Focus on Downtown Development
From the latest issue of the Decatur Focus newsletter.
May 2008
New, Young Faces Coming to Downtown Decatur
The Art Institute of Atlanta-Decatur recently celebrated its grand opening in the One West Court Square building in downtown Decatur. The Decatur branch represents the first satellite campus opened by this institution. The Art Institute of Atlanta-Decatur offers a wide variety of programs in the applied arts. We welcome their 100 students along with staff and faculty to Decatur. Already their new gallery has brightened the streetscape along Ponce de Leon Avenue.
Joining the Art Institute at One West Court Square is the Decatur campus of DeVry Institute. DeVry is selling their campus on DeKalb Industrial Way and moving into two floors of the West Court Square building. The Decatur campus was the only stand-alone location owned by DeVry. They decided to get out of the real estate business and lease space for their Decatur location as they do for their other six campuses in metro Atlanta.
In addition to the administrative offices of DeVry Institute, DeVry leaders tell us the Decatur campus typically has 300 students on site at any one time. Most DeVry classes are offered online with students required to attend only one on-site class per week.
The downtown Decatur location was an attractive option for DeVry because of its easy access to the Decatur MARTA station right next door to their new space. The move, which is expected to take place this fall, has administrators, faculty and students excited about the opportunity to walk to restaurants, retail and coffee shops.
These two institutions will fill up the empty office space left vacant when CDC moved to their new campus 18 months ago. The loss of CDC’s 600 employees had a serious impact on our downtown businesses so we are pleased to see this office space filled. We welcome these new, young faces downtown.
Support Your Local Businesses
Vacancies are filling and we are all hoping the economy will rebound soon. Now is the time to make the extra effort to support your local businesses. As Neil Dobbs, president of the Decatur Business Association, likes to say, “Decatur now has the highest concentration of independent bookstores in the country.” We aren’t sure that fact can be verified but let’s make a point of supporting our independent businesses and prove that locally owned retailers and restaurants can succeed.
Affordable Housing Plan Under Way
Last fall the City of Decatur received funding through the Atlanta Regional Commission to develop an Affordable Housing Master Plan. This effort grew out of the city’s Strategic Plan that identified a concern about retaining the city’s diversity and providing a healthy mix of housing options for all stages of a person’s life.
While the city offers well-managed public housing through the Decatur Housing Authority, the increasing cost of market-rate housing is putting a squeeze on middle-income residents, downtown service employees and younger people interested in finding housing options within the city.
The Affordable Housing Study will create an inventory of existing affordable housing options in the city, help us identify the markets we want to target and present program options that the city can pursue in partnership with the private sector and the Decatur Housing Authority.
A series of Focus Groups was held earlier this year that included representatives from Decatur’s major employers, a cross section of downtown employees, current renters and a variety of single-family homeowners. Consultants working on this project gathered useful information from these meetings about employee profiles, commute times and the factors considered when making housing choices. In addition, they are completing extensive research on the Decatur housing market.
We invite residents to attend a public information session Tuesday, May 20, 7 p.m., at Decatur City Hall, 509 N. McDonough St., to get an update on the findings to date and offer insight into the process. For more information, contact Lyn Menne, 404-371-8386, or send an email.
March 2008
You Gotta Break Some Eggs . . .
Demolition began on the Trinity Triangle property in mid March. This 2.5-acre site will be developed as a mixed-use project, with ground floor retail along Trinity and four residential floors above the retail. The project was approved for 180 apartment units. Approval of the project included the condition that Dairy Queen be offered the opportunity to acquire one of the street level retail units and that 30 parking spaces be included to serve the Old Depot.
315 W. Ponce de Leon Project
We continue to work through a development proposal for the 315 W. Ponce de Leon project. The developer presented a preliminary plan to a group of residents in March and continues to refine the site plan in preparation for a presentation to residents in late April or early May.
The site plan presented removed all of the existing curb-cuts on Montgomery Street and limited the height of the project to three floors along the Montgomery Street frontage. The project extends back into the site for 90 feet before transitioning up to a four-story building and then to a five-story building near the existing 10-story office building. The parking deck has been located to the center of the site and will serve both the office building and the residential units. Originally the developer proposed constructing a small boutique hotel on the Ponce de Leon side of the building. Because of neighborhood concerns, the developer dropped those plans and moved some of the residential units to front W. Ponce de Leon.
