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Three-building Lumen project nears finish in northeast Atlanta Josh Green Mon, 03/18/2024 - 16:39 A northeast Atlanta project billed as an “urban oasis” and the first facet of new village-style redevelopment near growing job centers has entered the home stretch of construction.

Atlanta-based developers Atlantic Residential and Stein Investment Group announced today that all retail space (10,700 square feet) has been filled at the three-building Lumen Briarcliff project, which is aiming to serve as a gateway to northeast Atlanta neighborhoods, Emory University, and a billion-dollar hospital expansion in North Druid Hills.

Pre-leasing has begun for Lumen Briarcliff’s 264 apartments at 3070 Briarcliff Road, all considered luxury-grade, with first move-ins expected next month.

Developers say the final phase of residential construction is on pace to be wrapped in June.

The final component to finish will be a two-story, 5,300-square-foot standalone commercial building where veteran Atlanta restauranteur Riccardo Ullio (head of URestaurants Group, of Sotto Sotto in Inman Park) has signed on to open an upscale, unnamed “innovative Italian dining concept” by the end of 2024, the development team reports.

Expect a year-round, rooftop patio overlooking the community atop the freestanding restaurant.

Overview of the three-building project on Briarcliff Road (at bottom) today. Courtesy of Stein Investment Group, Atlantic Residential

Construction progress on the Lumen Briarcliff retail outbuilding. Courtesy of Stein Investment Group, Atlantic Residential

Other retail tenants announced today include salon Sugar Polish Nail Bar in a 2,600-square-foot space fronting Briarcliff Road, in addition to a “notable international coffeehouse” in an adjacent, 2,800-square-foot space, with a courtyard and patio seating, per developers.

Lumen Briarcliff cleared about 3.5 acres and began vertical construction in late 2022 along Clairmont Road, just south of Interstate 85 and north of Briarcliff Road. The site was formerly home to a half-dozen low-rise buildings—some abandoned, others operating as auto repair shops and an Express Oil Change.

Stein Investment Group also owns an adjacent, 6-acre site across Briarcliff Road that’s home to Williamsburg Village Shopping Center; but that's currently in planning phases to become a “family-centric village center,” with construction slated to start early next year, according to Jason Linscott, a principal with the company.

Lumen Briarcliff’s two residential buildings feature 22 studio, 135 one-bedroom, 96 two-bedroom, and 11 three-bedroom rentals. One building wraps a six-story parking deck with 440 spaces.

Current rents start at $1,605 monthly for studio units with 544 square feet.

The highest Lumen Briarcliff rents currently listed on the project’s website—$3,025 monthly—get three bedrooms and two bathrooms in 1,364 square feet.

Example of Lumen Briarcliff's largest, three-bedroom floorplan. Lumen Briarcliff

Courtesy of Stein Investment Group, Atlantic Residential

Amenities and public spaces—which “will rival those once only found in Buckhead,” per Atlantic Residential CEO and cofounder Richard Aaronson—include a grab-and-go market, a game studio, pet spa, dog park, poolside cabanas, coworking space, a cardio studio, and rooftop lounge, among other perks.

Aaronson said housing demand near Lumen Briarcliff has significantly increased since construction began. He pointed to job centers at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Emory’s medical facilities at Executive Park, and Century Center office park as impetuses for the growth in demand.

Lumen Briarcliff marks the fifth Lumen-branded project around Atlanta. Stein Investment Group and Atlantic Residential also partnered on the recently completed Lumen Chamblee.

Find more context and project images in the gallery above.

Prior to construction, the Lumen Briarcliff site along Clairmont Road, with Interstate 85 pictured at top. Kimley-Horn

The properties in question, as seen prior to demolition for the Lumen Briarcliff project. Google Maps

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3070 Briarcliff Road Lumen Briarcliff Atlantic Residential Fortune-Johnson Atlanta Development Atlanta Construction Mixed-Use Development Clairmont Road Briarcliff Road Lumen Grant Park Lumen Doraville Lumen Chamblee Interstate 85 Lord Aeck Sargent Kimley-Horn Kimley-Horn & Associates Stein Investment Group URestaurants Sugar Polish Nail Bar Williamsburg Village Shopping Center Lumen Atlanta apartments For Rent in Atlanta

