It’s official! Residents in Northwest Georgia are celebrating over the announcement yesterday that Home Depot will NOT be pursuing a store in the Howell Mill Road area. There are enough Home Depot stores in Atlanta to slow down General Sherman — so one more will definitely not be missed. We told you about this battle just about a month ago (see March 2, 2001 newsflash below). Opposition to a Home Depot at the former Castelgate Hotel site aroused strong opposition from a group calling itself the Northwest Community Alliance. But yesterday, the Depot announced that “the costs were just too much for us to go forward,” and the 114,000 s.f. plan is dead. Part of a two story complex, the Home Depot store drew immediate fire from northwest Atlanta residents last July when it was first announced. According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the Northwest Community Alliance is pushing for the developer to come up with plans for the site that go outside of the “box”, and are willing to work for development that is compatible with the community. That does not include a Home Depot box store. Score victory # 150 for community activists over big box retailers.
For local contacts with the Northwest Community Alliance, contact [email protected]