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Doraville's made-from-scratch downtown takes key step, eyes start date Josh Green Thu, 04/24/2025 - 13:34

The City of Doraville’s quest to create its own distinctive, transit-connected, multifaceted downtown district has spanned more than 20 years. At long last, that project’s development is all systems go.

City leaders relay this week a groundbreaking ceremony is planned for June to kick off construction of Doraville City Center, an effort to establish a new identity and gathering spot for the ITP city like Sandy Springs, Alpharetta, Suwanee, and so many other metro Atlanta places before it. 

As a final step, Doraville officials have inked contracts with Choate Construction Company and McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture to help lead development of what's been in planning phases since 2005.  

The 13-acre city center will reflect “our city’s bold vision for the future and the values of our diverse, growing community,” reads this week’s announcement. 

Conceptual plans for how the centralized downtown could look and function for Doraville—claiming municipal buildings and other underused or undeveloped parcels—first came to light in the fall of 2023. 

Plans for an upgraded central boulevard, Park Avenue, between apartments and retail. HGOR/Flippo Civil Design; via City of Doraville

Broad view of 13 acres of parcels Doraville owns for redevelopment in relation to Spaghetti Junction (bottom right), Interstate 285, and other landmarks. Google Maps

The site in question involves 13 acres the city owns and has been exploring how to better activate. The properties are bound by New Peachtree Road and Central Avenue, just north of Buford Highway and northwest of Spaghetti Junction near Assembly Atlanta. 

MARTA’s Doraville station is located across New Peachtree Road from the site.

Plans call for a new City Services building, multifamily housing, a public library, retail and dining spaces, a park, and a space for creators, all “designed with sustainability and community in mind,” per the city. 

The development team previously selected by Doraville also includes developer Kaufman Capital, HGOR, and Flippo Civil Design.

According to plans presented by HGOR planners and architects in 2023, the heart of the project would be comprised of two components: a central greenspace spanning roughly 10,000 to 12,000 square feet (similar to the size of Alpharetta City Center’s green) and dotted with low-rise retail buildings, likely topped with restaurant patios. 

Another key facet would be the three-story community building with city offices and chambers, the library, community space, and a coworking component, per designers.

Spanish steps-style elements leading to the centralized green, which would be placed atop stormwater retention infrastructure at the slopped site. HGOR/Flippo Civil Design; via City of Doraville

Rooftop retail with a view over the green to the proposed community building. HGOR/Flippo Civil Design; via City of Doraville

Elsewhere will be hundreds of multifamily units, more commercial space, and a 15-foot-wide public trail to help tie it all together. City plans have indicated a boutique hotel could also eventually be built. 

According to documents issued by the city in December, the initial $32-million phase of development—the green square and municipal building with a new City Hall and library, among other uses—will be built first as a “driver” for private development. Once those components are nearly finished, the residential, retail, and other commercial uses will be poised to move forward, likely over a period of several years, per the city. 

In the gallery above, find a rundown of where Doraville’s made-from-scratch city center will materialize, and what it could entail in coming years.

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Broad view of 13 acres of parcels Doraville owns for redevelopment in relation to Spaghetti Junction (bottom right), Interstate 285, and other landmarks. Google Maps

General location of the city-owned parcels in question, excluding the church property and others fronting Buford Highway. Google Maps

HGOR/Flippo Civil Design; via City of Doraville

The view near Buford Highway looking toward New Peachtree Road. HGOR/Flippo Civil Design; via City of Doraville

Plans for an upgraded central boulevard, Park Avenue, between apartments and retail. HGOR/Flippo Civil Design; via City of Doraville

Spanish steps-style elements leading to the centralized green, which would be placed atop stormwater retention infrastructure at the slopped site. HGOR/Flippo Civil Design; via City of Doraville

Plans for a versatile, communal stage, at right. HGOR/Flippo Civil Design; via City of Doraville

The 15-foot-wide multi-use pathway, at right, in relation to the central green. HGOR/Flippo Civil Design; via City of Doraville

HGOR/Flippo Civil Design; via City of Doraville

Rooftop retail with a view over the green to the proposed community building. HGOR/Flippo Civil Design; via City of Doraville

Subtitle Placemaking project near Spaghetti Junction has been two decades in the making

Neighborhood Doraville

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Neighbors near Piedmont Park taking bike-lane installation into own hands Josh Green Thu, 04/24/2025 - 08:44

In the following Letter to the Editor,Hugh Malkin, Midtown Neighbors’ Association Infrastructure Chairperson and an Atlanta tech entrepreneur, details how an example of “tactical urbanism” is striving to make an intown neighborhood safer for a vulnerable demographic: little kids on bikes.

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Dear Editor:

The Midtown Neighbors’ Association, Virginia-Highland Civic Association, and Atlanta Department of Transportation are joining forces to create a safer route to school for students of Virginia Highland Elementary and Midtown High School.

Our collaborative effort has produced a design for a two-way protected bike lane on Virginia Avenue, from Monroe Drive, and now we need your support to make this vision a reality.

Imagine a daily commute where students can independently and safely bike to school. For the majority of VHE families, school is less than a mile away, the perfect distance for a 5 to 11-year-old to cycle. Beyond the sheer joy of riding, the benefits of incorporating cycling into a child’s routine are profound. 

But this project could be beneficial to drivers in the area, too. 

Courtesy of Hugh Malkin

Courtesy of Hugh Malkin

Physical activity is a powerful catalyst for cognitive development, boosting focus and concentration in the classroom. Starting the school day with exercise provides an energizing jolt, enhancing alertness and learning readiness. Exercise also triggers the release of endorphins, naturally elevating mood, while time spent outdoors demonstrably reduces stress and anxiety. 

