investment

State Farm is helping plant the way to better business!

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statefarmgift Dorcelin Bazil, State Farm Insurance Agent, gave Greater Hidden Hills Community Development Corporation the first installment of a $3,000 grant for the beautification efforts. Board Member Nadine Rivers-Johnson accepted the check in early November.

We will use State Farm’s grant on Phase II. We just completed planting the median on S. Hairston, near Redan Road. It looks terrific! We’re working closely with Keep DeKalb Beautiful.  Our private-public partnership is an effective and gratifying way to promote investment in our community.

Our goal is to beautify all quadrants of this key intersection in our community.  Improving the streetscape will encourage people to take a second look at local businesses and will attract new development. Our efforts so far – and recognition by prestigious companies like State Farm – are already building community pride.

Businesses’ and Residents’ Donations Growing! Planting Day Oct. 29

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We are pleased to announce that the national business community is supporting our efforts to beautify the streetscape at S. Hairston and Redan Road. We have received a $3,000 pledge from State Farm Insurance and a $500 pledge from Hackney Real Estate Services (owner of Crowe’s Plaza on the SE corner). 

Many local businesses have contributed to the Phase One campaign – landscape improvements to the S. Hairston median just south of Redan Road.  We thank Bruster’s, Frierson Design,  Taryn Lawrence State Farm, Wells Fargo, Redan Package Store, and Jiffy Lube. We also thank the Hidden Hills Civic Association and more than three dozen individuals who have contributed. The fundraising continues as we prepare for our first installation.

crapemyrtletuscarora2We are planting Phase One October 29!  The median will be transformed with 71 bushes and 10 crape myrtle trees. 

Join us on planting day from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.  Please let us know if we can count on you. Send us an email at GHHCDC@gmail.com

There are two ways to contribute. Note, we are already planning Phase Two for Spring 2017. Every penny will be spent on plants. Your donation is tax-deductible!

Send check to:   Greater Hidden Hills Community Development Corp.
P.O. Box 1811
Stone Mountain, GA 30083

Or you can contribute through GoFundMe. Follow this link:    https://www.gofundme.com/Plants-Streetscape

 

The Greater Hidden Hills Community Development Corporation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, is committed to helping the community prosper and thrive. This volunteer organization represents the area on zoning matters and advocates for attractive business development that meets our residents’ needs.

 

 

 

We’re Planting the Way to Better Business!

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This fall and early winter, in conjunction with Keep DeKalb Beautiful and DeKalb Planning & Sustainability, the Greater Hidden Hills Community Development Corporation is inspiring business redevelopment. With your help, we will be planting trees and shrubbery at the S. Hairston/Redan intersection. Thousands of people drive through this intersection every day, taking their business elsewhere. Improving the streetscape will encourage people to take a second look at local businesses and will attract new development.

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Studies show that natural beauty pays off. When commercial areas have more trees and attractive landscaping, they get more customers and up to 12% more spending! *

You can:
Make a lasting impact
Make your drive more enjoyable
Make a contribution, by Sept. 15!

Let’s Get Planting

Your contribution to the Greater Hidden Hills Community Development Corp., a 501(c)(3), is 100% tax deductible.

Every penny goes towards plants.

Send your check to:
Greater Hidden Hills Community Development Corp.
P.O. Box 1811
Stone Mountain, GA 30083

Or, use GoFundMe. Follow this link:
https://www.gofundme.com/Plants-Streetscape

Volunteers — Help Plant the Way!

Send us your email, and we’ll let you know when Planting Day is. Even though the County is providing heavy equipment, we’ll need lots of help. Individuals and groups are welcome.  Write to:  GHHCDC@gmail.com

 

Please click here to download a flyer and contribution form: Fundraiser

Wow! Winning First Impressions Contest Ideas and Entry Form

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Storefront Marketing Contest

Enter now in the  first annual Wow! Winning First Impressions contest. All businesses in the Greater Hidden Hills Community are invited to compete.  The business that most improves and beautifies the front of its store will win a grand prize – a beautiful , tall planter filled with attractive perennials – and be recognized in a ceremony on March 17. Two businesses will receive honorable mention awards.

Contest-brochure-ideas-rules-entry form
Click on the brochure link for the entry form, rules, and great ideas!

 

Update on Community Improvements, Upholding the Overlay Code, and Economic Development

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Biffle Park Blooms with Generous Support

On Saturday, a group of volunteers planted dozens of perennials in three planters at Biffle Park. We planted drawf gardenias, Coral Bells, Japanese surge, Coral Bell, Carpet bugleweed (ajuga), black-eyed Susan,  variegated vinca, paperwhite narcissus, and crocus.  The plants will bloom in different seasons and provide greenery all year long.  We moved a butterfly bush to a better location.

