Cheers! Doraville’s Assembly project is adopting an open-container policy

Like the metro cities of Duluth, Smyrna, and Roswell, and the commercial mini-city that is Ponce City Market, a rising mixed-use project in Doraville wants to be a center of open-container liberation and merriment.

A portion of the Assembly District being built by Integral Group where Doraville’s General Motors plant once stood will observe an open-container policy, thanks to unanimous vote by the Doraville City Council (6-0) earlier this month, project officials announced today.

The new ordinance will allow Assembly’s guests to carry up to two 16-ounce drinks at a time within specified areas of the district during hours of operation.

The city council also approved code amendments meant to attract microbreweries, micro-distilleries, micro-wineries, and breweries, loosening regulations for both on- and off-premise consumption.

It’s worth noting the legislation is a preemptive strike, because Assembly doesn’t have restaurants, bars, or breweries yet.

But officials optimistically noted in a press release: “With this approval, Assembly is now equipped to secure additional tenants for the site, creating the diverse culture and interactive experiences desired.”

With a footprint nearly the size of Piedmont Park, the 165-acre venture hopes to encompass 10 million square feet of multifamily housing, creative office space, dining, retail, and entertainment one day. The film hub Third Rail Studios was completed in the first phase.

A 250,000-square-foot Serta Simmons Bedding headquarters expects to open in February, officials said today. And an additional 1.3 million square feet of space is anticipated to arrive in the next 20 months.

Regarding the booze ordinance, Matt Samuelson, COO of Integral’s commercial real estate division, added in a prepared statement: “The City of Doraville recognized a need for updated amendments to attract commerce, visitors and jobs to Assembly, and we are proud to continue working with a future-focused entity.

“This is not just about creating an inviting environment for residents, visitors, and employees at Assembly,” he continued, “it’s also about creating an atmosphere for a vibrant set of businesses to thrive.”

The north ITP city has recently made news by green-lighting a driverless bus system and by being passed over when Amazon HQ2 reps swept through Atlanta this year.

Assembly had long been considered among the mix of metro Atlanta sites in HQ2 contention, which span from the airport to transit-connected Dunwoody, but officials confirmed the HQ2 courtship did not include a Doraville stop.