The project under consideration proposes 220 apartment units with approximately 180 units on the back of the site and 40 units to be built on Ponce de Leon over street-level retail surrounding the existing 10-story office building that occupies the 4.9-acre site. Neighborhood concerns center around the number of proposed units, concerns about the quality and value of the units, traffic and adequate parking. A shadow line study showed no impact on surrounding properties. The design team is now working to detail out design of the exterior and prepare a concept plan showing the parking deck view from the rear of the Fairview properties.
The Downtown Development Authority is funding the development of a traffic study. As electronic files become available we will post preliminary plans to the city’s website as well as neighborhood websites.
Retail and Restaurant Openings
Retail and restaurant spaces are filling up. Leases have been signed for Mick’s and the Angel. The owner of the Zocalo space reports a high level of interest and expects to announce a lease soon. Tesoro, a fantastic Mexican restaurant, opened in March on Church Street just past Twain’s .
At the time of this article, Cakes and Ale was scheduled to open March 26 and Little Shop of Stories, Wordsmith Books and Worthmore Jewelers were on schedule for April openings around the square. Moxie Java opened to great reviews in the W. College corridor, filling the last remaining spot in the newly renovated building in the 900 block of W. College that burned several years ago.
Please remember to shop locally as much as possible.
Downtown Flower Baskets
In case you are wondering about flower baskets and landscape plantings in the downtown district, we decided to wait a few extra months to see what happens with water restrictions. Our landscape contractor and the city grounds crew both found ways to capture gray water for watering but we still thought it was wise to wait a few extra months before planting.
January/February 2008
Decatur Receives Year-End Awards
The City of Decatur received several honors and recognitions to help close out 2007 on a high note. The city was nominated by the PEDS (Pedestrians Educating Drivers on Safety) organization and received one of their annual “Golden Shoe” awards for creating a pedestrian-friendly space in the redesigned MARTA plaza.
The Atlanta Regional Commission honored the Decatur Community Transportation Plan with one of the Create Community awards in the Transportation and Air Quality category. The keynote speaker at the awards program singled out this unique transportation study for its focus on community health and alternative transportation.
Decatur was also cited as one of the four areas that helped Atlanta place number 14 on a list of walkable cities in the United States. According to the study by the Brookings Institution, Atlanta made the list because of walkable locations like Midtown, Atlantic Station, Buckhead and downtown Decatur. While the other three areas are actually in the city of Atlanta, the city of Decatur is proud to be recognized and happy to help our neighboring city achieve this recognition.
Public Housing to Be Updated
The Allen Wilson Public Housing project at the intersection of Commerce Drive and W. Trinity Place was first occupied in 1941 and the Swanton Heights units adjacent to it were occupied in 1970. Together the two complexes provide 288 units of safe, affordable housing in a location that is convenient to public transit.
While the Allen Wilson units still provide sound, affordable housing in a great location, the units are functionally obsolete. Rooms are small, plumbing pipes are not designed for washing machines and the time and cost to maintain the buildings and units is increasing.
The Housing Authority is working on a plan for the phased replacement of the units in Allen Wilson at the current site and the addition of affordable and market-rate housing to create a mixed-income neighborhood. When the project is completed, the same number of public housing units will still exist.
Working in three phases, the Authority plans to complete the project over a six-year period. As units are completed, existing residents will move into them, allowing their old units to be demolished to make way for the next phase. During the first phase approximately 40 residents will have the option to relocate using Section 8 Housing Choice vouchers. These residents will have the opportunity to return when Phase III is complete. The Authority, working with other property owners, has a plan to identify opportunities to keep these 40 residents within the city of Decatur during construction.
When the project is completed, the site will include 288 public housing units plus an additional 18 non-public housing units. The units will be grouped in three-story buildings with flats and two-story townhouse options. Elderly residents will have their own 85-unit, four-story building on the site of the Authority’s current management and operations building.
This plan allows elderly residents a safe, accessible environment specifically designed to fit their needs. Buildings will be placed around a central greenspace with play areas for children and gathering spots for elderly residents. On-site parking is included and the complex will be designed to blend with Decatur’s downtown plan and the streetscape master plan.
Funding for these needed upgrades is complicated. There is no money available through HUD to make needed improvements to older housing projects. The Authority is combining various sources and types of funding to make this plan a reality. An important part of the financing plan is the use of approximately one-third of the site, the north end, to develop approximately 150 market-rate condominiums.
A percentage of these units will be marketed as workforce housing to make them affordable to the many service industry employees that we depend on in Decatur. This combination of public housing, affordable housing and market-rate housing on one site will create a truly mixed-income neighborhood similar to the redevelopment in the East Lake section of Atlanta.
