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New condo block being planned in downtown
Lawrenceville
By
Rob Britton
President, Morsberger Group
Special to GwinnettForum.com
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga., Nov. 7, 2006 -- There's a lot of excitement
going on in Historic Downtown Lawrenceville---unique shops, excellent
restaurants and of course, the Aurora Theatre. Now there's a new
reason for excitement---residential living just a short walk away
from all the action.
As president of Morsberger Group, I am extremely pleased with our
recently announced plans to construct a proposed four-story mixed-use
building featuring luxury condominiums and townhouse residences
with street level restaurants and cafes.
Artist's conception of building planned at West Crogan and
Culver Street in Lawrenceville. |
Located at the corner of Crogan and Culver Streets, where the former
Wachovia Bank now stands, preliminary plans are to have 80 to 90
condo and townhouse units from 800 to 1,200 square feet on the top
three floors. The price for the condo units is expected to begin
at $225,000.
The street level will have 10,000 square feet of retail businesses
with shops and restaurants similar to the unique shops we now have
on the Historic Square.
Morsberger Group has made a concerted effort to maintain the integrity
of Historic Downtown Lawrenceville with each of our projects. In
the past three years, we have brought a number of unique and upscale
shops and restaurants to the Historic Square and this project will
certainly increase the quality of life and add to the charm and
ambience of the historic district.
At present, we have an idea to create a façade with balconies
across the top three floors that is reminiscent of the former Ewing
Hotel that stood at the corner of Crogan and Perry streets. The
present two story building is known as the Button Gwinnett Building
and houses Dominick's restaurant and upscale offices.
Morsberger Group is holding a charette** in
mid-November to get input from interested citizens about residential
living in the historic district and for this project in particular.
After a market study, we will go back to the drawing table if necessary.
We are pleased to be working with the architectural firm, Tunnell,
Spangler and Walsh, the same firm that drew up Lawrenceville's master
plan and is developing the plans for Lawrenceville's amphitheatre.
We also are working closely with the City to make this a successful
project. Residential projects have been part of the planning since
the revitalization effort began in 2003 and is part of the Lawrenceville
Downtown Master Plan approved in January 2004.
I think everyone is eager and pleased to get this project started.
The merchants are excited because it will be another boost to the
downtown economy. We receive calls often from people asking about
living in the historic area. Many of them are empty nesters and
young professionals, both local and from metro Atlanta who are looking
for a more relaxed environment and less upkeep.
.
Since it has served as the county seat from Gwinnett's early days,
we like to think of Lawrenceville as "Gwinnett's Hometown."
Soon many more can boast that Historic Lawrenceville is their hometown,
as well.
For more information on residential living in historic downtown
Lawrenceville, I hope you will check out www.lawrencevilleliving.com
or call us at 770.409.8700.
** (Editor's note: We didn't
know what a "charette" was either. Here's what the dictionary
says: The term "charette" evolved from a pre-1900 exercise
at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in France. Architectural students
were given a design problem to solve within an allotted time.
When that time was up, the students would rush their drawings
from the studio to the Ecole in a cart called a charrette. Students
often jumped in the cart to finish drawings on the way. The term
evolved to refer to the intense design exercise itself. Today
it refers to a creative process akin to visual brainstorming that
is used by design professionals to develop solutions to a design
problem within a limited timeframe.---eeb)
Vote early? It's good, but then, something
might happen
By
Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher
GwinnettForum.com
NOV. 7, 2006 -- Vote early? Not me. However, I like the idea that
more people will vote by taking advantage of the ability to vote
on other days than Election Day.
Once or twice, when I was to be out of town on Election Day, I
have voted by absentee. The "voting early" idea is one
more step toward making it a little easier to vote. It's a good
idea.
Brack |
For me, I don't want to cast my vote early, then regret
it because of some last-minute development.. The way that the fur
flies before an election makes me want to wait until Election Day
to vote. But it's good to see others taking advantage of the "vote
early" provision.
* * * * *
The date October 31 really means something in the life of Gwinnett
Banking Company, the Lawrenceville-based bank run by President Larry
Key.
The bank was founded on October 31, 1997, with capitalization of
$10 million. It's $32 million today.
Then after founding, the bank moved into its main office on Nash
Street near the G-JAC Center….on October 31, 1998, exactly
one year later.
This last week, on October 31, 2006, the bank was sold to First
Charter Corporation of Charlotte, N.C.
Three key dates, all the same.
By the way, the operations of the bank under First
Charter will stay much as they have been in the past, says Larry
Key. He will remain as head of the bank. The bank's deposits on
June 30, 2006 were $367 million.
* * * * *
Back to politics: When we think of former President Harry Truman,
we see a grinning man holding up a Chicago newspaper with a headline
blaring out: "Dewey Wins." Didn't happened, of course,
as the 33rd president staged what was referred to a "upset"
in winning the presidency in 1948.