Biking also fosters a sense of independence and responsibility, nurturing self-confidence. Moreover, biking with friends and family strengthens social bonds and cultivates a sense of community. Finally, an increase in cycling to school helps alleviate traffic congestion around the school during drop-off and pick-up times, creating a smoother flow for everyone.

Virginia Avenue is the shortest, flattest, easiest route to school for many VHE and MHS children. The problem is Virginia Avenue’s 40-foot-wide, two-lane road is a dangerous place for all riders but especially our 5 to 11-year-olds who've just learned to ride their bike. 

The school’s crossing guard, Sabrina, has witnessed this firsthand, recently stating: “It’s dangerous out here. These drivers don’t respect the kids, even when they have the right-of-way.”

With its extra-wide lanes, Virginia Avenue's drivers often don’t realize they’re traveling well over the 25-mile-per-hour speed limit. So when they unexpectedly come across a child biking—just a bit faster than walking—right in the middle of their lane, it’s a shock. The driver either slams on the brakes or tries to squeeze around the novice rider, darting into the oncoming lane. 

It’s a heart-stopping sight—and only a matter of time before someone gets hurt.

Courtesy of Hugh Malkin

To address this critical safety issue, the Midtown and Virginia-Highland neighborhoods have worked with ATLDOT to design a tactical urbanism project that creates a temporary two-way protected bike lane along Virginia Avenue from Monroe Drive to Park Drive/Ponce Place. The beauty of tactical urbanism projects is that they let the community test a concept (reviewed and approved by ATLDOT) quickly and affordably, giving us a real-world glimpse of how the concept could permanently improve safety—not just for drivers, but for everyone. 

If the neighborhoods decide it's not working, we can easily modify it or remove it. 

MNA and VHCA are aiming to raise $12,000 and install the roadway amendments in two days for a 12-month test. 

Optional extension

This project can be extended both toward and up 8th Street, creating a safe way for highschoolers to get to Midtown High, and all the way to North Highland Avenue, connecting the Beltline to the many businesses in the heart of Virginia-Highland. 

Courtesy of Hugh Malkin

MNA welcomes your input on the 8th Street extension and VHCA encourages your feedback on the Virginia Avenue extension to North Highland. 

Most of VHE’s students live less than a mile from school, and being a few hundred feet from the Beltline, VHE has the opportunity to be the most bikeable elementary school in Atlanta and maybe even Georgia. 

This temporary bike lane will demonstrate that VHE and MHS can provide a healthy opportunity to bike to school while reducing the need for cars on the road and in the pick-up line. 

You can help by donating to the project and/or volunteering to help with its installation.

Courtesy of Hugh Malkin

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Midtown Atlanta Virginia-Highland News Hugh Malkin ATLDOT Atlanta Department of Transportation Alternative Transportation Alternate Transportation Midtown Neighbors Association Midtown Neighbor’s Association Midtown news Virginia-Highland Civic Association Midtown High School Virginia Highland Elementary Atlanta Bike Infrastructure Atlanta Bike Lanes Atlanta Bike Paths Atlanta Schools Letters to the Editor Letters to Editor Letter to the Editor Tactical Urbanism

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Courtesy of Hugh Malkin

Courtesy of Hugh Malkin

Courtesy of Hugh Malkin

Courtesy of Hugh Malkin

Courtesy of Hugh Malkin

Subtitle Letter to Editor: Virginia Avenue project could create "the most bikeable elementary school in Atlanta and maybe even Georgia"

Neighborhood Virginia-Highland

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Photos: 'Avatar'-inspired space marks latest Underground Atlanta addition Josh Green Wed, 04/23/2025 - 16:16

The latest addition to Underground Atlanta’s roster of restaurants, nightspots, event spaces, and galleries isn’t technically underground, but project leaders hope it adds oomph (and visibility) to the district as next year’s FIFA World Cup hoopla draws closer.

Atlanta real estate company Lalani Ventures officially cut the ribbon Saturday on Utopia, an otherworldly Latin fusion restaurant, during an event attended by Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and other dignitaries. 

With its patio-lined, standalone space overlooking Underground’s fountains, Utopia now anchors the district’s Upper Alabama Street section and helps boost its daytime offerings, according to Lalani Ventures reps. 

How Utopia's standalone building on Upper Alabama Street looked while vacant in September. Google Maps

Remade exteriors of the Utopia space at Underground Atlanta’s Upper Alabama Street. Courtesy of Underground Atlanta

The eatery and lounge will be open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to “late,” serving brunch, lunch, dinner, and late-night fare. It carries a futuristic theme throughout—a nod to the “lush, bioluminescent world of Pandora in ‘Avatar.’” Expect an elevated menu (sample dish: Wagyu beef served on a hot stone for interactive guest experiences) alongside vegan options, hookahs, and cocktails and mocktails, as Underground officials relayed this week. 

Shaneel Lalani, CEO of Lalani Ventures, said Utopia marks the beginning of a new push to activate Upper Alabama Street and draw more pedestrian traffic to Underground all day and night. 

“We are transforming the experience here,” Lalani noted in a concept announcement, “and we’ll be ready and excited for the World Cup and other exciting events coming to our city.”

Utopia's distinctive interiors today. Courtesy of Underground Atlanta

Courtesy of Underground Atlanta

Underground made waves earlier this year with the opening of legendary, relocated Atlanta nightclub MJQ in what had been Dante’s Down the Hatch's space a quarter-century ago. A new art gallery featuring the works of George F. Baker III (aka, GFB3) is also scheduled to open soon at Underground, serving as the brick-and-mortar location for Baker’s brand FOSTER, a goods shop and event space. 

Underground in 2024 tallied more than one million visitors and is on pace to eclipse that this year; meanwhile, Lalani Ventures is in talks with additional dining concepts to keep bringing life to the district’s above-ground area, per officials. 

For now, head up to the gallery for a quick photo tour of Utopia’s intergalactic downtown space. 

