What Should Go Here?: Buffalo China

With its LED sign flashing daily specials, Buffalo China has been a Moreland Avenue landmark for years.

It's outer, gritty appearance notwithstanding, the Chinese restaurant in Ormewood Park, has quite a loyal following.

And as the Southeast Atlanta neighborhoods it serves have changed, so, too, is Buffalo China.

The restaurant will soon be moving into new digs a couple blocks north on Moreland, near the McDonald's.

That will leave its old location empty. That southwestern corner of Moreland and Glenwood avenues is ripe for redevelopment.

The graffiti-laden 525 Moreland Ave., site of the old Smooth Ashlar Grand Masonic Lodge, is next door to Buffalo China and shares the parking lot.

It, too, has sat vacant for years.

Whatever redevelopment comes to that corner would have to conform to some new neighborhood guidelines, if they are adopted by the city.

Those guidelines, which were approved by Neighborhood Planning Unit-W's Land Use Zoning committee dictate the types of businesses that are wanted in the East Atlanta Village Neighborhood Commercial District, building heights and other requirements.

For example, properties on the west side of Moreland that front the street and are within a 150 feet of a single family home and other select residential categories could not exceed 35 feet in height and three stories.

The East Atlanta Community Association approved of these new guidelines at its monthly meeting Tuesday night.

The full NPU-W membership is scheduled to vote on it at its Nov. 28 meeting.

How should that corner be redeveloped? What would you like to see there? What in terms of services or amenities is lacking in our neighborhoods do you think would work for this corner?