At Thursday's Forsyth County Commission meeting, a special overlay district was approved 5-0 to pave the way for Taubman Centers Inc. to build a major, mixed-use development in South Forsyth County...
Taubman Centers Inc., which owns and/or manages 23 regional and super-regional shopping centers in 11 states, is one step closer to moving on its plans for a major, mixed-use development in South Forsyth County on 163 acres on Union Hill and McGinnis Ferry roads. Commissioners approved an overlay to the current zoning map that would allow Taubman the the latitude to build the center, which includes 12 story structures and other previously unapproved buildings.
The centerpiece of this development is an upscale shopping mall with up to 5 anchors. Anchor stores have not yet been announced, but previous history with Taubman suggests stores on the order of Nieman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue could be coming to Forsyth County.
“This project has the potential to be our community’s Kia,” said Brian Dill, Vice President, Economic Development for the Cumming/Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce “The Forsyth Board of Commissioners, County Manager and Departmental staff should be applauded for their due diligence and forward thinking on this project. We will continue to employ an economic development team approach to new business recruitment and existing industry retention.”
The development is still in the planning stage at this point. No dates have been announced for the project.
Taubman plans to bring a mix of luxury and fashion retailers to the site, along with office, hotel and residential development, and is asking specifically for a change in the current limit of 5 story structures to allow for 12 story office and residential buildings.
According to the developer, retail sales can be expected to be in the neighborhood of $540 per square foot, adding significant revenues to the Forsyth County tax base.
Commissioner Laughinghouse compared the development to something on the order of Atlantic Station, which would be a completely new type of development for Forsyth County