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Remade exteriors of the Utopia space at Underground Atlanta’s Upper Alabama Street. Courtesy of Underground Atlanta

How Utopia's standalone building on Upper Alabama Street looked while vacant in September. Google Maps

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens leads Saturday's grand opening at Utopia. Courtesy of Underground Atlanta

Futuristic signage helps set the tone for the downtown concept. Courtesy of Underground Atlanta

Social spaces extend outdoors at Utopia, overlooking Underground's fountains. Courtesy of Underground Atlanta

Courtesy of Underground Atlanta

Courtesy of Underground Atlanta

Utopia's distinctive interiors today. Courtesy of Underground Atlanta

Atlanta's mayor hobnobs with attendees at Saturday's event. Courtesy of Underground Atlanta

Courtesy of Underground Atlanta

Courtesy of Underground Atlanta

Courtesy of Underground Atlanta

Courtesy of Underground Atlanta

Courtesy of Underground Atlanta

Courtesy of Underground Atlanta

Subtitle Above-ground Utopia Latin fusion restaurant, lounge now anchors district’s Upper Alabama Street

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MARTA: Don’t pay out the a@%, Atlanta; take trains to airport Josh Green Wed, 04/23/2025 - 13:48

Across Atlanta, the buzziest news this week doesn’t concern what happened on Easter, the Falcons upcoming draft, or Beltline-adjacent development in high-dollar neighborhoods. It has to do with airport parking rates, which are set to (gulp) triple in some cases—and climb as high as $100 per day in others. 

Atlanta’s transit authority is promoting a simple solution: Take the train, silly. 

In a message similar to the one MARTA issued in February when a federal clampdown on work-from-home policies sent employees flocking back to government buildings downtown, the transit agency this week is tempting Atlanta air-travelers to skip high parking costs and traffic jams and swoop to the airport on MARTA trains before their next flight.

Roundtrip fare to the airport is $5, and parking is available at MARTA stations from Dunwoody to College Park and Decatur for as low as $5 per day, equating to the cheapest, least stressful means of reaching the world’s busiest airport, per MARTA. 

The Red or Gold Line southbound leads riders directly to the airport’s doorstep. 

“MARTA is one of only a few public transit systems in the world that take customers directly into the airport,” Collie Greenwood, MARTA CEO and general manager, said in an announcement today. “[O]ur fares and daily parking rates have remained the same for well over a decade… in a time of rising prices, [customers’] best option is let MARTA do the driving to the airport.”

One of the new CQ400 railcars on MARTA's tracks. Courtesy of MARTA

According to airport officials, the parking-rate increases are the first in eight years and come as the transit hub aims to modernize parking facilities while inflation rages on. Hourly parking rates will climb to at least $10 per hour (up from $3), while travelers who leave vehicles in the international hourly lot for multiple days will have to fork over up to $100 per day. Prices will hike in all domestic parking lots, too, by up to $14 extra per day, as the AJC reports. 

Meanwhile, according to MARTA’s calculations, rideshare costs from downtown Atlanta to the airport average $74 per roundtrip.   

Daily parking is available at nine MARTA stations for either $5 per day (Dunwoody, Medical Center, Kensington, Lenox, and Sandy Springs stations) or $8 per day (North Springs, Doraville, Lindbergh Center, and College Park stations).

MARTA is also reminding Atlantans the agency has completed extensive renovations to its Airport station that included new terrazzo flooring and platform pavers, along with concourse and track wall repairs, in preparation for a new canopy. The Breeze Mobile 2.0 app, available for download on all major platforms, also offers riders a generally swifter way to purchase train fare, per the agency. 

An added bonus will be sleek new MARTA trains scheduled to start rolling out this year; as others have pointed out, maybe a good power-washing of stations throughout the system will follow. 

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Subtitle $5 fare to, from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport hasn't changed in decade

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Along SW Beltline corridor, 'landmark' development finally moves forward Josh Green Wed, 04/23/2025 - 08:17

More than three years after it was initially proposed, a large-scale development near the Atlanta Beltline’s Murphy Crossing site that calls for hundreds of new homes and discounted commercial spaces could be months away from breaking ground, officials say. 

The block-altering proposal near the Beltline’s Westside Trail—called simply 840 Woodrow for its address—would continue an infusion of housing with quick access to the Beltline loop and job centers in Southwest Atlanta.

Multifamily developers Vida Companies and Woodfield Development have planned since 2022 to build the village-like mix of commercial and residential structures on a 7-acre Oakland City site about a block west of the paved Beltline, adjacent to the historic Murphy Crossing property. The vacant site was most recently used for car and truck storage.

On Tuesday the Develop Fulton Board of Directors approved a bond resolution for 840 Woodrow that agency leaders call essential for bringing the project to fruition. The “landmark” mixed-use venture in Oakland City will boost affordability and inclusion efforts in a part of Atlanta that’s rapidly evolving, according to the county’s economic development authority. 

A revised rendering showing how the multifaceted project would front a proposed Beltline spur trail through the warehouse district.Vida Companies/ Woodfield Development; designs, Dynamik Design

The project is expected to cost $76.7 million overall and include 326 new mixed-income residential units, plus affordable commercial space, and other aspects. Plans call for reserving 20 percent of all units as affordable housing—more than the city’s Inclusionary Zoning requirements call for—with 5 percent of those set aside for renters using vouchers. 

Develop Fulton officials tell Urbanize Atlanta the project is slated to break ground this summer, with an expected 22-month construction timeline. 

The project “will serve as a cornerstone of equitable development in South Atlanta, catalyzing growth and supporting families, small businesses, and local artists alike,” said Develop Fulton chairman Kwanza Hall in an announcement today. 

