The PCIDs? What is that?
Perhaps you have heard of the Perimeter Community Improvement Districts (PCIDs), but do you know how they make Perimeter a better place? We work closely with them and wanted to share how we see them improving our region and making it a better place for our visitors and workers alike.
Investing in Perimeter
Ann Hanlon, the Executive Director of the PCIDs, shared with me that they have, “invested almost $30 million in the community since their inception in 1999. The PCIDs have built sidewalks, installed landscaping, paid for bridges, and even hired artists to paint murals in the Dunwoody community. The PCIDs famously helped fund the 285/400 interchange improvement after lobbying for years to make it happen – with a $10 million check to the Georgia Department of Transportation to help pay for new bridges and trail infrastructure.”
All of those initiatives made Perimeter a better place, and one reason it is the envy of the entire Southeast is that it was fortunate to have them focused on our region.
PCIDs' Mission
Their website explains: "The Perimeter Community Improvement Districts (CIDs) is a self-taxing district that uses a small additional property tax on commercial space to accelerate needed transportation and infrastructure projects within the neighborhood."¹
Their funding comes from commercial property owners in Brookhaven, Dunwoody and Sandy Springs. Since they operate across both Fulton and DeKalb counties, they have two boards that represent both sides. However, they represent the region as one unified entity. Their mission is to "bridge government, development, and business communities to fuel one of the most influential business districts in Georgia, meaning progress happens with an intention that benefits the community and infrastructure tenfold."²
Moving forward, the PCIDs will continue making improvements that include landscaping in and around I-285 and SR 400. They are also involved in selecting and building unique bridges across I-285 that will make our region more distinctive.
Ann shared with me that “the CIDs are hyper-focused on keeping the Perimeter market safe, clean and accessible. Perimeter is one of the largest concentrations of Class A commercial office space in the Southeastern United States – and the property taxes that are paid by those commercial property owners are the engine that help fund our community. The CIDs aggressively lobby for transportation projects and transit access to keep the business community in Perimeter thriving. The organization also works closely with City leadership to support redevelopment of older properties and keep Perimeter as a top performer for commercial real estate. Over the next 10 years, the PCIDs hope to renovate 6 bridge structures around the market over GA 400 and I-285. These aesthetic improvements, including decorative stonework, lighting and landscaping, will contribute to the signature look and feel of the market. As competition for corporate headquarters and office users around the country grows, it is important to the CID to create an aesthetic that is fresh.”
PCIDs and Discover Dunwoody Working Hand in Hand
At Discover Dunwoody, we work hand in hand with them to ensure the workforce in our region has the best possible experience when they are in the office—which we would love to see more of. The more often these workers frequent our restaurants, the more jobs are created, thus improving everyone's quality of life. That is the primary goal of Discover Dunwoody: creating more jobs in the hospitality and retail sectors.
Increasing hotel occupancy is our top strategy to achieve our mission. Business travelers spend approximately $75 per day on food and $45 per day on transportation. That spending significantly impacts our local economy. Since Dunwoody is a leader in the Southeast over the last 2 years in the growth of rooms sold and room revenue, we can see how our region has improved based on the higher levels of business travelers. In the last three years, Dunwoody has seen 41 new restaurant openings. For a relatively small area, that represents tremendous growth for our region, and cannot happen without our business travelers.
The PCIDs work hand in hand with us to help us and the City succeed in making Perimeter the premier destination for travelers and new businesses. Let’s continue supporting their efforts and letting the world know how we appreciate all they have done.
1 Website: Perimeter Community Improvement District (Perimeter) https://perimeteratl.com/perim...
2 Website: Perimeter Community Improvement District (Perimeter) https://perimeteratl.com/perim...
3 New restaurants: Ark Coffehaus, Louisiana Bistreaux, Yao, Mikata, Halal Guys, Velvet Taco, Cuddlefish, Agave Bandido, The Hampton Social, Nando’s Peri Peri, PF Changs, Kitchen & Kocktails, 26 Thai, Snooze, North Italia, Super Chix, Chicken Salad Chick, Panda Express, Chopt Creative Salad Co., First Watch, Steak & Grace, Summitt Coffee, Valor, Morty’s Meat & Supply, Message in a Bottle, Good Vibes Ice Cream Shop, CT Cantina & Taqueria, Buffalo Wilds Wings, Paris Baguette, Omakase by Yun, Brown Bag Seafood, Hawkers, Jeni’s ice Cream, Culinary Dropout, Grana, Politan Row, Putt Shack, Lucky Goat Coffee, Desi District, Sushi Kingdom, Stone Age Korean BBQ, and Wa’Haka.
