UrbanizeAtlNewsBot

Retro makeover in pipeline at doorstep of Piedmont Park Josh Green Fri, 08/16/2024 - 13:03 A recognizable corner building near one of Piedmont Park’s main entrances is set for a makeover—again.

Old Sol Coffee is moving forward with plans to renovate a one-story building where Skate Escape long did business at the northwest corner of Piedmont Avenue and 12th Street.

Designs call for turning the 1,360-square-foot structure into a walkup coffee shop with retro vibes, according to renderings provided to Urbanize Atlanta.

The adaptive-reuse plans were brought before the Midtown Development Review Committee this week by representatives from DeCarlo Hawker Architecture and 12th & Everything, the latter being the name of the two-building corner complex in question.

How the corner building would look when viewed from Piedmont Park. 12th & Everything/DeCarlo Hawker Architecture

According to the DRC, the coffee concept would see no interior seating but an extended exterior patio space that would include renovating the building’s existing canopy.

New entry doors, storefront windows, EV-charging stations, and bike racks would also be added, with solar panel arrays placed on the roof.

A small parking area is in the works for the western portion of the site, away from Piedmont Park, according to DRC officials.

Looking north, with Piedmont Avenue at right. 12th & Everything/DeCarlo Hawker Architecture

Former plans presented in September 2022 for the 12th & Everything adaptive-reuse corner near a main Piedmont Park entrance. Smallwood/DAS BBQ, via Midtown Alliance

The building in question stands across the street from a primary entrance to Piedmont Park, a Shake Shack, and Willy’s Mexicana Grill. Skate Escape had operated on that corner since 1979 as the oldest roller skate and skateboard shop in Atlanta but shuttered a couple of years ago as its owners retired.

Two years ago, DAS BBQ unveiled designs for converting the building to its third Atlanta location—complete with a rooftop hangout—but those plans appear to have fizzled.  

Next door, at the time, plans had called for renovating the shuttered 1094 Piedmont Ave. building to create 1,486 square feet of retail and conference space. That building is not mentioned in Old Sol Coffee’s plans for the corner.

Skate Escape's longstanding corner-lot location. Google Maps

The 1084 Piedmont Avenue building in relation to the western edges of the park. Google Maps

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Midtown news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta) 

Tags

1084 Piedmont Avenue NE 12th & Everything Adaptive-Reuse Project 12th & Everything Skate Escape Shake Shack Willy’s Mexicana Grill Greenthumb Tree Care Genesis Engineering Smallwood Das BBQ Cherry Street Energy Permits Unlimited DeCarlo Hawker Architecture Old Sol Coffee

Images

The 1084 Piedmont Avenue building in relation to the western edges of the park. Google Maps

Skate Escape's longstanding corner-lot location. Google Maps

How the corner building would look when viewed from Piedmont Park. 12th & Everything/DeCarlo Hawker Architecture

Looking north, with Piedmont Avenue at right. 12th & Everything/DeCarlo Hawker Architecture

Former plans presented in September 2022 for the 12th & Everything adaptive-reuse corner near a main Piedmont Park entrance. Smallwood/DAS BBQ, via Midtown Alliance

Subtitle Coffeeshop targets former Skate Escape building for renovations next to Midtown greenspace

Neighborhood Midtown

Background Image

Image

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

Atlanta declared No. 2 most livable city in U.S. for 2024 Josh Green Fri, 08/16/2024 - 08:01 In news that’s sure to make Atlanta’s “We Full” movement wince, the city has scored impressively high on an annual ranking of the most livable urban places on the planet, as determined by a British publication with its hand on the pulse of world economies.

The Economist Intelligence Unit, a sister company of London weekly magazine The Economist, has declared Atlanta the No. 2 most livable city in the U.S. for 2024, following only Hawaiian capitol Honolulu. (Or as Travel + Leisure magazine put it this week, Atlanta qualified as the “best place to live on the U.S. East Coast.”)

According to EUI’s Global Liveability Index 2024, the ATL performed well on the global stage, earning a No. 29 ranking among the most livable cities in the world. Researchers also slotted Atlanta among the “biggest movers up” in 2024, having climbed four places internationally since last year. (Conversely, Israel’s Tel Aviv dipped the furthest on that chart, falling 20 places in light of conflicts in the region.)   

The Economist relies on an index created by EUI to compile its annual list, ranking living conditions in 173 cities around the globe.

Economist Intelligence Unit

Among its global and American counterparts, Atlanta scored relatively well on more than 30 factors related to culture, the environment, healthcare, infrastructure, education, and what’s broadly defined as “stability,” per the city livability index.

The goal, according to EUI, is to illustrate how comfortable each city is to live in.

Any city with an index between 80 and 100 falls into the category of having “few, if any, challenges to living standards.” Atlanta’s score was 92.3.

Economist Intelligence Unit

In the U.S. top 10, behind Honolulu and Atlanta were Pittsburgh, Seattle, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Boston, Miami, San Francisco, and Minneapolis, respectively. 

For the third year in a row, the elegant Austrian city of Vienna took the top position on EUI’s global ranking.

In four of the five categories, Vienna scored a perfect 100, though researchers knocked the “culture and environment” metric down to a mere 93.5, noting a dearth of major sporting events.

Economist Intelligence Unit

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Atlanta named best U.S. city for remote work—for 3rd year running (Urbanize Atlanta) 

Tags

City Rankings The Economist Livability Atlanta Quality of Life Canada city livability index Midtown Atlanta Population Atlanta Growth Is Atlanta Good City Pittsburgh Honolulu Travel + Leisure Rankings Atlanta Rankings

Images

Economist Intelligence Unit

Economist Intelligence Unit

Economist Intelligence Unit

Subtitle Economist publication's annual rankings slot Georgia capital among "biggest movers up" on planet

Neighborhood Citywide

Background Image

Image

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

MARTA's rapid bus project takes key step forward north of Atlanta Josh Green Thu, 08/15/2024 - 16:26 MARTA leadership is applauding the state’s transportation authority for moving forward with plans to remake Ga. Highway 400 into a transit corridor, furthering MARTA’s goal of creating Bus Rapid Transit options throughout the region.

Georgia Department of Transportation officials announced today they’d taken a key step in advancing the SR400 Express Lanes Project by selecting a contractor to tackle the massive job on one of metro Atlanta’s busiest traffic corridors.

GDOT selected an LLC called SR400 Peach Partners as project contractors. That’s a consortium of several engineering and road-building companies, according to Capitol Beat News Service.

Expected to cost $4.6 billion, the Ga. Highway 400 overhaul calls for implementing about 16 miles of BRT lanes and stations, in addition to tolled express lanes for vehicles. The project would stretch from Sandy Springs up to the southern reaches of Forsyth County, with service to cities such as Roswell, Alpharetta, and Milton in between. The roadway is traveled by about 278,000 vehicles per day.

