AIEV Adds Five New Members to Board
The Alliance to Improve Emory Village has added five new members to its Board of Directors. They will help guide the all-volunteer organization as it enters a critical stage of its efforts to make the Village a more economically viable, walkable, and mixed-use community, The board is made up of stakeholders in the Village: Druid Hills residents, representatives from Emory University, and business owners in the Village.
New members include Emory Village business owners Shane Mixon, owner of Saba; Stephanie Panek, owner of rise ‘n dine; and Tony Riffel, owner of Octane. Also new on the board are Druid Hills residents Becky Evans and Todd Hill. At its May meeting, the board approved a change in its bylaws to expand the board from 18 members to a maximum of 21 members. With the new additions, the board now numbers 18.
“So much is starting to happen in the Village now,” notes AIEV president Lois Berthaume. Emory’s new bookstore opened this month on Oxford along with a Starbucks and two new businesses—Yogli Mogli and Twisted Taco—are slated to open on Oxford Road in the former bookstore location.Construction is expected to start soon and continue over the next year of a roundabout and streetscapes on North Decatur Road and Oxford, as well as a mini-park.
“We are grateful that most of AIEV’s long-time directors have agreed to continue to serve on the board to provide continuity as we move into the construction phase of our efforts to improve the village. These directors have volunteered countless hours over the past 10 years successfully creating and advocating for design guidelines and the zoning overlay, securing grants, and working closely with county and state officials and the community,” she says. “At the same time, we are encouraged by the interest of business owners in the village. They have the most at stake as we enter this critical time of redevelopment. The construction will be disruptive, and their involvement will help the village weather this time of change.”
Straight Talk about Our Neighborhood's Roundabouts
By Lois Berthaume, AIEV Chair
DeKalb County expects work on the Emory Village roundabout and associated streetscape improvements to begin this summer. We’ve been close to announcing construction before, but now AIEV is convinced we’re closer than ever to an actual start date. All preliminary pieces are in place:
Emory fulfilled its commitment – long ago – by changing its main entrance and readying its frontage along North Oxford Rd. for the slight road shift the roundabout will necessitate. The water and sewer lines have been updated. The power and cable lines have been routed underground. And, finally, the construction bid has been awarded by DeKalb County.
As of early June, the last piece of the puzzle was waiting to be placed: the Georgia Department of Transportation must sign off on the project, because North Decatur Rd. is classified as a state thoroughfare. As soon as GDOT gives its approval, construction can begin.
Traffic Delays Expected, But No Pain, No Gain
The overall project will also include street improvements to N. Decatur Road, notably a “road diet” from the existing Lullwater roundabout to the Clifton Road intersection … bike lanes on both sides of N. Decatur … parallel parking spaces to replace the existing “angle-in” slots … and shifting North Oxford 40 feet toward Emory’s new entrance wall, which will create space for an innovative Village mini-park.
The roundabout and all the related streetscape improvements are estimated to take 18 months. The intersection will stay open during construction, although non-rush-hour drivers may have a short wait before proceeding.
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Some Basic Roundabout Rules
Neighbors Debbie Sinix and David Martin say there was a learning curve for drivers navigating the Lullwater Roundabout. “People just had to get used to a few basic roundabout rules,” Debbie remembers. “First, don’t come to a stop before entering – you just have to slow down —and you yield only if a car already in the circle is approaching you. Second, once you’re in the roundabout, you have the right of way. Everyone else has to pay attention to what you’re doing before they enter. That’s really all there is to it.” “The whole idea is that a roundabout keeps traffic flowing, while also acting as a traffic calming device. I heard an engineer put it a smart way: a roundabout not only decreases top speed, it also increases mean speed.”
In other words, everyone keeps moving at a safer, slower pace – even during rush hour. And speaking of safety, both Debbie and David are totally impressed with one statistic: in the nearly six years the Lullwater roundabout has been operating, there has not been a single accident. That rates as an unqualified success to Debbie, David, and the entire neighborhood. |
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A Bigger Version of Lullwater Roundbout
The new roundabout will certainly be more of a neighborhood focal point than the Lullwater one, and it will be bigger – but other than that,
it will work just the same.
