North Point Mall's massive redevelopment plan advances despite uncertainty over NHL team
After a meeting that stretched past 1 a.m. Tuesday, the Alpharetta City Council narrowly approved plans to transform North Point Mall into a massive sports and entertainment district built around a potential NHL arena.
The council voted 4-3 to approve the zoning changes needed for the nearly 99-acre redevelopment. The city's plans call for an approximately 20,000-seat arena, a 4,000-seat music and performing arts venue, two hotels, offices, shops, restaurants, 1,385 rental units and 26 acres of parks, plazas and trails.
Emre Tuna, who owns restaurants in Alpharetta, told council members he supports the project.
"I'm very bullish on Alpharetta," Tuna said. "I live, eat, play here. I have restaurants here, and, you know, I just want to see this place grow."
Despite the council's approval, an NHL arena is not guaranteed. The league has not awarded an expansion team to metro Atlanta or committed to the North Point site.
Frances Bohn, Jamestown's director of development and construction, previously told CBS News Atlanta that most of the proposed project depends on securing a team.
"Right now, we are working on a variety of different fronts, but most of it is contingent on an NHL expansion team award to the city and the site," Bohn said.
If the NHL does not choose the market and location, Bohn said Jamestown would need to return with a different plan.
"We would have to go back to the drawing board and think through what that looks like," she said. "It would be a different plan. Absolutely."
Councilwoman Katie Reeves raised concerns Monday about off-site parking and whether enough sidewalks would be available to move people safely between the arena and other parts of the development.
"I don't know that we've got adequate sidewalks to get people safely up, not only over to the arena, but over to the other locations that this cool development is going to have," Reeves said. "And I think that there needs to be something that addresses — there needs to be appropriate public pedestrian walkways."
Community Development Director Kathi Cook said conditions attached to the approval allow city staff to review off-site parking plans and work with public safety and public works officials on acceptable routes.
The vote does not mean construction will begin immediately. Bohn said planning, design and permits would take at least a year before work could start.
Jamestown, which is overseeing the redevelopment for property owner New York Life, estimates the project would involve about $2 billion in construction spending. The company first announced its arena-centered redevelopment proposal in February.
