GwinnettForum | Number 23.99 | Dec. 20, 2024
INFRASTRUCTURE: Read about the progress on the Rowen project in eastern Gwinnett in Today’s Focus. Most of the initial work has been on construction of the basic infrastructure, such as this roundabout on the project.
TODAY’S FOCUS: Rowen Foundation reflects on past year’s activities
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Remembering John Wesley at this Christmas season
SPOTLIGHT: NDIMaxim Real Estate LLC
ANOTHER VIEW: Don’t forget the people of Ukraine, still in war
FEEDBACK: Need to find ways to curb corporate rental housing
UPCOMING: Lucky Shoals Assn. wins $20 million Change Grant
NOTABLE: DAR lays wreaths at two cemeteries in Gwinnett
RECOMMENDED: Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Inman Park was Atlanta’s first planned suburb
MYSTERY PHOTO: Nothing modern about looks of this structure
LAGNIAPPE: Salvation Army to distribute Angel Tree gifts
CALENDAR: Christmas Carol at Christ Episcopal Church on Dec. 21
Rowen Foundation reflects on past year’s activities
Pedestrian bridge in Rowen.
By Mason Ailstock
CEO of the Rowen Foundation
AUBURN, Ga. | As we approach the end of 2024, we reflect on the significant strides we’ve made over the past year and the exciting possibilities that lie ahead in 2025. At Rowen, we stand at the crossroads of real estate development and community-building, blending state-of-the-art infrastructure with a commitment to fostering innovation and collaboration.
Our vision is clear: to develop a world-class hub that unites global industries in medicine, agriculture, and the environment. At the same time, we are dedicated to creating a place where people thrive—a place where business, research, and community come together to shape the future.
The progress we’ve made in 2024 lays a solid foundation for the years to come. This year, we engaged with over 400 students and faculty from local universities through initiatives that support both education and innovation. We invested $175,000 into Living Lab projects that promote sustainability, research, and applied science. Additionally, we supported a statewide AI initiative in partnership with Emory University that educated Georgians across the state. Our Convergence Summit highlighted Gwinnett-based companies and brought together industry and academic leaders from across the country.
On-site, we completed two miles of complete-streets and four miles of multi-modal trails as part of the first phase of our horizontal infrastructure (roads, power, water, fiber conduits, and other utilities). These trails connect seamlessly to Gwinnett County’s regional trail system, and our roads will be transferred to the county and open in the first quarter of 2025.
This new infrastructure opens up 800 of our 2,000 acres for development. These efforts created over 240 construction jobs, with 34 percent of the total contract amount going to women and minority-owned businesses, furthering our commitment to diversified economic opportunities in the workforce. In total, $32 million was invested into Georgia’s first Greenroads Pilot Project—a sustainable road system that aligns with our broader goals for environmental stewardship.
Environmental sustainability remains a cornerstone of our mission. In 2024, we planted 440 trees and 6,486 shrubs—all native species—to support the local ecosystem while enhancing the beauty and function of the landscape. These efforts, along with the infrastructure investments, position Rowen as a prime example of how development can coexist with, and even support, nature.
We are grateful for the strong partnerships we’ve built over the past year. Collaboration with organizations such as the Georgia Department of Economic Development, Gwinnett County, Partnership Gwinnett, Georgia Power, and the Metro Atlanta Chamber, has been integral to our growth. These alliances have not only attracted the attention of top industries to the area but also strengthened our academic ties with Georgia’s leading universities and colleges anchored in providing the highly skilled, dependable, next generation workforce of the future.
As we move toward 2025, the momentum we’ve built in 2024 will only grow stronger. Rowen’s growth is accelerating, and we remain focused on creating a vibrant, dynamic environment where innovation can flourish. Our goal for the coming year is to deepen existing partnerships, bring in new industry leaders, and expand economic opportunities for all Georgians. We are committed to making Rowen a place where people don’t just work but thrive—where ideas are nurtured, businesses succeed, and communities come together to create lasting impact.
Gwinnett County, thank you for being a part of this journey. We are excited for what the future holds and look forward to what we can achieve together in 2025 and beyond.
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Remembering John Wesley at this Christmas season
From portrait of John Wesley by George Romney. Via Wikipedia.
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
DEC. 20, 2024 | December 18 (Wednesday) was the birthdate of one of the more famous ministers of the Protestant church, John Wesley. He was born in England in 1707. He is known as the founder of the worldwide Methodist church, although he remained a staunch Episcopalian his entire life.