Vehicles will only need to slow down when entering it, unless another vehicle already inside is approaching – then they yield. Once in the roundabout, vehicles have the right of way – everyone wanting to enter must yield to them.
Another major plus: The Village roundabout will provide much safer pedestrian access. Crosswalks will be brick, and thus clearly differentiated from the roadways, and the distance between safe pedestrian “islands”
will be much shorter than present distances to cross the intersection’s streets. The new roundabout will also be beautifully landscaped and lighted; it will create a welcome, highly distinctive focal point to the Village for years
to come.
The roundabout will be the first obvious Village improvement, which will hopefully encourage much-needed private development to get underway. Please be prepared for some diruption in the Village as well as traffic delays. But it will all be worth it, because on the other side will be a much more functional, attractive, pedestrian-friendly, long-term solution to our Village’s most pressing traffic problems.
The Record of Our Other Roundabout
As the Village roundabout begins to take shape, we can all learn from the experience of DeKalb County’s first true roundabout, at the intersection of North Decatur and Lullwater. It’s been open almost six years, and recently two neighbors who live closest to it – Debbie Sinex and David Martin – shared their views.
“My family has lived on North Decatur at the ‘corner’ of Lullwater for 20 years,” said David, “and before the roundabout, I can’t tell you how many times I called 911 to report accidents. About 10 years ago, a young man was tragically killed there. That’s what really got the neighborhood’s attention.” David and Debbie (she later became chair of the Druid Hills Civic Association’s transportation committee) started working with several other neighbors to come up with a better solution. They proposed three alternatives: a stop light, three-way stop signs and a roundabout. “ After lots of neighborhood input,” says Debbie, “we decided on the roundabout – which was actually a cheaper solution than a traffic light.
Construction of the Lullwater Roundabout took about four months and was done over the summer, when Emory traffic quiets down. Debbie gives high marks to DeKalb County. “The county really got behind the project and stayed on top of the construction, which was complicated by the terrain and necessitated taking a little land from Jerusalem House, as well as others.” “My whole driveway had to be shifted,“ David adds, “and we had to redesign the front yard – but it’s been worth it.”
To view the new roundabout plans, click here.
Emory Village Park: Small Space, Big Goals
By Perry Mitchell
It will only encompass about 8,300 square feet, but the planned Emory Village mini-park has importance – and ambitions – far beyond its small size.
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Conceptual drawing of Emory Village Park
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The park will be prominently located just off the new roundabout on what is the existing North Oxford roadway. To accommodate the roundabout, North Oxford will shift approximately 40 feet toward Emory’s new entrance and wall. The resulting freed-up space, plus the area back to the sidewalk along the existing Chevron station, will create the park’s land area.
Keep This in Mind …
Emory Village Park committee members include AIEV board members, a DHCA representative, Emory’s landscape architect, and other neighbors. While the group has been) “concepting” and planning for more than two years, actual construction of the park won’t begin until the roundabout is finished – now estimated to be spring 2011. Nonetheless the committee is eager to share its overall goals for the park, as well as the conceptual design, says committee chair Mark Goldman. ”Because creating the park is a once-in-the-Village’s-lifetime opportunity, the committee has put a great deal of thought into how to make it truly outstanding.”
First and foremost, he says, visually the park should reflect Druid Hills’ relaxed lifestyle and welcoming spirit. It will be a people-oriented, focal point of the Village, and as such, an Emory Village sign – part of a low stone wall – is planned. This signage will meet our neighborhood’s historic-designation guidelines. The park’s landscaping will be in sync with the streetscape and landscaping already approved and funded by DeKalb County. In fact, of the 56 new trees that will be planted in the Village, approximately eight will be in the park, including a “landmark” oak at the center, which may be surrounded by a circular bench. Other benches and seating spaces will accommodate 40 or so people.
Big Ambitions
Park committee members initially envisioned several prominent water features. Then they realized they had the opportunity to create a unique, total water management demonstration project as a key component of the park.
