Being a native plant nut, I'd recommend either Serviceberry (Amelanchier, 'Autumn Brilliance' is a good one) or Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum).

Of course you should wait to plant in the fall.

I agree with esh_, if possible, plant a native tree. They can withstand the climate more readily than some of the imported ones.
Sourwood is a good choice, the Honeybee's love those.
Dogwood (Cornus floridus)would be another one. Also available in pink & red flowering cultivars.
Half-native, is the Saucer Magnolia x soulangeana (Paris, 1827), available in several flower colors.

Personally, I would never plant an expensive Japanese Maple near the street. They are THE prime target for plant thieves. A lady near me, lost a 6' specimen about 2 weeks ago, dug up during the night, from the middle of the front yard!
At the same time, they also took a lawnmower from the patio at the rear of her house.
Plant thieves abound in the Atlanta Metro area, and beyond!
Don't even ask me about all of my losses!
Rb

I guess I should have clarified. I do not want anything too tall. About as tall as a crepe myrtle. That is why I thought a japanese maple would be perfect. Plus anything too tall blocks the view to the house.

How tall do you think a crepe myrtle gets? The largest of them is 30 feet tall or more. Serviceberry 'Autumn Brilliance' is up to 25 feet. Sourwood is up to 30 feet (and it probably won't get that big while you are there).

Japanese maples can get to be 30 feet.

Another small tree (up to 20 feet) is Chionanthus virginicus , Grancy grey beard.

What is the maximum height you would like? You might do better to consider a large shrub.

something else to consider in is, "how fast will this thing grow, and how much will it cost for the size i need?"

most all japanese maples grow increeeeedibly slow ("glowing embers" is about the fastest grower i know of, and it's still slow, IMHO). if you plan to get any reasonably sized japanese maple, expect to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars. if you get a small one, expect that it will take at lest 10-15 years to do anything at all, with growth rates averaging around 1"-3" growth per year with many of them.

i hate to jump on the bndwagon, but i agree with esh; i'd go native. there are sooo many native varieties that fit the bill for what it sounds like you could be looking for. as a starter, check out the GNPS membership form for a bunch of ideas - check out the shrubs section, and use Google to find more information on the ones listed - they may perfectly fit your height requirements. likewise, check out the small trees listed and do the same.

You will need Acrobat Reader to view the PDF file I'm going to link here:

Here is a link that might be useful: GNPS plant list/membership form

Does anyone else question why the crepe died? They are drought tolerant and it was in full sun - What happened?

Was this tree in an island? If not had, it been repeatedly hit by a weed whacker? Have any surrounding plants also died? Maybe a gas leak? Bad pruning?
I had one die because it had been so disfigured by bad pruning that my shovel killed it;>)

I'd recommend taking a trip to the Botanical garden to have a look at mature trees and larger shrubs. There is also a very nice nursery in Cumming that has a wonderful selection of Japanese Maples.
Acer palmatum 'Sangokaku'aka Coral Bark Maple' is a nice one as is Acer griseum aka Paperbark Maple. These a both smaller trees and have nice interesting bark.

If Roswell will let you wait to replant I'd take the earlier suggestion and wait till the fall.

I do not know if it's native or not, but vitex can be pruned as a small tree.

Vitex would be a great idea for a dry, sun drenched site. it needs little water when planted, and no additional water once established. It gets very sculptural with age, and flowers all summer.

There are some mature-ish ones at perennial grace nursery in Alpharetta (in the ground) to see. I have one in my back yard that I got as a gift from a neighbor as a 20 inch high seeding from their tree. it is now 12 by 12, so imagine if you start with a larger size tree.

I highly doubt your crepe myrtle is dead. The trunk and all branches might be dead - scratch the surface and see if you see any green which means it's still alive - but I would bet the roots are fine. In the weather we have had recently, high nineties, leaves might turn brown and drop but in a newly planted crepe, the branches are still alive.
Keep it watered!

the serviceberry or the redbud look great! Where could I get a mature tree and what should I expect in costs?

I am going to wait until fall but I wanted to know where to look.

I am also in Roswell. don't know why your crepe myrtle would die. Mine is just having a mildew issue but I presume that is because the original owners of the house planted up against a fence. Lack of air circulation.

I would go to Buck Jones nursery out west on 140 in the Hickory Flat area. There are many nursery's in that area, most won't have much new tree stock in until September at this point.