development

First United Methodist Church assured its future in downtown Alpharetta with the purchase of the former Louie E. Jones Funeral Home property next door.

The Rev. Don Martin, senior minister, said the church's plans for its downtown site are "as far as we can see in the future."

Despite slowing residential sales, Alpharetta townhome land is hitting the top of the market. Raw land prices have hit more than $750,000 per acre on Canton Street, the highest recorded residential raw land prices ever in Alpharetta.

While some view recent closings of several restaurants in Alpharetta's North Point Mall area as a sign of economic problems, local developers consider it a niche market. They intend to redevelop the closed restaurant sites into new mixed-use retail centers.