Podcast 288 – Smart Branding and Apartment Density Transformed Chamblee Over the Last Decade – Van Pappas
Chamblee has rebranded, reimagined, and revitalized itself. Van Pappas shares how smart city planning and a bold branding push turned an industrial corridor into one of North DeKalb’s hottest areas. The key? Apartment density, a clear identity, and big community pride. Van was there from the start, on the branding committee that helped bring the iconic red Chamblee sign to Peachtree Boulevard. He explains how signage isn't just decoration, it is declaration.
Van also dives into starting his Chamblee Area Restaurant Review Facebook Group during Covid, and growing it nearly as large as my Dunwoody version. What began as a way to support struggling restaurants became a digital town square, where locals post reviews and swap recommendations.
The Chamblee Rail Trail is more than a sidewalk. Van breaks down how the trail is expanding to connect key parts of the city and tie into a larger regional network. With plans to link Chamblee to Doraville’s Assembly development, Brookhaven’s greenways, and eventually the BeltLine, the trail is redefining how locals experience the city, without ever getting in a car.
Learn more about Van: oxygenfinancial.com/van-pappas
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