Redevelopment of Salem Gate, GA – Not much may be visible to the public, but there is plenty of activity behind the scenes in preparation for the redevelopment of Salem Gate shopping center. It’s been about 10 months since the three taxing jurisdictions in Rockdale County – the city of Conyers, Rockdale County and Rockdale County Board of Education – entered into an intergovernmental agreement to freeze the ad valorem taxes on the real property at the Salem Gate Shopping Center site at the current rate for 20 years while the property undergoes major redevelopment. Specifically, the ad valorem taxes collected from the Tax Allocation District No. 2-Salem Gate would remain at the current base amount for all three local governments. Any redevelopment over the next 20 years, any increase in the property value would be set aside in a TAD Special Fund for infrastructure costs incurred by the developer. But since the intergovernmental agreements were signed at the end of September, very little activity has taken place at the site of arguably the county’s biggest eyesore.
David Spann, chief operating officer for the city of Conyers, said last week that the primary focus has been hammering out the details of an intergovernmental agreement between Rockdale County, the city of Conyers and Illinois-based Triland Properties, the owner of Salem Gate. Spann explained that while the shopping center and Iris Drive are situated within the city limits, upgrades to Salem Gate Road and the utilities are the responsibility of the county. Any redevelopment of outparcels adjacent to Salem Gate and fronting Ga. Highway 138 are also within the county’s jurisdiction.
Furthermore, Spann said, the developers’ redevelopment plans for the layout have changed. “They are working on trying to land a hotel and that has changed some things, such as reconfiguring entries into the development and internal roadways,” he said. Spann said he believes the MOU will be agreed upon soon. In fact, he said, he, representatives with Triland and Marvin Flanigan, the city’s director of planning and development, are slated to meet in the next couple of weeks to review development plans.