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Overview of the three-building project on Briarcliff Road (at bottom) today. Courtesy of Stein Investment Group, Atlantic Residential

Construction progress on the Lumen Briarcliff retail outbuilding. Courtesy of Stein Investment Group, Atlantic Residential

Courtesy of Stein Investment Group, Atlantic Residential

Example of the smallest, least expensive studio floorplan currently offered. Lumen Briarcliff

Example of Lumen Briarcliff's largest, three-bedroom floorplan. Lumen Briarcliff

Plans for a restaurant building and two residential structures where Clairmont Road (right) meets Briarcliff Road. Atlantic Residential; designs, Lord Aeck Sargent

Site plan and building uses along the major traffic corridors. Atlantic Residential; designs, Lord Aeck Sargent

The residential and retail portions of Lumen Briarcliff. Fortune-Johnson; designs, Lord Aeck Sargent

Prior to construction, the Lumen Briarcliff site along Clairmont Road, with Interstate 85 pictured at top. Kimley-Horn

The properties in question, as seen prior to demolition for the Lumen Briarcliff project. Google Maps

Subtitle Retail signings include Italian concept from Riccardo Ullio

Neighborhood North Druid Hills

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First look: Mixed-use tower advances near BeltLine, strip club Josh Green Mon, 03/18/2024 - 14:03 A local development firm is hoping to continue the groundswell of new housing around Atlanta’s Blandtown neighborhood with a project that would have steps-away access to the BeltLine and, well, other area attractions.

Cassius Coleman, a principal with Atlanta-based Five Points Development, tells Urbanize Atlanta his company closed in January on the land required to build a project called 1283 West. The purchase price wasn’t disclosed.

The concept calls for 200 residential units and 7,000 square feet of commercial space rising from what’s currently a vacant lot at 1283 Marietta Boulevard, about two miles west of Atlantic Station.  

The land in question is bordered by Elaine Avenue to the north, Marietta Boulevard to the west, a small office complex to the east, and Vivide strip club to the south.

Courtesy of Five Points Development

The vacant property in question in 2022, with Vivide's parking lot located at right. Google Maps

According to Coleman, 25 percent of the apartments would rent for prices reserved for residents earning 80 percent of the area median income or less, while 3,000 square feet of the retail and restaurant space would be leased to underserved tenants.

Renderings suggest 1283 West would rise 16 stories, with retail and a plaza facing Marietta Boulevard and amenities including a pool situated near the base.

Five Points Development lists itself as a co-developer on the project. The company’s previous work includes the Legacy at Vine City project and two under-construction housing ventures near Greenbriar Mall, among other projects.

Coleman said 1283 West’s land deal closed with Capital Impact Partners and that design work is continuing now.

“Plans will be ready in late August for a possible construction loan closing in the fourth quarter [of 2024],” Coleman wrote via email.

The 1283 Marietta Boulevard site in question (middle) in relation to the BeltLine section opened in 2022. Google Maps

Three years ago, a different, shorter concept called RYM BeltLine was pitched for the site. That called for 200 units of co-living housing geared toward students and recent graduates.

Should 1283 West come to fruition, its BeltLine proximity would tough to beat.

The northernmost section of the BeltLine’s Westside Trail opened less than a block south of the site in 2022.  

BeltLine officials are currently seeking contractors to build the first segment of the Northwest Trail, which would pass directly in front of the 1283 West apartments on Marietta Boulevard and Elaine Avenue. The deadline for companies to submit bids is April 11.

BeltLine leaders have said that .7-mile segment will take about 18 months to build. It’s one of five Northwest Trail sections that will eventually connect the West Midtown area to Buckhead.

Aerial 1283 West rendering, looking east over Marietta Boulevard toward Midtown. Courtesy of Five Points Development

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1283 Marietta Boulevard 1283 West Capital Impact Partners Five Points Development Cassius Coleman Affordable Housing Commercial Space Atlanta Mixed-Use Mixed-Use Development Atlanta Development Atlanta Construction Vivide

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The 1283 Marietta Boulevard site in question (middle) in relation to the BeltLine section opened in 2022. Google Maps

The vacant property in question in 2022, with Vivide's parking lot located at right. Google Maps

Aerial 1283 West rendering, looking east over Marietta Boulevard toward Midtown. Courtesy of Five Points Development

Courtesy of Five Points Development

Subtitle Land deal has closed for 200-unit residential venture, developer reports

Neighborhood Blandtown

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City seeks affordable housing developer for site off Moreland Avenue Josh Green Mon, 03/18/2024 - 09:52 City officials are taking the first steps toward transforming vacant land and a notoriously blighted section of southeast Atlanta into nodes of new housing.