Reading recently in Smithsonian magazine, the times leading up
to the 1948 election were difficult times for Mr. Truman. Thrust
into the presidency on the death of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Harry
Truman had a bad three years, and upset many in the country with
his policies and his manner of leadership, which was then, at best,
marginal.
Americans were coming out of World War II, and running into shortages.
The economy was gearing back up, which at first overtaxed the output
of the country. Housewives, in particular, were upset over meat
shortages, coupled with lifting price controls, and shortages in
other areas. Meanwhile, some workers were striking. Even labor unions
were upset with Truman policies, with some unions bolting the Democratic
party.
The Republican nominee in 1948, New York Gov. Thomas Dewey, was
considered a shoo-in for the president. The country was so one-sided
in support of Dewey that the Pollster Elmo Roper stopped surveying
voters, since Dewey was so far ahead.
Truman, however, persisted, mounting his railroad "whistle-stop"
campaign across the country, stopping in small towns, and gathering
unusually large crowds. Altogether, he chugged 21,928 miles, and
made 300 speeches from the back of the train.
The night of the election, Truman had a ham sandwich, and went
to bed, hearing that Dewey was in the lead. About midnight, he woke
and heard a radio report that Truman was ahead in the popular vote
by more than a million votes, though the announcer forecast that
Truman would lose in the electoral vote.
Next morning, the president and the country found out that Truman
had won, 303 electoral votes to 189 for Dewey. Truman even outpolled
Dewey by two million popular votes. Truman had accomplished this
without any support from newspaper endorsements, the help of polls,
or popular opinion. But he had appealed somehow to voters, and won.
During the next four years, he would change his style, and emerge
as one of our most popular presidents.
 The
public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com
to you at no cost to readers. Today's sponsor is The Peachtree
Bank, located at 9570 Medlock Bridge Road. Duluth. The bank
also has locations at 185 Gwinnett Drive, Lawrenceville; in Roswell
at 695 Mansell Road; and at 1725 Mount Vernon Rd. in Dunwoody. Monty
Watson is president of the bank, which has assets of over $576 million.
Member, FDIC and Equal Housing Lender. Go to The Peachtree Bank
web site at : http://www.thepeachtreebank.com.
Olens
to discuss regional planning at Chamber meeting
Sam Olens, chairman of the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) and
the Cobb County Board of Commissioners, will speak at the November
15 General Membership of the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce.
The meeting will be held at the 1818 Club at 11:30 a.m. at the
Chamber building, 6500 Sugarloaf Parkway, in Duluth. Cost is $45
to attend for members. Registration deadline is November 13.
Olens was elected countywide in August 2002 and re-elected to a
four-year term beginning January 2005. He previously served as Cobb
County District 3 Commissioner from 1999 through June 2002 He is
expected to discuss the importance of regional planning at the meeting.
Clean and Beautiful
marks Recycle Day with cash awards
Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful will celebrate America Recycles Day,
November 18, by awarding the top individual and group aluminum recycler
and newspaper recycler at the Recycling Bank of Gwinnett with $100
cash prizes. Individuals, businesses, civic and school groups are
encouraged to begin collecting recyclables to be dropped off at
the Recycling Bank of Gwinnett, located in Duluth at 4300 Satellite
Boulevard. Last year, 834 pounds of aluminum and 2,864 pounds of
newspaper were recycled, and the numbers continue to grow each year
as community involvement increases.
America Recycles Day is an annual event organized to educate and
encourage citizens across the country to recycle and buy recycled
products. Recycling is an easy way for residents of Gwinnett County
to save energy, conserve natural resources and have a direct impact
on creating a healthier environment.
Three
from Gwinnett Tech win state early childhood awards
A teacher and student from Gwinnett Technical College were honored
as the 'best of the year' before nearly 300 professionals at the
annual awards ceremony of the Georgia Association on Young Children
(GAYC) this month. In the 16 years that GAYC has had an awards program,
this is only the second time that both the educator of the year
and the student of the year are from the same school.
Gwinnett Tech's Priscilla Smith, Shelley Hoster and Trudy
Friar have been recognized for their unique contributions
to the field of early childhood care and education by the
Georgia Association on Young Children. |
Early childhood care and education program director Priscilla Smith
was named Educator of the Year for professional excellence as Gwinnett
Tech's program director for early childhood care and education.
Student Shelley Hoster was named Student of the Year for her outstanding
academic and other accomplishments in the program. She is a student
of Gwinnett Tech early childhood care and education program.
Smith was hired at Gwinnett Tech when the college introduced the
early childhood program in 2003. In the three years that Smith has
been at the college, Gwinnett Tech's early childhood care and education
program has not only grown from 11 to more than 200 students; it
has also designed and built a model, state-of-the-art learning and
training facility.
