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Gwinnett County leaders joined officials from the city of Snellville and the Gwinnett County Public Library to break ground on a new library and educational space in downtown Snellville.

Once complete, the new Elizabeth Williams Branch of the Gwinnett County Public Library will replace the existing branch on Lenora Church Road.

The two-story building will house the library on the first floor while the second floor will be operated by the city for educational uses.

Gwinnett County and the city of Snellville are jointly funding the $10.2 million project using 2017 SPLOST program dollars.

Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Nicole Hendrickson acknowledged the importance of SPLOST funding in allowing the County to keep up with the demands of our growing population.

“This building will serve as a hub for knowledge, culture, literacy and business, all in the heart of the city of Snellville,” said Hendrickson. “Because of SPLOST, we’re able to reinvest in our community and provide high-quality facilities that will become centers for learning and innovation in the future.”

District 3 Commissioner Jasper Watkins celebrated the collaboration with the city of Snellville that made the facility possible. 

“This new facility is a great example of what can be achieved when local governments collaborate for the benefit of our residents,” said Watkins. “Downtown Snellville is undergoing transformative growth, and the new library will fit right in with a convenient location and state-of-the-art space that will entice patrons to experience the library’s world-class resources.”

Snellville Mayor Barbara Bender expressed her excitement about the facility’s contributions to Snellville’s Towne Center.

“I would like to express our heartfelt thank you to the Library Board of Trustees and our Gwinnett County Commissioners for their willingness to relocate the Snellville library branch to be an integral part of the activity here in the Towne Center,” said Bender. “This library and business center will give people of all ages a reason to come to The Grove and participate in civic life together and add to the history of our community in a modern way.”

Gwinnett County Public Library Board of Trustees Secretary JT Wu also shared his excitement about sharing the new library’s resources with residents.

"Designed as a best-in-class innovative hub with the latest in resources and creative technologies, this new branch symbolizes the best that Gwinnett County has to offer — an inclusive and top-tier educational resource that caters to the unique needs of our growing and diverse population,” said Wu. “All of us here at the library are thankful to be partnering with so many forward-looking leaders at the County, the city of Snellville, the Library Foundation and more who recognize that investing in education, doubling down on progress and fully supporting our staff and our cities is the pathway to building an even greater Gwinnett."

SNELLVILLE – The results of a survey designed to gauge the improvements residents want to see at T.W. Briscoe Park are in and are helping shape the future of the park for decades to come.  

A recreation center, upgraded basketball courts, new pickleball courts and improved walking trails topped a residents’ wish list for the park at 2500 Sawyer Parkway. More than 250 survey results were compiled over a period of months by Atlanta-based architectural firm Goodwyn Mills Carwood. Those results will be reflected in Phase III of the park’s master plan.  

“The Briscoe Park Master Plan has been discussed, designed, re-designed and ‘in the works’ for well over two decades,” said Parks and Recreation Director Lisa A Platt, CPRP. “Improvements are long overdue and the Snellville Parks and Recreation Department is very excited at the prospect of a new community building that will allow us to provide new youth and adult programming, room rentals, and new events to our community. With the survey results in, and hopefully the Mayor and Council’s approval to move forward, the Briscoe Park Master Plan will provide the next major addition of a Community Building that will bring all our citizens and visitors together as one.” 

The results of the survey helped shape a new design of half of the park revealed to Mayor and Council on Monday. The revamped design features new walking trail entrances, more trails, the relocation of the park’s maintenance garage to a less visible area and, the biggest upgrade, a new community building. The building could offer a wide variety of options including an indoor walking track, event space and indoor sports courts. 

Phase I of the plan was began in 2008 and the city has slowly continued implementing the master plan in phases. Phase II saw the addition of softball fields, a new playground and restroom facilities.  

WHAT: City of Snellville Parks & Recreation presents MLK Day of Service Event

WHEN: Monday, January 17 - 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

WHERE: Briscoe Park, 2500 Sawyer Parkway

To honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his vision of giving back to the community, SPRD will be hosting a ‘Community Work Day’ at Briscoe Park. There will be various park beautification projects to enable all ages and levels of ability to give back and help support Briscoe Park.  Projects could include, painting, bush trimming, laying down mulch, trash pick-up, etc. There will be a task available for everyone.

