetteville and the surrounding area,” said CRI President and CEO Bill Harms. “The city of Fayetteville’s forward-thinking, pro-business approach was a major factor in our decision to locate here, and their continued efforts to create a dynamic local economy that attracts a diverse blend of employers really meshed with our vision for this site. Randolph Williamson’s expertise in conducting these types of transactions ensured that our master timeline stayed on track, and we look forward to sharing more news on our progress in the months ahead.”

The site will house a new 17,000-square-foot office building that will serve as the corporate headquarters for CRI, a commercial and industrial refrigeration and cold storage solutions provider that contracts with grocery stores, food processing facilities and warehouse distribution centers around the globe. Construction is expected to begin in March, with the new corporate campus expected to open in the fourth quarter of 2018, according to Randolph Williamson.

CRI will also build a 10,000-square-foot warehouse next to the future office building as part of ongoing expansion efforts for its worldwide distribution network. Company officials said the headquarters will employ up to 25 people when it opens next year, with design plans allowing room to expand in the future, Randolph Williamson said.

And there could be more to the CRI story.

CRI has also secured the first right of refusal on a 15-acre tract of land directly in front of the future office site and adjacent to Highway 85. Plans call for the property to be converted into a mixed-use development that will include a variety of restaurants, boutique shops and other light retail, along with a high-end technical park containing office space. The company is in the process of separating the parcel and obtaining the necessary approvals required to begin development. The yet-to-be named mixed-use site is expected to open in mid-2020, Randolph Williamson said.

“The city of Fayetteville is on the move, and today’s announcement reflects our optimism that the economic prospects for this area are bright,” said Brent Randolph, principal of Randolph Williamson. “Randolph Williamson is pleased to partner with a vision that emphasizes delivering jobs and a high quality of life for residents who want to shop, dine and pursue entertainment options that are near their front door. We congratulate Cool Runnings International on this landmark acquisition.”

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Multiple Storm Alerts Issued dmmy post

ATLANTA, GA — A rainy, dreary weekend is giving way to a rainy work week, and the National Weather Service has issued several weather advisories for the Atlanta area. The region is under a flood watch with a couple inches of rain predicted, a wind advisory and a special weather statement, so be prepared for street flooding to complicate Monday’s drives.

The flood watch went into effect at 8 p.m. Sunday and runs through Monday afternoon for Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Barrow, Clarke, Oconee, DeKalb, and Fayette counties. It also includes the cities of Dahlonega, Cleveland, Gainesville, Atlanta, Lawrenceville, Athens, East Point, Decatur, Conyers, Covington, Newnan, Peachtree City, and Griffin.

Widespread rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches are possible across within the watch area. The highest rainfall amounts are expected across northeast Georgia with 3 to 4 inches likely, according to the Weather Service.

The intense rainfall will likely lead to rises in creeks and rivers which may go out of their banks. High water will not recede until well after the rain has ended. The forecast carries a chance of rain every day through Friday.

(For more news like this, find your local Patch here. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here.)

The wind advisory means that sustained wind speeds of at least 20 mph or gusts to 35 mph or stronger are expected. Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high profile vehicles, and drivers are urged to use extra caution.

Areas in the wind advisory include Bartow, Cherokee, Forsyth, Paulding, Cobb, Fulton, Gwinnett, Barrow, Clarke, Oconee, Fulton, and DeKalb counties, along with the cities of Calhoun, Dahlonega, Rome, Cartersville, Gainesville, Marietta, Atlanta, Lawrenceville, Athens, Carrollton, Douglasville, East Point, Decatur, Conyers,
Covington, Newnan, Peachtree City, Griffin, Macon, Columbus, and Warner Robins.

Expect east winds of 15 to 25 mph with gusts of 35 to 40 mph tonight, with gusts of up to 45 mph likely at higher elevations. With heavy rainfall during this time, some trees may be downed. Unsecured outdoor items may be blown around.

A slow moving low pressure system will bring widespread rainfall to the area through early Tuesday. Total rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches are expected with locally higher amounts possible, especially across northeast Georgia. Flooding potential could linger through Monday given continued rain and runoff. Some storms could be strong in parts of the south and east Monday afternoon. The main threats would be small hail and lightning.

Here’s the week-ahead forecast:

Sunday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Low around 58. East wind around 20 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.

Monday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm, mainly before 2pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. High near 71. Southeast wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly before 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming east in the evening.

Tuesday: A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 71. West wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Tuesday Night: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 55. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 71.

Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53.

Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 69.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 51.

Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 71.

Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 49.

Image via Shutterstock

 

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Georgia Weather Forecast: Multiple Storm Alerts Issued

ATLANTA, GA — A rainy, dreary weekend is giving way to a rainy work week, and the National Weather Service has issued several weather advisories for the Atlanta area. The region is under a flood watch with a couple inches of rain predicted, a wind advisory and a special weather statement, so be prepared for street flooding to complicate Monday’s drives.