The proceeds from the sale of the land will help fund the building of the new public housing units and the Allen Wilson complex will continue to be a vital part of Decatur. The plan is complex, has lots of moving parts, and there is still lots of work to be done. The Authority has received the support of its residents (the seniors are very excited about getting their own building), the city, and from many of Decatur’s citizens. The Authority is gratified by community support for this important Decatur neighborhood and will continue to work to answer any questions that arise.
December 2007
Ring Out the Old, Ring in the New
Who knows what 2008 will bring? We can tell you a few things: the Trinity Triangle project will move forward, an old West Ponce office building will get a new life, a well-known art school will begin classes in Decatur, and we’ll say a sad goodbye to Mick’s restaurant.
Trinity Triangle
It appears that we are making progress with the Trinity Triangle project after months of delay. A demolition contractor has been hired and will begin interior demolition of the Relax Inn and the temporary city hall building during December.
Removal of the buildings should occur the first week in January. Plans are to demolish these two buildings and what remains of My Sisters Room and fence the site. The developer is working with us to leave much of the existing parking area open for use by the Depeaux until construction begins next year.
The Dairy Queen will be allowed to remain open for as long as possible. While we secured an agreement that allows the Dairy Queen to reopen in the new project, we continue to look for a temporary location for them to operate during construction.
315 W. Ponce de Leon Ave.
This 1960s-era office building was sold this fall. The new owner plans to keep the existing office building and develop a residential project on the large surface parking lot to the rear of the building. A parking structure to serve both buildings would be placed at the center of the site. We are coordinating meetings between the developer and residents who live near the site and hope to have approved plans early next year.
The Art Institute of Atlanta
The Art Institute of Atlanta recently opened a campus in downtown Decatur in the One West Court Square building. Plans are to start small and add classes over the next year. A student art gallery will be in the commercial space fronting W. Ponce de Leon Avenue behind Quiznos, bringing much-needed life to this block of W. Ponce de Leon. We welcome this new organization into downtown Decatur and look forward to meeting the students.
Mick’s Closing
Mick’s was the restaurant that paved the way for Decatur’s rebirth as a destination dining center. Financial problems apparently caused the restaurant to close abruptly in November along with several other restaurants in metro Atlanta that carried the Mick’s name. Interest in the Decatur site is very high. We are working with the property owner to make certain we get the perfect restaurant for that space.
October 2007
Spend Your Money Where Your Home Is
Support for locally owned businesses is critical to retaining the special character of any business district like downtown Decatur. Spending your money locally feels like the right thing to do but it also keeps more of your money circulating throughout the city. In an article in the June 2007 issue of Main Street News, Doug Loescher, director of the National Main Street Center, pointed out several interesting facts related to the impact locally owned businesses have on a community’s economic base.
Money Spent Locally Stays Local
One study referenced showed that for every $100 spent at a national bookstore chain the impact on the local economy amounted to only $13. Compare that figure to $45 returned to the local economy by an independent bookseller. A case study in Maine showed that local retailers spent more than 44 percent of their revenue in the surrounding two counties while big-box retailers returned only 14 percent to the community, primarily through payroll.
More Local Charity Support
Locally owned businesses support locally based charities including our schools, PTAs and the many community-based nonprofits. This support comes in the form of cash donations, in-kind support, retail items for charity auctions, and posting of event fliers in storefront windows.
A More Stable Job Market
The big guys come and go but the small, locally owned business offers the most stable base for a local economy.
Local Means Green
Mr. Loescher refers to a study produced at the Institute of Local Self Reliance that indicates that locally owned businesses have much less impact on local ecosystems than larger retailers. This fact is particularly true in areas like Decatur where infrastructure is already in place and options for alternative transportation are available and encouraged. Our local business owners are much more likely to participate in recycling programs too.
Tax Revenue Goes Further
The article references a study conducted in Barnstable, Mass., that showed local businesses are more cost efficient for local government to support. Because they require relatively few city services, locally owned businesses tend to generate a net surplus in tax revenue of approximately $300 per square foot. Big-box stores and fast-food outlets require more services from local government and generally create a tax deficit of more than $450 per 1,000 square feet. (Source: Main Street News, No. 240, June 2007)
The Decatur Downtown Development Authority is investigating joining the American Independent Business Association network to identify opportunities to attract more independent business owners and help our existing businesses grow and thrive. Now that the summer heat is behind us, make a pledge to visit our many locally owned businesses more often and “Spend Your Money Where Your Home Is.”