Currently, without professional design and construction funding in place, the committee has many ideas for this central, showcase location:
• a small waterfall might flow into a miniature creek, where on warm summer days, park visitors sitting on stone pads could cool their feet
• a possible large underground cistern (35,000 gallons) would collect rain runoff and store it; a pump (perhaps solar-powered) would then continuously recirculate that water for the waterfall/creek, as well as for meeting the park’s landscaping needs
• an educational, community vegetable/flower garden might be included, which would promote both adult and child involvement.
“The park would be a model system of self-sustainability,” Goldman notes, “incorporating the most drought-resistant, eco-friendly elements possible. Such features would not only be cost-effective from a maintenance standpoint, they would also make the park an exceptional, forward-looking addition to historic Druid Hills.”
Reality Check: Looking for Funding
As mentioned earlier, no park funding beyond the trees and adjacent sidewalks is currently in place. However, DeKalb County may have access to funds to pay for the professional design work necessary before a construction estimate can be generated. Committee members with professional backgrounds in landscape projects of this magnitude have offered preliminary construction estimates in the $350,000 to $500,000 range. The committee hopes that a combination of county, neighborhood, Emory, and perhaps even federal “green” funding could be used to bring the park to fruition.
“Emory Village Park will happen,” says AIEV chair Lois Berthaume, “but whether it is to be an ordinary mini-park with a few nice features or a space that’s both cutting edge and extra-friendly is up to all of the Village’s stakeholders. It is AIEV’s conviction that our community possesses the creativity, the foresight and the determination to make the crucial new Emory Village Park a marquee gathering spot we can all be proud of for decades to come.”
Spring Cleaning at Burbanck Park
Burbanck Park, on the edge of Emory Village at the corner of Clifton and Oxford roads, continues to flourish. Another round of landscaping improvements was added at a community work day on March 27 at the park. Thanks to the Druid Hills Civic Association for funding this spring cleanup, and Emory for providing the landscape expertise. Burbanck Park is owned by Emory and provides a recreational area for the community, and acts as a "green buffer" between the residences of Druid Hills and the commercial district of Emory Village.
Changes at Site of Former Recycling Center at Emory Village CVS
The banks of Peavine Creek in Emory Village may soon get an upgrade. For
decades, the land edging the creek has suffered from harsh storm water
runoff eroding the bank. Now, landowner Jan Saperstein and CVS manager Susan Duranlow are supporting changes to the parking lot which won't alter the amount of parking, but will slow down the storm water and clean it before it enters the creek.
In March, the DeKalb County Historic Preservation Commission approved a certificate of appropriateness for the project. Following receipt of the COA and a stream buffer permit, the work can begin.
AIEV is sponsoring a redesign of the parking lot corner where Emory's recycling bins once stood. In place of the bins, a bio-retention swale will give storm water a healthy place to pause and drop the silt and pavement debris it usually carries. Some of the existing surface will be replaced with storm-friendly permeable pavers. AIEV is exploring partnership opportunities to fund the improvements.
"A brilliant design by landscape designer Judy Kasperovich, with AIEV board
member Tom Walsh of Tunnell-Spangler-Walsh and Associates, is giving us an
exciting opportunity to improve the water quality in the creek. We think the
bank will look better, will draw people to the green space nearby, and turn
that corner of the Village into a showpiece for beginning to repair urban
creek damage," says Lois Berthaume, chair of the Alliance to Improve Emory
Village.
DeKalb Approves Emory Village Construction
The long awaited redevelopment of Emory Village has moved closer to reality with the DeKalb 
County Commission’s approval of the low bid of Lewallen Construction of Marietta to construct a roundabout, implement a road diet, and install streetscapes in the Village. The $2.1 million bid came in some $200,000 below budget. The county must now clear one final hurdle—approval by the Georgia Department of Transportation—before construction can begin. Pending G-DOT approval, the expected start date for construction is this summer.
When the project is complete by summer 2011, Emory Village will have new sidewalks, benches, bike lanes, a small piazza park, and 56 trees, says Lois Berthaume, chair of the Alliance to Improve Emory Village. A road diet is expected to move traffic more consistently through the Village and improve pedestrian safety.