Mayor Andre Dickens and Atlanta Urban Development Corporation officials released a Request for Qualifications on Thursday seeking development partners for Thomasville Heights acreage, where a large public housing complex was razed more than a decade ago.

The crumbling, now-shuttered Forest Cove apartment complex—the subject of media scrutiny for years, where nearly 200 residents were relocated—is across the street.

Phase one of Dickens’ and AUD’s vision involves a 7.86-acre parcel that fronts McDonough Boulevard, between Welch Street and Moreland Avenue. Part of it is located across the street from Starlight Drive-In Theatre, at the southern edge of the Custer/McDonough/Guice neighborhood.

Overview of the nearly 8 acres in question, just west of Moreland Avenue in southeast Atlanta. Google Maps

Google Maps

AUD’s plans generally call for the land to be redeveloped into both townhomes and single-family houses, with a mix of rentals and for-sale options all meant to cater to families.

According to the RFQ, both affordable and market-rate housing will be built at Thomasville Heights.

Dickens said the goal is to reestablish Thomasville Heights, which was originally developed as low-income housing in the late 1960s and ’70s, as a “vibrant, flourishing area of our city,” per an announcement. New housing will create opportunities for former Forest Cove residents to return to the neighborhood—but in a secure, safe environment this time, the mayor said.

The redevelopment of Thomasville Heights is considered a multiphase, neighborhood revitalization project that will take multiple years to complete.

Other partners in the initiative include Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, Atlanta Housing, MARTA, Invest Atlanta, Atlanta Public Schools, Focused Community Strategies, United Way, Park Pride, PATH Foundation, and Career Rise, among other agencies, per the city.

Thomasville Heights neighbors assisted in creating the area’s redevelopment plan. It calls for nearly 800 units—mostly apartments, but also townhomes—to replace boarded-up Forest Cove.

All responses to the RFQ are due by May 1. Once that window closes, AUD officials will “evaluate responses and engage one or more respondents that are deemed most qualified to execute the city’s vision,” per the city. 

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1038 Henry Thomas Drive SE Thomasville Heights Atlanta Urban Development Corporation McDonough Boulevard Welch Street Moreland Avenue Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta CFGA Atlanta Housing MARTA Invest Atlanta Atlanta Public Schools Focused Community Strategies FCS United Way Park Pride PATH Foundation Career Rise Affordable Housing Atlanta Development RFQ Forest Cove

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Overview of the nearly 8 acres in question, just west of Moreland Avenue in southeast Atlanta. Google Maps

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Subtitle Goal is to remake Thomasville Heights parcel into “vibrant, flourishing area,” mayor says

Neighborhood Custer/McDonough/Guice

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Crane watch: Tech Square tower begins ascent over Midtown Josh Green Mon, 03/18/2024 - 08:18 A Midtown project more than four years in the making is starting to visibly come out of the ground, expanding Georgia Tech’s footprint in Atlanta’s new high-rise epicenter.

Situated at the northwest corner of West Peachtree and 5th streets, infrastructure work for the block-sized Technology Square Phase 3 project is now above ground level, beneath two construction cranes.

Tech Square—an education, retail, and dining district—opened its initial phase in the early 2000s. Considered the final phase, the current 828 W. Peachtree Street expansion project has been in design or undergoing site preparations since 2019.

One goal is to activate streets with retail and student activity, creating a more cohesive urban district.

The wide 5th Street sidewalk today, where the project's The Porch facet is planned. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

How Phase 3's The Porch facet is expected to look and function. Eskew Dumez Ripple; RJTR; Georgia Tech

Phase 3 will include two buildings totaling 416,500 square feet, across the street from The Biltmore House on West Peachtree Street.

The block in question is also bounded by Spring and 5th streets, and Biltmore Place. It’s one block north of Tech Square’s Coda, a John Portman and Associates-designed office tower.