Lowe’s Home Improvement on Fairington Road donated $125 to the effort, a contribution made possible because of a grant request by the Greater Hidden Hills Community Development Corp., (GHHCDC), a 501(c)(3). We were able to buy the plants half-price, as a sale was going on when we shopped. Thank you Lowe’s Manager Michael Pitchford and Assistant Manager John Perkins for giving our community the plants.

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And thanks to several people who helped with this effort:

  • Wayne Scaturro for helping repair tIMG_4464he pot that wouldn’t drain
  • Sherrie Walker and Karen Smiley-Speas for helping select the plants, transport them, and plant them.
  • Lois Dunlap and Fred Plummer for helping with the planting
  • Leroy Sampson for letting us use water from his spigot

 

Biffle Park is a wonderful amenity in our community. I’ve spent many hours walking my dog there, visiting with neighbors, and enjoying the happy sounds of kids on the playground. It was a pleasure to give back to this beautiful spot.

 

 

Gas Station/Alcohol Retail Proposal – Public Hearing – Nov. 11, 7 p.m, Karma Bistro, 1179 S. Hairston

One of the primary purposes of the Greater Hidden Hills Community Development Corporation is to make sure our overlay code is enforced. You can help.  On Nov. 11, 7 p.m, the community is invited to hear from a
businessman who wants to build a gas station with an alcohol retail component at 4736 Redan Road, one lot west of the Boston Market. This meeting will take place at Karma Bistro, 1179 S. Hairston (the shopping center behind Los Arcos). New gas stations are prohibited in the commercial tiers of the Greater Hidden Hills District because we have enough of them. If you are able, please join us at this hearing. The GHHCDC will be speaking out against the development.

 

Code Enforcement Aske to Stop Illegal Street Corner Vendors

The gas stations at Covington and S. Hairston and Redan and S. Hairston have become micro flea markets, and such activity is prohibited in the commercial tiers of the overlay. We have joined other neighbors in asking DeKalb County Code Enforcement to crack down on this illegal activity. Interim CEO Lee May answered an email and stated that he would pursue swift action.  If you see vendors conducting business on the corners, please take a picture and send it to GHHCDC@gmail.com.  Let us know where the picture was taken, the date, and time.

 

Dress for Success – a Better Business Model

Another key purpose of the GHHCDC is to encourage better business development. We are working on an initiative to reward business owners that beautify the exterior of their establishments. The initiative will include information on how to dress a business for success and a contest.  If you would like to help with this effort, contact GHHCDC@gmial.com

 

Investigation of Discriminatory Home Appraisals and Lending Practices

The Hidden Hills community and surrounding neighborhoods are still suffering from the discriminatory and unethical practices of mortgage lenders and appraisers, activity that sent the market into a tailspin in 2008. The SDIA is working with a Washington Post reporter to cover the impact of the low property values as determined by appraisers.  Wayne Early, the Chair of the SDIA Housing Committee, would like to hear from those who “have been unable to sell or refinance their homes dues to being “under-water.” This also includes people who may have been denied a mortgage modification, were forced into a short-sale or lost their home due to foreclosure because of low property values.”

If you think you have been affected by discriminatory practices, please contact Wayne Early, 404 643-5082, or wayne@early-economics.com   .

 

Next Meeting

Our next meeting is Nov. 21, 10:30 a.m., at Mainstreet Community Center, 5001 Mainstreet Park, Stone Mountain. Please join us.

 

Submitted by Jan Costello, GHHCDC@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mark Your Calendars–Touch-a-Truck and Business Seminar are Coming

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Touch-a-Truck

Touch-a-Truck March 21, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Corner of S. Hairston & Redan next to Zaxby’s

 

Touch and explore emergency, construction, and service vehicles. Enjoy live entertainment and meet local business owners. This fun family event is for kids of all ages, and it is free! March 21, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Participants include the DeKalb County Police Department, Fire Department, Watershed Management, andRedan-Hairston Map Sanitation Department.

Local businesses and entrepreneurs may set up tables for a small fee: contact GHHCDC@gmail.com or call 508-591-3526.

All proceeds benefit The Greater Hidden Hills Community Development Corporation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit committed to helping the community prosper and thrive. This volunteer organization represents the area on zoning matters and advocates for attractive business development that meets our residents’ needs.

(Rain date: March 28, 11- 2 p.m.)

 

Take Advantage of Technology   April 21, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.

Where: White Oak Hills Baptist Church, 5171 Redan Rd, Stone Mountain, GA, 30088

This seminar will help businesses grow and prosper. Experienced business consultant John Ernst with the Georgia Small Business Development Corporation will discuss strategies and answer your questions. He owned and operated businesses for more than 25 years, and he has expertise in finance, marketing, family business management, and customer service.

There is no charge. The Greater Hidden Hills CDC is putting on this event to help area businesses.

 

Next meeting of the Greater Hidden Hills CDC is March 28, 10.a.m. However, if the Touch-a-Truck event is postponed because of rain, then our meeting will by March 21.   Mainstreet Community Center, 5001 Mainstreet Park Drive, Stone Mountain, GA 30088. All are welcome.

