UrbanizeAtlNewsBot

Analysis: Decatur among top 'move-to' cities in the U.S. Josh Green Mon, 04/08/2024 - 08:19 In recent years, Decatur has been named the best place to live in Georgia in general (multiple times), the state’s top “suburb” (ouch), and the most bikeable city in the Peach State.

Now, the DeKalb County seat can add another flattering accolade to its crowded shelf: A Top 5 “move-to” city across the entire U.S.

That’s according to relocation tech company moveBuddha, which analyzed more than 50,000 web searches made by Americans planning a move this year to whittle down a report titled: “The Top City Everyone Wants to Move to in Every State in 2024.”

The study found Decatur (population roughly 25,000) was No. 1 in Georgia and part of a larger trend suggesting that would-be movers are keen on places with high qualities of life with strong communities near big cities—minus the snarling congestion of larger urban centers.

via moveBuddha

Bike lanes are shown implemented in downtown Decatur's southwestern blocks. Shutterstock

Decatur, in fact, is the smallest city on moveBuddha’s Top 25—where the average population is around 200,000—but it’s surrounded by one of the largest metros on the list. It shares the Top 10 with perennially hip destinations such as Asheville, Chattanooga, Burlington, and Boulder, respectively. (A common theme is that movers are seeking access to nature, and according to analysts, being located near greenspaces such as Stone Mountain Park is working in Decatur’s favor.)

Decatur notched the fifth-highest move-in ratio in the country of 2.39, according to search data between July last year and March, meaning that for every 239 folks aiming to move into the city, just 100 are looking to leave.

As expensive as Decatur may seem to metro Atlantans these days, the analysis found the city’s average home value (roughly $293,000) lands far below the average home cost across the U.S. right now ($375,000). Which serves as a reminder Decatur’s actual city limits stretch far beyond the downtown square.  

via moveBuddha

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Decatur news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta)

Tags

moveBuddha City of Decatur Decatur Popluation Decatur Cost of Living Population Trends DeKalb County Asheville Boulder Chattanooga Georgia Georgia Population U.S. Census

Images

via moveBuddha

via moveBuddha

Subtitle DeKalb County seat is No. 1 in the Peach State, study finds

Neighborhood Decatur

Background Image

Image

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

Suwanee growth spurt to continue with $31M 'Imperium' project Josh Green Fri, 04/05/2024 - 12:43 Despite a metro-wide slowdown in multifamily construction and turbulence in the lending world, a project in one of the most quickly growing cities in one of Georgia’s fastest-growing counties has secured the cash needed to move forward.

Imperium Development has landed a $31-million loan through BWE, a national commercial and multifamily mortgage banking company, to proceed with building a 212-unit Class A apartment complex at 3108 McGinnis Ferry Road.

Called Imperium Suwanee, the Dynamik Design-designed project will rise at a site located just west of Interstate 85, about three and ½ miles from Suwanee Town Center, currently occupied by Gateway Church. 

The Imperium Suwanee project's location in relation to I-85 and Suwanee Town Center. Google Maps

Courtesy of BWE; designs, Dynamik Design

Imperium Suwanee’s plans call for a rooftop terrace clubhouse with catering kitchen, EV charging stations, a 24-hour gym, a cybercafé with a gourmet coffee bar, a dog spa, business center, and a resort-style pool with hammocks and cabanas, among other amenities.

The project location near a “major highway … less than an hour away from downtown Atlanta” was cited as another perk in a project announcement.

The Suwanee project marks the second multifamily development Imperium has moved forward with BWE’s banking support this year, following the 229-unit Imperium Oakwood development in Oakwood, announced in January.

Thomas Wiedeman, senior vice president in BWE’s Atlanta office, said a “persistent shortage of construction loan capacity” with commercial banks has created the lowest level of multifamily construction starts in metro Atlanta over the past four years, lending “a significant advantage” to projects that manage to start.

“[Developers] will deliver completed projects to the market with minimal competition from new supply,” noted Wiedeman in the announcement.  

Courtesy of BWE; designs, Dynamik Design

Hailed as a top 10 suburb in the U.S. for a “modern lifestyle” last year, Suwanee has seen its population more than double over the past two decades.

Another notable Suwanee project—the 25-acre Town Center on Main and DeLay Nature Park—is on pace to open this summer, providing more park space (with a sweeping, 1,200-foot bridge structure) in a centralized location.

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Suwanee news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta) 

Tags

3108 McGinnis Ferry Road Imperium Suwanee BWE Imperium Development Suwanee Apartments Gwinnett Gwinnett County Gwinnett County Development Dynamik Design Suburbs Atlanta Suburbs Gwinnett Apartments McGinnis Ferry Road Suwanee Town Center Interstate 85 Atlanta Churches

Images

The Imperium Suwanee project's location in relation to I-85 and Suwanee Town Center. Google Maps

Courtesy of BWE; designs, Dynamik Design

Courtesy of BWE; designs, Dynamik Design

Subtitle More than 200 Class A rentals enter pipeline on current church site

Neighborhood Suwanee

Background Image

Image

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

Best OTP Downtown tourney Championship match is set! Josh Green Fri, 04/05/2024 - 11:23 After a week of March Madness-style competitions and more than 1,000 votes, the stage is set to determine the Best OTP Downtown in metro Atlanta once and for all.

In one corner is reigning Suburban Smackdown champ Alpharetta. In the other, the growing southside mixed-use and TV/film studio hub that is Trilith.