September 2007
Decatur Develops Worldwide Reputation
What do Manhattan, Tel Aviv, London and Decatur have in common? All were pictured on the front of the New York Times Arts section as a sampling of Harry Potter fans acquired their copies of the latest book at the stroke of midnight.
Decatur’s Little Shop of Stories, which was the site of the Harry Potter photo, was also included in a recent article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution featuring Decatur’s success at attracting independent bookstores. Wordsmiths Books, Decatur’s newest bookstore, Indie Coffee and Books and Books Again were also featured in the article. If you haven’t taken the opportunity to browse the shelves of these independent bookstores and get to know the owners of these locally owned businesses, you are missing a treat.
From Picnics to Gourmet Meals
In another recognition of Decatur’s unique charm, the August issue of Everyday with Rachel Ray included a reference to Decatur in an article on best spots to picnic in metro Atlanta. The article invited readers to pick up lunch at Watershed and walk up to Decatur’s square for a pleasant afternoon of people watching.
Depeaux, located in the Old Depot, is now open for business. Drop in and meet the owners and sample some of their great Louisiana cooking. Sawicki’s, a new gourmet market on Ponce de Leon, opened to rave reviews. It’s the perfect place to shop for all the fixings for a great do-it-yourself gourmet meal – including simple suggestions for preparation.
Scooters and FlexCars
The new scooter parking on Ponce de Leon has been well received. The city is working to locate additional scooter parking in the Church Street corridor and along East and West Ponce de Leon Avenue. We would love to bring a scooter dealership into Decatur. If anyone is looking for a business opportunity, we would love to work with a local resident to bring this type of business here.
The FlexCar program has been a big success in our city. Currently FlexCar is operating at Atlantic Station, Buckhead, downtown Decatur, downtown Atlanta, Emory University, Georgia Tech and Midtown. The FlexCars in downtown Decatur average 9.19 hours of use per month – the highest usage rate in all of metropolitan Atlanta. The next highest location is Emory University with 3.77 hours averaged per month. FlexCar recently placed two cars at Agnes Scott College.
Development Progress
Development plans at the Trinity Triangle location are moving forward slowly. Cypress Realty Investors, the company that holds title to the property, is moving forward with the approved plans. We stay in contact with this group to monitor their progress and continue to work on Dairy Queen’s behalf. We are working with Nisar Momin to find a temporary location for Dairy Queen to operate during construction but it must meet Dairy Queen’s corporate requirements.
The Master Plan and Phase One construction plans for the Oakhurst Business District Streetscape Project are moving forward. The citywide Wayfinding Signage project will begin installation this month.
July-August 2007
A Rose By Any Other Name . . .
Call It What You Will, Decatur’s Made It Work
Smart Growth, Livable Communities, Active Living and Lifelong Communities are all terms being batted around the Atlanta metro planning community. Each of these concepts refers to some aspect of developing healthy, sustainable communities. While we may not have used the terms, Decatur has a long history of thinking about and acting upon the concepts these programs promote.
We have talked about Smart Growth in the past as being a development strategy that:
• focuses higher density development around transit;
• promotes a mix of uses within commercial districts;
• encourages a diversity of housing stock;
• supports alternative transportation options and a reduction of automobile dependency.
The Livable Communities program sponsored through the Atlanta Regional Commission provides funding to encourage metro area communities to rethink old development patterns and implement Smart Growth strategies to make the metro region a healthier place – to make it more livable. The City of Decatur has received more than $7 million dollars in grant funding through this program.
Active Living
The newer concepts of Active Living and Lifelong Communities were part of Decatur’s strategic plan before the catchy names were coined. Active Living refers to creating a community where citizens can be deliberate about living active healthy lives. Instead of having to rely on driving to a gym for exercise, with careful planning and proper infrastructure, we can create communities where walking and cycling between activity centers provide purposeful opportunities to exercise. The Safe Routes to School program encourages our children to walk to school. Streetscape improvements, bicycle lanes and new downtown housing have dramatically increased pedestrian counts and the number of bicycles throughout the central business district.
To build upon this concept, the City of Decatur has reorganized the Recreation and Community Services Department into two divisions. The division of Children and Youth Services will continue to provide first-rate after-school, summer camp and specialty camp programs for the children and youth of Decatur. A new division of Active Living incorporates our traditional recreation and sports activities into a broader program that will coordinate existing efforts and develop new opportunities to encourage our citizens to lead healthy, active lives. Programs to improve cycling and pedestrian activity will be coordinated through this new division. Environmental programs will also be coordinated through this division. We look forward to creating a true active living community throughout Decatur.
