The boundaries of Sandy Springs are Atlanta to the south,
Cobb County (at the
Chattahoochee River) to the west and north,
Roswell (also at the river) to the north, and
Dunwoody and
Brookhaven, at the
DeKalb County line, to the east. A small
panhandle in the northeast extends between the Chattahoochee River to the north and Dunwoody to the south, ending in a very small border with
Peachtree Corners in the extreme western edge of
Gwinnett County.
Climate Sandy Springs has a
humid subtropical climate (
Köppen climate classification Cfa). During January and February 2014, the Atlanta area, including Sandy Springs, experienced a
severe snow storm and a
severe ice storm, both of which left much of the region without power, caused major travel disruptions, and the former storm forced people to take shelter in cars and schools as the city was underprepared for the black ice that prevented transport.
Neighborhoods , a downtown landmark located in City Springs at Sandy Springs Place and Roswell Road
Downtown—City Springs City Springs, the downtown district of Sandy Springs, is usually defined as the area to the south and east of Sandy Springs Circle, to the north of
Interstate 285, and to the west of Boylston Drive. It is located approximately 12 miles directly north of
Downtown Atlanta. In the absence of a traditional downtown, city leaders created City Springs, a multi-use development containing municipal offices, residential, retail, green space and a performing arts center, landmarking a formal "downtown" for its residents. City leaders purchased the property in 2008, which was once the site of a former Target (formerly Richway) shopping center, located between Roswell Road, Johnson Ferry Road, and Mount Vernon Highway. Since then, the surrounding area in the district has become a center for urban renewal for the city, with many new mixed-use apartment developments being planned or built, primarily replacing old
strip malls along
Roswell Road. The City Springs center officially opened in 2018, 10 years after the original site purchase.
The Panhandle The Dunwoody Panhandle, or just "The Panhandle" is a residential area bounded by the
Dunwoody city limit to the south, the Chattahoochee River to the north,
Georgia 400 to the west, and Peachtree Corners city limit to the east. The district's name is derived from the fact that it is wedged between the river and Dunwoody, forming a geographic panhandle. Major roads include Dunwoody Club Drive and
Spalding Drive, and Interstate access is through the Northridge Road exit of Georgia 400. Many who lived in the neighborhood during Sandy Springs' incorporation considered themselves part of Dunwoody, and voiced their opposition to the installment of street sign toppers labelled "Sandy Springs". Then-mayor Eva Galambos stated that these new signs would do nothing to diminish the neighborhood's identity. The area also includes the 400-285 highway interchange, which is currently undergoing major construction. The top three tallest suburban buildings in the country are found here, the 'King' and 'Queen', and nearby
Park Towers at #3.
North Springs North Springs is located in the northern portion of the city, and is generally defined as the area west of the Dunwoody/DeKalb County border, east of Brandon Mill Road, north of Abernathy Road, and south of Dalrymple Road and Spalding Drive. The
North Springs MARTA station, the terminus of the MARTA
Red Line, serves the district. Five of Sandy Springs' public schools are in this area, including the newest Ison Springs Elementary School, Woodland Elementary School, Spalding Drive Charter Elementary School, Sandy Springs Charter Middle School, and
North Springs Charter High School.
South Springs—Sandy Springs ITP South Springs or Sandy Springs ITP, an acronym for "inside the perimeter", refers to a portion of the city which extends south of Interstate 285, colloquially referred to as "the perimeter". It is located north of the
City of Atlanta border, east of the Riverside district, south of Interstate 285, and west of the
Brookhaven/DeKalb County border. The southern area of this district is considered to be a part of the greater
Chastain Park community of
Buckhead. The public schools in this area include Ridgeview Charter School and High Point Elementary School. The popular Atlanta radio station 99X broadcasts on 98.9 from here.
Powers Ferry Landing The business district just east of the river crossing is called Powers Ferry Landing, located where Northside Drive crosses the road, just east of the former landing. This provides freeway access at Northside Drive (west ramps) and New Northside Drive (east ramps, road and ramps built in a 1990s reconstruction). Signage on the freeway indicates Powers Ferry Road, Northside Drive, and New Northside Drive.
North End The North End is a large district in the northernmost portion of the city, and is generally defined as the area to the west of
GA400, to the south and east of the Chattahoochee River, and to the north of Dalrymple Road. It is accessible via GA400 at Northridge Road, and contains the Northridge business area and the North River Village community. The Huntcliff community and Grogans Bluff neighborhood are located west of the district, on a panhandle to the northwest. ==Demographics==