As determined by reader nominations, Alpharetta is the top seed, and Trilith a true Cinderella at No. 16.

These top two vote-getters in the Final Four have now moved on, leaving Roswell and Marietta behind, with all due respect.  

Alpharetta's bustling City Center, left, and one of many tranquil Trilith courtyards. Courtesy of Awesome Alpharetta; at right, Urbanize Atlanta

Alpharetta snagged 53 percent of more than 500 votes in Final Four action this year. Trilith brought in a respectable 26 percent of the tally for second place—and a spot in the 2024 Championship.

Big thanks to those who’ve participated so far. Buckle up, because the David vs. Goliath Suburban Smackdown final match begins Monday.

It all comes down to this. Shutterstock/Urbanize ATL

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Recent Alpharetta and Trilith news, discussions (Urbanize Atlanta) 

Tags

Suburban Smackdown OTP Trilith Town at Trilith Alpharetta Alpharetta City Center Alpharetta Development Atlanta Suburbs Best OTP Downtown Best OTP Downtown 2024 Urbanize Polls Urbanize Tournament

Images

It all comes down to this. Shutterstock/Urbanize ATL

Alpharetta's bustling City Center, left, and one of many tranquil Trilith courtyards. Courtesy of Awesome Alpharetta; at right, Urbanize Atlanta

Subtitle It's truly a David vs. Goliath contest to decide Suburban Smackdown victor in '24

Background Image

Image

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

Potential ‘refresh’ of Atlanta’s most famous street gains steam Josh Green Fri, 04/05/2024 - 01:37 With a magic wand, how would you change full blocks of Peachtree Street, from 17th Street down to the doorstep of the Fox Theatre?

While they’re not offering wands, that’s the question Midtown Alliance is asking in their ongoing quest to make Atlanta’s most iconic thoroughfare not only more memorable but safer for everyone on it, or near it.

At a public open house event last month, Midtown Alliance unveiled draft concepts for how two sections of Peachtree Street could be modified, by way of new public spaces and street design changes, so that it prioritizes pedestrian safety and enjoyment over vehicles that often speed through the street’s current incarnation, at times with horrifying results.

Another problem, per Midtown Alliance, is that Peachtree currently lacks exciting or memorable places found on the great urban streets of the world.

In November, the nonprofit membership organization hired engineering firm Kimley-Horn and Snøhetta, the global design firm known for turning New York City’s Broadway corridor into a pedestrian zone near Times Square, to help implement changes.

Two draft maps revealed in March show potential "refresh" changes (for example, “café zones,” new medians, flex spaces, and gardens) from 17th Street down to Ponce de Leon Avenue. (Eventually, plans call for modifying the entire length of Peachtree in Midtown, from the Buford-Spring Connector to North Avenue.) 

The Peachtree North section from 17th to 11th streets where safety and aesthetic upgrades could be implemented. Midtown Alliance

The Peachtree South map section from 11th Street to Ponce. Midtown Alliance

The changes wouldn’t be as seismic (or brilliant, some might say) as plans for Peachtree in the PACMAN report recently compiled by Georgia Tech’s College of Design’s School of City and Regional Planning.

The Peachtree study aims to build upon Midtown Alliance’s 2022 Public Life Action Plan, which calls for retailers and developers to join the push for more vibrancy and engagement at street level in the subdistrict.

The first Peachtree Street Visioning meeting took place in November, and according to Midtown Alliance, more meetings will be held through the second quarter of 2024, or what’s considered the project’s planning period.

Anyone with big ideas for how Peachtree might better evolve who also represents a building, property, or institution along the corridor is encouraged to send an email to transportation@midtownatl.com.

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Midtown news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta) 

Tags

Peachtree Street Midtown Alliance Snøhetta Kimley-Horn Kimley Horn Kimley-Horn & Associates Alternate Transportation Alternative Transportation Atlanta Complete Streets Complete Streets

Images

The Peachtree North section from 17th to 11th streets where safety and aesthetic upgrades could be implemented. Midtown Alliance

The Peachtree South map section from 11th Street to Ponce. Midtown Alliance

Subtitle Maps emerge for Midtown's ongoing Peachtree Street Visioning process

Neighborhood Midtown

Background Image

Image

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

'World-class' overhaul planned for CNN Center, a downtown landmark Josh Green Thu, 04/04/2024 - 16:32 Say so long to downtown Atlanta’s landmark CNN Center and hello to simply… “The Center.”

CP Group, a commercial restate and management firm with a huge Atlanta portfolio, announced today it’s planning to remake the 1.2-million-square-foot, 1970s high-rise property into a “world-class” hub of dining, retail, entertainment, and content creation called The Center. 

The announcement comes after CNN has departed the building and stripped off its branding as its offices are moved to Midtown, following nearly four decades of being headquartered downtown.  

With Atlanta’s full month of 2026 FIFA World Cup matches a little more than two years away, CP Group is focusing its energy on activating the ground-floor level of the complex, which includes Omni Atlanta Hotel. The goal is to land retailers and “innovative tenants” who want space at a recognizable, centrally located property where no office space has been available for lease for 40 years.

Plans for The Center's revised Marietta Street facade. CP Group; designs, ASD/SKY

Shutterstock

The Center’s retail leasing agent, Coleman Weatherholtz of Healey Weatherholtz Properties, said his company is “already engaged with several new-to-market retail concepts to join the repositioning of this legendary building,” in today’s media announcement. CBRE has been tapped to lease the office component.