Work has been underway in the Village for the past year preparing the way for the roundabout and street construction work. The county replaced century-old water mains, and Georgia Power buried utility wires (excluding high voltage transmission lines) in a new duct bank under the street through which AT&T and Comcast are also running their cables. Emory University, which provided land to Georgia Power for a power station in exchange for burying the utilities, has transformed its entrance to the campus facing the Village and turned Dowman Drive into a one-way street. The university is also building a new bookstore which will anchor the Village on Oxford Drive.
The redevelopment of the streets, sidewalks and other infrastructure of the Village is expected to encourage private developers to invest there, says Berthaume. The streetscape and roundabout construction contract will be managed by DeKalb County. She reiterates that AIEV will not develop any businesses in the Village.
AIEV is a small, all-volunteer, non-profit community organization with one goal: to help revitalize the historic, commercial heart of Druid Hills in Emory Village. As an alliance of various stakeholders including local neighbors, Emory Village businesses and property owners, and representatives from Emory University, AIEV’s mission is to create a safe, economically viable, walkable and compact mixed-use
community that is compatible with and a resource to the historic
Druid Hills neighborhoods and Emory University.
For the past decade, AIEV has completed the groundwork for the Village to be transformed into a pedestrian-oriented, live-work-play community. The county approved a master plan and zoning overlay for the Village in 2007. The masterplan encourages redevelopment while protecting the Village's existing historic structures and seeks to reclaim the waterways and green spaces that help give character to the Village environment. AIEV has embraced other goals as well, including creating new public gathering spaces and ground-floor retail with residences above; calmer traffic; rational parking; safer pedestrian crossings, and a commercially successful sidewalk-shopping environment. View the guidelines and zoning overlay for the Village.
Rise-n-Dine is Now Also Rise-n-Dinner
The Village’s popular breakfast-all-day spot is surely going to get even more popular – because Rise-n-Dine has expanded its hours until 8 p.m., Monday–Friday.
According to owner Stephanie Panek, “We’ve gotten lots of requests for longer hours, and we want to appeal to an even broader range of Emory students and neighborhood folks – so now we’re open for dinner during weekdays. Right now the menu is the same, but we’ve added a new kitchen manager, and he’ll be introducing some great dinner specials soon.”
Rise-n-Dine is offering several afternoon and evening specials – snacks customers can enjoy after a busy day in class or right after work. “Come by and enjoy our new hours and specials,” says Stephanie, “Consider this your personal invitation from the owner!” The new hours: 7 a.m. - 8 p.m., Mon.-Fri.; 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., Sat.-Sun.
Saba Plans to Reopen
Saba Restaurant, a local favorite in Emory Village, burned after hours late Sunday evening, Sept. 23 in an electrical fire. No one was injured. The fire destroyed part of the restaurant but owner Shane Mixon hopes to rebuild and reopen by Jan. 1. Saba, which continues to operate from its Oakhurst location, will deliver lunch and dinner to its customers in the Emory/Druid Hills area. Catering is also available. Call 404-377-9266 to order, and check for updates on rebuilding Saba at its website.
First New Druid Hills Park in 50 Years Opens (Nov. 1, 2009)
The rainy Halloween morning weather may have played a soggy trick on a hearty band of Druid Hills neighbors, but it couldn’t dampen spirits during the grand opening of Burbanck Park: the historic neighborhood’s first new park in 50 years. Read more.
The park, at the intersection of S. Oxford and Clifton roads, is on the outskirts of Emory Village, and showcases the natural beauty of the area. It’s also a prime example of effective community partnership: Emory University purchased the land and turned it over to the neighborhood – on the condition that it always be used as a park, and that the neighborhood raise the funds for development and maintenance. The neighborhood enthusiastically accepted Emory’s generosity, and raised more than $50,000 to turn the heavily-wooded, former home site into a gorgeous “pocket park.”
Dignitaries at the grand opening included DeKalb County Commissioner Jeff Rader; Emory General Counsel Robert Rodriguez; Emory’s head of Environmental Sustainability, Ciannat Howett; Druid Hills Civic Association President Dick Shuey; and Alliance to Improve Emory Village President Lois Berthaume. Commissioner Rader planted a native Silverbell tree, and despite the waterlogged terrain, many attendees joined in planting nearly 40 shrubs – a great step toward enhancing Burbanck Park’s natural beauty.
