Marietta City Council Approves 303-Unit Apartment Complex

MARIETTA, GA — A 303-unit apartment complex and two commercial buildings is coming to Marietta, per a city council vote Wednesday.

Marietta City Council members approved the rezoning of 7.73 acres for South City Partners to build the high-end apartment complex and restaurant or retail space near the intersections of Cobb Parkway and Windy Hill Road. The project was approved in a 6-1 vote, with Council Member Joseph Goldstein voting in opposition.

The high-density project is expected to include about 8,500 square feet of retail or restaurant space and another 7,000 square feet for dedicated apartment amenities, like a swimming pool and fully-equipped fitness center, according to site plans and Will Casaday, vice president of development for South City Partners.

"We're building a product that will cater to young professionals and effectively, for the most part, people who choose to rent and not necessarily are forced to," Casaday said. "This product will also serve to bring residents into the city that might otherwise choose to live somewhere else."

Research conducted by South City Partners shows there is a strong demand for apartments in the area, according to attorney Garvis Sams, who represented the Atlanta-based development company. He said Marietta is losing out on the younger demographics due a lack of available housing for that demographic.

"You're getting taken to the whipping post by Smyrna; by the Cumberland core, the [community improvement district]; by developments along the Powers Ferry Road corridor; by the communities in Vinings," Sams said. "You're losing population; you're losing the demographic that you need; you're losing the people that want to live in a highly-amenitized multifamily community to these other jurisdictions and to these other subareas of the county."

Casaday said the complex will include 70 percent one bedroom units and 30 percent two bedrooms options, starting at about $1,250 for monthly rent for one bedrooms and $1,500-$1,600 monthly rent for two bedrooms, varying based on square footage. The entire project, including the commercial buildings, is expected to cost between $40 million and $50 million, Casaday said, but that is subject to change.

Rent prices are also subject to change as planning and development of the project continue.

"We've worked really hard [since I've been on council] for the past eight years to try to draw balance in our city with apartments ... we've added tons of senior apartment housing, but in my assessment, we lack quality, high-end apartments for young professionals," Council Member Michelle Cooper Kelly said. "Unfortunately a lot of the young professionals are having to live outside the city to work in our city because they can't afford the housing, and there's no decent place to rent. I do believe this will help close a gap that we have in our city."

Council Member Cheryl Richardson said she had concerns about the density in proximity to the heavily-trafficked Windy Hill Road and Cobb Parkway. Richardson said she also had concerns since Windy Hill Road will undergo extensive construction and renovation as part of a $42 million bond referendum for the corridor, approved by voters in 2016.

However, Richardson also said apartments like the ones South City Partners is planning to build are needed in the city of Marietta.

"As much as I like it ... I'm a little concerned about the density. I've looked at the comparison and all of the other apartments are not on a major road like [Cobb Parkway] and Windy Hill, with the understanding that that's going to become even a greater area for traffic," Richardson said. "That being said, I do believe we need class A apartments for young professionals and singles who would choose to rent as opposed to buy."