The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Pro-transit forces seek to drive voters to polls
Turnout could determine MARTA referendum’s fate.
MARTA referendum’s fate in Gwinnett County could come down to turnout.
In her khaki pants and bright yellow New Georgia Project T-shirt, Michelle Sanchez walks the streets of this aging Lawrenceville-area neighborhood on a foggy Friday trying to find very specific voters — Latino folks, black folks, youngish folks, residents she says would likely vote in favor of Gwinnett County’s MARTA referendum on March 19.
She’s consults the app on her phone, seeking the address of the voter she’s trying to reach. She knocks on several doors. Each time, no dice.
Then, finally, house No. 10: a bright pink number with white lattice hung from the porch rails. Sanchez twice completes her customary knock (shave-and-ahaircut, two-bits) and no one answers. She turns around to leave and makes it down most of the driveway — then a white Kia SUV pulls in. Bingo.
Sanchez and her colleagues at the New Georgia Project Action Fund — an advocacy arm of the group formed years ago by rising Democratic star Stacey Abrams — represent just one of several organizations advocating for Gwinnett’s historic MARTA referendum. Their politics, and their specific approaches, vary. But their goal is largely the same: identify voters that will likely support transit and get them to the polls.
Their combined efforts represent a sizable — and perhaps surprising — show of force in support
tough and expensive.
Officials in Gwinnett declined to speak specifically about the project but said they would be happy with any redevelopment at the mall, which was the center of Gwinnett’s retail life for two decades after opening in the mid-1980s.
Much of it is now empty. Last year, a 19-year-old woman’s body went unnoticed for weeks in the back room of a vacant food court restaurant.
“Partnership Gwinnett is enthusiastic for the active redevelopment happening throughout Gwinnett and the recent momentum specif- ically in the greater Gwinnett Place Mall area,” said Nick Masino, senior vice president for economic development at Partnership Gwinnett, the economic development arm of the Gwinnett Chamber.
Joe Allen, executive director of the Gwinnett Place Community Improvement District, said there’s been more activity in the last year or so than in his previous nine years at the CID. “There’s a lot of things perco- lating over there right now,” Allen said. “The last year is the probably the most opti- mistic I’ve been about redevelopment.”
One developer still hopes to turn the aging 32-acre Gwinnett Prado complex, not far down Pleasant Hill Road from the mall, into a sprawl- ing mixed-use development. And last June, luxury apart- ment developer Northwood Ravin purchased the mall’s now-closed Sears site.
Northwood’s presence would be one of several hurdles to bringing cricket to Gwinnett Place.
The interior of the mall is largely empty, but remain- ing anchor stores Macy’s, MegaMart and Beauty Master own their own buildings and parts of the parking lot. requests for comment. Pandya said he would be willMoonbeam, meanwhile, ing to buy those if the ownhas its own issues. Officials ers are willing to sell. in Gwinnett including Masino
Gwinnett County has pur- and Allen have publicly called chased more and more prop- for it to get out of the mall. erty surrounding a nearby Masino harshly criticized transit hub in recent years, Moonbeam at a 2017 forum, including part of the Macy’s saying its leaders “talk and parking lot. talk and talk and do nothing.”
County officials did not It’s not a complaint unique immediately respond to to Gwinnett. Other media reports have highlighted struggles at Moonbeam properties from Louisiana to New York.
Earlier this month, officials outside Pittsburgh ordered the closure of Moonbeam-owned Century III Mall after deeming it an “unsafe and uninhabitable structure.” The mall was already in foreclosure.