A plan to expand Suwanee’s Town Center has local neighbors up in arms.
A five-story building is planned in what is now green space behind the center that will include more than 200 apartments in addition to retail and parking space.
Tom Brown, who lives in a condo above retail space in Town Center, says the proposal was not part of the plans when he bought it in 2009.
“We love the feel of a downtown, that’s not a problem; but they’re going to change the whole complexity of this place by putting in these apartments,” he tells WSB’s Sandra Parrish.
Sabrina Guler has started a Facebook page, “Save Suwanee Town Center, Our Home” which now has hundreds of “likes”.
She says her neighbors are used to the Mayberry feel of the area and worry apartments will bring in transients who won’t have the same investment in the community as well as bring in unwanted additional traffic.
“We don’t want to start with apartments; we would like it to be homeowners who would be invested in the neighborhood,” says Guler.
Suwanee spokesperson Lynne DeWilde says multi-family options have been part of the city’s vision for Town Center as far back as 2002.
“It does fit with our Town Center—it fits in style (and) in form,” she says. “It offers another living option that currently is available.”
But DeWilde says the city is still listening to concerns of residents and has postponed a rezoning hearing set for next week.