The flood watch went into effect at 8 p.m. Sunday and runs through Monday afternoon for Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Barrow, Clarke, Oconee, DeKalb, and Fayette counties. It also includes the cities of Dahlonega, Cleveland, Gainesville, Atlanta, Lawrenceville, Athens, East Point, Decatur, Conyers, Covington, Newnan, Peachtree City, and Griffin.

Widespread rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches are possible across within the watch area. The highest rainfall amounts are expected across northeast Georgia with 3 to 4 inches likely, according to the Weather Service.

The intense rainfall will likely lead to rises in creeks and rivers which may go out of their banks. High water will not recede until well after the rain has ended. The forecast carries a chance of rain every day through Friday.

(For more news like this, find your local Patch here. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here.)

The wind advisory means that sustained wind speeds of at least 20 mph or gusts to 35 mph or stronger are expected. Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high profile vehicles, and drivers are urged to use extra caution.

Areas in the wind advisory include Bartow, Cherokee, Forsyth, Paulding, Cobb, Fulton, Gwinnett, Barrow, Clarke, Oconee, Fulton, and DeKalb counties, along with the cities of Calhoun, Dahlonega, Rome, Cartersville, Gainesville, Marietta, Atlanta, Lawrenceville, Athens, Carrollton, Douglasville, East Point, Decatur, Conyers,
Covington, Newnan, Peachtree City, Griffin, Macon, Columbus, and Warner Robins.

Expect east winds of 15 to 25 mph with gusts of 35 to 40 mph tonight, with gusts of up to 45 mph likely at higher elevations. With heavy rainfall during this time, some trees may be downed. Unsecured outdoor items may be blown around.

A slow moving low pressure system will bring widespread rainfall to the area through early Tuesday. Total rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches are expected with locally higher amounts possible, especially across northeast Georgia. Flooding potential could linger through Monday given continued rain and runoff. Some storms could be strong in parts of the south and east Monday afternoon. The main threats would be small hail and lightning.

Here’s the week-ahead forecast:

Sunday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Low around 58. East wind around 20 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.

Monday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm, mainly before 2pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. High near 71. Southeast wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly before 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming east in the evening.

Tuesday: A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 71. West wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Tuesday Night: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 55. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 71.

Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53.

Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 69.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 51.

Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 71.

Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 49.

Image via Shutterstock

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New housing developments debut in Peachtree Corners

Peachtree Corners Councilman Weare Gratwick, from left, Mayor Mike Mason and Peachtree Residential Properties CEO Dave Borreson and President Alex Rickenbacker stand together to cut the ribbon to open the new Oglethorpe community. (Special Photo)

Gwinnett’s youngest city is going to feel like home to more residents after two new housing developments debuted at a ribbon cutting ceremony last week. Town leaders joined officials from Peachtree Residential Properties to formally open a townhome community, Duke Reserve, and a single-family housing development known as Oglethorpe.

“When we developed the city’s comprehensive plan, a housing option that offers smaller lots without sacrificing square footage was in short supply,” Mayor Mike Mason said in a statement. “These two new developments will help fill that need. We are happy to welcome Peachtree Residential Properties to Peachtree Corners.”

The developments will provide 44 new units to Peachtree Corners’ housing stock, with Oglethorpe adding 19 homes and Duke Reserve contributing 25 two-story townhomes.

Officials said both developments are located on Spalding Drive, with Oglethorpe being across the street from the Wesleyan School and Duke Reserve being across from the Peachtree Corners Post Office. The gated communities offer full landscape maintenance in an effort to appeal to residents who are looking for a “lock and leave” lifestyle, city officials said.

Oglethorpe’s homes will start in the $700,000s, with some of them offering basements and three-car garages. Homes listed on Peachtree Residential Properties’ website featured french countryside exterior motifs, along with four bedrooms and four and a half bathrooms on the inside.

Meanwhile, Duke Reserve’s prices will start in the mid-$500,000s, and offer two-car garages and master bedrooms on the main floor. Several townhomes featured on Peachtree Residential Properties’ website ranged from three or four bedrooms, and from two-and-a-half to four-and-a-half bathrooms.

City officials said residents can find out additional information about both developments by visiting www.peachtreeresidential.com or by calling 770-622-2522.

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125 senior apartments planned near downtown Fayetteville

A proposal by Atlanta-based OneStreet Development would bring the Hearthside Lafayette senior apartments to The Villages development on Ga. Highway 54 just west of downtown Fayetteville.

Plans call for a 4-story building totaling 163,259 sq. ft. that would include 125 senior apartments. The building, constructed using EarthCraft standards, would be situated across from the Hampton Inn.

