4 min read January 2024 — In an interview with Invest:, Mayor Mike Mason of the city of Peachtree Corners discussed the city’s recent progress and future plans. He highlighted the expansion of Curiosity Lab, the arrival of Intuitive Surgical, and the development of the Town Center. Mason also outlined strategies for addressing the housing shortage, revitalizing retail spaces, and improving infrastructure and public amenities.
What have been the key milestones for the city in the past year?
This past year, Peachtree Corners has achieved significant milestones. Firstly, the expansion of Curiosity Lab has been remarkable. Aiming high, we’ve surpassed our expectations, reflecting our city’s attitude of quickly turning ‘yes’ into action, especially for business growth. The success of Curiosity Lab played a crucial role in attracting Intuitive Surgical, a major player in robotic surgical devices, to establish their East Coast headquarters here. Their choice of Peachtree Corners, over other notable locations like North Carolina’s Research Triangle, was influenced by our innovative efforts at Curiosity Lab.
Intuitive Surgical’s arrival brings substantial economic benefits, including 1,500 new jobs with an average salary of $130,000. Approximately 600 of these positions are in assembly, employing locals to manufacture the robotic devices. This operation, high-tech and secure, represents a major development for our city. However, it also poses a challenge, as we now face a housing shortage due to the influx of employees relocating from California.
Lastly, the continued development of the Town Center, now a communal hub, has been a success. Its playground attracts many families, providing a safe space for children and a relaxing environment for adults. These developments have positively impacted housing prices in Peachtree Corners, making it an increasingly desirable place to live.
With the recent changes in the retail landscape, what is Peachtree Corners’ strategy for adapting and revitalizing commercial areas like The Forum?
A key achievement for us has been the preservation of The Forum, a half-million-square-foot retail space. Amidst the rise of online shopping and the impact of COVID-19 on retail habits, saving The Forum was crucial. Our partnership with North American Properties aims to revitalize it over five years, transforming it into a vibrant, liveable space to sustain brick-and-mortar retail.
What strategies does the city have in place to address the housing shortage, particularly with the influx of new residents?
Indeed, buying a house has become exceedingly difficult, especially for young couples. With rising housing prices and substantial down payments, the concept of affordable housing has changed. For example, new homes being proposed in our city are priced starting at half a million dollars or more. The average sale price in Peachtree Corners is around $350,000.
Our strategy to address this shortage involves considering as many townhome projects as possible, given the limited available land. We’re focusing on the adaptive reuse of existing sites. For instance, we’re considering replacing technologically obsolete office buildings with new housing developments. Since remote work has decreased the demand for office spaces, it’s practical to convert these buildings into residential units. We’re actively working with developers to accommodate and adapt to these changes, like approving a project that replaces an old office building with 72 townhomes.
With new jobs and residents coming to the city, how are you preparing in terms of infrastructure and services?
Our approach to preparing for infrastructure and service demands is straightforward. We require every new project application to demonstrate its impact on services like water, sewer, and traffic. By anticipating these changes, we can manage issues like sewer line capacity and traffic congestion more effectively. For instance, if a project is likely to cause excessive traffic in a main corridor, it might be grounds for rejection. Our staff is diligent in ensuring the accuracy of analytical reports that assess these impacts. In summary, we stay vigilant and responsive to the evolving needs of our infrastructure and services.
What are your priorities for enhancing public amenities and the quality of life for residents?
One of our primary initiatives in Peachtree Corners is to develop multi-use trails. Since our inception, we’ve recognized the importance of such amenities in a growing suburban city like ours. Despite being a suburban city, we’re not just a bedroom community; we’re a major regional job center. With a one-to-one ratio of jobs to citizens, we mirror the dynamics of major urban centers.
Our strategy involves not only catering to the preferences of current residents but also attracting younger generations. We’ve already planned and begun work on an 11.5-mile main trail around the downtown area, including Tech Park, with additional feeder routes connecting neighborhoods to this main trail. This network of trails is popular among residents of all ages.
Additionally, the Town Center has been a significant focus. Offering free concerts, playground equipment, accessible restaurants, and an entertainment zone linked by a pedestrian bridge to The Forum, these amenities have been well-received. Our goal is to expand such amenities across the city. While the initial focus was on areas with high development interest, we’re now turning our attention to redeveloping the city’s south side. This expansion of amenities, ensuring they are available throughout Peachtree Corners, is one of my main priorities for the next four years.
What are your main objectives and goals for the city in the near future?
In the next few years, our priority is to complete key projects like The Forum, Intuitive Surgical, and to further develop Curiosity Lab, under the watchful eye of our executive director, Brandon Branham.
A personal ambition of mine is to establish a higher education facility in Peachtree Corners, offering initial college courses from institutions such as Georgia Tech, Kennesaw State, or Georgia Gwinnett. This initiative would greatly benefit local high school students, enabling them to start college while finishing high school.
We’re also focusing on enhancing the city’s cultural and artistic landscape. Plans include installing public art in strategic locations and converting an old movie theater into a Performing Arts Center, catering to a range of community events. This transformation aligns with our goal to evolve and enrich the community life in Peachtree Corners over the next four years.
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