City of Johns Creek Kicks Off 192-Acre Town Center Vision and Plan

Staff Report

Friday, January 20th, 2023

The unanimous rezoning approval of Medley, Toro Development Company’s (TDC’s) 42-acre mixed-use destination, by the Johns Creek City Council heralds an important anchor for the City’s Town Center Vision and Plan. Adopted in 2021, the plan establishes and prioritizes redevelopment of the 192-acre Town Center area surrounding City Hall, weaving together quality housing, restaurants, retail and offices through new public pathways and parks. 
 
The Town Center Vision and Plan includes improvements to the pond located behind City Hall and the addition of sidewalks, trails, and other transportation enhancements. The area surrounding the pond will be transformed into Creekside Park – a community gathering area anchoring the town center area. Creekside Park will provide a centralized waterfront for the town center area, setting the city apart from other downtowns. 
 
Over the course of 20 years, the town center will be defined by its intentional neighborhoods connected via a system of sidewalks and trails, emphasizing its focus on wellness and sustainable living, and establishing a vibrant destination representative of the city’s diversity, culture and values, appealing to a variety of audiences and age groups. 
 
“Excitement abounds in the local community to see the collective vision of the Town Center Plan come to fruition with the approval of Medley and public investment of Creekside Park,” said Ben Song, community development director for the City of Johns Creek.“These catalyst projects will help to attract quality restaurants, retailers and companies to do business in Johns Creek for the benefit of our residents. The continued emphasis in creating an experiential town center will set the City apart and provide diversity and vibrancy, hallmarks of Johns Creek, in a single, unified gathering place.
 
Located on the former site of the defunct State Farm Insurance campus, TDC’s Medley is the first project to be approved as part of the Town Center Vision and Plan. Medley will come to life at the intersection of Johns Creek Parkway and McGinnis Ferry Road and is a key catalyst for the town center. TDC will develop Medley to be a magnetic “eatertainment” destination and “third place” for people to gather outside their homes (first place) and the traditional office (second place).
 
“We are proud for Medley to be the first step in creating a truly transformative town center for Johns Creek,” said Mark Toro, principal and chief vision officer for TDC. “Medley’s recent rezoning approval is the first of many exciting milestones to come as part of the city’s larger plan, which will undoubtedly have a tremendous impact on the area. We are incredibly thankful for our ongoing partnership with the City of Johns Creek, and look forward to continuing to work together to create a vibrant and engaging town center for the community.”  
 
Medley will include up to 200,000 square feet of space for retail, restaurants and entertainment concepts, 900 residential units, which includes a mix of townhomes and luxury multifamily residences, and 110,000 square feet of office space. Groundbreaking is planned for later this year. 

 

The launch of the Town Center Vision and Plan comes at a time when the North Atlanta and the Metro markets are experiencing strong population and economic growth. The town center is projected to be a catalyst for economic development that will increase the city’s employment rate and diversify the tax base. To learn more about the Town Center Vision and Plan, visit jctowncenter.com. For the latest Medley news and project updates, visit medleyjohnscreek.com and follow the project on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.