The concept of Lifelong Communities is similar to Decatur’s focus on Lifecycle Housing by considering issues that allow citizens to “age in place.” Developing senior housing and assuring that new housing is senior friendly helps achieve this goal. Accessible sidewalks, improved transit options and our active living efforts also contribute to creating a community that is inviting for all ages and allows aging residents to live healthy, active, independent lives.
June 2007
More Good Things in Store for Decatur
Decatur will soon get another independent bookseller. Wordsmiths is opening in the old Federal building on E. Trinity Place. The new owner, Zachary Steele, has pledged to support Little Shop of Stories by not including children’s literature in his offering. Now Decatur will have two quality independent bookstores within walking distance of each other. While independent bookstores have a difficult time competing with the large booksellers, Decatur is one of the few communities where these businesses can thrive.
Trinity Triangle Development
The Trinity Triangle development, which includes Dairy Queen, is still a go, according to the developer. The project, which includes apartments and street level retail, was delayed while financing issues were resolved. Efforts are now underway to finalize demolition contracts and permits necessary to remove asbestos and similar hazardous materials. The Relax Inn site is secured by fencing and the city is working with the developer to assure that the former location of My Sister’s Room is also secured.
Oakhurst Streetscape Project
The first of two public input sessions on the Oakhurst Business District Streetscape Project was held in May. Participants were asked to identify major issues and help develop a priority list for how the grant funds will be spent. The design team will take these suggestions and develop a draft master plan and implementation program to present at a second public meeting later this summer.
Downtown Streetscape Projects
We are awaiting word on a grant application submitted to the Atlanta Regional Commission to extend the downtown streetscape program along N. McDonough Street to the railroad. This project, which includes Decatur High School, provides wider sidewalks, dedicated bicycle lanes, streetlamps and street trees, and will greatly improve pedestrian and bicycling safety in this area. Our hope is to coordinate this project with the planned construction at Decatur High School. If we receive this grant, Decatur will be able to complete five phases of the Downtown Streetscape Master Plan since we began in 1995. We plan to seek future grants to complete work on Church Street between Ponce de Leon and Commerce Drive and extend streetscape improvements along E. Howard Avenue in the Old Depot area.
Wayfinding Signs
Work on the citywide signage project begins this summer. Installation of the first phase of these directional signs should be finished this fall. These signs should make it easier for residents and visitors to find their way into and around the downtown district, the Oakhurst business district and the East Decatur Station district. Funds for this first phase were provided by the City of Decatur bond program, the Decatur Development Authority, the Decatur Business Association and the Great Decatur Beer Tasting Festival Committee.
May 2007
Ramblings on Downtown Development
Spring has finally arrived in Decatur. It is the perfect time of year to walk or bicycle around the city. The new MARTA plaza is open and offers a great place for families to play in the downtown district. This spring we are adding a few hanging flower baskets on the lamp posts at each downtown intersection. If this new landscaping feature is successful, we will add additional baskets next year.
The bandstand is sporting a fresh coat of paint so take the time to enjoy a Concert on the Square or a Blue Sky Concert and help us celebrate the end of construction on the square.
Wayfinding Project
We awarded the bid for Phase I of the Wayfinding Project, a comprehensive directional signage program, in April. New signs will be installed in the downtown Decatur and Oakhurst business districts and at intersections leading to these two commercial centers. The primary focus of Phase I is to direct visitors and residents into and around the city, to important service centers, retail/restaurant districts and public parking. Sign installation should begin this summer and be completed by November. Pedestrian-focused kiosk signs will be located throughout downtown and in the Oakhurst district and will feature maps and listings of retail and restaurant businesses in these areas.
Parking Changes
Several changes are being made in parking in downtown Decatur. Parking meter rates are being raised for the first time in 15 years to encourage long-term-parking patrons like downtown employees to use adjacent parking decks rather than tying up the best parking spaces. This parking increase will be phased in over the summer. As part of the new rate structure, meters will be programmed to accept dollar coins and smart cards that will be available through select retailers and city hall. Our goal is to make on-street parking more readily available for retail and restaurant customers, and easier to use.