Vida Companies/ Woodfield Development; designs, Dynamik Design

Specifically, development plans call for: 

• 66 affordable/workforce housing units with rent limits based on 80 percent of the Area Median Income;
• Repurposed shipping containers that will serve as storefronts, in hopes of supporting area startups and local entrepreneurs, plus other subsidized commercial spaces;
• The adaptive-reuse of a building on site into a headquarters and training facility for a local coffee roaster who’s committed to local hiring;
• Public-art programming and “significant sidewalk and streetscape upgrades,” per Develop Fulton.

The project is expected to produce more than 500 construction jobs and 40-plus permanent jobs. An estimated $1.5 million in brownfield remediation work will be required to ready the site for redevelopment, per Develop Fulton. 

840 Woodrow is also forecasted to boost local tax revenue significantly, from about $16,000 in property tax contributions last year to $640,000 during the first year of operation, according to Develop Fulton’s projections. 

The acreage in question at 840 Woodrow Street, with the Beltline's Westside Trail and Adair Park at right, and the Murphy Crossing property at top. Google Maps

The 840 Woodrow project joins an influx of proposals in the immediate area that could bring thousands of new homes and considerable new commercial activity to surrounding blocks. 

A stone’s throw away in Capitol View, plans that call for a 25-acre, potentially billion-dollar new district with more than 4,000 housing units overall came to light earlier this month. An Empire Communities townhome component of that project is under development now. 

The first phase of adaptive-reuse Oakland Exchange is also now gearing up to break ground this year, following years of delays, according to Invest Atlanta. 

Meanwhile, planning efforts continue at the area’s best-known redevelopment site—one that overlooks the mainline Beltline loop trail.

Earlier this year, Atlanta Beltline Inc. parted ways with selected developers Culdesac and Urban Oasis Development for the vacant, 20-acre Murphy Crossing property. Beltline leadership now plan to take the reins on planning and development and break ground on the initial phase at Murphy Crossing sometime in 2026. 

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840 Woodrow Street SW Woodfield Development Dentons David Pirkle Vida Companies Murphy Crossing Westside Trail Atlanta BeltLine Affordable Housing Oakland City Adair Park West End Beltline Southside Trail Atlanta Development Atlanta Construction Dynamik Design Develop Fulton

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A revised rendering showing how the multifaceted project would front a proposed Beltline spur trail through the warehouse district.Vida Companies/ Woodfield Development; designs, Dynamik Design

Vida Companies/ Woodfield Development; designs, Dynamik Design

Facades of commercial spaces, apartments, and townhomes. Vida Companies/ Woodfield Development; designs, Dynamik Design

The acreage in question at 840 Woodrow Street, with the Beltline's Westside Trail and Adair Park at right, and the Murphy Crossing property at top. Google Maps

The Oakland City site as of February 2020. Google Maps

These initial concepts for the 840 Woodrow St. project were revised following community feedback. Courtesy of Joe Martinez/Vida Companies

Subtitle Develop Fulton grants financial tool for advancing 840 Woodrow project near Westside Trail

Neighborhood Oakland City

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Eastside Trolley Trail connections near Beltline become clearer (sort of) Josh Green Tue, 04/22/2025 - 17:21

Since its completion two years ago, the two-mile Eastside Trolley Trail's most recent extension has blossomed into a handy, safe, mostly off-street connection between Kirkwood and the Beltline that’s popular with joggers, walkers, bicyclists, and fans of local taqueria fare. 

The 2025 outlook calls for the multipurpose trail to become even more connective, because it's not actually finished. 

Another extension of the Eastside Trolley Trail is in the works along Flat Shoals Avenue to fully connect to the Beltline’s Eastside Trail corridor, filling a gap of several blocks in Reynoldstown, according to PATH Foundation officials. 

That project will be bundled this year with another Eastside Trolley Trail extension—an Edgewood initiative called the Amani Trail, which is currently in permitting—as a means of maximizing construction and creating more seamless, multipurpose links through the neighborhoods, as the PATH Foundation recently relayed. 

Beyond that, details for the two eastside multi-use trail initiatives are somewhat scarce. 

A map from three years ago showing the scope of Eastside Trolley Trail construction, along with potential future links toward other trails. PATH Foundation

Suzanne Scully, PATH Foundation’s head of development, said the forecast calls for starting construction on the Amani Trail later this year, though it remains in planning and design phases for now. One purpose of the project is to allow better access to the Eastside Trolley Trail—and a safer connection for children in Edgewood to neighborhood schools. 

Exactly where it could be located hasn’t been finalized. 

“We’re currently doing due diligence with the city and the community residents, so it’s not appropriate to share any additional information,” Scully wrote via email. “Things can change before they are finally agreed upon, so we prefer not to put out anything official until it is.”

Meanwhile, the extension of the Eastside Trolley Trail will bring the pathway from its current eastern endpoint at Arkwright Place to the Beltline at Wylie Street (near Breaker Breaker restaurant), a distance of roughly ½ mile, Scully said. 

No firm construction timeline for that extension has been established 

The trail’s name is a nod to the historic Atlanta-Decatur trolley car line that once snaked through eastside streets between Cabbagetown and Agnes Scott College. The extension finished in 2023 built upon a segment installed by the PATH Foundation prior to Atlanta’s Centennial Olympic Games in the mid-1990s. 

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A map from three years ago showing the scope of Eastside Trolley Trail construction, along with potential future links toward other trails. PATH Foundation

Subtitle PATH Foundation reports two fresh, multipurpose trail links will be underway this year

Neighborhood Edgewood

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Portion of building near Centennial Park converted to affordable housing Josh Green Tue, 04/22/2025 - 15:05

In a unique arrangement downtown, a relatively new apartment building that started life as almost entirely market-rate residences has switched a significant portion of its units to affordable housing.