We here in Georgia know that John and his brother, Charles, arrived as Anglican ministers in Savannah in 1735, two years after the colony of Georgia was founded. They stayed for two years before returning to England.
While in Georgia, Wesley had been impressed with the way the Moravian settlers from Germany worshipped. He believed they had inner strength with piety, which he lacked. He was encouraged by the Moravians to “preach faith until you have it.”
He eventually preached on personal salvation by faith and grace, a pivotal moment for him. He took to preaching widely, often in fields, to reach people who did not attend church.
Soon Wesley was attracting followers for his preaching. And finding so few ministers from the Anglican tradition and with so much work to be done, he began to approve local, lay and untutored people to be preachers and for pastoral work. The expansion of lay ministers was one of the reasons what became known as Methodism began to grow.
Wesley was an innovator in another way. Women were encouraged to lead classes. And by 1761, he informally allowed one of his female converts to preach. He formally allowed women to preach in 1771. Interestingly, the recent split in the worldwide Methodist church, 75 million strong in 130 countries, has been much about female ministers. Today, over 250 years later, part of the United Methodist Church is now an off-shoot known as the Global Methodist Church. Several congregations in Gwinnett belong to that new division in Methodism.
And don’t forget another element of Wesley’s movement. Wesleyan teachings serve as a wider basis for the Holiness movement, as well as denominations such as the Free Methodist Church, the Church of the Nazarene and the Salvation Army. Even the Pentecostal and Charismatic movement have basis in Wesley’s teachings, with all these churches seeking the Kingdom of God.
Wesley continued his movement his whole life, never marrying. He died poor in 1791, with one chronicler saying “he left behind a good library of books, a well-worn clergyman’s gown and the Methodist Church.” At his death, there were 135,000 followers and 541 itinerant preachers citing his faith.
John is also known as one of the most prolific composers of Christian hymns, having at least 4,500 known as his. And Charles was also a composer, with 55 hymns in The Methodist Hymnal. And they are some of the church’s most revered songs.
Among them:
- “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today.”
- “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.”
- “Jesus, Lover of My Soul.”
- “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling.”
- “Thou Long Expected Jesus.”
- “Oh, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing.”
- “Father, I Stretch My Hands to Thee.”
- “Lo! He Comes with Clouds Descending.”
- “Come Holy Spirit, Our Hearts Inspire.”
Give thanks to John Wesley this Christmas as you sing some of his well-known hymns.
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NDIMaxim Real Estate LLC
GwinnettForum is brought to you without charge by underwriting sponsors. One is NDIMaxim Real Estate LLC, a phoenix rising from the collaboration of Atlanta Maxim Realty International, NDI Development LLC, and GA ATL Property Management LLC in 2019. It has evolved into a dynamic force in the local real estate scene since its official merger in 2020. Atlanta Maxim Realty International excels in residential sales and acquisition, while GA ATL Property Management oversees around 400 residential and commercial properties. NDI Development manages its shopping centers in the Gwinnett and Metro Region. Prompted by Tim Le in 2019, Tina Dang orchestrated the merger, aiming to pool resources for enhanced competitiveness. NDIMaxim Real Estate LLC now encompasses four divisions: NDIMaxim Commercial, Residential, Property Management, and Access Development LLC. The latter is embarking on its inaugural project, Boardwalk Duluth, a retail and office building adjacent to the Beaver Ruin Wetland Reserve, promising an ideal location with restaurant amenities and access to the 68-acre park, slated for completion in March 2024, with full enjoyment anticipated in 2025. For retail or office needs, contact Tim Le at 770-912-9684.
Don’t forget the people of Ukraine, still in war
By Emory Morsberger
LILBURN, Ga. | As the holiday season approaches, we find ourselves surrounded by the warmth and joy of family gatherings and feeling the spirit of giving. This time of year is meant for reflection, yet for many worldwide, reflection comes not from blessings but deep hardship. For the people of Ukraine, the winter of 2024 brings not just cold, but continued brutality of war.
Morsberger
We have just learned that due to the generosity of an anonymous donor, HelpingUkraine is hosting a $50,000 matching fund from now until the end of the year. Every dollar you give will be doubled until we reach our goal of $100K! With this news, we can make twice the impact this holiday season.
February will mark three years since the invasion began. Despite this, the courage and resilience of the Ukrainian people remain unshaken. My connection to Ukraine runs deep. I first visited in the 1990s, and over time, a personal bond with this beautiful country has transformed into a mission to support its people through their darkest days.