Nicole Goldsmith, senior vice president of CBRE in Atlanta, called the building’s branding opportunities “unmatched.”

“Our vision includes curating an unparalleled selection of dynamic users, dining and retail experiences, entertainment offerings, and elevated lifestyle amenities,” added CP Group partner Chris Eachus, “all of which will be carefully crafted to draw the community into the heart of the city.”

Built in 1976 as the Omni Complex, the property was reshaped by mogul Ted Turner into CNN Center in 1986. Three years ago, CP Group bought the complex from CNN’s former parent company, AT&T, by way of a sale-leaseback that ran through this year.

Along with Mercedes-Benz Stadium, The Center’s neighbors include State Farm Arena, Centennial Olympic Park, and the country’s fourth-largest convention center—attractions that draw more than 12 million visitors per year, per CP Group.

CP Group; designs, ASD/SKY

CNN Center's vast interiors, as seen in 2018. Shutterstock

No timeline for The Center’s construction start and opening was provided in today’s announcement. We’ve asked CP reps for more details and will post any that come.

Elsewhere in Atlanta, the company is moving forward with additional changes to another landmark property it owns—Bank of America Plaza, the tallest building in the Southeast—where a new plaza, outdoor café, and top-floor amenity space are now planned.  

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Downtown news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta)

Tags

CNN Center The Center Downtown Atlanta CP Group World Cup 2026 Healey Weatherholtz Properties Adaptive-Reuse Adaptive-Reuse Development Omni Atlanta Hotel Atlanta Hotels Atlanta Landmarks ASD|SKY CBRE

Images

Plans for The Center's revised Marietta Street facade. CP Group; designs, ASD/SKY

CP Group; designs, ASD/SKY

CNN Center's vast interiors, as seen in 2018. Shutterstock

Shutterstock

Subtitle Meet... "The Center"

Neighborhood Downtown

Background Image

Image

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

Renderings: MARTA station's sweeping development vision unveiled Josh Green Thu, 04/04/2024 - 14:35 MARTA officials have uncloaked the vision for a transit-oriented development that would dwarf all others that have risen across metro Atlanta in recent years.

Dubbed “Indian Creek Village,” the nearly 1.7-million-square-foot TOD calls for swapping parking lots just south of MARTA’s easternmost station, Indian Creek, with a dense collection of buildings, greenspaces, plazas, and parking structures. Should it come to fruition as shown in masterplanning documents, the project could function as a self-sustaining mini city with rail and park access, located just outside the Interstate 285 loop in Stone Mountain. 

Today the site in question is home to a vast parking lot, Indian Creek Park and Ride, and a MARTA police precinct.

After assessing conditions near the station for a year, MARTA held a project kickoff in May to begin community planning and design events. A broad concept called “Village Green” that incorporates a larger greenspace was selected from three general plans.

More than 200 people attended MARTA’s open house for the TOD project’s masterplan unveiling Saturday, according to the transit agency.

The full scope of the Indian Creek Village vision, with the unrelated Avondale East residential project shown at bottom left. Courtesy of MARTA; designs, Perez Planning + Design, Hummingbird, Bae Urban Economics

The Indian Creek station's location near Interstate 285 in Stone Mountain, just east of Avondale Estates. Google Maps

Totaling 1.68 million square feet, the full project calls for 1,600 residential units consuming the vast majority of new development, set among 4 acres of parks and recreation space with a multi-use trail.

Other components: food and beverage (25,000 square feet); retail/grocery and a community center (20,000 square feet each); and office/institutional space (300,000 square feet).

A bus transfer facility spanning 45,000 square feet would also be in the mix—along with 3,800 parking spaces in eight different garages, according to MARTA’s presentation.

An artful plaza area with tree-like structures called “The Canopy” is another notable facet.

Courtesy of MARTA; designs, Perez Planning + Design, Hummingbird, Bae Urban Economics

Indian Creek Village's established timeline to date. Courtesy of MARTA; designs, Perez Planning + Design, Hummingbird, Bae Urban Economics

The phased building approach calls for a MARTA patron garage, the bus transfer component, and MARTA police facilities being built first, followed by the first residential piece and a grocery option.

MARTA’s next step is getting the property rezoned to allow for mixed-use redevelopment. It’s set to go before both the DeKalb County Planning Commission and Board of Commissioners in May.

Once rezoning is complete, MARTA’s team would finish due diligence for the project and begin the months-long process of soliciting developers, vetting proposals, and negotiating contracts. 

MARTA officials tell Urbanize Atlanta no information on potential costs is available, as that will be determined by the developer, or developers, selected to build on MARTA’s property.

Courtesy of MARTA; designs, Perez Planning + Design, Hummingbird, Bae Urban Economics

Courtesy of MARTA; designs, Perez Planning + Design, Hummingbird, Bae Urban Economics Courtesy of MARTA; designs, Perez Planning + Design, Hummingbird, Bae Urban Economics

MARTA’s mega TOD wouldn’t be the first example of recent investment in the immediate area.

TV and film hub Electric Owl Studios debuted just south of the station last year, and a 20-acre residential venture called Avondale East broke ground next door in late 2022.

In the gallery above, find more context and glimpses of MARTA’s ambitious vision for today’s parking lots and adjacent land. 

