The Roswell Downtown Development Authority votes Thursday on a bond resolution and intergovernmental contract tied to the former Independence High School's redevelopment.
The DDA's regular meeting begins at 3 p.m. Oct. 8 in City Hall Room 220 at 38 Hill St., according to the posted agenda. The Independence High School items and a Hillrose Market construction update are listed under economic development.
The 5.4-acre former school campus at 791 Mimosa Blvd. has been moving toward redevelopment for months. The city holds a right of first refusal to buy the property from Fulton County for $9 million. On Sept. 14, the Roswell City Council voted 4-3 to amend that agreement, extending the inspection period and setting a closing date of Dec. 15, according to a city meeting recap. Mayor Mary Robichaux cast the deciding vote.
The city and DDA issued a request for proposals seeking a private development partner for the site, as first reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Sept. 28. Proposals are due Nov. 15, with preliminary developer selection expected in early January.
"We are seeking a development partner who understands both the significance of this site and its potential," DDA Chairman Trent McClure said in a September news release quoted by the AJC.
The DDA has been spending on the project since at least June. At its July 7 meeting, the authority approved a broker for the Independence High School project and authorized up to $50,000 in due diligence spending, according to DDA meeting minutes. Will Colley abstained from the broker vote.
The specific terms of Thursday's bond resolution and intergovernmental contract have not been made public. The agenda does not specify the bond amount, structure or contract counterparty. Whether the bond relates to the $9 million property purchase or to future development financing remains unclear.
The DDA will also receive a construction update on Hillrose Market, the 7-acre mixed-use development on Hill Street across from City Hall. Atlantic Companies broke ground in March after closing on financing through SouthState Bank and a DDA revenue bond, Urbanize Atlanta reported. The developer's timeline calls for delivery in the second half of 2027.
The project includes 16 townhomes, 143 rental apartments, 75,000 square feet of retail space and an adaptive reuse of the former Roswell Police Department building. An economic analysis projected 273 permanent jobs and $55.6 million in added tax digest, according to city records.
Thursday's agenda also lists a Fulton County Board of Commissioners resolution as an informational item and a new-business item on website design spending. The DDA may also enter executive session.
Meeting agendas and minutes are posted at roswelldda.com.