MARTA officials praised GDOT, the State Road and Tollway Authority, and the Atlanta-Region Transit Link Authority in a statement today with helping to bring transportation alternatives to the often-clogged, north-south freeway.

The project will boost connectivity to job centers, tamp down on traffic congestion, and set the stage for transit-oriented development in the future, according to MARTA. (Find a breakdown of how MARTA’s BRT stations on Ga. Highway 400 could look and function here.)

“Together we are expanding transit and supporting economic development throughout the region,” the MARTA statement reads.

How MARTA's bus-rapid transit station on Ga. Highway 400 could be situated near a revised Holcomb Bridge Road in Roswell. Courtesy of MARTA

Courtesy of MARTA

The Ga. Highway 400 project’s scope calls for two toll lanes running in each direction from MARTA’s North Springs station to McGinnis Ferry Road in Alpharetta; from there, one lane in each direction would extend to just north of McFarland Parkway in Forsyth County.

MARTA’s BRT component would operate in dedicated lanes free of other vehicles in the middle of the highway, between tolled lanes. Those would extend from North Springs station to Windward Parkway (where a park-and-ride lot would be built), with BRT stations in between near North Point Mall and at Holcomb Bridge Road. Last year, MARTA estimated its portion of the project would cost about $360 million.

GDOT’s goal is to begin construction on Ga. Highway 400 by the third quarter of 2025 and open lanes to vehicles roughly six years later. To help pay for the project, the agency plans to partner with a private company that would set tolls and collect revenue.

Courtesy of MARTA

A MARTA BRT system in the northern suburbs would echo similar efforts in Atlanta and the metro’s southside.

MARTA is moving forward with BRT transportation projects along the Clifton Corridor near Emory University, on Campbellton Road in Southwest Atlanta, and in Clayton County.

The first line to begin construction, however, is the five-mile, 14-stop BRT loop linking downtown to Summerhill and other neighborhoods. MARTA expects to finish building the loop and adjacent bike lanes in the spring and begin service later in 2025.

That route has been christened MARTA Rapid Summerhill.

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Roswell news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta) 

Tags

Bus Rapid Transit BRT North Fulton Community Improvement District MARTA Roswell Alpharetta Alternate Transportation Alternative Transportation North Fulton County Fulton County Mass Transit Bus Transportation Atlanta Bus Transportation GDOT Georgia Department of Transportation SR400 Express Lanes Project Atlanta-Region Transit Link Authority State Road and Tollway Authority

Subtitle GDOT selects contractor to bring 16 miles of BRT service, toll lanes to fruition

Neighborhood Roswell

Background Image

Image

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

At cusp of Centennial Park, hotel development seeks buyer, builder Josh Green Thu, 08/15/2024 - 13:44 A downtown hotel project that would overlook Centennial Olympic Park is designed, permitted, and ready to move forward in hopes of capturing 2026 FIFA World Cup crowds. The only missing piece is a company capable of building it.

That’s the word from commercial real estate brokerage firm Marcus & Millichap, which listed for sale today a 355 Centennial Olympic Park Drive site where a 14-story Residence Inn By Marriott is set to move forward with a franchise flag in place.

Located diagonal from downtown’s signature park, the .8-acre site is a former gravel parking lot that’s been fenced-off and used sparingly for several years. The asking price for the land and permitted hotel plans is $14.5 million.

The property is marketed as being in Atlanta’s “hotel zone” and “completely construction ready, with full construction plans permitted and entitlements in place,” per listings.

How the project would meet the corner of Centennial Olympic Park Drive and Ivan Allen Jr. Boulevard.Niles Bolton Associates; via Marcus & Millichap

The .8-acre Centennial Olympic Park Boulevard site in relation to the Georgia Aquarium and National Center for Civil and Human Rights, at bottom left. Marcus & Millichap

The location is a mile from Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where World Cup matches will be played, and many of its hotel rooms would overlook the Georgia Aquarium, National Center for Civil and Human Rights, World of Coca-Cola, and other downtown attractions.

Plans approved by the City of Atlanta call for the 14-story building to include 188 rooms, with guests housed on the top seven floors. 

The bottom five stories would be used for 129 parking spaces and electric-vehicle charging stations, all wrapped in a perforated screen, according to Niles Bolton Associates, the Atlanta-based architecture firm behind interior, exterior, and landscape designs.

Other aspects would include a third-party bar and restaurant space at street level, a pool deck over Ivan Allen Jr. Boulevard, and a terrace with views across Centennial Olympic Park.

Where the 188-key hotel's pool amenities would be placed over Ivan Allen Jr. Boulevard. Niles Bolton Associates

Plans for the 14-story structure with a restaurant at its base where Centennial Olympic Park Drive meets Ivan Allen Jr. Boulevard. Niles Bolton Associates

High End Investments, a Houston-based developer, applied for building permits with the city in early 2023 for the Residence Inn but appears to have backed away from developing it. The project would have marked the company’s first project in Atlanta.

High End paid $3.8 million for the parcel, which had traded for $10.5 million in pre-recession 2008, according to Fulton County property records. A 10-story Candlewood Suites was once briefly floated for the same corner site, but the COVID-19 pandemic squashed those plans.

Located diagonal from the park’s north end, near Georgia Aquarium, the hotel building would stand three stories shorter than Kaplan Residential’s Generation Atlanta apartments next door. That 17-story project finished construction in summer 2020, offering 336 rentals, and was sold the following year for a record sum for downtown. (Documents shared with Urbanize Atlanta this month indicate that property is scheduled for foreclosure proceedings Sept. 3, regarding a $104 million loan through Arbor Realty Participation LLC.)

Designs for the Residence Inn are meant to strike “a balance between playfulness and sophistication,” with “décor [that] is crisp and modern, emphasizing earth tones and natural textures and materials like stone, concrete, and hardwood,” per Niles Bolton’s description.

Proposed stance at the corner of Centennial Olympic Park Drive and Ivan Allen Jr. Boulevard, per the latest drawings. Niles Bolton Associates; via Marcus & Millichap

Should it move forward, the Residence Inn would join several hospitality ventures recently delivered or in the works near downtown’s signature park.

The 22-story Margaritaville resort condo building by Wyndham Destinations, also fronting Centennial Olympic Park Drive, opened in 2022 with 200 suites and two floors of retail near SkyView Atlanta. The Signia by Hilton project delivered almost 1,000 hotel rooms earlier this year, and Centennial Yards expects to finish its 229-room Anthem hotel sometime next year. 

Also near the Georgia Aquarium, the Moxy Centennial Olympic Park project—a 13-story, 183-room property—is scheduled to finish construction and open in the second quarter of 2026.