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• MARTA news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta) 

Tags

MARTA Indian Creek Station Indian Creek MARTA Station TOD Transit Oriented Development TODs Atlanta Development Atlanta apartments Stone Mountain Infill Development Alternate Transportation Alternative Transportation Electric Owl Studios Hummingbird Perez Planning + Design Bae Urban Economics Avondale East

Images

The Indian Creek station's location near Interstate 285 in Stone Mountain, just east of Avondale Estates. Google Maps

Indian Creek Village's established timeline to date. Courtesy of MARTA; designs, Perez Planning + Design, Hummingbird, Bae Urban Economics

Courtesy of MARTA; designs, Perez Planning + Design, Hummingbird, Bae Urban Economics

The full scope of the Indian Creek Village vision, with the unrelated Avondale East residential project shown at bottom left. Courtesy of MARTA; designs, Perez Planning + Design, Hummingbird, Bae Urban Economics

Courtesy of MARTA; designs, Perez Planning + Design, Hummingbird, Bae Urban Economics

Courtesy of MARTA; designs, Perez Planning + Design, Hummingbird, Bae Urban Economics

Courtesy of MARTA; designs, Perez Planning + Design, Hummingbird, Bae Urban Economics

Courtesy of MARTA; designs, Perez Planning + Design, Hummingbird, Bae Urban Economics

Courtesy of MARTA; designs, Perez Planning + Design, Hummingbird, Bae Urban Economics

Courtesy of MARTA; designs, Perez Planning + Design, Hummingbird, Bae Urban Economics

Courtesy of MARTA; designs, Perez Planning + Design, Hummingbird, Bae Urban Economics Courtesy of MARTA; designs, Perez Planning + Design, Hummingbird, Bae Urban Economics

Courtesy of MARTA; designs, Perez Planning + Design, Hummingbird, Bae Urban Economics

Courtesy of MARTA; designs, Perez Planning + Design, Hummingbird, Bae Urban Economics

Subtitle "Indian Creek Village" concept calls for 1,600 residences, public park, much more

Neighborhood MARTA

Background Image

Image

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

First look: 100-home Kirkwood project on pace to debut this month Josh Green Thu, 04/04/2024 - 13:28 Promising an “exceptional portrait” of “intown Atlanta suburban living,” a sizable residential development near the junction of Kirkwood and East Atlanta is on pace to start opening this month, according to project officials.

Christened with the portmanteau “EastWood Townhomes,” the 103-unit project continues two intown trends especially prevalent near Memorial Drive: the influx of new townhome product and former church properties being redeveloped for different purposes.

According to Sam Mitchell, an associate with developer Urban Realty Partners, the first EastWood buildings are on pace to start delivering in late April. A phased delivery throughout the summer will follow that.

EastWood rents start at $1,740 monthly for what’s considered a one-bedroom, one-bathroom “flat” unit with 625 square feet.

Example of planned facades at the EastWood Townhomes on Clifton Street near I-20. Courtesy of Urban Realty Partners

The centralized amenities area. Courtesy of Urban Realty Partners

The largest townhome option listed to date—three bedrooms and three and ½ bathrooms in 1,709 square feet—starts at $3,600 right now. Floorplans have yet to be posted, but Mitchell says 3D floorplan models are coming to the EastWood website soon.

Situated about four miles due east of downtown, the EastWood project broke ground in summer 2022 and demolished the fire-damaged Gospel Tabernacle Cathedral, a 1980s church property once headed by prominent pastor Wiley Jackson and operated as part of World in Action Ministries.  

The 4-acre community is located in the 200 block of Clifton Street, between quickly developing Memorial Drive and Interstate 20 on Kirkwood’s southern fringes, with Alonzo A. Crim High School and its sports fields across the street.

The project architect, Lessard Design firm, also drew up rental townhomes taking shape on Arizona Avenue in Edgewood.

Inside the EastWood clubhouse. Courtesy of Urban Realty Partners

The Clifton Street acreage was maxed out for EastWood buildings, which didn’t allow much room for greenspace, so amenities were concentrated around a centralized communal building, project leaders have said. Those will include coworking spaces, a pool, and a common room, all in an amenity building with what’s called a midcentury-inspired design.

Prior to redevelopment, the property had experienced a few turbulent years.

In 2019, a fire ripped through the abandoned church structure in the early morning hours, collapsing parts of the roof and façade. By late 2021, passersby were witnessing public urination and blatant drug use on the property, according to code enforcement complaints. Developers enlisted the help of homeless outreach services, Atlanta police, and city officials to assist those being displaced.

According to RealtyTrac, the property sold in November 2021 for $4.35 million. The former church was built in 1987, per LoopNet records.

Urban Realty is the Atlanta-based firm behind Memorial Dive’s Gibson by Radius project and Grant Park’s GlenCastle. Its other projects in the Memorial Drive corridor include The Leonard apartments and Oakland Park condos in Grant Park.

Head up to the gallery for more context and the first look at new renderings.

