A bus service to Doraville station.  A mini-grocery store downtown. Filling up empty shops and warehouses.

All of these ideas were in the air last night at a community input meeting for the Norcross Town Center Downtown Plan, an update to the earlier Livable Centers Initiative study that seeks to lay out the vision for the future of downtown for the next 20 years.

The Town Center area encompasses more than just the shop fronts—it is bordered by Buford Highway to the south, Langford Road to the east, various residential streets to the north and runs all the way to Jimmy Carter Boulevard.  

Joel Reed of Pond, the consulting firm selected to conduct the study, first laid out the groundwork.  A group of 18 key community stakeholders has already been meeting to get the process going. This meeting is the first of several community input sessions and the City Council will also be involved in the process, which is expected to wrap up by June.

The crowd of about 50 was not shy. Transportation was the first topic that got the crowd talking. “People in Atlanta don’t like to use mass transit,” said Gordon Tomlinson, a resident and downtown business owner.  “We have to focus on getting people to use it.” The crowd jeered a little when asked if they take the bus to the Doraville station, with many saying that the bus is inconvenient because it doesn’t come often enough and doesn’t run late.

Randy Meacham said that he thinks people in Atlanta have just dismissed public transportation—and riding the bus doesn’t have the same allure. “It’s not sexy to ride the bus,” he said, to widespread laughter. 

What do city residents want to preserve? The feeling of identity and uniqueness of downtown Norcross was expressed by many in a positive light. “There’s a sense of identity,” said Jennifer Rogers-Kunda, who lives just outside the study area. “You feel like you are a part of something.”

Dennis Wilson agreed saying that Norcross is unique because there’s a residential core around downtown, allowing people to get to know each other and feel a sense of identity.

Residents and business owners also sang the praises of the police department. “I feel ridiculously safe here,” said Danielle Hartley. “I see cop cars all the time.”

What do the residents want more of then? “You can’t go anywhere to get a gallon of milk or a newspaper,” said Connie Weathers, who suggested a corner store and small grocery that people can walk to, which many others agreed with.

Residents also expressed interest in converting the existing industrial spaces to give them a new use—maybe an artist colony or an indoor market?

Parking downtown also got the crowd going. “Nobody’s going to come into the area if they see downtown between 10 and 2,” said Al Karnitz, a local business owner and resident. “Parking is awful.”  Councilmember Charlie Riehm said the city invested in a parking study, which said there was enough parking downtown—but he has yet to get a straight answer on the subject. 

How can you give your two-cents? Take the online survey for the Town Center Plan before Feb. 3.