In the gallery above, find more Residence Inn site context and images.

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Downtown news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta)

Tags

355 Centennial Olympic Park Drive NW Residence Inn by Marriott Niles Bolton Associates Generation Atlanta Kaplan Residential Hardam Hotels Teachers Village Atlanta Hotels Centennial Olympic Park Georgia Aquarium Atlanta Development Downtown Development High End Investment RIBM Marcus & Millichap

Images

The .8-acre Centennial Olympic Park Boulevard site in relation to the Georgia Aquarium and National Center for Civil and Human Rights, at bottom left. Marcus & Millichap

How the project would meet the corner of Centennial Olympic Park Drive and Ivan Allen Jr. Boulevard.Niles Bolton Associates; via Marcus & Millichap

Where the 188-key hotel's pool amenities would be placed over Ivan Allen Jr. Boulevard. Niles Bolton Associates

Plans for the 14-story structure with a restaurant at its base where Centennial Olympic Park Drive meets Ivan Allen Jr. Boulevard. Niles Bolton Associates

Marcus & Millichap

Marcus & Millichap

Proposed stance at the corner of Centennial Olympic Park Drive and Ivan Allen Jr. Boulevard, per the latest drawings. Niles Bolton Associates; via Marcus & Millichap

Subtitle Residence Inn by Marriott plans hit market for vacant, permitted downtown corner lot

Neighborhood Downtown

Background Image

Image

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

Filings shed light on 42-story tower plans off Howell Mill Road Josh Green Thu, 08/15/2024 - 08:08 Plans are coming into clearer focus for a high-rise proposal that could redefine West Midtown’s skyline, opening up space at its base for new plazas and other human-scale development.  

Star Metals District developer The Allen Morris Company is scheduled to come before Atlanta’s Board of Zoning Adjustment on Sept. 5 with designs for a tower that would climb 42 stories.

In terms of scale, it would be a dramatic shift for the former industrial zone between Howell Mill Road and Northside Drive, just west of Georgia Tech.

The Florida-based real estate firm is seeking a variance to increase the allowable height to 435 feet for one of three buildings planned across Star Metals' final phase. As is, new development in the area can’t stack up taller than 225 feet, according to city ordinances.

Site plans submitted with the city in July show the high-rise, considered Star Metals’ phase six, would be the easternmost building on site, nearest to Northside Drive. Like its sibling towers (phases four and five), the project would replace a low-rise block where the densifying Howell Mill Road corridor meets 11th Street.

Twenty-one stories would be the maximum height for other buildings in the final Star Metals phase, per planning documents.

Potential layout of the three buildings, plazas, and retail boxes in Star Metals' final phase, with the tallest, easternmost structure shown at right. Oppenheim Architecture, Allen Morris Company; via City of Atlanta Office of Zoning and Development

How the three-building block would shape up when viewed from the north, toward Buckhead. Oppenheim Architecture, Allen Morris Company; via City of Atlanta Office of Zoning and Development

The 3.27-acre property in question spans a full city block, next to the rising, 22-story Stella at Star Metals residential project. Allen Morris in late 2022 succeeded in having the property rezoned to an MRC-3 designation to allow for mixed uses.  

Should the 42-story proposal be approved—at just 18 feet shorter than downtown’s 100 Peachtree (formerly the Equitable Building), it’d certainly stand out in the area—it would signal a strategy change for Allen Morris.

As project officials explained in paperwork filed with the city, the block-sized site is unusually large for infill development in an urban setting and will allow for unique placemaking near all four surrounding streets, as buildings of considerable height sprout across the property. The height variance would allow for more than 40 percent of the site to remain open space—as opposed to 15 percent now.

The variance “would enable a robust amount of sidewalk-level plazas, outdoor dining, and pedestrian-focused improvements throughout the block,” notes the application. “In an area dominated by new high-rise development with limited areas for pedestrian activity, the exchange of building height for significant sidewalk level open areas is appropriate.”

We’ve reached out to Allen Morris officials for an updated timeline on the next phase’s construction this week but had not heard back as of press time. It’s possible the 42-story project won’t come for several years, as filings indicate it would be the last of the three new Star Metals buildings to be erected on site.

Revised renderings for the final Star Metals phases have yet to be compiled, project reps recently said.

Exterior designs proposed for the 435-foot-tall structure that would be Star Metals' tallest. Oppenheim Architecture, Allen Morris Company; via City of Atlanta Office of Zoning and Development

View from the south, toward downtown, with Howell Mill Road at left. Oppenheim Architecture, Allen Morris Company; via City of Atlanta Office of Zoning and Development

For the last Star Metals section, the developer’s plans call for a significant injection of new housing—roughly 775 multifamily residences. Elsewhere would be 372,600 square feet for offices, hotel, and commercial uses. That will include more than 58,000 square feet of retail uses alone, with most of it placed at sidewalk level, according to permit filings.

W. A. Spencer Morris, the development firm’s president, told Urbanize last year the next Star Metals phases will incorporate green elements to echo Atlanta’s dense tree canopy and contribute to an urban forest feel.

The goal is to blend “the motifs of a lush botanical garden and the industrial context and grid of the neighborhood,” Morris said at the time.

According to the most recent images available, how Star Metals' development phases along Howell Mill Road (at bottom) would relate to the existing Star Metals Offices building, shown at bottom left. (Note: The scope is no longer accurate.)Courtesy of The Allen Morris Company; designs, Oppenheim Architecture

To date, Star Metals counts two completed buildings that already stand out for their atypical architecture in the Howell Mill Road corridor: Star Metals Offices and flex-living concept Sentral West Midtown across the street.

Find more context and a closer look in the gallery above.

...

Follow us on social media: 

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Marietta Street Artery news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta) 

Tags

690 11th Street NW Star Metals Hotel + Residences Stella at Star Metals Star Metals Star Metals Atlanta Oppenheim Architecture Square Feet Studio Atlanta Architecture Atlanta Development The Allen Morris Company Star Metals District West Midtown Atlanta apartments Marietta Street Artery OMFGCo Prevail Coffee Savi Provisions Flight Club PlantHouse Office of Zoning and Development

Images

Potential layout of the three buildings, plazas, and retail boxes in Star Metals' final phase, with the tallest, easternmost structure shown at right. Oppenheim Architecture, Allen Morris Company; via City of Atlanta Office of Zoning and Development

How the three-building block would shape up when viewed from the north, toward Buckhead. Oppenheim Architecture, Allen Morris Company; via City of Atlanta Office of Zoning and Development

View from the south, toward downtown, with Howell Mill Road at left. Oppenheim Architecture, Allen Morris Company; via City of Atlanta Office of Zoning and Development

