What Should Go Here?: 606 Flat Shoals Ave.

For years, some of my longtime neighbors have lamented the peach-coral colored buildings at 606 Flat Shoals Ave. off Newton Avenue in East Atlanta.

Home to what had been Paradise Living, an assisted care group home, its residents were somewhat of a problem for the neighborhood.

Some of the inconveniences were minor; there was the one resident who would go to the Village go to restaurants, order breakfast or lunch, only to have no money to pay for what she ordered.

Others were more serious. In January of 2008, my disabled neighbor shot one of the residents of that facility when that man, who had a history of criminal behavior and mental instability, tried to break into his home just a few doors down from the group home.

Later that year, the city revoked its special use permit and the property sat vacant.

But last week, another group, Primrose Pass Personal Care Community Living LLC, made a presentation to the East Atlanta Community Association about its plans for the property in its quest for community support for its initiatives.

Primose Pass wants to transform the the property into a senior care facility that would have 18 rooms for residents whose care would be funded by Medicare and private insurance.

The principals of the planned center, Erika Brown and Kimberly Castlin, said they are sensitive to the property's history in East Atlanta and understand folks' skepticism.

To address that, they pledged to have an open door policy with the community and serve the neighborhood, too, by offering blood pressure screenings, diabetes checks and other services such as wound care dressing.

"We're trying to do something positive for the community," Brown said, pledging to EACA members that Primrose Pass would have an open door policy with the community.

As good faith measure, Brown and Castlin, who sought EACA's support in Primrose Pass' special use permit application with the city, said that permit would expire every two years.

That's by design to allow the community a regular opportunity to see how  operations are working or not and voice their whatever concerns may arise.

That seemed to win over EACA members who voted to support their application.

"Their willingness to work with the community should not be understated," Ed Gilgor, chairman of Neighborhood Planning Unit-W and an East Atlanta resident, said at the meeting.

What do you think of this proposal for the property? Is this a good plan for redeveloping the site?