Named for philanthropists Penny and William “Bill” George, the 18-story George Tower will be home to the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, in addition to other programs. The second building, the 14-story Scheller Tower, will house Tech’s graduate and executive education programs in the Ernest Scheller Jr. College of Business, according to Georgia Tech.

Another facet will be called The Porch, a place meant for socializing and sharing ideas. It’s designed as a nod to traditional Southern architecture, with huge kinetic doorways that fully open, blurring the line between indoors and outdoors.

According to architecture firm Eskew Dumez Ripple, the two buildings will be tied together by a central, communal zone and pathway that “continues through the building form, truncating at the podium and [spilling] into a monumental gathering space.” Georgia Tech officials previously said the project will also include an underground parking deck.

Where infrastructure for Tech Square's third phase has come out of the ground between Spring and West Peachtree streets. Project officials have said an unspecified amount of buried parking will be located here. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The 828 W. Peachtree Street site in the context of Midtown blocks. Google Maps

The lower floors of Phase 3 are scheduled to open for occupancy in January 2026, with upper floors delivering later that year, project officials have said.

To set the stage for Tech Square growth, two low-rise buildings fronting West Peachtree Street were razed in 2021 for an interim parking lot. The eastern side of that block was converted into a temporary campus “flex area” for additional parking and greenspace to host outdoor concerts, food trucks, and pop-up restaurants.

Later, a “groundbreaking” ceremony for Phase 3—attended by Georgia Tech President Ángel Cabrera, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny Perdue, and other dignitaries—was held back in October 2022. But development didn’t begin in earnest until September last year.

Two cranes lord over the intersections of 5th and Spring streets in Tech Square today. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Looking northeast at the corner of Spring and 5th streets. Eskew Dumez Ripple; RJTR; Georgia Tech

Head up to the gallery for a closer look at where Phase 3 stands today—and where it’s headed tomorrow.

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828 West Peachtree Street NW Georgia Tech 5th Street Bike Lanes Road Closures Midtown Development Construction Tech Square Ernest Scheller Jr. College of Business Georgia Tower Biltmore Place CODA John Portman and Associates Ángel Cabrera Andre Dickens Sonny Perdue Scheller College of Business Kimley-Horn & Associates Kimley-Horn Kimley Horn Rule Joy Trammell + Rubio Atlanta Architecture Eskew Dumez Ripple Turner Construction The Biltmore House JLL

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The 828 W. Peachtree Street site in the context of Midtown blocks. Google Maps

Where infrastructure for Tech Square's third phase has come out of the ground between Spring and West Peachtree streets. Project officials have said an unspecified amount of buried parking will be located here. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Two cranes lord over the intersections of 5th and Spring streets in Tech Square today. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

View to the west, toward Georgia Tech's main campus. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The wide 5th Street sidewalk today, where the project's The Porch facet is planned. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Planned frontage along 5th Street. Eskew Dumez Ripple; RJTR; Georgia Tech

Spring Street frontage, with The Biltmore House in the background. Eskew Dumez Ripple; RJTR; Georgia Tech

Looking northeast at the corner of Spring and 5th streets. Eskew Dumez Ripple; RJTR; Georgia Tech

Eskew Dumez Ripple; RJTR; Georgia Tech

How Phase 3's The Porch facet is expected to look and function. Eskew Dumez Ripple; RJTR; Georgia Tech

Example of planned interiors off outdoor social spaces. Eskew Dumez Ripple; RJTR; Georgia Tech

Eskew Dumez Ripple; RJTR; Georgia Tech

Eskew Dumez Ripple; RJTR; Georgia Tech

Eskew Dumez Ripple; RJTR; Georgia Tech

The two low-rise West Peachtree Street buildings demolished in 2021 to make way for Tech Square's next phase. Google Maps

Subtitle Georgia Tech district's third phase includes two buildings totaling 416,500 square feet

Neighborhood Midtown

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Tech Square Phase III

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Photos: Gwinnett County's first four-star hotel has arrived Josh Green Fri, 03/15/2024 - 15:07 Come next week, Georgia’s second most-populous county will officially count a four-star hotel.

Crowned with customizable, multicolored lighting visible for miles, the Westin Atlanta Gwinnett is scheduled to open for guests March 21 as a cornerstone of the Gas South District, also home to an arena and convention center near Interstate 85.