Exterior designs proposed for the 435-foot-tall structure that would be Star Metals' tallest. Oppenheim Architecture, Allen Morris Company; via City of Atlanta Office of Zoning and Development

Portion of the site where the 42-story tower would rise today. Oppenheim Architecture, Allen Morris Company; via City of Atlanta Office of Zoning and Development

Existing site conditions today near the easternmost boundary. Oppenheim Architecture, Allen Morris Company; via City of Atlanta Office of Zoning and Development

Oppenheim Architecture, Allen Morris Company; via City of Atlanta Office of Zoning and Development

Blocks where Star Metals District is expected to expand (in yellow), between Howell Mill Road (left) and Northside Drive. Red stars represent existing Star Metals buildings, while the section marked "1" is where the 22-story Stella building is under construction. Google Maps/Urbanize ATL

According to the most recent images available, how Star Metals' development phases along Howell Mill Road (at bottom) would relate to the existing Star Metals Offices building, shown at bottom left. (Note: The scope is no longer accurate.)Courtesy of The Allen Morris Company; designs, Oppenheim Architecture

Plans for an "urban forest" aesthetic and functionality on balconies, streets, and exterior walls within the district. Courtesy of The Allen Morris Company; designs, Oppenheim Architecture

Example of how a tiered plaza could function at the corner of Howell Mill Road and 11th Street beside retail spaces. Courtesy of The Allen Morris Company; designs, Oppenheim Architecture

Subtitle First look at potential scope, exteriors of Star Metals District's tallest building—by a long shot

Neighborhood Marietta Street Artery

Background Image

Image

Associated Project

Stella at Star Metals

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

Stone's throw from Beltline, row of Westside modern dwellings floated Josh Green Wed, 08/14/2024 - 16:22 A land deal that proposes building a row of distinctly modern homes in a historic Westside neighborhood is back in play with new pricing.

Situated about three miles west of downtown Atlanta, the Rockmart Drive property in question is an assemblage of three consecutive, sloped land lots that constitute much of the street in Hunter Hills.

The property overlooks a pedestrian walkway—considered part of PATH’s Lionel Hampton Trail—that bridges over MARTA tracks. The Atlanta Beltline’s Westside Trail is located roughly a block to the east.

Collectively the land in question covers about .15 acres, according to the Sell Georgia listing agent.

Proposed facades along Rockmart Drive in Hunter Hills. Sell Georgia

The hillside lot in question today along Rockmart Drive.Sell Georgia

Renderings included in listings depict three standalone modern dwellings positioned on the hillside, each of them three stories tall with garages at the base. Sell Georgia’s team is capable of building the residences, per listings.

Beyond the Beltline, perks of the location include quick transit access and proximity to entertainment and cultural destinations, according to sellers.

“The 30314 area has been experiencing rapid growth and revitalization, making this land lot a promising investment,” the listing reads. “Take advantage of the area's upward trajectory and be part of the positive transformation.”

What the homes might cost, how large they would be, and a potential construction timeline hasn’t been specified. Attempts to reach the LLC marketing the property weren’t successful this week. We’ll update this story with any additional details that come.

Potential look of interiors in Hunter Hills, per listings. Sell Georgia

Sell Georgia

The property (sans homes, of course) was initially listed for $299,999 in January. Following a series of yo-yo price decreases and increases, the latest price posted this week is $149,999.

That’s a 20-percent increase over the land’s price earlier this month.

Find a closer look in the gallery above.

Location of the acreage in question near the Beltline's Westside Trail, just north of Interstate 20. Google Maps/Zillow

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Hunter Hills news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta) 

Tags

0 Rockmart Drive Modern Homes modern design Land for Sale Westside Homes Westside Atlanta exterior design Atlanta Modern Homes Atlanta BeltLine Beltline Westside Trail Westview Sell Georgia Westside Lionel Hampton-Beecher Hills Park Lionel Hampton Trail

Images

Location of the acreage in question near the Beltline's Westside Trail, just north of Interstate 20. Google Maps/Zillow

The hillside lot in question today along Rockmart Drive.Sell Georgia

Proposed facades along Rockmart Drive in Hunter Hills. Sell Georgia

Sell Georgia

Sell Georgia

Potential look of interiors in Hunter Hills, per listings. Sell Georgia

Sell Georgia

Sell Georgia

Sell Georgia

Sell Georgia

Sell Georgia

Sell Georgia

Sell Georgia

Subtitle Sellers urge potential builders, buyers to “take advantage of the area's upward trajectory”

Neighborhood Hunter Hills

Background Image

Image

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

Images: Deluxe condo stack erected during pandemic guns for sellout Josh Green Wed, 08/14/2024 - 13:36 The same New York City-based firm constructing Atlanta’s tallest new skyscraper in a generation is making a fresh push to offload the last remaining condos in another building a block away.

Sales at 40 West 12th, a rare stack of for-sale condos for Atlanta, began amidst the COVID-19 pandemic year of 2020, and the finished building delivered the following autumn. It brought 64 condos to the submarket in a glass-clad, 19-story tower, developed by Rockefeller and Atlanta-based Selig Development.

The building’s final eight listings—collectively called “The Art Residences”—have recently come to market, with the angle of being designed specifically for displaying and enjoying art. That is, they feature large interior wall spaces and ambient lighting described as optimal for showcasing collections.

Inside the main living space of an Art Residences unit at the Midtown building. Courtesy of Selig Development; Rockefeller Group; Engel & Völkers Atlanta

A model media room. Courtesy of Selig Development; Rockefeller Group; Engel & Völkers Atlanta

Pricing for the Art Residences starts at $1.7 million and climbs to $2.1 million for a penthouse space. All eight of them count three bedrooms and three and ½ bathrooms in 2,400 square feet.

Amenities described as “those typically found in five-star resorts” are meant to help justify price points that stand among the highest in Midtown right now. (Another larger top-floor unit in the building that’s also never sold is asking $2.65 million, with $2,149 monthly HOA fees, marking the most expensive Midtown condo on the market.)

Those perks include the Epicurean Atlanta hotel next door that also services the condos, connected via a 1-acre Sky Terrace with an outdoor pool, cinema, gardens, and grilling stations.

Inside the 40 West 12th building, an all-seasons pool with Midtown views is restricted to condo dwellers, as is a private outdoor terrace, fitness center, lounge, and a full kitchen and bar area. (Here’s a mask-heavy tour of the full property from November 2020, as condo interiors were rounding into shape and what became the Google-anchored office tower component had topped out.)

The condo tower's private indoor pool. Courtesy of Selig Development; Rockefeller Group; Engel & Völkers Atlanta

An Art Residences living room. Courtesy of Selig Development; Rockefeller Group; Engel & Völkers Atlanta

The Art Residences model home was designed by Rule Joy Trammell + Rubio architects and furnished by 11 Fifty-Nine, with an eclectic variety of art pieces selected by curator Tom Williams of T Williams Design. Williams’ previous work includes Raffles Hotel Istanbul and Atlanta's Gas South Convention Center.