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Kirkwood news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta)

Tags

277 Clifton Street SE EastWood Townhomes EastWood 277 Clifton Kirkwood Townhome Project Urban Realty Partners Gospel Tabernacle World in Action Ministries Wiley Jackson Thrive Residential Alonzo A. Crim Open Campus High School Phoenix Academy Eyesores Gospel Tabernacle Cathedral Atlanta Development Memorial Drive Atlanta Churches Atlanta Townhomes Atlanta Construction Lessard Design For Rent in Atlanta Rental Townhomes Rental Trends Townhomes for Rent

Images

Example of planned facades at the EastWood Townhomes on Clifton Street near I-20. Courtesy of Urban Realty Partners

The centralized amenities area. Courtesy of Urban Realty Partners

Inside the EastWood clubhouse. Courtesy of Urban Realty Partners

Site plan for the 103-unit townhome community and its amenities.Courtesy of Urban Realty Partners

The former church's Clifton Street lot between Interstate 20 and Memorial Drive, where Kirkwood meets East Atlanta.Google Maps

The graffiti-strewn exterior of Gospel Tabernacle Cathedral's former building is shown in December 2021. Damage from a 2019 fire was apparent at left. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Approaching the 4-acre site from East Atlanta, northbound on Clifton Street, as seen in June 2023. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Subtitle Four-acre community christened "EastWood" replaced blighted church

Neighborhood Kirkwood

Background Image

Image

Associated Project

277 Clifton Street - Townhomes

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

Images: New 'Skyline' tower lords over Southside BeltLine corridor Josh Green Wed, 04/03/2024 - 16:50 Two years after construction kicked off, a relatively tall housing development in Peoplestown is topped out and visible from many points along the BeltLine’s interim Southside Trail—albeit behind schedule.  

Skyline Apartments, a Peoplestown venture led by New York-based developer Exact Capital Group and Aleem Construction, is the tallest new development overlooking any BeltLine segment not named the Eastside Trail.

The 11-story project is expected to offer exclusively affordable housing, thanks to financial help from both city and state coffers.

Skyline claimed a vacant lot at 1090 Hank Aaron Drive, just east of the downtown Connector. Meanwhile, across the street, adaptive-reuse food hall and office venture Terminal South officially began construction in February. Both projects, located about two miles south of downtown Atlanta, are expected to be served by MARTA’s first bus-rapid transit service line come 2025.

Heading west on the interim Southside Trail, the topped-out Skyline Apartments now loom large in the distance. The Maverick community's BeltLine-facing mural is shown at right. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

How the 250-unit Skyline project will front Hank Aaron Drive in Peoplestown. Rendering courtesy of Exact Capital

The BeltLine contributed $2 million toward the Skyline project, as sourced from the Atlanta BeltLine Affordable Housing Trust Fund, or BAHTF. Beyond that, Exact Capital received a tax-exempt bond from Invest Atlanta’s Urban Residential Finance Authority and low-income housing tax credits from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, among other funding.

The Skyline project was initially expected to deliver in 2023, but that’s been delayed. Pre-leasing has yet to launch, and the price range for rentals hasn’t been specified.

The 11-story Skyline Apartments as seen near the BeltLine corridor's intersection with Milton Avenue. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

A pinpoint of the 1090 Hank Aaron Drive SE site, with the Southside Trail corridor spanning across the frame just to the south, running under a bridge with active rail. Google Maps

As for the BeltLine section in the area (Southside Trail Segments 2 and 3), BeltLine officials report that a low bidder has been approved to build the trail, and that construction is now slated to kick off in late spring this year.

Should that go as planned, BeltLine leaders expect to open this last remaining section of the Southside Trail in early 2026, with landscaping work to follow.

Meanwhile, just to the east of the Skyline site, more than 900 apartments and townhomes have sprung up in three separate developments along the BeltLine corridor over the past few years.  

View of the new building that Southside Trail patrons see, near the McDonough Boulevard tunnel. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Peoplestown news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta) 

Tags

1090 Hank Aaron Drive SE Skyline Apartments Peoplestown Affordable Housing South Atlanta Atlanta BeltLine Affordable Housing Trust Fund BeltLine TAD Atlanta BeltLine Southside Trail Beltline Exact Capital Group Aleem Construction Georgia Department of Community Affairs U.S. Department of Transportation Atlanta Development Atlanta Construction Atlanta Housing AMI Area Median Income

Images

Heading west on the interim Southside Trail, the topped-out Skyline Apartments now loom large in the distance. The Maverick community's BeltLine-facing mural is shown at right. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The 11-story Skyline Apartments as seen near the BeltLine corridor's intersection with Milton Avenue. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

View of the new building that Southside Trail patrons see, near the McDonough Boulevard tunnel. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

How the 250-unit Skyline project will front Hank Aaron Drive in Peoplestown. Rendering courtesy of Exact Capital

The vacant site as seen in November 2021. Google Maps

A pinpoint of the 1090 Hank Aaron Drive SE site, with the Southside Trail corridor spanning across the frame just to the south, running under a bridge with active rail. Google Maps

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Subtitle 11-story affordable housing venture in Peoplestown has topped out on former vacant lot

Neighborhood Peoplestown

Background Image

Image

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

Best OTP Downtown: Suburban Smackdown Final Four begins! Josh Green Wed, 04/03/2024 - 11:00 Folks, the Final Four round has arrived, and it’s a battle between top seeds and a true dark horse in '24!

Following more than 520 votes last week, the top four vote-getters in this March Madness-style quest to be crowned the Best OTP Downtown are now facing off. All three top seeds—as determined by reader nominations—made the cut, with a feisty No. 16 seed also in the mix.

Those are the reigning 2023 champ, Alpharetta, followed by Roswell, Marietta, and Trilith, the growing southside mixed-use and TV/film studio hub, which raked in nearly one-fourth of all Round 1 voting.

Voting for this round will close promptly at 11 a.m. Friday.

The top two finishers in the Final Four will earn a spot in the Championship early next week, with the winner to be crowned in front of thousands across the metro.

Now, let's quickly meet our Suburban Smackdown Final Four contestants—and then cast a vote: 

....