In June 2022, I traveled to Ukraine to deliver tens of thousands of dollars worth of medical supplies to hospitals on the front lines. That trip was a turning point, as HelpingUkraine was born—a grassroots initiative that has grown into an impactful network of donors, volunteers, and partners. Working alongside organizations like Rotary Clubs, FODAC, ProgenaCare Global, Future Promise, and the Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia, we have distributed over $4 million worth of medical supplies, equipment, and aid to Ukrainian communities nationwide.
With the help of more than 700 supporters—individuals and organizations alike—we have raised over $1.2 million in donations. These funds directly support Ukrainian children, refugees, and civilians in urgent need.
Winter is now upon us, and the urgency of our new projects is more critical than ever. In cities like Kryvyi Rih, Kherson, and Sumi, where Russian attacks have decimated infrastructure, there is an urgent need for assistance. One of our key projects is the Mobile Hospital, a 20-foot container that operates as a fully-equipped field hospital. These units provide surgical care and essential medical services in the most remote and dangerous areas, where access to traditional facilities is limited or non-existent.
As a father of seven daughters and a grandfather to eleven grandchildren, the thought of losing a loved one in such a senseless conflict hits me especially hard. Recently, I was devastated to learn that one of our volunteers, Maksym, lost his wife, Olena, and their three children when a Russian missile hit a residential building in Kryvyi Rih. Maksym and Olena dedicated their lives to serving others—feeding the homeless, caring for refugees, and supporting orphaned children. As I prepare to spend time with my family this holiday season, I can’t help but think of Maksym and his loss, and the countless families who will not be together this winter.
The war in Ukraine is far from over. As temperatures plummet and hardships mount this winter, we can make a tangible difference. Whether funding mobile hospitals, providing warmth through diesel stoves, or ensuring children have a safe space to heal, your support is greatly needed. Through the kindness of an anonymous HelpingUkraine supporter, we are thrilled to be running a $50k matching fund from now until the end of the year. This is a wonderful opportunity to double the impact of every donation.
Let’s extend our blessings to those who have lost so much. Let’s remind the people of Ukraine that the world has not forgotten them. Together, we can show that even in the darkest times, humanity can shine brighter than any war. Go to HelpingUkraine.us to donate!
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Need to find ways to curb corporate rental housing
Editor, the Forum:
We already have a lot of laws, but there is need for more, especially to curb corporate ownership of rental housing.
Single family residences will become nearly extinct if corporate ownership deepens. These big corporations just don’t care. For one thing, their taxes are different than the average family, and in too many cases the property management is abysmal, if it takes place at all, rarely run by a professional.
How many homes could Musk buy for only ten of his 350+ $billion? That article should lead a muck raking campaign.
– Ashley Herndon, Oceanside, Calif
Presence of the press is critical in our country
Editor, the Forum:
Congratulations, Elliott, on your recent honor/recognition. You fill a gap for news and event recognition that may be the only source for a lot of us. The power of the press is often cited, but the “presence” of the press is critical to those of us that appreciate local news and perspective.
– John Moore, Duluth
Send us your thoughts: We encourage you to send us your letters and thoughts on issues raised in GwinnettForum. Please limit comments to 300 words, and include your hometown. The views of letters are the opinion of the contributor. We reserve the right to edit for clarity and length. Send feedback and letters to: ebrack2@gmail.com.
Lucky Shoals Assn. wins $20 million Change Grant
The Lucky Shoals Community Association (LSCA) – with partners Gwinnett Housing Corporation (GHC), Georgia Hispanic Construction Association (GHCA), and Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA) – have acquired a $19.95 million Community Change Grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
LSCA and partners will utilize the funding in unincorporated Norcross for greenspace preservation, development of a community resilience hub, and expansion of its existing programs around energy efficient buildings, indoor air quality, water, and the clean energy construction workforce. Unincorporated Norcross is both the most diverse and most under-resourced part of Gwinnett County, itself the second largest populated county in Georgia.
LSCA and its three partners have previously worked on a variety of initiatives, particularly through its Drawdown Georgia gran. This established their programs around healthy, energy efficient buildings and construction workforce training, and to engage all nearly 22,000 households in this area on their needs around housing, energy, and jobs.