A block west of the condos, Rockefeller is barreling ahead with vertical construction on the 1072 West Peachtree mixed-use tower, which will mark the tallest residential building in Atlanta and the highest skyscraper built since the early 1990s. An Atlanta-based executive with the development firm recently shared insights as to how that project is progressing—and why Rockefeller is confident it’s a viable play.

Swing up to the gallery for a tour of Art Residences' model units—and to see how 40 West 12th amenities are holding up more than three years after they debuted.

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Midtown news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta) 

Tags

40 West 12th Street NW Rockefeller Group 40 West 12th Selig Development Atlanta Condos Midtown Condos Engel & Völkers Atlanta Christa Huffstickler High Rise Living Modern Homes modern design Porcelanosa Epicurean Atlanta One Museum Place Aqua Midtown Rule Joy Trammell + Rubio RJTR RJTR Design Tom Williams T Williams Design 11 Fifty-Nine Kim Ouellette Jennifer Joseph

Images

Inside the main living space of an Art Residences unit at the Midtown building. Courtesy of Selig Development; Rockefeller Group; Engel & Völkers Atlanta

A model media room. Courtesy of Selig Development; Rockefeller Group; Engel & Völkers Atlanta

Courtesy of Selig Development; Rockefeller Group; Engel & Völkers Atlanta

An Art Residences office. Courtesy of Selig Development; Rockefeller Group; Engel & Völkers Atlanta

Courtesy of Selig Development; Rockefeller Group; Engel & Völkers Atlanta

An Art Residences living room. Courtesy of Selig Development; Rockefeller Group; Engel & Völkers Atlanta

Communal lounge at 40 West 12th. Courtesy of Selig Development; Rockefeller Group; Engel & Völkers Atlanta

The 40 West 12th communal outdoor living room. Courtesy of Selig Development; Rockefeller Group; Engel & Völkers Atlanta

The hotel pool, which condo dwellers can access. Courtesy of Selig Development; Rockefeller Group; Engel & Völkers Atlanta

The 1-acre Sky Terrace, the condos (at right), and hotel. Courtesy of Selig Development; Rockefeller Group; Engel & Völkers Atlanta

Example of one of eight remaining kitchens for sale. Courtesy of Selig Development; Rockefeller Group; Engel & Völkers Atlanta

The condo tower's private indoor pool. Courtesy of Selig Development; Rockefeller Group; Engel & Völkers Atlanta

40 West 12th is part of Selig and Rockefeller's three-tower project that includes the Epicurean Atlanta hotel and a 31-story office building (at left) where tech titan Google claimed top floors. Courtesy of Engel & Völkers Atlanta; 2021

Southward views across Midtown toward Bank of America Plaza. Courtesy of Engel & Völkers Atlanta; 2021

South views across Midtown from the 1-acre Sky Terrace on the ninth floor.Courtesy of Engel & Völkers Atlanta; 2021

Subtitle 40 West 12th building’s final listings dubbed the “Art Residences”

Neighborhood Midtown

Background Image

Image

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

North of Atlanta, 'farmstead' project emerges as homebuyer magnet Josh Green Wed, 08/14/2024 - 08:12 City slickers itchin’ to get their hayseed on might wanna take note.

Promising “farmstead living for modern world pioneers,” a project called Sanctuaire Farms spread across 461 acres in Cherokee County expects to break ground in coming months and capitalize on a post-COVID trend of homebuyers seeking to literally get back to their roots.

According to The Folia Group, a longtime homebuilder in Atlanta’s northern suburbs, the concept has proven an immediate hit. Company CEO Rob Beecham recently said the “interest and enthusiasm has been incredible.” (The developer is also building a project under the Sanctuaire brand in downtown Canton.) 

Described as a master-planned, agri-community with unique amenities, Sanctuaire Farms is set to take shape five miles east of Ball Ground and Interstate 75, roughly an hour north of Atlanta. Its acreage is about the size of Piedmont Park and Chastain Park combined, bordered on one side by the 200-acre McGraw Ford Wildlife Management Area.

The finalized plat for Sanctuaire Farms was unveiled during a July 20 event, during which a source tells Urbanize Atlanta about half of the available plots were sold.

Sanctuaire Farms

Today more than 30 lots of 55 total have been claimed, sellers with Ansley Real Estate, Christie’s International Real Estate, and The Shirley Gary Group report

Smaller farmsteads are starting in the $250,000s, and plot sizes range between 5 and more than 20 acres. (A selling point is the privacy of big lots, with the security of a gated community with a smattering of neighbors, per project heads.) 

Per-acre pricing starts at $52,000 for smaller lots and drops to $42,000 for those with 10 or more acres.

The 55-lot breakdown at Sanctuaire Farms, with the communal hub portion shown at bottom right. Sanctuaire Farms

What sets the project apart—and is enticing buyers into Sanctuaire Farms instead of setting out pioneer-style and starting small farms of their own—is a section called The Grange Community Farm, according to The Folia Group.

That’s where an orchard, greenhouse, community garden, schoolhouse, and “art house” will be located, alongside educational options where residents can learn to raise livestock, farm, and properly garden. The Grange area is also where a subscription system for vegetables, dairy, beef, poultry, and pork will be managed.

Facilities at The Grange will host special events, celebrations, and other gatherings such as farm-to-table dinners and cookouts, according to project officials. (Just don’t expect a lavish saltwater pool and dog spa, per blueprints.)

Planned layout of the agricultural The Grange portion. Sanctuaire Farms

An onsite team is expected to help residents get started (and their hands dirty) with tasks such as milking cows and planting gardens. In that way—minus the livestock, and on a smaller scale—the concept echoes the Pendergrast Farm project that's taking shape in northeast Atlanta.

Chad Davis, a Realtor with Ansley Real Estate, told the Cherokee Tribune buyers will be asked to choose from a list of four or five approved, local homebuilders to ensure consistency, with a minimum of 1,000 square feet required. Buyers will also be required to build on their chosen lot within two years.

Home construction is expected to start in November, with the first closings scheduled for next spring.

“At Sanctuaire Farms,” Smith said in a recent announcement, “kids can ride horses, get their hands dirty in the garden, explore the natural world, and let their imaginations run free as they play outdoors with their friends.”

The Sanctuaire Farms’ Walk Score is sure to land around 0, obviously; but as project leaders note, the wonders of the North Georgia Mountains and weekend getaways in Chattanooga are short drives away.