ALPHARETTA (1)

Blocks of recent development around formerly sleepy Alpharetta City Center. Courtesy of Awesome Alpharetta

Estimated city population: 68,000

Distance from downtown Atlanta: 25 miles

Secret sauce: 120-acre Wills Park boasts a large dog park, public pool, 18-hole disc golf course, and an equestrian center considered among the Southeast’s best

How fitting the No. 1 seed in this quest for OTP Downtown greatness (as determined by reader nominations) is not only one of the largest cities but also has “Alpha” in its name. (Kismet?) Ask locals, and they’ll say downtown Alpharetta was sleepy—if not outright boring—not too long ago. That all changed in 2019, when the final components of Alpharetta City Center were opened on former parking lots and strip centers, lending the North Fulton city an open-container central green, dozens of new shops and restaurants, upscale apartments—and a new identity. Outward growth has only continued, with the city’s first boutique hotel, new mixed-use ventures, and now wildly expensive condos popping up on the Alpha Loop trail en route to nearby Avalon.  

…

ROSWELL (2)

Explore Georgia

Estimated city population: 93,000

Distance from downtown Atlanta: 21 miles

Secret sauce: Great hiking a stone’s throw from downtown at the 3.4-mile Vickery Creek Trail, a little slice of North Georgia in the northern ’burbs

As much as any OTP place, Roswell has risen up in recent years as a bona fide destination for intowners seeking a refreshing, change-of-pace day trip without sacrificing big-city sophistication. Little Alley Steak, Gate City Brewing Company, Salt Factory Pub, Variant Brewing—they’ve all contributed to buzz for a walkable core that’s not so much centered around a square as spread across many leafy blocks. Two significant new developments in the works promise to add more than a hundred new housing options and a long-needed boutique hotel without tainting historical charms. A soccer-anchored mixed-use district could be coming, too.

…

MARIETTA (3)

Shutterstock

Estimated city population: 61,000

Distance from downtown Atlanta: 19 miles

Secret sauce: Proximity to Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, a 3,000-acre gem for outdoor recreation

The backdrop of countless movies, TV shows, and commercials, Marietta Square and its surrounding, lively streets have charm to spare—and typically almost no vacant commercial space, which is definitely a good thing for Best OTP Downtown purposes. Highlights include Cool Beans Coffee Roasters (one of our favorite coffeehouses in the metro), the rustic-cool confines of Glover Park Brewery, and Sweet Melissa Records, a can’t-miss for vinyl heads. Lest we forget Marietta Square Market (one of the first Krog Street-style food halls to pop up OTP), the paved Mountain-to-River Trail, and yes that big iconic fountain. Organic walkability lives and thrives here.   

....

TRILITH (16)

Trilith's de facto Main Street. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

**Estimated city population:**1,000+ (with a goal of 5,000 one day)

Distance from downtown Atlanta: 26 miles  

Secret sauce: Nearby downtown Fayetteville, located just to the southeast, is small but charming in a more traditional sense. Just ask Zac Brown

As recently as 2017, Town at Trilith was little more than rolling wheat fields—with a massive filmmaking complex across the street. What’s sprouted from that fertile Fayetteville soil is a master-planned, 235-acre (and growing) small town that’s leveraged Georgia’s TV and film industry (and tax credits) like no other, creating streets that brim with engaging residential architecture that stress connections to greenspace and neighbors. Today, Trilith’s Town Centre counts a variety of businesses, including Northern Italian hotspot ENZO, Barleygarden Kitchen and Craft Bar, Piedmont Wellness Center, and Nourish + Bloom, the South’s first autonomous grocery store. Trilith's first multifamily piece, Premiere Lofts, opened in 2021. Another crucial component—the long-promised Trilith boutique hotel—arrived in January. And the forecast calls for a major soccer hub opening in time for the 2026 World Cup.

Tags

Suburban Smackdown Best OTP Downtown 2024 Trilith Alpharetta Roswell OTP Marietta Urbanize Polls Urbanize Tournament Best OTP Downtown

Images

Subtitle Who shall advance to the 2024 Championship? Vote now!

Background Image

Image

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

Photos: Topped-out Summerhill project has claimed vacant corner Josh Green Wed, 04/03/2024 - 10:35 Summerhill’s residential explosion is continuing where the historic neighborhood’s enlivened commercial district meets a large intown park.

Ten 5 Summerhill, a modern-style townhome project with a twist, has topped out and reached the home stretch of construction at the eastern edge of Summerhill’s growing dining and shopping district.

The 10 townhomes, designed by Atlanta’s Xmetrical firm, stand at the southwest corner of Georgia Avenue’s intersection with Martin Street. For well over a decade, the .3-acre site was vacant, as almost all buildings on Georgia Avenue used to be.

The project’s development team is listed as JB Development Partners, Bespoke Developments, and South City Residential.

How the previously vacant lot at Georgia Avenue and Martin Street looks today. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

A site plan illustrating townhome and parking arrangements at the 105 Georgia Avenue site. Kaizen Collaborative; via City of Atlanta Office of Buildings

Offering for-sale units as opposed to rentals, the project’s website lists its status as “Coming soon.” (We’ve reached out to the marketing team for information on ETA, townhome square footages, and pricing, and we’ll update this story with any additional information.)

Some of the four-story floorplans are unique in that they swap garages for studio apartments at street level. A small lot with reserved, off-street parking will be tucked behind the townhomes, masked from public view.

All four floorplans have two bedrooms, two full bathrooms, two half-baths, and spaces such as a top-story “bonus room” or the apartments. Each also has a rooftop deck with a wet bar, some of them covered.

