Snellville project update: Crooked Can, Parkside and The Grove progress; Bristol Park groundbreaking set for May

City staff used the April 14 work session to update the mayor and council on a series of downtown projects and support programs, including construction progress at multiple developments, event and rental policy questions, and a planned Bristol Park community center groundbreaking.

Project status highlights: Staff reported exterior work is ongoing at Crooked Can and Parkside and that Crooked Can is nearing final clean-up and vendor recruitment; staff said at least three leases are signed and more are expected. Sidewalk, curb and gutter work in the downtown development were described as substantially complete and positively affecting pedestrian activity.

The Grove and second-floor venue: Staff said The Grove is beginning to draw interest for outdoor events and that the city is not yet prepared to approve open festivals there; staff plans to develop internal policies that will guide rental and event decisions once the downtown development manager is on board. The council discussed a proposed second-floor event venue in the Market Building. Staff presented buildout estimates (roughly $1 million plus contingency in preliminary pricing discussed in the session) and recommended delaying a full city-funded fit-out until a tenant or operator is secured to reduce financial risk. Council agreed to revisit the buildout question in two to three months.

Bristol Park and funding: Staff said a Bristol Park groundbreaking is scheduled for May 1 at 4:30 p.m. and noted that the county has awarded the city nearly $1 million through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program for the project.

Traffic and construction: North Road improvement work was described as likely to be disruptive during construction but beneficial when complete; staff said a planned 600-foot dedicated left-turn lane will significantly increase throughput at a problematic intersection and that the city intends to keep North Road open as much as possible while using temporary detours where necessary. Staff also described tree clearing, utility locating and forthcoming demolition activity in the Wisteria/North corridor and cautioned nearby residents about expected noise.

Operations and parking: Staff reported ongoing discussions about parking agreements tied to the Medical Office building and said they will verify a joint parking arrangement with the Northside facility. Staff also described work on downtown cameras, mirrors and a plan to use more permanent anchors for signage to reduce repeated damage. Staff noted recycling program registration and upcoming summer programming as related city activities.

Ending: Staff recommended a cautious approach: continue construction work, develop event/rental policy with the incoming downtown manager, confirm parking agreements with partners and delay high-cost buildouts until private operators are secured.