Pre-registration is required by Monday January 10.  To sign-up please call the Briscoe Park Office at 770-985-3535 or email your contact info (name, contact number, email, number of people and ages in your group) to stuten@snellville.org

Mayor and Council approved a bid for a stormwater project which will eventually add more than $50 million to the city’s tax digest, Monday.

The Dickerson Group Inc. was the low bidder at $125,100 for drainage improvements at South Crestview Drive near Summit Chase Drive to be paid from the city’s stormwater fees. The drainage project will serve the Gladstone Landing on Highway 78, an age-restricted housing development, and a proposed housing development that will include age-restricted rental townhomes and assisted living units

Under an agreement, the developer of the proposed project will pay a portion of the $125,100. Both Gladstone Landing and the proposed project will add millions to the city’s tax digest, city officials said.

In other council news, Mayor and Council unanimously approved a measure which will place another 12-month moratorium on motorized rental scooter businesses operating in the city. There had been a moratorium placed on such scooters previously, but that had expired in August.

The council will meet for a special called session at 4:30 p.m. Monday for the second reading and adoption of an updated speed zone ordinance.

Mayor and Council approved a $36,000 payment to Positively Pools to replace the Briscoe Park Pool Filter System. City Manager Butch Sanders said the current system is old and difficult to find parts for repairs.

Snellville, G.A. — City of Snellville and Gwinnett County officials, as well as members of Winter Construction, along with The Grove co-developers CASTO and MidCity, gathered on December 2, 2021 for a topping out ceremony for The Grove at Towne Center's parking garage. Vertical construction is now complete on the five-level parking deck which houses 750 parking spaces to be used Grove for all of the site’s offerings including over 50,000 square feet of retail, restaurant, office and entertainment space, as well as approximately 250 multi-family luxury apartments and the two-story Elizabeth Williams library. The Grove’s luxury residential apartments will surround the deck on three sides and feature an ornamental glass stair case on the east side that will provide beautiful views of the Elizabeth Williams library as well as the mercantile retail space and Grove Town Green.

“We are continually amazed at the transformation of Snellville’s skyline as construction at The Grove at Towne Center continues,” said Snellville Mayor Barbara Bender. “We are proud of the quality work construction crews have completed at the 750-space parking deck and are looking forward to seeing their work continue as The Grove nears its late 2022 opening date.” 

The Grove at Towne Center is a large scale, mixed-use town center property, comprising 18 acres between Oak Road, Wisteria Drive, North Road and Clower Street, in downtown Snellville. The Grove at Towne Center’s first phase is expected for completion in late 2022 and is envisioned to be a place, where community and commerce meet. 

For more information and updates on the Grove at Towne Center project visit www.snellville.org/the-towne-center-snellville. 

ABOUT CASTO

CASTO, a fully integrated real estate organization since 1926, is a recognized leader in the ownership, management, acquisition and development of multifamily residences, mix-use properties, commercial shopping centers and office buildings. CASTO’s growing portfolio currently includes more than 26 million square feet of commercial property and more than 5,000 residential units located throughout the midwestern and southeastern United States. CASTO is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, and serves a variety of clients from five offices in Florida, North Carolina, and Ohio. To learn more about CASTO, visit www.castoinfo.com.  

ABOUT MidCity Real Estate Partners

Founded in 2009, Atlanta based MidCity Real Estate Partners acquires, repositions, and develops office, retail, and mixed-use properties. MidCity is known in the Atlanta market for several corporate headquarters and master developer of Alpharetta City Center, a public-private town center and award winner of ULI’s Excellence of Town Center Development, ULI’s People’s Choice of Public Realm and Atlanta Regional Commissions Development of Excellence. Through MidCity Realty Corporation, an affiliate real estate brokerage company, MidCity offers a full range of advisory services. MidCity is the successor company to The Griffin Company, a 35-year-old full service commercial real estate development and construction company headquartered in Atlanta, GA. To learn more about MidCity, visit www.midcitypartners.com.

ABOUT SNELLVILLE

Snellville’s convenient Gwinnett County location, approximately 18 miles east of Atlanta and 45 miles west  of Athens, has allowed it to prosper as a hub of commerce and retail in Northeast Georgia. Snellville's roots extend to 19th century London when two friends traveled to America and later started Snellville’s rich history of commerce with stores of their own.Snellville is home to the award-winning Snellville Farmers’ Market, a world class Veterans Memorial and one of the most decorated police departments in the state. Snellville is known for its dedicated volunteers and its celebrated diversity.