Invest Atlanta recently approved a $4 million Westside Tax Allocation District Ascension Fund grant to help expand affordable housing options within Generation Atlanta, a multifamily development that overlooks Centennial Olympic Park.

Located at 369 Centennial Olympic Park Drive, the 17-story project was developed by Atlanta-based Kaplan Residential in 2021. Of its 336 apartments, just five units were originally designated as affordable, set aside for residents earning 60 percent of the area median income or less. 

With the TAD grant, the building’s current owner, The Frankforter Group, has converted an additional 66 market-rate apartments to affordable options at 60 percent AMI, according to Invest Atlanta. That’s more than 21 percent of residences in the building overall. 

The 17-story Generation Atlanta. Photo by Zach Rolen; courtesy of Kaplan Residential; designs, Niles Bolton Associates, Focus Design

In turn, Invest Atlanta officials are executing a Land Use Restrictive Agreement on the downtown property for 30 years to ensure the affordability of rentals is preserved. 

The AMI-capped units at Generation Atlanta are complete and now available to households with qualifying incomes, per Invest Atlanta. (Find more info on applying here.) Otherwise, current rents at Generation Atlanta start at $1,300 monthly for 547-square-foot studio options. 

Generation Atlanta broke ground on a previously vacant, 1.8-acre lot in 2018, which Kaplan had acquired for $6.4 million.

Kaplan offloaded the building to Montreal-based Frankforter Group in late 2021 for $126.9 million—the highest amount a multifamily building had traded for in downtown’s history at the time. The building was later threatened with foreclosure last summer, as Bisnow Atlanta reported. 

In-home perks of the downtown apartments include quartz countertops, keyless entry, full-size washers and dryers, and private balconies.

Amenities around the property include a rare bowling alley, outdoor theater, rooftop pool with a sundeck, a coffee bar, EV charging stations, and what’s called a SkyBar Lounge with skyline views, among other features.

Frankforter Group counts more than 2,000 units in its metro Atlanta portfolio, but Generation Atlanta marked the company’s first downtown acquisition. 

The building is notable in that it was the Southeast’s first to be constructed with a Prescient light-gauge steel structural system, which Kaplan officials said reduced the project’s construction timeline and associated cost by almost 25 percent.

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The 17-story Generation Atlanta. Photo by Zach Rolen; courtesy of Kaplan Residential; designs, Niles Bolton Associates, Focus Design

Subtitle Following TAD gift, Generation Atlanta capping rents for more than one in five apartments

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Fresh images: Atlanta's tallest building in 30 years hits construction milestone Josh Green Tue, 04/22/2025 - 09:51

New York City developers behind the tallest building to sprout from Atlanta’s red soil in more than 33 years have reached a key construction milestone and—at long last—unveiled the project’s expected delivery timeframe. 

Rockefeller Group officials say Midtown’s 1072 West Peachtree skyscraper has completed the office floors of the 60-story tower on its way to becoming both the tallest residential and mixed-use building in Atlanta—and the fifth tallest in the city overall. 

Construction progress is “rapidly rising” above the 20th floor, as concrete pouring for the office component and Atlanta’s largest amenity deck—spanning a full acre—has wrapped, according to Rockefeller reps.    

Residential floors are climbing skyward at a relatively quick clip, and Rockefeller is now forecasting the full building will be finished in spring 2026, in time for global interest in Atlanta for eight FIFA World Cup matches beginning in June. No ETA for the project had previously been specified. 

Development leaders also specified in today’s announcement the 1072 West Peachtree project will stand 749 feet, making it Atlanta’s fifth tallest high-rise and supplanting Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel for the No. 5 spot. No taller skyrise has been built in Atlanta since 1992. 

Rockefeller’s construction schedule now calls for topping out 1072 West Peachtree later this year. 

A fresh rendering showing the 60-story 1072 West Peachtree tower's expected place and scope in the Midtown skyline, per Rockefeller officials. (Some newer buildings in the district aren't shown.) Courtesy of Rockefeller Group

A 1072 West Peachtree tower lounge area. Courtesy of Rockefeller Group

The project is “unlike anything else in the market and will completely transform [Midtown’s] West Peachtree corridor,” said John Petricola, Rockefeller Group’s senior managing director of the Southeast region, in a prepared statement today. “We’re delivering an experience for our office and residential tenants that is truly all-encompassing, from day-to-night.”

Described as a “trophy tower” designed by Atlanta-based architecture firm TVS, the project will include boutique, five-star Class A offices and the highest apartment views in Atlanta to date. Food and beverage options at street level will aim to enhance the neighborhood, per Rockefeller officials. 

The 224,000 square feet of office space will occupy floors 11 to 18, with perks that include 10-foot finished ceiling heights, city views on all floors, and flexible layouts, plus a large terrace on each floor. Rockefeller officials are calling fitness and spa options for office tenants “unparalleled” for the market. CBRE has been hired to lead office leasing. 

As fresh renderings illustrate, the 10th-floor amenity deck will include collaborative and lounge seating areas and a lawn for games, events, and other gatherings. Also on the 10th floor will be a 30,000-square-foot indoor amenity zone with lounges, meeting spaces, a yoga studio, and other features.

Rockefeller's plans for the retail component include multiple options for dining throughout the day. Those spaces will see coffee, casual grab-and-go, and sit-down restaurant additions to the block, per developers. 

View of a 10th-floor outdoor social area at the southwest corner of the building. Courtesy of Rockefeller Group

Evening view of the 1072 West Peachtree project, looking southeast. Courtesy of Rockefeller Group

Rockefeller was attracted to the site for its connection to Midtown’s existing street grid and proximity to two MARTA stations, the Southeast’s biggest concentration of cultural and art attractions, and the largest Whole Foods on the East Coast. The company is familiar with the area, having partnered with Selig Development on the 40 West 12th condos a block from the current site. Company officials have previously said the tower will include more than 350 high-end apartments for Midtown. 