The exurban site in question, due north of Atlanta near downtown Ball Ground. Google Maps

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Images: Cumming pretty much nailed its new city center (Urbanize Atlanta) 

Tags

1554 Ball Ground Road Ball Ground Sanctuaire Farms The Folia Group Farmstead living Chad Davis McGraw Ford Wildlife Management Area Exurbs Northern Suburbs Northern Cherokee County OTP North Georgia Ansley Real Estate Christie's International Shirley Gary Group Cherokee County

Images

The exurban site in question, due north of Atlanta near downtown Ball Ground. Google Maps

The 55-lot breakdown at Sanctuaire Farms, with the communal hub portion shown at bottom right. Sanctuaire Farms

Planned layout of the agricultural The Grange portion. Sanctuaire Farms

Sanctuaire Farms

Subtitle 461-acre Sanctuaire Farms promises agrarian lifestyle for “modern world pioneers”

Neighborhood OTP

Background Image

Image

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

Jamestown announces blockbuster buy of Colony Square, Avalon, more Josh Green Tue, 08/13/2024 - 15:13 The developer best known in Atlanta for creating Ponce City Market from the ailing City Hall East is set to add Colony Square and several other landmark properties around the metro to its portfolio.

Global investment and management firm Jamestown announced today it intends to acquire the Atlanta subsidiary of Cincinnati-based North American Properties, which counted $2 billion in assets under management as of June.

That includes Midtown’s remade Colony Square, the NAP-developed Avalon district in Alpharetta, and two more recent renovation endeavors in NAP’s portfolio, Avenue East Cobb and the under-construction The Forum Peachtree Corners in Gwinnett County, among other properties outside Georgia.

The transaction’s closing is scheduled to come by the fourth quarter of 2024, pending customary approvals from investors and lenders.

All of NAP’s Atlanta-based operations and assets—including more than 200 employees—would then be moved under the Jamestown name. The managing partner of NAP’s Atlanta subsidiary, Tim Perry, is also expected to join Jamestown’s executive team in another managing role.

The Forum Peachtree Corners' new centralized greenspace. Courtesy of Jamestown

Midtown Atlanta's overhauled Colony Square property today. Courtesy of Jamestown

According to an announcement today, Jamestown counts $11.7 billion in assets as of June, following its founding in 1983. Other stars in its Atlanta portfolio include Buckhead Village, Westside Provisions District, and Southern Dairies.

We’ve asked Jamestown reps if the pending NAP takeover will translate to any significant changes at the metro Atlanta properties in question, and for information on the purchase price. This story will be updated with any additional details that come.

Jamestown officials say the acquisitions will beef up the company’s mixed-used, placemaking goals and help it branch into more suburban, high-growth markets. 

The deal includes nine properties total across six states. Beyond Georgia, Birkdale Village (in Huntersville, N.C.), Ridge Hill (Yonkers, New York), and Newport on the Levee (near Cincinnati in Newport, Ky.) are included. 

Along with Avalon, other properties in the deal that fall within NAP’s real estate services business are Mercato (in Naples, Florida) and Riverton (Sayreville, New Jersey). Jamestown plans to add those to its 22-project real estate services business, spread across 19 cities and 10 countries.

Where Colony Square meets Peachtree Street. Courtesy of Jamestown

A main Avalon boulevard in Alpharetta. Courtesy of Jamestown

NAP’s Atlanta subsidiary was established in 1996 and previously made a splash with the reimagining and eventual sale of Atlantic Station to Hines. The company’s $400 million redo of Colony Square was declared finished three years ago.

“Finding a like-minded partner in Jamestown is a great outcome for our people,” said NAP CEO Tom Williams in a prepared statement, “and we look forward to continuing to invest in real estate alongside them.”

The Forum in Gwinnett County's Peachtree Corners today. Courtesy of Jamestown

Newport on the Levee on the Ohio River, with the Cincinnati skyline in the background. Courtesy of Jamestown

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Phew! Atlanta doesn't crack top 50 on 'Dirtiest Cities in America' list (Urbanize Atlanta) 

Tags

Jamestown Ponce City Market North American Properties The Forum The Forum on Peachtree Parkway Cincinnati The Forum Peachtree Corners Cobb County Avenue East Cobb The Avenue East Cobb Avalon Colony Square Birkdale Village Ridge Hill Newport on the Levee Mercato Riverton Mixed-Use Development Atlanta Development Alpharetta

Images

Midtown Atlanta's overhauled Colony Square property today. Courtesy of Jamestown

Where Colony Square meets Peachtree Street. Courtesy of Jamestown

A main Avalon boulevard in Alpharetta. Courtesy of Jamestown

The Forum Peachtree Corners' new centralized greenspace. Courtesy of Jamestown

The Forum in Gwinnett County's Peachtree Corners today. Courtesy of Jamestown

Newport on the Levee on the Ohio River, with the Cincinnati skyline in the background. Courtesy of Jamestown

The Mercato property. Courtesy of Jamestown

A Birkdale green. Courtesy of Jamestown

Subtitle Ponce City Market developer to acquire North American Properties' metro Atlanta holdings

Neighborhood Citywide

Background Image

Image

Associated Project

Colony Square 6401 Avalon Boulevard Avenue East Cobb

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

Leasing at lively West End warehouse district is on a roll Josh Green Tue, 08/13/2024 - 13:28 The combination of Atlanta BeltLine access, inimitable old warehouse spaces, and a nearby MARTA station in a historic neighborhood continues to prove alluring in what’s becoming West End’s version of the Krog District.

Adaptive-reuse development Lee + White has signed a nearly 16,000-square-foot lease with Texas-based Ogle School, a cosmetology and esthetics school with 10 locations across Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. The West End outpost will mark the company’s first outside Texas.

The news follows recent signings that show how Lee + White’s redevelopment team is aiming to broaden its appeal and lease offices that, in turn, support food-and-beverage attractions, such as the breweries and other boozy offerings the district was initially known for. 

Atlanta Golf & Social announced plans in late July to open a 3,767-square-foot experiential sports venue in Lee + White’s food hall portion by the end of 2024, joining that company’s flagship location in downtown Chamblee.

Planned aesthetics at West End's Atlanta Golf & Social. Courtesy of Lee + White

Just one space totaling 3,990 square feet remains available in the 16-tenant food hall now, officials announced last month.

Ackerman & Co. and MDH Partners, developers behind the 11-building Lee + White venture, say Ogle School will occupy a “prime” second-floor space at the front of the recently refurbished 929 Building, a former warehouse with high ceilings nearest to Lee Street and the neighboring MARTA line.

Cosmetology and esthetics classes that emphasize career development in salon settings are scheduled to begin in January next year. MDH Partners founder and CEO Jeff Small said Ogle School will offer a more cost-friendly alternative to traditional, four-year colleges. Cushman & Wakefield represented Lee + White in the leasing deal.

