The Athens-Clarke County Commission voted Jan. 6 to approve a development agreement for private redevelopment around 295 East Doherty Street, a project proponents say will preserve historic structures and commit millions to affordable housing and local economic development.

Commissioner Link moved the agreement forward, describing months of staff and committee work and saying the project will yield about $8 million for the county’s housing trust and recurring contributions to the East Downtown TAD. Proponents said the developer would save the historic Foundry building and offer reduced rents or incubator space to local minority nonprofits, and that Core Spaces committed to contractor outreach focused on minority-owned firms.

Opponents, who ultimately numbered four commissioners in the no column, raised concerns about the land-swap mechanism, the large amount of student housing proposed (speakers and commissioners repeatedly cited figures such as 1,400 units or bedrooms), parking adequacy and the potential for displacement of residents at nearby Bethel Homes. Commissioner Myers and others said the land swap may not be the best long-term use of county property and questioned whether the public benefits offset the scale of private development.

Commissioner Thornton and other supporters highlighted minority subcontractor outreach sessions, the prospect of repurposing historic buildings for nonprofit use and the housing-fund contribution. The assembled public comments included both strong support from chambers, local minority contractors and neighborhood advocates and critical questions about transparency and process.

The recorded roll-call vote was 6–4 to approve the agreement. Commissioners asked staff to place follow-up items on the Jan. 23 budget/retreat agenda to examine the housing trust fund and program design so funds are deployed effectively.

Quotable: "This project saves the foundry building," Commissioner Link said. Commissioner Myers said he was not opposed to student housing per se but objected to seeding downtown with large quantities of it and worried about long-term displacement.

Next steps: The agreement enables the developer and staff to proceed with agreed elements of the project; specific permit approvals, technical infrastructure work, and land-swap administrative actions will follow, and staff will report back on affordable housing funding strategy.