Presented as a staff topic at the July 25 meeting of the Fayetteville Planning and Zoning Commission, OneStreet Development Director Deke Rochester and architect Bill Foley provided an overview of the plans. A formal presentation will follow in August.

Plans call for Hearthside Lafayette to include one- and two-bedroom apartments for people 62 years of age and older. The development would include gated parking.

The building would face Meeting Place Drive, directly across from the Hampton Inn. Landscaped and garden areas would be located in the rear of the building.

Included in the proposal is the installation of a street on the north side and a portion of the west side of the building that extends to the west and intersects with Lafayette Avenue.

Undeveloped parcels, other than the Hearthside site, would be located to the north and south of the new street and immediately west of the apartments.

The site, along with the remaining portions of the property situated between the Hampton Inn and Lafayette Avenue, is zoned PCD (planned community development).

If approved, construction would begin in the fall and conclude in 12-18 months.

OneStreet developed the Hearthside Peachtree City apartments.

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Olmsted Chamblee Apartments – New Local Landmark – Debuts on Peachtree Blvd.

Iconic Chamblee Signage is lit and visible from north Brookhaven (Photo: Business Wire)

ATLANTA–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Olmsted Chamblee Apartments, with design inspired by boutique hotels, is already 50% leased – and for good reason. The community’s amazing amenities include co-working spaces, artist’s studio, and a landmark sign to name a few. Across the street from Chamblee MARTA rail station, it’s two blocks from the soon-to-open Whole Foods in Peachtree Station, which also has several restaurants. It’s also at the starting point of the completed part of the Chamblee Rail Trail.

“We have one of the best locations and largest amenity offerings of any new community inside the Perimeter,” says Brett Oliver, Director of Development for CF Real Estate Services. “The unique and eclectic community spaces are truly special and already in full use.”

“Seeing the amenities for the first time blew me away,” says Olmsted resident Darrell Duliman. “The furniture, attention to detail and design of the entire floor is truly impressive.”

Its marquee “CHAMBLEE” rooftop sign is at the busy intersection of Peachtree Boulevard and Chamblee Tucker Road. The 37-foot-wide sign has five-foot-tall letters visible from a mile away.

“The sign brings attention to the city itself, as well as the incredible neighborhood taking shape,” says Oliver, who’s responsible for the development and design of the Olmsted brand, including Olmsted Nashville, opening soon in Nashville, Tennessee. “The apartments were the catalyst for a lot of the new development that’s making Chamblee one of the most dynamic parts of Metro Atlanta. It’s fun to watch it grow with breweries, shops, loft offices, and restaurants.”

Olmsted Chamblee has eclectic interior design and down-to-earth customer service. There’s a neighborhood pool, hammocks, and outdoor grills and smokers. Living room lounges have comfy seating and loads of hardcover books; there’s raked seating for art and photography classes, an indoor bocce ball court, movie room, community kitchen, mail room lounge with vintage-look tile floors, and 24-hour fitness center with the latest gear. The Workshop has tables and sinks for art or DIY projects.

The co-working spaces are also unique. Residents and outside entrepreneurs can rent private offices with a selection of WiFi providers.

The 283 one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments have granite countertops, energy-efficient appliances and windows, Nest thermostats, and huge closets. Some have kitchen islands. Two-bedrooms have roommate floorplans as well as premium outside corner units with flexible layouts. There are also for-rent townhouses with 3-bedrooms and 3.5-bath that are a rare find in the market.

Buckhead, Midtown and Downtown are a few stops away via MARTA rail. I-85 and Ga. 400 are close; so is I-285, which means a short drive to SunTrust Park. Oglethorpe University is two miles away. Historic Downtown Chamblee, Buford Highway and Town Brookhaven are also nearby.

CF Real Estate Services also manages and leases Olmsted. For more information, visit www.olmstedchamblee.com. Follow us on social media at https://www.facebook.com/OlmstedChamblee and https://www.instagram.com/olmstedchamblee/.

About CF Real Estate Services

CF Real Estate Services is an award-winning, multifamily real estate company with properties across the North, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Central, and Midwest regions of the United States. With decades of industry experience, the company has evolved into a leading provider of multifamily services that includes property management, asset management, and consulting. They are currently headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia and continue to pursue a hands-on approach to success in the real estate industry.

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City prepares to clear abandoned mill site [photos]

Staff Photo by Dan Henry / The Chattanooga Times Free Press- 1/25/17. The R.L. Stowe Mills in Lupton City on Wednesday, January 25, 2017. Photo by Dan Henry /Times Free Press.
Gallery: City prepares to clear abandoned mill siteCleaning up a Lupton City eyesore

› 1920 – John T. Lupton acquired 1,000 acres of land near the Tennessee River and created the mill town of Lupton City for his Dixie Mercerizing Co.