“Ogle School brings new opportunities for skills training and job growth for the West End community and beyond,” Small noted in a prepared statement. “We look forward to seeing students enjoying the many retailers and restaurants at Lee + White soon.”

Rendering of the 929 Building entry. Courtesy of MDH Partners/Ackerman & Co

Overview of the Lee + White property's 929 Building, from above the nearby MARTA line and Lee Street. Courtesy of Ackerman & Co./MDH Partners; designs, Smith Dalia Architects

Ogle School CEO John Blair said his company conducted an extensive search for where to open its first location outside Texas and picked “vibrant and dynamic” Atlanta for its “rich cultural heritage and thriving community,” and the West End project for its “unique blend of history and modernity.”

Other recent signings at 442,562-square-foot Lee + White (they despise the clever if outdated “Malt Disney” moniker these days, so we’ll refrain) include the new North American headquarters for Triumph Motorcycles, a Grady Health System neighborhood health center, and creative offices for KIPP Metro Atlanta Schools.

A lease expansion with renewable energy company JTEC Energy Inc. recently boosted that company’s footprint at Lee + White to about 28,500 square feet.

Planters and what's essentially an outdoor dining room near the Lee + White food hall, as seen in summer 2023. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The district’s Great Lawn section debuted in 2023, and the food hall’s central bar Strangers in Paradise came online earlier this year.

For those keeping score at home, the Lee + White food hall’s lineup now includes (deep breath) Cielito Lindo, Costa Coffee, Crème de la Crepe, Dough Boy Pizza, GoodAzz Burgers, Gekko Hibachi & Sushi, gusto!, Honeysuckle Gelato, One Korean Bistro, The Original Hot Dog Factory, Pastaholics, Sakura Sake Bar & Bottles, Sweet Red Peach, Vietvana, West Side Deli, and World Chicken.

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• West End news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta)

Tags

1000 White Street SW Ackerman & Co. Marietta Square Market Shipping Containers MDH Partners Lee + White Atlanta BeltLine Westside Trail Smith Dalia Architects 929 Lee Street SW Lake & Oak Neighborhood BBQ Todd Richards Cushman & Wakefield Food Hall Beltline Southeastern Management Inc. Westside Dental Adaptive-Reuse Adaptive-Reuse Development Costa Coffee Cielito Lindo taqueria Crème de la Crepe Sweet Red Peach bakery Ogle School Atlanta Golf & Social Golf & Social Carter Hill Commercial Real Estate Advisors

Images

Rendering of the 929 Building entry. Courtesy of MDH Partners/Ackerman & Co

One of several social spaces beside the BeltLine at Lee + White. Courtesy of MDH Partners/Ackerman & Co

Planters and what's essentially an outdoor dining room near the Lee + White food hall, as seen in summer 2023. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Range of seating near a Westside Trail entry. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Overview of the Lee + White property's 929 Building, from above the nearby MARTA line and Lee Street. Courtesy of Ackerman & Co./MDH Partners; designs, Smith Dalia Architects

View of the Great Lawn from existing businesses at the district's south end. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Planned aesthetics at West End's Atlanta Golf & Social. Courtesy of Lee + White

Subtitle Lee + White adds first Georgia location of Ogle School to growing tenant lineup, nearly full food hall

Neighborhood West End

Background Image

Image

Associated Project

929 Building - 1000 White Street SW Food Hall - 1000 White Street SW

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

Images: In Midtown, century-old hotel's revival is complete Josh Green Tue, 08/13/2024 - 08:14 Sporting a fresh white façade and interiors that aimed to blend Southern coziness with European flair, a boutique Midtown hotel is officially open for business, following a ribbon-cutting Monday and what project leaders call a two-year renovation from roof to lobby. 

The 120-room Hotel Granada, an independent brand located at 1302 W. Peachtree St., is striving to offer a smaller, uniquely charming lodge and hangout in a high-growth market dominated by chains, most of them leaning upscale.

The project’s goal, according to Chicago-based management firm Aparium Hotel Group, was to remake the Spanish Colonial-inspired, 101-year-old Midtown landmark—most recently the Artmore Hotel, prior to closing last summer—into a destination that evokes a Western European retreat (think: Spanish-style archways and terra cotta tiles) while contrasting the district’s glassy skyline.

There’s also distinctly local touches, such as the 1996 Olympic torch, Crepe Myrtle blossoms, the Fox Theatre marquee, and other Atlanta symbols dotted along corridor wallpaper.

The Artmore's facade prior to closing. Hodges Ward Elliott

The revised Hotel Granada facade at 1302 W. Peachtree St. in Midtown today. Courtesy of Hotel Granada

The hotel’s name nods to its residential beginnings. The building originally opened in 1924 as the Granada Apartments and was converted to hotel uses in 1984. Prior to closing, the Artmore was Midtown’s only independent boutique hotel, stylized with a Spanish-Mediterranean red tile roof, stucco façade, and open courtyard that have all been retained.

The Hodges Ward Elliot real estate advisory firm arranged the hotel's $21.1-million sale in 2022.

The heart of the Midtown property houses an all-day, Crepe Myrtle-bedecked signature bar and restaurant for guests and visitors called Pom Court, with brunch on weekends and a menu focused on Spanish-Southern small plates and cocktails. Elsewhere will be a café, lobby lounge, and cocktail bar, with designs nobody will accuse of being coldly contemporary.

Scarp Ridge Capital Partners and Monomoy Property Ventures, both based in New York, led the Hotel Granada renovation. Ken Gowland of architecture firm MetroStudio led design and preservation work that updated the property’s façade, roof, courtyard fountain, and a “Granada” mosaic tile inlay at the entrance.

Interiors by designer Cameron Carrr aimed for “an urban oasis feel,” in which “Spanish bohemian meets Southern charm with calming tones of green, blue, and ochre, alongside touches of natural wood, bespoke furnishings, and layered textiles,” according to a project description.

Few layouts of the 120 guest rooms are the same, per hotel leadership. The property also includes a 10-person boardroom that can be reserved for private dinners.

One interesting local touch is Hotel Granada’s art in public spaces by Savannah College of Art and Design alumni, curated with the help of SCAD Art Sales.

The tree-shaded courtyard is a Hotel Granada centerpiece. Courtesy of Hotel Granada

The lobby by designer Cameron Carr aimed for "bohemian-Spanish ambiance" with bespoke wooden furniture for a homey, Southern touch, per project reps. Courtesy of Hotel Granada

Regular hotel rates start at $169 per night this month (excluding $45 daily valet parking fees). Hotel Granada is also offering special packages tied to the opening—a “Cocktails in the Courtyard” deal, with a complimentary room upgrade and two “welcome drinks” is one—and a limited number of rooms for $100 per night for the first 100 days of operations.