In the gallery above, find new visuals and context for the ATL’s tallest high-rise bet since the early 1990s. 

The latest rendering depicting the full, 749-foot building over West Peachtree Street. Courtesy of Rockefeller Group

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A fresh rendering showing the 60-story 1072 West Peachtree tower's expected place and scope in the Midtown skyline, per Rockefeller officials. (Some newer buildings in the district aren't shown.) Courtesy of Rockefeller Group

Evening view of the 1072 West Peachtree project, looking southeast. Courtesy of Rockefeller Group

The first look at 1072 West Peachtree's 10th-floor amenity area overlooking the city. Courtesy of Rockefeller Group

The office lobby. Courtesy of Rockefeller Group

A 1072 West Peachtree tower lounge area. Courtesy of Rockefeller Group

Planned look and functionality of a large meeting room in the building. Courtesy of Rockefeller Group

View of a 10th-floor outdoor social area at the southwest corner of the building. Courtesy of Rockefeller Group

Planned look of an office locker room. Courtesy of Rockefeller Group

A fitness center with city views. Courtesy of Rockefeller Group

A reception office. Courtesy of Rockefeller Group

Projected look of 1072 West Peachtree office space with views to the west. Courtesy of Rockefeller Group

Entries along West Peachtree Street. Courtesy of Rockefeller Group

Closer look at the tower from the west, over the Georgia Tech area. Courtesy of Rockefeller Group

Facade over West Peachtree Street. Courtesy of Rockefeller Group

The latest rendering depicting the full, 749-foot building over West Peachtree Street. Courtesy of Rockefeller Group

Subtitle Rockefeller Group also reveals ETA for 1072 West Peachtree, the city's tallest mixed-use skyscraper

Neighborhood Midtown

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Controversial Amsterdam Walk development scores city council blessing Josh Green Tue, 04/22/2025 - 08:14

Despite a naysaying yard-sign campaign, an online petition, Neighborhood Planning Unit F’s disdain, and more recently a formal, last-ditch neighborhood board letter calling for rejection, Portman Holdings' planned redevelopment of Beltline-adjacent Amsterdam Walk—a source of spirited debate over the past two and ½ years—has scored the city’s official approval.

After hearing from residents both passionately against and in favor of the 11-acre former warehouse remake, the Atlanta City Council on Monday green-lighted Portman’s plans by a slim eight-to-six margin, as Rough Draft Atlanta reports. 

The decision clears the way for Portman—a veteran Atlanta developer that’s helped reshape the city’s skyline and another section of Beltline-adjacent land with Junction Krog District—to start an Amsterdam Walk redevelopment process calling for up to 1,100 apartments. 

The multifaceted Amsterdam Walk proposal as of last year, following a revision process that subtracted height. SOM architects/Portman Holdings

The proposal from the same angle today, per current Portman Holdings plans. SOM architects/Portman Holdings

The council’s vote to rezone the property will allow for dense residential uses between Monroe Drive and the Beltline corridor. Also included in the 1.2-million-square-foot development will be public plazas and about 150,000 square feet of commercial and retail spaces. According to the AJC, somewhere between 220 and 240 of the apartments will be reserved as rentals below market rate, while about 19,000 square feet of retail will see a 30-percent discount for tenants at ground level. 

Councilmembers who voted against the rezoning were Liliana Bakhtiari, Michael Julian Bond, Mary Norwood, Marci Collier Overstreet, Alex Wan, and Matt Westmoreland, while Eshé Collins was absent, the newspaper relays. 

Neighbors in favor of blocking Portman’s plans have argued the lone artery in and out of Amsterdam Walk, Monroe Drive, is already unsafe and impassable with traffic clogs at certain times of day. Adding a "landlocked" project with 1,435 parking spaces—and an estimated 13 percent bump in daily car trips—would exacerbate the problem and impact quality of life, the petition asserted. 

The former warehouse district isn’t the bustling commercial and dining hub it used to be, but new segments of the Beltline’s Northeast Trail next door have boosted the location’s cachet. The petition described Portman’s proposal as the largest development neighborhoods Morningside-Lenox Park and Virginia-Highland have ever seen. 

Portman officials have said the project will roll out in phases, with construction timing still TBD, pending city approval.  

Despite the council’s decision, online rumblings following Monday’s meeting suggest Amsterdam Walk naysayers might not back quietly away from the issue: 

Nextdoor

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533 Amsterdam Avenue Amsterdam Walk Halpern Enterprises Adaptive-Reuse Portman Holdings Portman Fresh Renderings Renderings Beltline Piedmont Park Northeast Trail Atlanta BeltLine Mixed-Use Development Atlanta Development Lenox Park SOM Kimley-Horn & Associates Kimley-Horn NIMBY NIMBYs Morningside Morningside-Lenox Park Virginia-Highland Civic Association VHCA Planning Committee Virginia-Highland Master Plan Canvas Planning Morningside Lenox Park Association Alex Wan Atlanta City Council

Subtitle City's decision OKs up to 1,100 rentals along Beltline, 150K square feet of commercial space

Neighborhood Virginia-Highland

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Photos: Three cheers for this cozy nook in... a drive-to shopping center? Josh Green Mon, 04/21/2025 - 16:24

No breaking news here, just a random springtime observation: Not every aspect of Atlanta’s drive-to, suburban-style shopping centers has to be terrible. 

Exploring asphalt-dominated places such as Toco Hill Shopping Center (it’s singular, according to the iconic totem signage in the middle of it) isn’t high on the priority list around here, to be honest. But a chance encounter recently with the “Toco Courtyard” left a crew of birthday party celebrants pleasantly surprised. 

