By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
MARCH 16, 2021 | The City of Lawrenceville may be on the verge of defaming a facility of which they should be most proud.
This county seat government has before it what is described as a “feeler proposal” to develop a sliver of land next to the now-just-about-completed Cultural Arts Center at the intersection of Clayton and Crogan Streets. A sign on the property indicates both businesses and condos are being considered, with the location potentially to be called “The Winn, East Crogan Street Lofts.” The property measures 70 x 300 feet.
Horrors!
Should this prime bit of real estate be developed for businesses below and condos above, or for anything else, it would essentially block off the view of part of the imposing Cultural Arts Center, whose main tenant is the Aurora Theatre. Not only that, but does Lawrenceville need buildings erected up tight against one another, as in New York or Chicago? Aren’t we better than that in the less jammed-up land of a Southern suburban area?
Another question: with the large inventory of new apartments just a block away, how many more multi-person buildings does Lawrenceville need? Are they not a bit overstocked now?
Not only that, but the City of Lawrenceville is one of the financially strong cities in the county, with low taxes and relatively lucrative enterprise activities in electrical and gas sales. It isn’t hurting on tax revenues. This downtown proposal smacks of the City of Lawrenceville being just a tad bit greedy, trying to wrest every cent out of ad valorem tax on this land. Meanwhile, the City is disregarding the esthetics in the center of the downtown area, right across the street from the magnificent Historic Courthouse.
When the City of Lawrenceville appropriated $34 million for this new Cultural Arts Center, that was a far-reaching and impressive move. Along with the previous funding of $11 million for the Aurora Theater, this new structure opening this summer will attract people to the downtown area immediately and continuously. The City is to be commended for encouraging this theatre to be funded and anchor its downtown Lawrenceville.
The Center will bring many people to town in a happy state for attending diverse performances. Few other Gwinnett cities have such a central-point jewel as is the Cultural Arts Center and its Aurora Theatre. However, to allow developers to erect lesser structures on this adjacent site is essentially to deface the corner, and virtually hide the Center with a far lesser building.
Instead of developing this land, it would be much better for the City to leave this small plot of land alone. Beautify it as a restful pocket park, with nothing much more than a grassed lawn, perhaps with paths, small shade trees, and benches. This way, the Cultural Art Center would stand alone in this block in its glory, and enhance the surrounding area in its impressiveness.
The City would best serve its residents by not allowing development of every remaining single square foot of this block.
C’mon, Lawrenceville, don’t virtually cover up what is one of your gems. Let the Cultural Arts Center shine on all sides of downtown Lawrenceville.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
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