New Urbanism Hits local Suburbs

ALPHARETTA, GA—It seems like a contradiction of terms to put a new-urbanism project in the suburbs. But Pope & Land Enterprises says it’s doing just that. In October, the Cobb County-based developer will begin construction on the first office building in Milton Park, a mixed-use project that includes a town square, cluster homes, apartments, office and retail space.

The project is being developed by a joint venture of Pope & Land and Amli Residential Properties Trust of Chicago. The spec project is a six-story, 150,00-sf structure near North Point Mall. Milton Park, located on a 110-acre tract, will be the first mixed-use community in north Fulton County, says Pope & Land Senior VP De Little.

He adds that, while new urbanism has typically been redevelopment in an urban core, the concept will work in the suburbs too. Little labels Milton Park new urbanism because all of its components create a pedestrian-oriented community, centered on a town square, where people live, work and play. Completion of some of the office space, apartments and cluster homes is scheduled by summer 2001.