Tucked-away and relatively peaceful, the versatile courtyard was previously home to French restaurant staple Petite Auberge for more than 40 years. Most of the surrounding retail space was reborn in October as a collaboration between Wild Heaven Beer and Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q, which is operating a large taproom and full kitchen with seating for about 100. That’s in addition to outdoor seating with picnic tables, synthetic grass, and the courtyard’s lovely, mature trees. 

Back here, the Toco Hill parking-lot seas seem far removed. 

The shopping center's recognizable totem signage near Spiller Park Coffee and a communal green. Invest Atlanta

A splash fountain installed as part of Edens' pre-pandemic renovations, near the entryway to Wild Heaven Beer and Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q's nook of a retail courtyard. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The Publix-anchored shopping center underwent comprehensive upgrades about six years ago. That included another outdoor greenspace near the Toco Courtyard, where “family and friends naturally gather,” according to property owner Edens, the same South Carolina-based firm behind the ongoing remake of North DeKalb Mall. 

Built in the 1950s, the shopping center today is almost fully leased (but R.I.P. to froyo outpost Menchies), according to Edens.

Which is proof that, while it might lack Main Street charms, something is clearly still working around here.  

Lined with eateries, the Toco Hill Shopping Center green on a recent Monday evening. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Inside the Wild Heaven Beer and Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q space. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

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The shopping center's recognizable totem signage near Spiller Park Coffee and a communal green. Invest Atlanta

Lined with eateries, the Toco Hill Shopping Center green on a recent Monday evening. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

A splash fountain installed as part of Edens' pre-pandemic renovations, near the entryway to Wild Heaven Beer and Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q's nook of a retail courtyard. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Inside the Wild Heaven Beer and Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q space. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The cozy, versatile Toco Courtyard space where the barbecue-brewery space operates. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Subtitle At nearly 70 years old, Toco Hill Shopping Center makes best of greenspace pockets

Neighborhood Toco Hills

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Images: Rowen project wraps $32M 'complete streets,' aims to add people Josh Green Mon, 04/21/2025 - 13:58

Could it be the ultimate Peach State example of “If you build it, they will come”?

Rowen, a planned 2,000-acre mixed-use megaproject and “knowledge community” between Atlanta and Athens in Gwinnett County, has completed a $32-million infrastructure project described by officials as “complete streets” across former woodlands. 

Considered phase one of Rowen’s buildout, the two miles of finished roadway, greenspaces, and several miles of multi-use pathways make the first 800 acres of the property accessible to the public, while putting the bones in place for planned development, so to speak. All utilities including power, water, sewer, fiber, and natural gas are in place for the section in question as well. 

Rowen broke ground with much fanfare in December 2022, and the phase-one infrastructure work wrapped within about two years. Project leaders tell Urbanize Atlanta the infrastructure is designed to withstand the impacts of climate change—think: biofiltration methods instead of traditional curb-and-gutter systems, narrower traffic lanes to cut back on concrete usage and heat-island effects, and other measures—while prioritizing people-friendly over cars-centric layouts. 

Aerial scenes included in a recent Rowen marketing video. Rowen Foundation/YouTube

Rowen Foundation/YouTube

Situated 35 miles from Atlanta along Ga. Highway 316, Rowen’s site is capable of supporting 22 million square feet of development overall, equivalent to almost 17 Bank of America Plaza towers, Atlanta’s tallest building, per project leaders. The project’s atypical name alludes to “a second harvest.” 

So what’s next?

Rowen leaders’ current focus is setting plans with partners “to track baseline environmental conditions, such as air and water quality, carbon sequestration, and land-use impacts, to measure [Rowen’s] environmental footprint as the community grows,” a project rep wrote to Urbanize Atlanta, in response to a request for development updates. “These insights will not only inform Rowen’s own sustainability efforts but could also serve as a model for other developments aiming to integrate climate resilience into their planning.”

The update was timely following the release last week of an economic analysis that identifies the 11-county region surrounding Rowen—what’s being coined the “Rowen Region”—as Georgia’s next hotspot for sheer growth and higher-education advancements. 

The report, titled “The Rowen Region: Georgia’s Nexus for Economic Growth,” was compiled by the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government. The region it’s referencing includes Banks, Barrow, Clarke, DeKalb, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson, Oconee, and Walton counties, where the metropolitan statistical areas of Atlanta, Athens, and Gainesville meet. 

The area is home to more than 50 research and educational institutions today, per Rowen leadership. 

Overview of the "Rowen Region," which project backers call "one of America’s most vibrant and multicultural communities." Rowen Foundation

Some key findings in the UGA report, according to researchers: 

• The Rowen Region’s population by 2050 is forecasted to grow by more than 1 million residents, accounting for 43 percent of Georgia's population increase in that timeframe;

***•*Almost half of Georgia’s projected prime working-age—age 25 to 64—population growth between 2023 and 2028 will occur within the Rowen Region;

• The region’s labor force is already highly educated; nearly 70 percent of the population has some post-secondary education today;

• Technology, healthcare, and engineering are among the largest and fastest-growing employment sectors in the region, per the study.

At more than 10 times the size of Piedmont Park, Rowen is envisioned as a mix of lab, office, and civic spaces, alongside a mix of multifamily buildings, cafes, start-up hubs, parks, and public trails. Project heads have previously told Urbanize the “gamechanger” concept will likely be a multi-decade buildout—up to 40 or 50 years, given the scope—but could come quicker, depending on market demand.

Rowen’s board of directors, which governs the Rowen Foundation, is made up of leaders from the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech, Emory University, Georgia Gwinnett College, and others who are advancing the project for its economic and jobs-creation potential.

The Rowen Foundation says the project could ultimately produce 100,000 jobs across Georgia and contribute between $8 and $10 billion annually to the state’s economy.