Find more context and a closer look at this revised Midtown landmark in the gallery above.

Hotel Granada's location in relation to Woodruff Arts Center, other West Peachtree Street hotels, and MARTA's Arts Center station. Google Maps

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Midtown news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta) 

Tags

1302 W. Peachtree St. NW Hotel Granada Artmore Hotel Monomoy Property Ventures MPV Kevin Vaughan Atlanta History Atlanta Renovations Atlanta Hotels Granada Apartments west peachtree Street Woodruff Arts Center Aparium Hotel Group Ken Gowland MetroStudio Scarp Ridge Capital Partners Pom Court Interior Design Spanish Colonial Savannah College of Art and Design SCAD SCAD Art Sales

Images

Hotel Granada's location in relation to Woodruff Arts Center, other West Peachtree Street hotels, and MARTA's Arts Center station. Google Maps

The Artmore's facade prior to closing. Hodges Ward Elliott

The revised Hotel Granada facade at 1302 W. Peachtree St. in Midtown today. Courtesy of Hotel Granada

The lobby by designer Cameron Carr aimed for "bohemian-Spanish ambiance" with bespoke wooden furniture for a homey, Southern touch, per project reps. Courtesy of Hotel Granada

Courtesy of Hotel Granada

Courtesy of Hotel Granada

The tree-shaded courtyard is a Hotel Granada centerpiece. Courtesy of Hotel Granada

Courtesy of Hotel Granada

Courtesy of Hotel Granada

Courtesy of Hotel Granada

Courtesy of Hotel Granada

Courtesy of Hotel Granada

Courtesy of Hotel Granada

Courtesy of Hotel Granada

Subtitle Hotel Granada project aimed to modernize 1923 property while embracing Spanish Colonial charms

Neighborhood Midtown

Background Image

Image

Associated Project

Artmore Hotel

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

Photos: First tower to sprout from Gulch reaches (almost) max height Josh Green Mon, 08/12/2024 - 14:33 The Gulch’s transformation from a soulless urban void into magnet for investment is becoming more and more obvious as Atlanta’s dog days of summer drag on.

As throngs of cowboy hat-wearing concert-goers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium may have noticed this past weekend, a section of the first ground-up new tower at Centennial Yards appears to have reached its maximum height, according to project renderings.

The building in question is an 18-story, glass-clad apartment tower that now overlooks The Benz from directly across the street, following a quick ascension throughout the spring and summer months.

Centennial Yards reps tell Urbanize Atlanta the project is very close to reaching its max height, “but technically the topping out is not completed.” Updates regarding naming and other details are expected to be revealed next week.

Centennial Yards' first ground-up apartment building's north and western facades today. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The 304-unit apartment building stands where Centennial Olympic Park Drive meets Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive. Vertical construction is also continuing on its sibling project, the 292-key Anthem hotel, with its curving base levels having rounded into shape across the street.

Both new buildings will stand 18 stories between The Benz and active railroad tracks below, marking the most tangible evidence to date the Centennial Yards megaproject is starting to become real. A joint groundbreaking was held for the projects in late 2022.

Centennial Yards Company leadership has said both buildings are scheduled to deliver sometime in 2025. An update on opening timelines wasn’t available today.

View of the Centennial Yards tower projects from the east, across the Gulch. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Planned look of the Anthem hotel (left) and apartment building at Centennial Yards, as seen from Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Courtesy of Centennial Yards Company

Just east of the towers, Centennial Yards has also broken ground on an 8-acre, mixed-use entertainment hub anchored by a Cosm entertainment dome with a fan plaza at the center.

Those buildings are scheduled to be finished in time for eight 2026 FIFA World Cup matches set to be played in Atlanta, beginning in June that year.

The Gensler-designed project would also include another Centennial Yards hotel (14 stories) on a new platform wedged between Centennial Olympic Park Drive and MLK Jr. Drive, adjacent to both State Farm Arena and Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Collectively, phase two is being referred to as the project’s Entertainment District.

Developers with Centennial Yards Company, a division of Los Angeles-based CIM Group, hope to not only complete the Entertainment District in time for the World Cup—but to have two-thirds of the 50-acre, $5-billion project either complete or under construction by then.

How the next Centennial Yards phase is expected to meet Martin Luther King Jr. Drive (left), with active rail lines separating it from the Anthem hotel tower (back left) and The Benz. Courtesy of Centennial Yards Company

Eventually, Centennial Yards is expected to create a dozen city blocks, with about 750,000 square feet of retail in the mix, all backed by a nearly $2-billion tax-incentive package, a record for Atlanta. 

In the gallery above, see where Centennial Yards’ construct progress stands today, versus its pre-World Cup future, should plans come to fruition.

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Downtown news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta)

Tags

95 Centennial Olympic Park Drive Centennial Yards Hotel 250 MARTIN Luther King Jr. Drive SW Centennial Yards apartments Cooper Carry Gulch Affordable Housing Nelson Street Bridge Pedestrian Bridge Stevens & Wilkinson Stream Realty Atlanta Stream Realty Partners CIM Group Centennial Yards Castleberry Hill South Downtown South Dwntn Ted Turner Drive Foster + Partners Brian McGowan Atlanta Construction Atlanta Development Good Van Slyke Architecture Perkins & Will Perkins&Will TVS SOM Design Skidmore Owings & Merrill Atlanta Hotels World Cup World Cup 2026 aerial tours Cosm

Images

As viewed from the north, the 18-story apartment tower now overlooks Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Centennial Yards' first ground-up apartment building's north and western facades today. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Construction progress on base levels of the 18-story Anthem hotel project, situated just north of the apartment tower. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

View of the apartments from the Gulch-spanning Steele Bridge for pedestrians, which replaced the Nelson Street bridge. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

How the first new tower appears to have reached its top story. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

View of the Centennial Yards tower projects from the east, across the Gulch. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The building's stance along Centennial Olympic Park Drive today. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Planned look of the Anthem hotel (left) and apartment building at Centennial Yards, as seen from Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Courtesy of Centennial Yards Company

Street-level view of the Anthem apartments. Courtesy of Centennial Yards Company

How apartment amenities will overlook active rail. Courtesy of Centennial Yards Company

Signage that will face The Benz. Courtesy of Centennial Yards Company

How the entertainment district is expected to meet Centennial Olympic Park Drive, near State Farm Arena. Courtesy of Centennial Yards Company

Main entry point to the entertainment district along Centennial Olympic Park Drive. Courtesy of Centennial Yards Company

Courtesy of Centennial Yards Company

Courtesy of Centennial Yards Company

Courtesy of Centennial Yards Company

Subtitle Glass-clad Centennial Yards apartment building overlooks Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Neighborhood Downtown

Background Image

Image

Associated Project

95 Centennial Olympic Park

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off