Marvin Lim, LSCA, CEO and founder: “Together these agencies have been centered around promoting our community’s strengths to address the very energy, environmental, and economic challenges we live and work in, every day. In this county, we’ve got the highest housing and energy cost burdens, dilapidated properties and unhealthiest conditions, and an underappreciated economy. But we also have stunning cultural and linguistic richness, a robust construction workforce, and greenspace we should preserve. I’m grateful to the EPA for believing in our strengths, our potential, and the idea of community ownership over our own assets.”
Lejla Prljaca, GHC, Executive Director: “Over the past decade, the housing market has become increasingly corporatized, with Gwinnett County leading the state in the number of institutionally-owned homes. This grant will empower our community to reclaim control over its land, fostering sustainable resource management, promoting economic development, addressing housing affordability, and preserving cultural heritage. By curbing land speculation and ensuring long-term access to vital land assets, this initiative will ensure equitable opportunities and a resilient future.”
DAR lays wreaths at two cemeteries in Gwinnett
Participating in the ceremony was the Grayson High School U.S. Army JROTC Cadets, led by Senior Army Instructor and Colonel U.S. Army (retired) Al Fracker at Gwinnett Memorial Park. From left are Gustavo Martinez, Isabella Stewart, Ure Njoku-Obi, Colonel Al Fracker, Lena Lu, Gavin Martinez, Roman Frazier, and Benjamin Walkes. (Photo by Angela Fracker Photography.)
On Dec. 14, 2024, the Philadelphia Winn Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, held their sixth annual Wreaths Across America ceremony at East Shadowlawn Memorial Gardens and their first ceremony at Gwinnett Memorial Park. Both cemeteries are located in Lawrenceville. This is a nationwide ceremony at over 4,900 locations nationwide. There were 624 wreaths laid on veterans’ grave sites in Lawrenceville during the two ceremonies.
Participants included City of Lawrenceville Mayor David Still, compatriots from the Georgia State Society, Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) Color Guard and Militia, the Button Gwinnett Chapter SAR, children from the Elisha Winn Society, children of the American Revolution, Discovery High School JROTC Army cadets, and Grayson High School JROTC Army cadets.
Mayor David Still and the Lawrenceville City Council and staff were recognized by Philadelphia Winn Regent, Randi Minor for their tremendous support of Philadelphia Winn Chapter’s America 250 Patriot Grave Marker at Lawrenceville Lawn to bring attention to the 250th anniversary of our Nation’s independence on July 4, 2026.
Gulliver’s Travels, by Jonathan Swift
From Susan McBrayer, Sugar Hill: Giants, tiny people and those horrible Yahoos. Do these come to mind when you hear this title? If so, I urge you to forget the kid’s version and embrace the full, original book – a complex, sophisticated, savage satire about European explorers and conquerors. Gulliver’s Travels was written at the time when Europeans were traversing the globe making conquests, exploiting what they found and not properly understanding the importance of other cultures. Swift makes fun of these destructive efforts by satirizing religion, politics and, most of all, monarchy, in the hope of reforming his own country’s behavior. His creative imagination packs these stories with valuable life lessons. I recommend this book for those who are versed in the history of the times or don’t mind doing a little work to get the most out of it. Can we learn from Gulliver’s Travels or are we always going to remain Yahoos?
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Inman Park was Atlanta’s first planned suburb
Inman Park holds the distinction of being Atlanta’s first planned suburb as well as one of the city’s first in-town neighborhoods to undergo extensive restoration. The neighborhood typifies garden suburbs of the late 19th century and today includes about 300 homes.
In the late 1880s Joel Hurt, an influential Atlanta real-estate developer and a trained civil engineer, envisioned for wealthy Atlantans a rural oasis connected to the city by electric streetcar. He organized the East Atlanta Land Company to acquire and develop more than 130 acres east of the city on land that had been the site of intense combat during the Battle of Atlanta. Hurt named the new suburb for his friend and business associate, Samuel Inman. James Forsyth Johnson was hired as landscape designer for Inman Park. Johnson admired the work of Frederick Law Olmsted and held similar ideas about landscape and suburban development, including a preference for curvilinear street designs and liberal usage of open spaces.
Inman Park lot sales stagnated by the turn of the century due to economic factors, including the development of other neighborhoods farther from the city, such as Druid Hills and Ansley Park. Large lots and green spaces were divided into smaller, more affordable plats of land. Meanwhile, zoning restrictions lapsed in 1910. The first commercial developments and the first apartment building were constructed the same year.