Rowen Foundation/YouTube

Rowen Foundation/YouTube

In terms of actual development, the goal is to build dense housing in a village-like setting first, alongside retail, lab, and office spaces, to bring together researchers, entrepreneurs, and other innovators amidst a preserved, bucolic setting. No timeline for construction has been specified. 

Head to the gallery above for a closer look at where Rowen stands today—and where it could be heading. 

The Medium Density area with a planned water feature and acres of greenspaces designed to boost privacy. Courtesy of The Rowen Foundation

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Overview of the "Rowen Region," which project backers call "one of America’s most vibrant and multicultural communities." Rowen Foundation

Rowen Foundation/YouTube

Aerial scenes included in a recent Rowen marketing video. Rowen Foundation/YouTube

Rowen Foundation/YouTube

Rowen Foundation/YouTube

Rowen Foundation/YouTube

Rowen Foundation/YouTube

Rowen Foundation/YouTube

Rowen Foundation/YouTube

Rowen Foundation/YouTube

Rowen Village’s phase one is planned as an urban hub within Rowen, offering office, lab, research, and start-up space “intermingled with amenities such as public gathering space, parks, retail storefronts, multifamily residential, hospitality, and restaurants,” per project leaders. Courtesy of The Rowen Foundation

A closer look at planned public spaces in Rowen Village. Courtesy of The Rowen Foundation

Rowen Village is designed to serve as a point of convergence for Rowen’s network of multi-use trails and paths. It will offer "connectivity for those working in the Medium and Low Density areas and the greater community surrounding Rowen," per project leaders. Courtesy of The Rowen Foundation

The Medium Density area with a planned water feature and acres of greenspaces designed to boost privacy. Courtesy of The Rowen Foundation

What's described as the project's Low Density section. Courtesy of The Rowen Foundation

Rowen's 2,000-acre location off Ga. Highway 316 in Gwinnett. Google Maps

Subtitle New report calls “Rowen Region” nexus of Georgia growth in coming years

Neighborhood Gwinnett County

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Photos: Where Centennial Yards stands, 420 days before World Cup begins Josh Green Mon, 04/21/2025 - 08:57

The highest concentration of construction cranes in Atlanta right now isn’t in towering Midtown or Buckhead—it’s on the western flank of downtown, at the doorstep of the city’s sports coliseums, where the soccer world is set to converge in a little more than a year. 

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup set to kick off in Atlanta in just 420 days (far out, man), a new section of Centennial Yards has risen from the former Gulch up to the level of elevated streets. Elsewhere on site, this coming summer is shaping up to be a big one. 

Centennial Yards Company broke ground last year an 8-acre, mixed-use entertainment hub anchored by a Cosm entertainment dome with a mid-rise hotel and fan plaza at the center. A multitude of cranes has now brought that component to level with Centennial Olympic Park Drive in places. Those buildings are scheduled to be finished in time for eight FIFA World Cup matches set to be played in Atlanta, beginning in June 2026, officials have said.

Meanwhile, the $5-billion megaproject’s first ground-up, new-construction towers to stand at max height are gearing up to open sooner. 

How Centennial Yards' new apartment tower (foreground) and high-rise hotel have stacked up next to The Benz downtown.

North view from downtown to Midtown, Buckhead, and beyond.

Just southwest of the entertainment district, Centennial Yards’ first new residential tower, the 304-unit The Mitchell, is undergoing interior and amenity buildouts after topping out in August. That building is on pace to open this summer, according to its website. 

Across the street, The Mitchell’s sibling project, the 292-key Hotel Phoenix, officially topped out in December and is targeting an opening sometime late this summer.

We reached out last week to Centennial Yards reps for construction updates on the above projects and others, such as a planned boutique hotel on Elliott Street, and this story will be updated with any additional details that come.  

Current plans for Centennial Yards call for more than 2,600 residential units to eventually be built, with 20 percent of those reserved as affordable housing. Elsewhere will be almost 3,000 hotel rooms in projects ranging from boutique to full-service, alongside more than 900,000 square feet of entertainment and retail space, according to the project’s most recent update.

The 50-acre remake of the former Gulch has been called by its financial backers one of the largest public-private partnerships in the U.S. right now.

The Phoenix hotel's elevated amenities level with a pool for guests is beginning to take shape over M.L.K. Jr. Drive.

Beneath a multitude of cranes, construction of Centennial Yards' entertainment hub has reached street level near State Farm Arena.

Centennial Yards’ infrastructure designs call for creating a dozen city blocks downtown, with a police mini precinct, a new fire station, and public greenspaces tucked among them. The project is considered a partnership between the Atlanta Development Authority, the City of Atlanta, and Los Angeles-based developer CIM Group, among other stakeholders. 

In the gallery above, see how it’s all coming together today, as the World Cup draws ever closer. 

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North view from downtown to Midtown, Buckhead, and beyond.

How Centennial Yards' new apartment tower (foreground) and high-rise hotel have stacked up next to The Benz downtown.

Beneath a multitude of cranes, construction of Centennial Yards' entertainment hub has reached street level near State Farm Arena.

The Mitchell apartments (left) and two glassy new downtown hotel high-rises.

The Phoenix hotel's elevated amenities level with a pool for guests is beginning to take shape over M.L.K. Jr. Drive.

The Mitchell building, which includes more than 300 rentals, topped out in August.

How Centennial Yards' first two towers (The Mitchell apartments, in foreground, and the new hotel behind it) will stand in relation to the football and soccer arena. Courtesy of Centennial Yards Company

Expected look of activated patios at The Mitchell building, with Mercedes-Benz Stadium across the street. Courtesy of Centennial Yards; images by Apex Visualization

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; images by Apex Visualization

A fresh perspective on a main dining and retail corridor with a large screen for sports at Centennial Yards. Centennial Yards images by Apex Visualization

Subtitle Checking in on downtown construction, from high above Atlanta's former Gulch

Neighborhood Downtown

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