Letter From Frank Norton Jr

RE:  Opposition to Green Street Project

My name is Frank Norton Jr., Owner of 434 Green Street, directly in the middle of the proposed Green Street Improvement (?) project. I am writing on behalf of a large number of property owners along the street and proposed roundabout who are opposed to the project, its impact on day-to-day business activities, the damage to property values and the desecration of Gainesville’s Historic character.

While we are consulting with legal counsel pre-condemnation, we write and strongly urge reconsideration and reassessment of the cost vs the long-term benefits and unintended detriments to the community. 

We have valid questions yet unanswered by either DOT or the Gainesville City Council. 

• Why spend $25 to $100 million, to end up with the same number of lanes and no alternative re-routing of traffic?
• Construction Timetable: 18 months? 24 months? 36 months? Bradford Street construction was estimated at 9 months – and took at least 24, shuttering 3 businesses. 
• Will property owners be fairly compensated for the taking? And will property owners and tenants be compensated for business interruption or business loss?
• While there is certainly need for improved stormwater solutions, is the median and widening necessary?
• Has the city polled Green Street to see if a left turn prohibition is a reasonable traffic flow consideration?
• How will tractor trailers safely turn around without a roundabout at the Gainesville Civic Center?
• Has the traffic model been updated to include the impact of the diversion of traffic patterns resulting from the completion of the Sardis connector?
• Will the improvements increase the intensity of tractor trailer traffic through Gainesville?
• How will we, our employees and customers, access our properties during construction?
• What is the plan for creating a redundancy for the fiber optic trunk line running down Green Street and servicing thousands of users?
• Are the power lines going to remain above ground?  We have been hearing conflicting reports.
• Will it improve the value of the individual properties or the businesses housed in them?
• Has an environmental impact study been performed?
• How extensive will the subsurface work be and its impact on 68 trees in the construction zone after the removal of 26 trees?
• Has DOT resolved the potential backup of roundabout traffic toward Peach State Bank or the old Coca Cola Building in peak traffic times?
• Why is Green Street a MAJOR safety issue when the 2024-25 Hall County Traffic/Collision Hot Spots does not include it in the Top 15?

We respectfully request reconsideration of this project and urge DOT planners to meet collectively and directly with the 38/40 affected property owners along with the City of Gainesville elected officials to discuss the dynamics of this project. It is our assessment that it affects 3,000 employees directly or indirectly and our collective tax base of affected properties exceeds $150 million.

Respectfully,

Frank K. Norton, Jr.

For Green Street Property Owners

cc:  Russell McMurry

       Governor Brian Kemp

       Senator Drew Echols

       Representative Matt Dubnik

       City of Gainesville

       Hall County Government

       Representative Lee Hawkins

P.S. How about we just sit down and discuss?

Dear Ms. Singleton, 

I write to echo the concerns of Mr. Norton and voice my concerns as well. 

Mr. Norton makes many astute points.  I would add that the overall impact of any modifications to Green Street, whether argued to be “necessary” or not, likely won’t be experienced for many months to come and certainly extend beyond just the initial governmental taking of private land.  

As one of many examples of detrimental impacts:  

My office was constructed in 1885.  For many decades, the building was never forced to withstand the noise and vibration of the vast amounts of traffic seen today; not to mention the impact of a multitude of 80,000 lbs tractor trailers traveling by.  I would encourage you and anyone seeking to credibly evaluate how this project may affect these buildings to come to my office when traffic is at a high level, before any movement of the lanes, to see the significant effect high traffic has on my building where the road currently sits.  The increase in noise and vibrations resulting from moving the roadway an appreciable amount closer may well completely destroy this beautiful, historic building and many others….quite literally.  At a minimum, most assuredly, the front rooms of my office will be rendered useless during normal business, and traffic flow, hours.

Irrespective of the intent of the plans, there are alternatives. Saving Green Street should take precedence.  

Those copied on this message in positions of representation of the people would benefit greatly from recognizing the probable ramifications of destroying one of Gainesville’s most revered areas.

Happy to discuss this with anyone, anytime it is convenient for all of us.

Thanks,

Shane Lazenby

R. Shane Lazenby

Lazenby Law Group

380 Green Street, NE

Gainesville, Georgia  30503