Turning ‘What if…?’ into ‘What will be!’

The Suwanee Gateway is poised for an attitude adjustment. A transformative revitalization of Suwanee’s commercial district along I-85 has already begun, remaking the Suwanee Gateway into what will be a vibrant mixed-use commercial center and distinctive entryway into the City of Suwanee.

The Suwanee Gateway, the area surrounding Exit 111 off the I-85 interstate, was the first area in Suwanee to be commercially developed.  In the middle of everywhere with 13.9 million square feet of predominantly industrial space, more than 642,000 square feet of office space, about 800,000 square feet of retail space and nine hotels with a total of 761 rooms, the Suwanee Gateway has a lot going for it.

Frankly, the area hasn’t been living up to its potential lately.  But all that is about to change…in a big way.

Where excellence is an attitude

The City of Suwanee, ranked by Money magazine as the 10th best small community in which to live in 2007, is set to invest millions of dollars in the area. The funds, to be obtained through creation of a tax allocation district, will ignite additional private investment and growth. And soon the Suwanee Gateway will be transformed into a distinctive, exciting commercial area that will be a destination visitors will enjoy and residents will be proud of.

Suwanee’s Gateway redevelopment plan calls for:

• improvement of the transportation infrastructure
• strategic streetscape improvements that better accommodate pedestrians
• new office and commercial sites to attract additional private investment
• infrastructure improvements for enhanced safety and appeal
• bold, new development as a catalyst for complementary development
• cooperative branding and marketing
• elimination of eyesores and obsolete structures and facilities

The transformation has already begun. Opus South Corporation has begun development on the east side of I-85 of a large mixed-use village called Terraces at Suwanee Gateway. Plans for the 148-acre site include 350,000 square feet of retail/restaurant uses, 580,000 square feet of office space, a full-service hotel, and 700 residential units. The first buildings are expected to be completed by the end of 2008.

Suwanee Gateway – it’s a place where you’re going to want to be.

For additional information regarding investment opportunities, contact Denise Brinson at the City of Suwanee, denise@suwanee.com or 770/945-8996.

Suwanee Gateway Business of the Month

The Suwanee Gateway Business of the Month is an ongoing recognition program for businesses in the Suwanee Gateway area, roughly a 4 square mile area around Exit 111 off I-85 that extends from Satellite Boulevard to Crestridge Drive. Businesses may be recognized for a variety of reasons, from implementing a unique promotional idea to undertaking charitable efforts, from providing exemplary customer service to going green. To nominate a business, contact Toni Shrewsbury.

Businesses that have been recognized are:

Premier Immediate Care – July 2009
CCOEX Forum – June 2009
Guard Your Dogs Safety Shoes – May 2009
Cartridge World Suwanee – April 2009
Best Western Gwinnett Inn – March 2009
RBC Bank – February 2009

Gateway PACT Program

Suwanee police officers and Gateway businesses have teamed up to bring the PACT program (Police and Citizens Together), which is so successful in Suwanee neighborhoods, to the Suwanee Gateway commercial area. The program offers an opportunity for businesses to build relationships with one another as well as with police officers and other City officials.

Meetings are held every other month and are hosted by local Gateway businesses.  Suwanee Police officers and detectives are on hand to share information, alerts, and  crime prevention tips. These informative meetings usually last no longer than 45 minutes.

Business can become PACT-certified by attending at least three meetings each year. PACT-certified businesses receive a window cling that identifies them as a PACT participant.

The next Gateway PACT meeting: 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 9, at the CCOEX Forum Building, 2855 Rolling Pin Lane.