› 1964 – The Dixie Co. changed its name to Dixie Yarns

› 2009 – The mill shuts down

› 2012 – Lupton City LLC, a real estate partnership connected to the Dockery Group in Peachtree City, Ga., buys the mill site and tears down the mill to recycle usable bricks, metal and wood. But the reclamation effort stops after several months before the mill site is cleaned up and after wood planks treated with creosote are exposed, leaving the mill as a Brownfield site.

› 2017 – City acquires the mill site after Lupton City LLC fails to pay property taxes. Chattanooga budgets $1.5 million for cleanup.

› 2018- Construction documents for cleanup to be published in April and bids published and accepted in May and June to allow the contracted cleanup to begin by July or August. The cleanup is expected to take six to eight months

› 2019- The 12-acre mill site will be sold by the city, although a portion could be used for a park

John Ramsey bought his home near the former Dixie Yarns textile mill in Lupton City in 1970 so he could grow his flower bed and raise his four children in a peaceful mill town adjacent to a golf course, woods and the Tennessee River.

Sponsored by Connatix

But since the mill shut down a decade ago and a demolition company toppled the old mill without cleaning it up, Ramsey and other homeowners around the mill have had to live next to the unsightly pile of brick rubble for nearly four years.

"It’s a real eyesore and we’re all anxious to get it cleaned up," Ramsey said last week while tending his flowers. "This neighborhood has always been dependent on the mill and it’s terrible to see it like this."

Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke, who promised more than a year ago to start cleaning up the mill by last summer, is now pledging to clean up the site this summer using $1.5 million the city included in its current budget for the cleanup. The former owners of the mill, a limited partnership from Georgia that failed to pay about $100,000 in property taxes or finish its cleanup of the mill, no longer have any redemption rights to reclaim the property after failing to pay property taxes on the site and having the city seize the property.

Donna Williams, administrator of the Chattanooga Office of Economic and Community Development, said the city is working with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation to get the required permits for the construction and cleanup of the site, which was designated as a brownfields site after creosote from the wood planks in the former mill was discovered and not properly cleaned up by the former owners.

"It’s taken us a while to acquire the property, but we are moving ahead toward its clean up," Williams said last week during a meeting of the Fairfax Heights-Bagwell City-Lupton City Neighborhood Association.

Chattanooga City Council member Jerry Mitchell, who represents Lupton City and North Chattanooga, said the cleanup has moved slower than originally projected due to the complexity of acquiring the mill site, delays in approving a city budget last year because of the property tax reappraisal and the need for TDEC approval of the cleanup plan.

"Our capital budgets overall also have had a pattern of slow moving, but I think the administration is finally starting to address that by hiring project managers and working to expedite these type of projects," Mitchell said. "Unfortunately, the former owners of this mill just tore the place down and then walked away and never paid us a dime in property taxes. To me, it looks like they had a plan to do that all along."

To avoid a repeat of the problems at the mill site in Lupton City, Mitchell said the council is working to establish a performance bond requirement that the city could require before a building is demolished to ensure that any future building demolitions are properly cleaned up and not left as brownfields or eyesores.

Williams said the cleanup and construction plan for the Lupton City mill, which should be developed by April, will likely include putting a soil cap on the brownfields site, pending required regulatory approval. The city expects to publish bids for the work in May to allow crews to begin work by July or August.

"We expect construction and cleanup to take six to eight months once the work begins," Williams said.

Once complete, the city will declare the site surplus and sell the 12-acre site, although local residents said they hope some of the land would be used for a park.

"We would like to see a park or an open area, at least on some of this property," said Mark Mullin, who heads the Fairfax Heights-Bagwell City-Lupton City Neighborhood Association, which represents homeowners in the area.

Patricia Steinaway, a Mercer Road homeowner, said she has had to look at the rubble of the mill site every day out her front door since she bought her home two years ago.

"We all thought this was going to get cleaned up a lot sooner than it has, but we’re glad to hear it’s moving ahead now," she said. "We’d love to see the whole thing be used as a park, but we understand that might not be feasible."

The mill cleanup also should help in the development of 210 acres of undeveloped property along Lupton Drive and the Tennessee River, including the 9-hole Lupton City golf course. A newly formed local development group, known as Riverton Development, paid $8.1 million to buy the land from BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, which once considered building its corporate headquarters on the riverfront property.

Becky Cope English, the Realtor for the project and one of the principals in Riverton LLC, said the new owners are still preparing a site plan for the development to take to the Chattanooga Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission for any required zoning changes. The plan could ultimately include up to $200 million of houses and small retail shops, restaurants and offices on the site, along with walking trails and recreational amenities.

"The mill site is obviously an important part of this entire region and we’re eager to see it cleaned up and possibly be redeveloped," English said.

Contact Dave Flessner at dflessner@timesfreepress.com or at 757-6340

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