Developers had some grand plans for LaGrange, but they’ve fizzled out because of the frazzled economy.

“Development is running at a snail’s pace,” said Alton West, director of community development for the city of LaGrange.

The Big Four, as he calls a series of developments on the east side of LaGrange, haven’t taken off as envisioned when they were announced a few years ago. They include North Pointe on Hammett Road, Magnolia on South Davis Road, Bryant Lake off Hamilton Road and Mill Creek Station at North Davis and Hogansville roads.

What the four have in common is that they’re 350- to 400-acre tracts with residential and commercial uses.

“A lot of those were on the drawing board even before the Kia announcement” in March 2006, West said. “I don’t think any of them came as a direct result of Kia,” but rather projected population growth. “I hold out hope for all of them. Hopefully the market will rebound.”

Mill Creek Station had been looking to attract big retailers like Cole’s and Target, but it hasn’t materialized. Publix Supermarket and All-Pro Auto Group had planned on moving there as well, but those plans are on hold.

North Pointe, which was planned for 800 homes and 400 apartments, has built about 60 homes. River Mill, the housing component of Mill Creek Station, has about 20 units.

Magnolia was supposed to have 2,900 residential units. So far, it has some water and sewer lines, but no structures.

“They ran into financial difficulties,” West said. “They’re still trying to work through those. If they can, we might see something.”

Bryant Lake was planned as a residential and commercial development with 980 housing units and a 32-acre lake. About 20 homes have been built, West said.

“They thought Atlanta was coming down here,” said County Commission Chairman Ricky Wolfe, but that population spread has yet to materialize.

Talisa Township, a massive residential and commercial development southwest of LaGrange, has bottomed out as well.

“The bottom line is the credit markets dried up, and we were unable to get financing,” said Talisa developer Stephen Macauley of Atlanta, who was banking on the Kia Motors plant in West Point. “We no longer have the property under contract. We’re still interested in LaGrange.”

Voters will decide July 20 whether to approve “tax allocation districts” (TADs) in which the high cost of infrastructure and other up-front costs can be financed through long-term bonds at no cost to the taxpayer.

“The TAD idea needs to be strongly considered because it’s a development tool we desperately need,” Wolfe said. “It’s gives us an edge on getting significant development here.”

Macauley said TADs “might make a huge difference.”

Joel Martin can be reached at jmartin@lagrangenews. com or (706) 884-7311, Ext. 235.