Sandy Springs Advances City Springs Expansion With Hotel, Homes and Shops

Sandy Springs is moving ahead with a 5.5-acre expansion of City Springs that would bring a boutique hotel, more housing, shops and public gathering spaces to its downtown. Rezoning and a land-sale agreement still lie ahead.

The City Council’s Oct. 20 resolution authorizes the next steps toward redevelopment. Trammell Crow Company, through its residential subsidiary High Street Residential, will lead the development team selected after a solicitation process that began in June.

A possible change to Blue Stone Road

The proposal includes apartments above ground-floor retail and 28 single-family homes beside Heritage Green and the Williams-Payne House, Rough Draft reported from the council meeting. The property sits south of Mount Vernon Highway.

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One change residents will have to weigh is a proposed permanent closure of Blue Stone Road between Mount Vernon Highway and Hilderbrand Drive. That remains under consideration; the developer selection does not establish a closure date.

Construction could begin in 2027

Economic Development Director Chris Burnett outlined a tentative schedule calling for rezoning and sale negotiations this winter, a property closing in summer 2027 and possible site work that fall, Rough Draft reported. Construction on two parcels could finish in late 2029, with the full project completed by 2030. Those targets depend on approvals and permits.

Potential property-tax abatements through the city’s development authority remain part of the discussion. Financial terms have not been finalized. Residents are expected to have opportunities to comment during the upcoming rezoning process.

Extending the downtown district

The expansion follows the City Springs Master Plan, originally adopted in 2012 and updated in 2022. Its vision combines a walkable street network, dining, retail and housing with connected green spaces. The update also addresses parking and transportation, making those questions part of the broader downtown planning effort.

High Street Residential is also developing Hillcrest, an 8.1-acre mixed-use project across the street at Mount Vernon Highway and Sandy Springs Circle. The new City Springs phase would add another redevelopment site nearby.

The city has released conceptual renderings of the expansion. Design details, financial arrangements and the terms of the eventual property sale will be developed as negotiations proceed.