Local
Sandy Springs moves ahead with 5.5-acre City Springs expansion plan
The City Council voted unanimously to begin negotiating a sale of municipal land to the team led by Trammell Crow Company. The proposed project includes apartments, retail, a boutique hotel and 28 homes, with public feedback and rezoning decisions still ahead.
Sandy Springs’ plans to expand its downtown district took a step forward Oct. 20, when the City Council unanimously approved starting negotiations to sell 5.5 acres of city-owned land to a development team led by Trammell Crow Company.
The proposed City Springs 2.0 project would add housing, shops and a boutique hotel on land south of Mount Vernon Highway. The initial plan also includes 28 single-family homes near the Heritage Green and Williams-Payne House properties, and calls for closing part of Blue Stone Road.
The city selected Trammell Crow’s residential subsidiary, High Street Residential, to lead the project after beginning a competitive search in June. Third & Urban, DSM Real Estate Partners and Hedgewood Homes are also working with the team.
The council’s vote authorizes negotiations, but the sale and development plans are not final. The city expects to pursue rezoning and continue work on the proposed property sale this winter. More design, financing and contract details are to be worked out, and officials say the city development authority could consider property tax abatements as an incentive.
City officials say residents will have opportunities to weigh in during the upcoming rezoning process. Council Member Andrew Chinsky said the project had not previously been discussed publicly and invited residents to offer feedback as it advances. The negotiations follow months of closed-door discussions, prompting questions about transparency.
Economic Development Director Chris Burnett said construction on the first two parcels could begin as early as fall 2027, if permits are issued. That work could take about two years, with an opening in late 2029; the city’s broader target is to complete the project by 2030. The development team could close on the properties next summer, pending rezonings.
Sandy Springs is pursuing a new partner after an earlier effort to advance the downtown master plan with Regent Partners and Morris & Fellows stalled in 2024. The council directed staff to seek new proposals this spring, saying economic conditions supported returning the project to the market.
The expansion would extend City Springs, the civic and arts district anchored by City Hall and the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center. Trammell Crow and Third & Urban are also developing Hillcrest, a nearby mixed-use project with apartments, townhomes and retail.
Mayor Rusty Paul said the next phase is intended to build on the downtown district’s role as a gathering place. He has also said he hopes the development can support more owner-occupied housing and help replace aging, car-oriented commercial areas.