Everyone is invited to come sit on one of the granite benches and enjoy picturesque Peavine Creek, which runs the length of the park.
Octane Boost for the Village (October 4, 2009)
Octane Coffee Bar is doing more than just taking over the old Method Coffee space – it’s creating a totally new look inside and delivering single-origin coffees. For owner Tony Riffel, this is his second Octane location; the first is near Georgia Tech.
With this new site, Tony said, “We wanted to open things up, so the bar is shorter, the seating areas – both inside and out – have more tables, and it all has a more European feel.”
Tony also explained single-origin coffees brewed in a Chemex: “Most of our coffees come from a specific farm or co-op, and we buy from the roasters who actually help farmers at that site learn how to produce richer, more distinctive beans. It’s beyond fair trade – it’s direct trade.” Farms might be in Africa, Central America, Indonesia or other countries, and Octane will feature five such coffees every day.
All Octane baristas must earn special certification, so they’ll be able to explain each coffee’s nuanced flavors and hand craft quality drinks on the espresso machine. Plus, every cup is brewed individually, but if several customers all want coffee at the same time, Octane can brew up to five cups at once – which speeds up the process.
There’s an espresso machine, as well as fresh, local pastries and European-style desserts later in the day. Octane is open Mon.-Fri., 6 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., 8 a.m.-8 p.m. The website is www.octanecoffee.com. For all Village business listings, visit our Dine/Shop/Play page.
A 'Wonderful' Dining Alternative for the Village (Sept. 11, 2009)
Wonderful World Burgers & More, one of the Village’s newest eating spots, offers more than all-fresh food choices – it also features a refreshing marketing concept. Owner Steven Chan explains, “I believe our society has been saturated with over-branding, so I’m going to keep everything very simple: no Wonderful World t-shirts for employees, no logos in the restaurant, no fancy website.”
Furthermore, Steven says his restaurant’s name is meant to connote comfort, both in food and atmosphere. He’s worked in a number of different restaurants, and he notes that before and after hours, employees cook up their favorite dishes for themselves. With Wonderful World, he’s bringing those kind of simple but delicious selections out front for his customers.
In addition to an eclectic mix of burgers and sandwiches, there’s a special every night of the week. And for Steven, every item not only represents comfort food – it’s also totally fresh. “We never use any item that’s been frozen. We make all burger patties by hand, we bake our buns, and each night’s special is made from scratch.”
Asked why his burgers and sandwiches are priced so low – from $2.75 to $2.95 – Steven says they’re small enough (the burgers are one-quarter pound) that a customer can come in with a friend, have a burger, talk awhile, and then sample a Teri-Mayo Hotdog. It’s all meant to be comfortable, simple – and wonderful.
Wonderful World Burgers & More is in the former STA Travel location at 1561 North Decatur Road in Emory Village. www.wwburger.com. To see all Emory Village business listings, visit our Dine/Shop/Play page.
Phase 2 Utility Work Starts in Emory Village (June 22, 2009)
In preparation for Emory Village streetscape improvements, Georgia Power started work on Monday, June 22, to bury existing overhead utilities (excluding the high voltage transmission lines). The projected completion date is mid October.
The joint trench will contain Georgia Power distribution lines, AT&T cables, and Comcast cables currently on poles in the Village. Utilities will be buried on Oxford Road from the pole between the entrances to the former BP Station to the pole immediately before 1403 Oxford Road (Emory’s former academic bookstore) and on North Decatur Road from the first pole past the entrance to the former BP Station west to the pole between CVS and Dave’s Cosmic Subs.
According to Georgia Power, much of the trenching will be done at night and early morning,
8 pm to 5 am, during which time one lane of traffic in each direction will be closed. Open trenches will have road plates installed before lanes are opened to traffic. Some amount of work will have to occur during the day at the Emory entrance area due to specialized engineering required for AT&T.