The mid-rise Westin took shape at 6450 Sugarloaf Parkway, and according to project reps it marks the first four-star, full-service hotel property in Gwinnett. (We’re told advance room sales are the highest in the history of Westin’s parent company, Concord Hospitality, suggesting pent-up demand for a luxury hotel option in the area—or very curious locals.)

Standard room rates start at $224 this month.

The 348-room hotel was developed in partnership with the Gwinnett Convention and Visitors Bureau, which owns the 118-acre Gas South District.

The 348-room lodge is expected to be a cornerstone of the Gas South District. Photos by Bruce Johnson

The new lodge's 6450 Sugarloaf Parkway location in Duluth. Google Maps

The highlight could be a swanky rooftop bar called Overstory with 360-degree views, outdoor fire pits, and water displays described as “dazzling.” It’s slated to host Sunday jazz brunches, plus wedding receptions, corporate shindigs, and other events.

Other facets include signature restaurant SweetSong Kitchen & Bar (with a menu focused on healthy, locally sourced options), 16 meeting and event spaces that can accommodate up to 800 people, and a saltwater indoor pool. The ground floor also features a Starbucks off the lobby.

Below—and in the gallery above—have a closer look at metro Atlanta’s newest Westin property.  

The Westin Atlanta Gwinnett lobby. Photos by Bruce Johnson

Rooftop bar Overstory counts 360-degree views of Gwinnettia. Photos by Bruce Johnson

Photos by Bruce Johnson

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6450 Sugarloaf Parkway West Atlanta Gwinnett Westin Atlanta Hotels Gwinnett County Gas South District Gwinnett Convention and Visitors Bureau SweetSong Overstory Concord Hospitality Gwinnett Convention Center Atlanta Convention Centers Gwinnett County Hotels Atlanta Development Gwinnett County Development Bruce Johnson Stan Hall Interior Design Hotel Design Starbucks

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The 348-room lodge is expected to be a cornerstone of the Gas South District. Photos by Bruce Johnson

The Westin Atlanta Gwinnett lobby. Photos by Bruce Johnson

A Westin lobby sitting area. Photos by Bruce Johnson

Rooftop bar Overstory counts 360-degree views of Gwinnettia. Photos by Bruce Johnson

The Overstory bar's outdoor seating. Photos by Bruce Johnson

Photos by Bruce Johnson

SweetSong Kitchen & Bar, the hotel's signature restaurant. Photos by Bruce Johnson

One of 16 meeting and event spaces at the Duluth property. Photos by Bruce Johnson

Photos by Bruce Johnson

Photos by Bruce Johnson

Photos by Bruce Johnson

Subtitle West Atlanta Gwinnett called cornerstone of 118-acre Gas South District

Neighborhood Duluth

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East Point modular project scores 'substantial' financing to proceed Josh Green Fri, 03/15/2024 - 12:40 East Point may take lumps for being relatively stagnant compared to development-friendly southside brethren such as Hapeville, but another sign that could be changing has recently come to light.

Safe and Green Development Corp, a New York-based company focused on modular construction using former shipping containers, reports this week it has landed “substantial financing” for a residential project called Norman Berry Village near downtown East Point.

The 6-acre site in question is located along Norman Berry Drive near Washington Road, just south of Parklane Elementary School, a few blocks east of the city’s MARTA hub and downtown eateries.

According to SGD, the joint venture with CMC Development will produce 132 market-rate apartments in two new buildings, next to communal greenspaces and resident parking lots. Exactly what the project will cost and how much of that is funded wasn’t specified.

Approximate location of the Norman Berry Drive proposal in East Point, according to a site plan. Google Maps

Two-building site plan for Norman Berry Village. Safe and Green Development Corp

SGD announced in summer 2021 it had acquired the Norman Berry Drive property for $390,000, predicting then its East Point development would cost roughly $21 million. Plans at the time called for constructing the apartments in Oklahoma and shipping them to Atlanta for assembly, with work forecasted to start in the third quarter of that year.

SGD’s breakdown in 2021 called for one and two-bedroom apartments, totaling about 125,000 square feet, with amenities that would include a gym, greenspaces, and a clubhouse.

The company claims that building with shipping containers is significantly cheaper and can cut construction time and waste in half, while reducing shipping emissions by 90 percent.