Hoster, 35, also recently brought home the gold medal in the national
SkillsUSA competition in the preschool teaching category, and received
a Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation scholarship for her academic success
and community service. Hoster had been in the early childhood field
for more than a 12 years before enrolling in Gwinnett Tech to continue
her formal education.
A third GAYC award winner also has ties to Gwinnett Tech. Independent
education consultant Trudy Friar, one of the 14 members on the GTC
early childhood advisory board, was honored as trainer of the year
for her significant contribution to the early education training
field.
Tull-Gwinnett YMCA
names Steve Hill as top volunteer
Hill |
Steve Hill has been named as its 2006 volunteer of the year at
the J.M. Tull-Gwinnett Family YMCA. Hill will be honored at the
November 9 annual volunteer recognition dinner at the Hyatt Regency
Atlanta. Hill has been volunteering at the J.M. Tull-Gwinnett Family
YMCA for the past 12 years. During this time, he's seen many kids
past through Y programs. He serves as a coach and referee. Hill
and his wife, along with their three children, live in Snellville.
Hill is the referee development coordinator and an under-14 boys
coach. He also referees high school soccer.
Gwinnett's 1818 Club
expands with several renovations
The 1818 Club, a private business and dining club atop the Gwinnett
Chamber building at 6500 Sugarloaf Parkway, has expanded and taken
on a whole new look.
The Club recently unveiled its renovation and expansion project.
A new bar and grill were added, additional private dining rooms
were built, audio visual capabilities were enhanced and a complete
decorative upgrade all rounded out this summer-long project.
The Club just celebrated its sixth anniversary. It has over 850
members and is Gwinnett's only private dining club.
The club also announced the arrival of Executive Chef Tim Canterbury.
Chef Tim previously served as the executive chef of The One-Ninety-One
Club in Atlanta. He is the Club's second Executive Chef since the
opening of the Club in 2000.
- An invitation: What
Web sites, books or restaurants have you enjoyed? Send us your
best recent visit to a restaurant or most recent book you have
read along with a short paragraph as to why you liked it, plus
what book you plan to read next. --eeb
UGA's first
Heisman Trophy winner was Frank Sinkwich
Frank
"Flatfoot" Sinkwich (1920-1990) earned the first Heisman
Trophy awarded to a Southern college player. He brought national
recognition to the University of Georgia's football program. Sinkwich
was born October 10, 1920, in McKees Rock, Pa. and was raised in
Youngstown, Ohio.
Sinkwich |
There he was a running back for the Chaney High School football
team during the Great Depression. In 1939 he was recruited by University
of Georgia (UGA) backfield coach Bill Hartman; Sinkwich accepted
Hartman's offer on the condition that his friend George Poschner
be granted a scholarship as well. That fall both Sinkwich and Poschner
made headlines playing for the "Point-a-Minute Bullpups,"
the university's freshman football squad. (Freshmen were not eligible
for varsity play.)
In 1941 Sinkwich earned All-American honors as the team's leading
halfback. After having his jaw broken early in the season, he played
the remaining regular season games with his jaw wired shut and a
large jaw protector attached to his helmet (an innovation preceding
the first face masks). He wore the protector when he led Georgia
to a 40-26 victory over Texas Christian University at the 1942 Orange
Bowl, Georgia's first postseason appearance.
The following year Sinkwich shared the backfield with newcomer
Charley Trippi (Sinkwich was switched to the fullback position,
with Trippi playing halfback). The duo led Georgia to an 11-1 record,
culminating with a 9-0 Rose Bowl victory over the University of
California at Los Angeles. Sinkwich, known for his toughness if
not his size (he stood an unremarkable 5 feet 10 inches and weighed
185 pounds), played the game with sprained ankles. For his stellar
play in 1942, which included a still-unbeaten school record of 27
touchdowns, Sinkwich was awarded the Heisman Trophy by a unanimous
vote. For the second year in a row he won All-American honors, and
UGA celebrated him by retiring his jersey, number 21.
In 1943, the Detroit Lions, a professional football team, drafted
him in the first round. In his two years as a running back with
the Lions, Sinkwich was named All-Pro twice and league MVP in 1944.
The following year he was accepted into the Air Force. Soon after,
he suffered a serious knee injury playing for the Air Force football
team. The injury ended Sinkwich's career at the age of 25. After
the setback he coached at Furman University in Greenville, S.C.,
and the University of Tampa, Fla., before settling in Athens as
a businessman. In 1954 he was inducted into the College Football
Hall of Fame.
Along with his former coach Bill Hartman, Sinkwich chaired the
committee to raise funds for construction of the Butts-Mehre Heritage
Hall, completed in 1987. Frank Sinkwich died of cancer on October
22, 1990. His Heisman Trophy is on display at the Butts-Mehre Hall.
Negative thought has
a populist ring to it about voting
"If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal."
-- Political Activist Emma Goldman (1869-1940), via Marshall
Miller, Lilburn
Send your thoughts, 55-word short stories, pet peeves
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Forum for future publication.
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