“This is an important next step toward implementing long-term plans to improve the village,” says Lois Berthaume, chair of the Alliance to Improve Emory Village, noting that DeKalb County replaced water lines in the Village this spring. “Unfortunately, there will be some inconvenience during this construction period, but we ask for your patience and your continued support of village businesses.
Update from Emory on Recycling at Emory Village CVS (June 11, 2009)
On August 3, Emory will discontinue the recycling drop off space it has sponsored for several years at the CVS in Emory Village. This recycling drop off site was originally started when DeKalb had no recycling program. In order to support DeKalb County's voluntary residential recycling program started by Commissioner Kathie Gannon, Emory has decided to redeploy its staffing from the CVS program.
Recycled materials can be dropped off at the Whole Foods on Briarcliff Road, DeKalb County fire stations and libraries, and the DeKalb Farmers Market.
DeKalb County residents are encouraged to sign up for the Residential Subscription Curbside Recycling Program, which picks up newspapers, plastic, glass, tin and aluminum containers once a week. County residents have found the program to be convenient and easy to use. For more information on all residential recycling programs in DeKalb, call 404-294-2900 or visit DeKalb County's website at www.co.dekalb.ga.us.
Green-Style Dining Sprouts in the Village (May 25, 2009)
With the opening of a new eatery – Sprouts Green Café – Emory Village is getting a welcome burst of energy, from both its owner and its offerings.
Keith Gross is just 25, but he’s already bought and sold a chocolate company in San Francisco, as well as a restaurant in Washington, D.C. His latest venture is clearly a healthy addition to our neighborhood: Sprouts Green Café features a full selection of meat and vegan dishes, including rice bowls, sandwiches/wraps/paninis, soups, salads, and smoothies made with fresh – not puréed – fruits.
“Our focus is on natural foods, minimal processing, and sourcing as many ingredients as possible from local and organic sources,” states Keith. “There are no nitrates, phosphates, antibiotics, and nearly everything is made in-house from fresh, high-quality ingredients.” In fact, there’s a small greenhouse growing menu items right in the restaurant! Sprouts also offers a variety of freshly squeezed juices, including wheatgrass (grown on-site in that greenhouse), as well as vegetable and fruit juices.
The relaxed, open ambiance features bright, eco-green chairs complemented with earth tones throughout – and a recycled tree slab serves as the main counter. “Sprouts stems from my passion and desire to provide healthy, tasty meals at a low price,” says Keith. “Plus, we’ll soon be installing a solar awning out front, which can generate as much as 20% of our power – I’m into being as eco-friendly as possible everywhere in the restaurant.”
Sprouts is next to Evolve Boutique, and it’s open for breakfast lunch and dinner every day. So let’s get out and support our newest Emory Village business – it promises to be fresh and delicious relationship!
A major step forward…(March 28, 2009)
Emory’s elegant new gateway not only marks the entrance to one of the nation’s top universities. It’s also the first in a series of highly visible steps that will totally transform the Village and the streets that pass through it.
The Board of Directors of the Alliance to Improve Emory Village recently passed a resolution commending Emory University for “ its beautiful new entrance and for significantly enhancing the ambience of Emory Village. The entrance is a welcome addition to both the university and the community.
"For decades to come, visitors to Emory and the Village will appreciate the tasteful elegance of the new gateway’s walks and drives. 
The entrance provides an outstanding sense of place that befits Emory’s status as one of the nation’s top universities and an invaluable asset to our community. :Emory has set an outstanding standard for future improvements in Emory Village.
"The AIEV Board thanks Emory University for aligning the entrance to complement the new roundabout and for Emory’s ongoing collaboration to improve the Village. AIEV is inspired to seek the same level of excellence in its efforts to create a live, dine, shop, and play community in Emory Village. We look forward to future partnerships with Emory and appreciate the university’s forward-thinking contributions toward a better Emory Village.”
Construction Update
After DeKalb County replaced the old water lines on North Decatur Road, Georgia Power began work to bury utilities. Then work on the roundabout and streetscapes will begin.
Construction equipment and workers, drivers, and pedestrians will share the busy intersection of North Decatur Road and Oxford Road over the coming months.
See Village plans
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Trivia at Saba every first Thursday of the month.
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