Atlanta-based developer Third & Urban and multifamily partner Trammell Crow Company announced the first two retail tenants at Hillcrest, a new mixed-use development expanding Sandy Springs’ downtown district.
Salted Melon and Chastain Creamery will join the roughly 8-acre project set to open next summer, with 362 apartments, 30 for-rent townhomes, and 19,000 square feet of retail south of Mount Vernon Highway at Sandy Springs Circle.
Hank Farmer, partner at Third & Urban, said Hillcrest brings a mix of walkable shops and restaurants with abundant patio and outdoor space, in an Oct. 27 announcement.
“Residents will have options steps away from their front door, and visitors will have a reason to stay awhile,” Farmer said. “Salted Melon and Chastain Creamery already have local followings and will fit right in with the community we are creating here. We’re in active negotiations with several more tenants and can’t wait to share who’s next.”
Construction underway
Construction is well underway on the nearly 400-home development on the former site of the Sandy Springs United Methodist Church’s Hitson Center, a grass field, and a parking lot.
Sandy Springs United Methodist Church, which sold the site south of Mount Vernon Highway to fund improvements, is pursuing a conditional use permit to construct a new sanctuary on the north side of the roadway, with on-site parking and landscaping improvements.
As of late October, several townhomes and retail spaces, the parking deck, and some multifamily units have been constructed. The five-story building along Mount Vernon Highway is beginning to go up, with progress above the concrete podium expected by the end of the year
Because of the property’s steep grade, the development terraces down from Mount Vernon Highway along Sandy Springs Circle.
New South Construction, a building contractor, said a second crane will be added to the site in November in an Oct. 26 Facebook post with drone footage of the construction site.
More tenants and buildings
Chastain Creamery is an ice cream shop on West Wieuca Road in Buckhead that opened at the start of the year. The modern ice cream parlor also offers a variety of allergy-friendly options, including items that are free of gluten, dairy, nuts, or added sugar.
“We are incredibly excited to bring Chastain Creamery to Hillcrest and become part of the vibrant Sandy Springs community,” a Chastain Creamery spokesperson said. “The overwhelming support we’ve received at our Buckhead location has inspired us to continue growing, and we believe Hillcrest is the perfect setting for our next chapter.”
Salted Melon is a Charlotte, North Carolina-based “everyday gourmet” concept. It’s opening its second metro Atlanta location (and sixth overall) at Hillcrest, following its debut in Buckhead in February. Salted Melon is known for its salads, bowls, sandwiches, smoothies, pastries, and specialty coffee and tea.
Thomas Coker, owner and founder of Salted Melon, said the company chose Hillcrest for its convenient location, emphasis on patio-heavy retail spaces, and the city’s vision for a pedestrian-friendly downtown.
“We are excited for the opportunity to expand to Sandy Springs and offer a second destination for everyday gourmet in the Atlanta area,” Coker said. “The community is poised to become a vibrant destination in Sandy Springs, and we are proud to be a part of it.”
Apartments and townhomes
The Oct. 27 announcement markets the more than 350 multifamily units as “a new standard for Class-A living with high-end finishes and amenities.”
Amenities include a rooftop pool and clubroom with views of Sandy Springs and Buckhead, a golf simulator lounge, private movie screening room, sauna, state-of-the-art fitness center with Pilates studio, dog park, and a café-inspired work-from-home space.
The luxury townhomes, also for rent only, will offer two- and three-bedroom floor plans with two-car garages and rooftop patios.
One of the Hillcrest project partners is High Street Residential, a subsidiary of Trammell Crow, which negotiated a deal involving the project with Sandy Springs officials.
The Sandy Springs Development Authority’s approval of a tax abatement in summer 2025 caps Sandy Springs’ contribution to the project at $4.9 million, in exchange for 111 parking spaces available for public/city use.
The Sandy Springs City Council also selected the developers of Hillcrest (Trammell Crow and Third & Urban) to serve as the city’s development partners for City Springs 2.0 across the street from Hillcrest and the City Green.