 

Response to Media Coverage on Panola Slopes

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The entertainment complex planned at Panola Slopes is suddenly getting a lot of attention. The zoning was approved by the Board of Commissions, with conditions, on Dec. 16.  Now, various objections are surfacing.

CEO Vaughn Irons wrote a letter addressing the concerns. A portion is quoted elow:

I see a means of changing the economic outlook of South/Central DeKalb with what we have envisioned for Panola Slope. The project is planned to be a resort for visitors and entertainment district for locals. We are bringing the finest amenities, unique experiences and safety to that corridor.

This new project will bring a total of $28 million of new investment to the area. We are providing 3 new upscale restaurants, a one-of-a-kind Barcade, 4 retail boutiques, lodging of 72 sleeping rooms, swimming pool, outdoor performance pavilion and finally a top notch full service 10,000 SF conference center.

But attempts to lift up our community are never without controversy. Some media outlets are trying to suggest that because one of my investors owns casinos out of state, that this is a “backdoor” attempt to bring casino gambling to Georgia.

These allegations are ludicrous. Casino gambling is illegal in Georgia. Our Barcade at Panola Resort will include amusement games for adult patrons that are legal and allowable under Georgia law. Any suggestion to the contrary is an intentional misrepresentation of the facts.

To see the full letter, please click on the link below; when the new page opens, click on the link once more.

Irons Letter to DeKalb

Building Momentum in the Greater Hidden Hills Community

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We completed our first full year of operation, and we have achieved much for a new organization. We are building momentum and making plans for 2015.

We formed the Greater Hidden Hills Community Development Corporation to push for revitalization, economic development, and beautification. We are working to achieve the vision we have for the Greater Hidden Hills Overlay Zoning District, which is roughly the area within and next to Covington, Hairston, Redan, and Panola.

We are working to bring the right kind of economic development to the Greater Hidden Hills area.

Our advocacy on behalf of the community included the following volunteer efforts:

  • Met with James Davis, owner of the 188-acre closed golf course, to review the overlay vision and the opportunities for redevelopment.
  • Worked with PJ’s Liquor Store (1241 Panola Road) on his expansion plans, leading to design, landscape, and security improvements.
  • Met with a planned community developer (Columbia Residential) and toured a senior community as part of the effort to attract a senior community to a portion of the community.
  • Had several meetings with APD Solutions about plans to retrofit Panola Slopes on Covington Highway into an entertainment and resort complex. The DeKalb Board of Commissioners approved the zoning requests with neighborhood-sensitive conditions on Dec. 16.
  • Created and distributed a brochure (available on this website under the “About Us” tab) that shows why the effort is needed: billions of dollars flow out of our neighborhood; people spend their money in other communities! Let’s build a better business environment and keep the dollars at home!

We are gratified to have the support of businesses in the community. Thanks to Jerome Chavis, owner of the tax advisory services firm NTRC at Rockbridge/Hairston; Joe Hubbard, owner Apex Automotive Services at 1131 S. Hairston Road; Vaughn Irons, CEO of APD Solutions; Jay’s Place at Redan/Hairston. These businesses have joined the effort early because they know that we can make big improvements by working together.

We also appreciate the neighborhood associations that have contributed: Mainstreet Community, Muirfield, and the Hidden Hills Civic Association. Individuals have also donated.

As a result, we raised enough money in 2014 to file for 501(c)(3) status. We are preparing the documents and plan to file in January 2015. Once we are a federally recognized non-profit, your contributions will be tax deductible and we will be able to apply for community development grants.

We welcome your annual membership. For individuals, it is $20. Businesses and subdivisions may join for $75. The application is on our website (under the “Contact Us” tab ), or you can request one by email (ghhcdc@gmail.com) .

We continue to build a network of residents, business owners, and commercial property owners to improve the economic viability of the community. Community development experts from Tucker and Lilburn shared experience and advice with us in the summer.

Based on a survey we conducted in the fall, we learned that businesses would like a workshop on Taking Advantage of Technology, with a key focus on using technology to build and maintain the customer base. With the help of consultants at the Small Business Development Corporation, a resource provided by the state, we will have the workshop in the spring 2015.

We plan to have the Touch-a-Truck affair in late March. This is a fun community affair that showcases emergency and county vehicles. It will be in one of the shopping center parking lots at the Redan/Hairston intersection. This affair will create a fun community event, promote the organization, provide opportunity to promote the business seminar, and raise donations.

Our next meeting will be Jan. 24, 10 a.m., at Mainstreet Community Center, 5001 Mainstreet Park Drive, Stone Mountain, GA 30088. All are welcome.

 

Submitted by Jan Costello, President Greater Hidden Hills CDC.

I would like to give special thanks to the hard work of the Board of Directors: Nadine Rivers-Johnson, Joyce Russell, Charlene Taylor, and Phyllis Frierson.