New Library -- and Much More -- on the Drawing Board for Alpharetta, Georgia

Alpharetta unveils new city center proposal. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 5/24/2011)

Excerpt: Alpharetta will ask residents to pay $29 million over the next 30 years for a massive downtown overhaul that includes a new City Hall and library on 22 acres.

The city center project, unveiled Monday night before a gathering of about 30 residents, also calls for a large park, a parking deck and green space for possible future development. Tentative plans call for a November bond referendum.

The concept drawings dazzled resident David Paul, who lives a block from Main Street. "We're living in a townhouse in Victory Square, and I'd like to see a walkable downtown with restaurants and shops," he said. "I think this will spark that development."

Another resident, Mark Hamlin, took a close look at the architect's drawings. "I'm generally excited to see this moving forward," he said.

Mayor Arthur Letchas said the project was the culmination of years of work acquiring land and waiting for all the pieces to fall into place.