Scooter and Flexcar Options
Several parking spaces in the downtown district are being converted to scooter parking. A standard automobile space can be configured to accommodate up to seven scooters. Scooter parking will be offered free of charge with a two-hour parking limit.
Another alternative to driving a personal car to downtown Decatur is the Flexcar program. Flexcar has expanded downtown to include seven cars. Check out the Flexcar website, www.flexcar.com, to learn more about this affordable alternative to driving a personal vehicle.
Downtown employees or residents who use MARTA, the Cliff shuttle or a bicycle to commute to downtown can use the Flexcar program on occasions when they might need a car. It’s a great option to share a car and a parking space and reduce the number of cars in the downtown district. We expect additional cars to be added at Agnes Scott College in the next few months.
New Businesses
We have welcomed a number of new retail and restaurant businesses to the city. Our most recent additions include 5th Earl Market on College Avenue and South Candler Street, and Wiggle, a children’s clothing store, located next door. The new restaurant Depeaux should open this month in the Old Depot. The owners have made a major financial investment in the renovation of this wonderful old building so please stop in and thank them.
Streetscape Improvements
Planning for streetscape improvements in the Oakhurst Business District will begin later this month. A steering committee has been organized with representatives from the Oakhurst Business District, the Oakhurst Neighborhood Association, and Oakhurst commercial property owners and business owners.
The steering committee will serve as a liaison between the design team and the various stakeholder groups and will help organize several public input sessions as we move through the design stage of this project. The Oakhurst Business District Streetscape project is being funded through the Capital Improvement Bond Fund and through a Transportation Enhancement Grant from the Georgia Department of Transportation.
March 2007
Active Living in Downtown Decatur
The MARTA plaza reopened just in time for warmer weather and the 2007 festival season. The wider plaza, broader sidewalks, new street trees and street lamps make the area more pedestrian friendly and more useful as a public activity space.
We look forward to having the room to expand the Decatur Arts Festival and provide more activity space for children during the popular concert series. Area restaurants have more room for outdoor dining and the reinstalled Celebration sculpture atop the new fog fountain offers a great meeting space in the heart of the courthouse square.
Choosing to Live Downtown
We welcome our many new downtown residents and look forward to seeing increased pedestrian traffic downtown as a result of these urban dwellers. As the empty nest generation continues to choose downtown housing with opportunities to walk more, drive less and enjoy expanded cultural and recreational activities, we should see this housing option continue to develop in locations like downtown Decatur.
A recent article in Planning, the official magazine of the American Planning Association, offered some interesting insight into population trends and the impact on the American housing market for the coming decades. Over the next 30 years, the United States is expected to add another 100 million people requiring approximately two million new housing units per year. While about two-thirds of the housing units built over the past decade were the traditional, single-family detached units, this trend is expected to change dramatically as the demographic characteristics of this next 100 million people changes. (Planning, January 2007).
Changing Demographics
The most obvious change is the aging of the population as the Baby Boomer generation continues to reach retirement age in record numbers. In October 2006, only 12 percent of the American population was over 65 but this age group is expected to make up more than 40 percent of the next 100 million Americans.
Current numbers show that people 19 and younger make up 29 percent of the population, but that number is projected to fall to 19 percent of the next 100 million Americans. This aging population will be looking for housing quite different from the traditional single-family suburban housing model that has been the norm in this country for the last half century.
Household types are also changing. The stereotypical “Leave it to Beaver” family of the 1950s is giving way to a growing number of single-person and childless households. As the number of households without children increases, the type of housing needed to meet the interests of this market will continue to shift away from the suburban single-family house toward a mix of housing types and mixed-use projects. (Planning, January 2007). The number of young single women buying condominiums in Decatur appears to support this predicted increase in single-person homeowners.
Meeting Needs and Preferences
As household types change, so do housing preferences. Active, aging empty-nesters are looking for new housing options that allow them opportunities to downsize and trade yard work for other interests. The growing interest in higher-density condominiums in active living areas like downtown Decatur is not a local phenomenon.
This new housing option is a direct response to the change in housing preference and the market should continue to expand to match the growing number of folks moving into this age category. In fact, researchers suggest that the current supply of existing single-family houses on large lots may already be sufficient to meet or exceed market demand over the next decade. (Planning, January 2007).
The next decade promises to be interesting as we look at predicted changes in demographics and housing needs. One thing does seem clear and that is Decatur continues to be well situated to benefit from changing population trends by providing a variety of housing options for single-person households and empty-nesters as well as the more traditional single-family neighborhoods that continue to appeal to families with children.