A citywide rezoning ordinance in 1954 allowed absentee landlords to partition large stately homes into low-rent boardinghouses. A few houses were torn down and replaced with apartment complexes. Inman Park became beset by crime, poverty, and apathy.
This decay was at its nadir in 1969, when Robert Griggs, an Atlanta designer, decided to buy and restore an ornate but dilapidated Victorian house on Euclid Avenue. A slow stream of energetic homebuyers, dubbed “urban pioneers,” followed. These were mainly young professionals attracted by the potential of reclaiming beautiful homes in close proximity to downtown from years of neglect.
The pioneers also showed vigor for community activism. In 1970 Inman Park Restoration Incorporated (IPR) was established. Within two years IPR managed to change the area’s zoning designation to low-density residential, while dozens of houses were reportedly in the process of being restored. In 1973 Inman Park was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
IPR also faced an extended battle with the Georgia Department of Transportation over a proposed elevated highway that would have cut through Inman Park and other in-town Atlanta neighborhoods. The highway plan was eventually defeated when an environmental impact study persuaded the U.S. Department of Transportation to withdraw federal funding.
Bounded to the east by Little Five Points, Atlanta’s eclectic shopping and entertainment district, Inman Park celebrates its past every April with its Inman Park Festival and Tour of Homes. The festival is highlighted by an arts-and-crafts show as well as a parade featuring the Seed and Feed Marching Abominable Band.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia article online, go to https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
Nothing modern about looks of this structure
Nothing modern about the looks of this structure. Now it’s up to you to figure out where this is located, and tell us about it. Send your answers to ebrack2@gmail.com and include your hometown.
The last mystery photo came from Rick Krause of Lilburn, which was identified by Allan Peel of San Antonio, Tex., who said: “This is the remains of Fort Pickens, a historic pentagonal-shaped military fort located on Santa Rosa Island in Pensacola, Fla., just east of the Alabama border. Following the War of 1812, the U.S. began building a series of stone forts that had four-foot-thick, 20-foot-tall stone walls that could block foreign invaders. Construction on Fort Pickens began in 1829 and was completed in 1834. It was the largest of four forts built along Pensacola Bay and Santa Rosa Sound, all of which were built to protect the city and navy base that was located on the island.
“The fort is most famous for being the site of the Battle of Santa Rosa Island, an unsuccessful attempt by the Confederacy to overtake the harbor of Pensacola from the Union in 1861. At the time, the fort was the site of the heaviest artillery barrage in the history of the world. The fort remained in operation until 1947 after having been used to defend the coast against potential foreign threats during World War II.”
Also recognizing it were Stewart Ogilvie, Rehobeth, Ala.; George Graf, Palmyra, Va.; Lou Camerio, Lilburn; and Jay Altman, Columbia, S.C.
- SHARE A MYSTERY PHOTO: If you have a photo that you believe will stump readers, send it along (but make sure to tell us what it is because it may stump us too!) Send to: ebrack2@gmail.com and mark it as a photo submission. Thanks.
Salvation Army to distribute Angel Tree gifts
Gwinnett Salvation Army Angel Tree Christmas gifts await distribution to 510 families, including 1,266 children, and 96 seniors. Each of these bags represents gifts from local businesses, individuals, churches and civic club members.
A Christmas Carol at Christ Episcopal Church on Dec. 21
Juried Art Show: The 14th Annual Hudgens Center Juried Members Show features the top artwork created by Hudgens members this year. Come enjoy the various media, including paintings, photos, and ceramics. Open now through January 25, 2025. Admission is free.
Lionheart Theatre of Norcross will present Game’s Afoot, or Homes for the holidays, on December-22 on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and on Sundays at 2 p.m. There will also be a Saturday matinee on December 21 at 2 p.m. This is to be directed by Darci Rose Wells. Tickets available by calling 404-919-4022.
The Nutcracker will be the Gwinnett Ballet Theatre’s 42nd annual production continues on December 20-22 at the Gas South Theatre in Duluth. Be captivated as Drosselmeyer’s magic ushers in an army of mice at the stroke of midnight and the Christmas tree and Clara’s beloved nutcracker spring to life. Travel with Clara and her Nutcracker prince as they set out on a wonder- filled journey to battle the Mouse King and travel through the Land of the Snowflakes and Kingdom of the Sweets to meet the Sugar Plum Fairy. For tickets, visit this link.
The Christ Episcopal Church Players of Norcross will present the Christmas Classic A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens on Saturday, December 21 at 3 p.m. at the church. A light reception will follow in Webster Hall.
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