The location is across the street from Phoenix II Park, a 7.3-acre community greenspace, and a block east of Georgia Avenue’s new slate of restaurants and other businesses. 

Where Ten 5 Summerhill's southern end (at right) and parking entrance meet unrelated Summerhill residential development next door. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Example of a Ten 5 Summerhill floorplan with a street-facing studio apartment at the base in lieu of a garage. Ten 5 Summerhill

The townhome site in question sold for $660,000 in 2018—just two years after it had traded for $168,000, according to property records. (In 2013, the property went for $70,000, which speaks to the area’s cachet since the Braves decamped to Cobb County and the post-recession intown market caught fire.)

The site is owned by Intown Builders, a frequent Xmetrical collaborator, per building permit records. The developer had previously planned a six-story, 21-unit condo building at the corner property with commercial spaces at street level, but those plans were later nixed.

Since its days as a largely empty and blighted intown street, Georgia Avenue has added a full portfolio of restaurants, retail, and service-related businesses as part of Carter’s Summerhill development, both in revived old buildings and new construction. Those businesses join more than 1,200 new apartments and townhomes that have opened, or are under construction now, in the blocks surrounding Georgia State University’s Center Parc Stadium.

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

The Ten 5 Summerhill location along Georgia Avenue. Google Maps

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Flashback: Recalling the 'before' version of Summerhill's vibrant strip (Urbanize Atlanta) 

Tags

105 Georgia Avenue SE Ten 5 Summerhill Summerhill Townhomes Intown Builders Xmetrical 271 GLEN IRIS DRIVE LLC Condos Atlanta Townhomes townhomes Atlanta Development Atlanta Construction Jordache Avery Kaizen Collaborative American Commerce Bank JB Development Partners Bespoke Developments South City Residential

Images

The Ten 5 Summerhill location along Georgia Avenue. Google Maps

Site plan for the 10 townhomes units. Ten 5 Summerhill

The Ten 5 Summerhill project's north face toward downtown today. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Along Georgia Avenue, where some studio apartments are included at base levels instead of retail. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

How the previously vacant lot at Georgia Avenue and Martin Street looks today. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Where Ten 5 Summerhill's southern end (at right) and parking entrance meet unrelated Summerhill residential development next door. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Patios and balconies along Martin Street today. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Example of a Ten 5 Summerhill floorplan with a street-facing studio apartment at the base in lieu of a garage. Ten 5 Summerhill

Example of a floorplan with a garage at the base and bonus room up top. Ten 5 Summerhill

A site plan illustrating townhome and parking arrangements at the 105 Georgia Avenue site. Kaizen Collaborative; via City of Atlanta Office of Buildings

How the townhomes are expected to look where Martin Street meets Georgia Avenue, a block east of Carter's ongoing redevelopment of the area. Courtesy of Xmetrical

The project's north facade along Georgia Avenue. Courtesy of Xmetrical

Subtitle Townhome floorplans (some with studio apartments) emerge for Georgia Avenue infill Ten 5 Summerhill

Neighborhood Summerhill

Background Image

Image

Associated Project

Ten 5 Summerhill - 105 Georgia Avenue SE

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

High-rise proposal to replace another Midtown parking lot Josh Green Tue, 04/02/2024 - 16:09 Days could be numbered for another surface parking lot in the heart of densifying Midtown.

Core Spaces, a Chicago-based residential real estate developer, owner, and operator, is aiming to build a high-rise that would house more than 1,200 people on the site of a current parking lot, according to a Special Administrative Permit application filed with the City of Atlanta last week

The project, called Hub Cypress, would take shape next to a protected Midtown landmark, the Historic Academy of Medicine, at 875 W. Peachtree St.

A Core affiliate is currently under contract to buy the property for an unspecified amount.

The .8-acre parcel in question is bounded by 7th Street to the north, Cypress Street to the east, and the Academy of Medicine to the west. It’s located just behind the Spire Midtown condo tower and immediately south of Ecco Midtown restaurant.  

According to Core’s application, the tower would house about 295 apartments geared toward students, or 1,211 beds. No commercial space is planned.

Looking north across the parking lot and surrounding blocks in Midtown today, with Cypress Street shown to the immediate right. Google Maps

How the tower proposal would consume the corner site at 7th and Cypress streets. Core Spaces/Kimley-Horn

The Hub Cypress site is roughly two blocks from Core’s first student-housing project in town, Hub Atlanta, which opened for the fall semester last year. The development team has described that 292-unit building—a glass and panel-clad structure with a four-story parking garage almost fully concealed—as “stunning.”

Core’s new tower proposal would have nearly the same number of units as Hub Atlanta but more than 400 additional beds.

We’ve reached out to Core officials this week seeking project renderings, plus information on the building’s proposed height and construction timeline. This story will be updated with any additional information that comes.  

Filings indicate the new high-rise, as designed by Dwell Design Studio, will have no height limits. The SAP filing proposes a sale and transfer of dense, unused development rights from the Academy of Medicine property for use next door, financially benefiting the historic building.

The site's frontage along Cypress Street today, with the Academy of Medicine building shown on the opposite side of the lot. Google Maps

The project would swap the roughly 80 parking spaces on site now with a stacked deck offering 186 parking spaces, as accessed by two-way Cypress Street. Plans call for semi-perforated screening to help mask the parking deck where it's exposed to the south (facing another parking deck) and west (over the Academy of Medicine building), per the filing.