Media Contact: Cheyenne O’Connell/Intrepid Marketing Group, 516-410-9503, cheyenne@intrepidmg.com

Mayor Barbara Bender has issued the following statement regarding safety ahead of Saturday's Snellville's Lighted Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting.

Like you, I am praying for the families of the victims of the tragedy at the Waukesha Christmas Parade in Wisconsin. To minimize the chance for any disturbance for our Christmas parade, we are implementing some safety measures. For instance, the parade route will be shorter this year. It will start at Wisteria Village, move to Clower Street, then turn onto Oak Road, and terminate in the parking lot at city hall. In addition, our officers will be out of the cars and more closely observing traffic flow and vehicles. We are looking forward to seeing all of you this weekend. If you have any questions, please contact Butch Sanders at 770-985-3500.

A new commercial development at the city’s north end got the nod by Mayor and Council Monday.

The development – dubbed Scenic Pointe – is an 8.93-acre triangle-shaped tract of land owned by the Lillian Margene Moulder Trust and will feature seven outparcel buildings. Located at 1498 Scenic Highway, the development will come to a point at the intersection of North Road and Scenic Highway just south of Webb Gin Road.

Developers said they are in talks with restaurants such as Miller’s Ale House, Whataburger and City Barbecue.

In order to make way for the development, council needed to approve annexation of the land into the city, an amendment to the city’s 2040 Comprehensive Land Use Map, a rezone of the land and variances from the Unified Development ordinance, among other stipulations.

There will be a pocket park located at the north end of the project complete with signature city signage, offering a gateway to the city’s new border.

SNELLVILLE - Two Snellville officers are credited with saving the lives of two citizens in less than a week during separate drug overdose-related calls last month.

For their heroic actions, officers Aaron Devries and Alexander Thorpe were given proclamations by Mayor and Council Monday.

“I am very proud of the efforts made by officers Devries and Thorpe,” Chief Greg Perry said. “Saving two lives in a five-day period is an amazing accomplishment. Their actions further personify our officers’ desire to render aid to all those in need.”

On Oct. 5, the officers were working the night shift when they received a call of a person down at a residence off Park Lane. Devries and Thorpe quickly responded to the emergency call for service, arriving on scene and locating the person inside the home.

Devries checked vital signs on the victim and determined that he was not breathing and there was no pulse. Devries immediately called for an ambulance and began CPR on the victim. While this was taking place, Thorpe used his department-issued Naloxone – a remedy used to revive drug-overdose victims – to the unconscious male. Devries continued chest compressions until the victim began to breathe on his own.

Five days later on Oct. 10, the officers were again working the night shift when another call of a person down came into dispatch, this time off Pine Road.

As in the previous case, the officers arrived on scene and located the person down inside the home. The victim was not breathing and there was no pulse. Again, Devries immediately began CPR on the victim while Thorpe administered Naloxone. Devries continued chest compressions until Gwinnett County EMS arrived. The officers helped the ambulance crew to remove the victim from a bedroom when the victim began to breathe on his own and was able to be transported to the hospital for treatment.

”If it had it not been for the quick and professional actions by Devries and Thorpe, it is likely that the victim (s) would have died,” the proclamation reads.

The officers received a standing ovation by those in attendance and Mayor and Council for their heroic actions.

Intent of Request for Qualifications

The Downtown Development Authority of Snellville, GA (Owner) is seeking qualifications from a professional property maintenance company or individual with experience in property maintenance, building construction, and construction administration/supervision and who has a working knowledge of electrical, plumbing and general building maintenance.

Please visit the Bid Page for more information.

SNELLVILLE - Incumbent Councilman Tod Warner held off a challenge from Catherine Hardrick to retain the seat he has held since 2019.

Warner defeated Hardrick 886 to 685.

Cristy Lenski and Gretchen Schulz both won re-election to their council posts, as neither incumbent faced a challenge. Schulz received 1,263 votes while Lenski notched 1,260.

There were no other votes on the 2021 Snellville Municipal Election Ballot.

www.snellville.org/elections