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Roswell outlines Hill Street plan, TAD and development tools as quarter‑two economic priorities
Summary
City economic development staff reported progress on Hill Street land exchange, the Roswell Development Finance Program and the tax allocation district, and listed several active projects including negotiations with the United Soccer League and site work at Hill Street.
City economic development staff presented a midyear update July 29 highlighting progress on the Hill Street redevelopment, development finance tools and multiple active and prospective projects.
Senior Vice President Jeff Leatherman said the city is pursuing a coordinated long‑range strategy to shape commercial growth, diversify the tax base and protect neighborhoods. "We are not on an island," Leatherman said, noting regional development pressures and the need to align a comprehensive plan, infrastructure and financial tools.
Key tools and actions: Leatherman listed the Roswell Development Authority (activated recently), the Tax Allocation District (TAD), the Roswell Public Financing Authority and a Roswell development finance program as building blocks for targeted investment. He said the Roswell development finance program received a first reading at the council meeting the night before and will return for second reading; policies governing TAD implementation and negotiations with Fulton County and the school board remain in progress.
Hill Street and projects: Leatherman said the Hill Street land exchange agreement was executed in April and that the townhome builder RFP and the construction manager‑at‑risk RFP issued in June were awarded the prior week. He said the Downtown Development Authority has responsibility for the parking deck and townhome pads in the Hill Street transaction and that the project is on schedule with key milestones through the fall.
Other active projects named by staff include ongoing site discussions with the United Soccer League, Mansell Overlook redevelopment, West Gateway (formerly West Alley) revisions, the Chambray Hotel (capital challenges under review), Riverwalk Mixed Medical, PBS Aerospace relocation interest, and a public safety center acquisition. Leatherman described an origination‑to‑deal‑structure discipline the city is strengthening so only projects with viable capital stacks move into expensive city review processes.
Next steps: staff said it will finalize policies for the development finance program and TAD operations, continue negotiations with county and school authorities where necessary, and return with quarterly progress reports that will include financial projections and project tracking. Leatherman said several SEER‑contract scopes related to consultancy on real‑estate negotiations, financial analysis and branding are active and expected to complete in the coming quarter.