In light of the building’s student uses, a lower volume of vehicle traffic is expected, per the development team.

“While individuals of all ages will be accommodated at the proposed development,” reads the application, “the building is expected to be occupied largely by students who are likely to walk or take public transit as their primary method of transportation.”

The 875 W. Peachtree St. site in the broader context of Midtown. Google Maps

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Midtown news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta) 

Tags

875 W. Peachtree Street Hub Cypress Core Atlanta 7th Street Core Spaces Midtown Development Atlanta Development Atlanta Construction Student Housing Atlanta apartments Apartment Development Midtown Apartments Cypress Academy Academy of Medicine Cypress Street Midtown Parking Lots Infill Development Atlanta Medical Heritage Kimley Horn Atlanta Landmarks Kimley-Horn Kimley-Horn & Associates

Images

The 875 W. Peachtree St. site in the broader context of Midtown. Google Maps

Looking north across the parking lot and surrounding blocks in Midtown today, with Cypress Street shown to the immediate right. Google Maps

How the tower proposal would consume the corner site at 7th and Cypress streets. Core Spaces/Kimley-Horn

The site's frontage along Cypress Street today, with the Academy of Medicine building shown on the opposite side of the lot. Google Maps

Subtitle Hub Cypress project by Chicago developer would house more than 1,200 residents

Neighborhood Midtown

Background Image

Image

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

MARTA bags federal cash to spur Campbellton Road development Josh Green Tue, 04/02/2024 - 13:50 MARTA officials this week are celebrating an injection of federal funding they say will help create a blueprint for development in historically underserved communities southwest of downtown Atlanta.

The Federal Transit Administration announced a $750,000 grant for MARTA today that’s expected to put planning efforts into motion for equitable redevelopment of communities along MARTA’s future bus rapid transit line on Campbellton Road. The transit agency is working alongside City of Atlanta officials in the planning phase, according to MARTA.

The goal is to continue MARTA’s track record of success with transit-oriented developments in other parts of the city—and now east of town near Avondale Estates and Stone Mountain—but using bus transit instead of rail.

The FTA grant will help MARTA come up with a plan to implement recommendations in a TOD Master Plan for the Campbellton Corridor that was finished last year. It will also assist the agency in finding potential sources, both public and private, for funding development along the BRT line, officials said today.

Specifically, the FTA-funded analysis will aim to pinpoint “opportunities to address food insecurity, affordable housing, the unsheltered, economic development, education, greenspace, stormwater management, and transit accessibility,” according to a MARTA announcement.

Potential redesigns of MARTA's Oakland City station that came to light in 2022. Xmetrical

MARTA RapidCampbellton, as the project is called, will be a six-mile, center-running BRT line that connects MARTA’s Oakland City station to a new Greenbriar transit hub, before ending at a Barge Road park-and-ride area. Earlier plans for light rail were scrapped; MARTA officials have said BRT can be installed three years faster than rail service and cost significantly less: $130 million to build (versus $340 million for light rail) and $4.8 million to operate annually (versus $12.5 million).

“We’ve been working on TOD planning along the RapidCampbellton line because we know from past experience that development often happens before construction has begun,” Collie Greenwood, MARTA general manager and CEO, said in a prepared statement. “We’ve developed a vision for the type of density and equitable development that will support transit along the Campbellton Corridor, and this FTA grant will help us create an implementation plan that will bring that vision into a reality.”

Potential development around Fort McPherson station could include (1.) mid-rise projects of four to five stories, (2.) an improved streetscape with dedicated bike lanes and other features, and (3.) urban-gridded blocks with connections to Tyler Perry Studios. Xmetrical

The six-mile BRT corridor in question, southwest of downtown Atlanta. Google Maps

Veronica Vanterpool, FTA acting administrator, said the funding will assist MARTA in creating affordable housing, reaching more patrons, and growing the economy. She added: “FTA has a simple message for communities across this country: if you are building good projects well, you will have the support of this administration.”

So far, MARTA has finished TOD projects at Edgewood/Candler Park, King Memorial, and Avondale rail hubs. A Kensington station TOD broke ground last fall, and this past weekend, an initial TOD plan at Indian Creek—MARTA’s easternmost station—was unveiled during a community celebration.

MARTA officials say the TOD planning process is continuing at Bankhead and H.E. Holmes station. Meanwhile, preliminary work continues on future BRT lines on the Clifton Corridor, Clayton Southlake, and Clayton SR54 routes.

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Oakland City news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta) 

Tags

MARTA Federal Transit Administration BRT Campbellton BRT Campbellton Road TODs Transit Oriented Development Greenbriar Greenbriar Mall Oakland City Station Bus Rapid Transit

Images

The scope of the future MARTA transit corridor being studied. Xmetrical

Potential redesigns of MARTA's Oakland City station that came to light in 2022. Xmetrical

Modernized design options for BRT stations. Xmetrical

A redeveloped Westgate infill station could include (1.) revised commercial spaces, (2.) improved streetscapes for better safety, (3.) a relocated station for better traffic flow and fewer BRT delays. Xmetrical

Potential development around Fort McPherson station could include (1.) mid-rise projects of four to five stories, (2.) an improved streetscape with dedicated bike lanes and other features, and (3.) urban-gridded blocks with connections to Tyler Perry Studios. Xmetrical

The six-mile BRT corridor in question, southwest of downtown Atlanta. Google Maps

Subtitle FTA grant aims to boost underserved communities on future bus rapid transit line

Neighborhood Oakland City

Background Image

Image

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off