What East Point’s modular-built rentals might look like isn’t yet clear. We reached out to SGD officials this week for Norman Berry Village renderings and information on a construction timeline and rents. The company hadn’t responded as of press time, but this story will be updated with any additional details that come.

SGD’s website lists a number of modular projects as being in development from New York state to Texas (including a South Georgia concept called Cumberland Inlet with more than 3,500 units), totaling more than 3.2 million square feet with a value of $765 million.

Facade of a modular, multifamily SGD project outside Austin called Lago Vista. Safe and Green Development Corp

Courtyard at an SGD project near Austin. Safe and Green Development Corp

SGD’s isn’t the only recent East Point project to show signs of life.

City officials in November approved a real estate deal with Atlanta-based Mynd Match Development Group that green-lights the redevelopment of 9 acres in the 2700 block of Main Street into a mixed-use hub called The Commons.

Those plans call for roughly 79,000 square feet of commercial space in the form of offices, shops, and restaurants, situated just north of East Point’s downtown and MARTA hub.

On The Commons’ residential side, 316 multifamily units and 23 single-family townhomes are in the works, alongside 11,440 square feet of amenity areas. Plans also call for 403 parking spaces for residents and visitors in two garages, with more parking at street level.

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Norman Berry Drive at Washington Road Norman Berry Village SGD Safe and Green Development Corp CMC Development Parklane Elementary School Modular Development Modular Construction East Point Southside ZT Architecture + Land Development Community Development Consortium SG Blocks

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Approximate location of the Norman Berry Drive proposal in East Point, according to a site plan. Google Maps

Two-building site plan for Norman Berry Village. Safe and Green Development Corp

Facade of a modular, multifamily SGD project outside Austin called Lago Vista. Safe and Green Development Corp

Courtyard at an SGD project near Austin. Safe and Green Development Corp

A low-rise SGD modular concept in Oklahoma. Safe and Green Development Corp

Subtitle Plans call for 132 block-built rentals just east of downtown commerce, MARTA hub

Neighborhood College Park/East Point

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Medley project reaches ‘milestone’ in quest to build new district Josh Green Fri, 03/15/2024 - 11:03 Johns Creek’s answer to mixed-use lifestyle hubs such as Avalon and Halcyon has reached a milestone that developers say clears the way for vertical construction.

Toro Development Company announced Thursday it has completed the $44-million purchase of a suburban office park where the 43-acre Medley project is planned to rise as a walkable, identifiable destination for the well-to-do north Fulton County city.

The 11650 Johns Creek Parkway site is located at the intersection of Johns Creek Parkway and McGinnis Ferry Road, where demolition work last fall took down an empty office building formerly occupied by State Farm.

Beyond that “grave site,” a four-story office building remains standing today amidst a wide sea of surface parking.

According to TDC officials, that building will be left standing, stripped out, and incorporated into Medley’s masterplan as fresh offices, with retail and restaurant space on the ground floor.

Projected look of Medley's repurposed office building, next to a standalone restaurant and central plaza. Courtesy of Toro Development Company

Overview of the Medley site's two mid-rise office buildings formerly occupied by State Farm Insurance Co. The building at bottom is being incorporated into the new project. Google Maps

The firm, led by Atlanta development veteran Mark Toro, plans to formally break ground on Medley sometime later this year.

Project reps tell Urbanize Atlanta phase one is set to include 180,000 square feet of retail and 108,000 square feet of “lifestyle office” spaces. On the residential side, Johns Creek can expect 340 apartments and 133 townhomes in the initial phase. A spate of 11 retailers and restaurants was announced as signed tenants last year.

Those components are on pace to be completed in the third quarter of 2026, officials say.

All told, Medley is expected to create 900 residences deemed luxury-grade (all townhomes and apartments), another 20,000 square feet of retail, and a central greenspace designed for community events and gatherings. TDC officials say full project completion is scheduled for the end of 2027.

Toro said the 43-acre land acquisition “signals our confidence in both the project and the market” in an announcement this week. He hinted that another “wave of new tenants” will be announced soon.   

Toro Development Company; designs, Nelson Worldwide

Courtesy of Toro Development Company

Early last year, the Johns Creek City Council voted unanimously to approve Medley, which is envisioned as eventually being just one facet of the 192-acre Town Center, a blend of housing, hotels, offices, lakes, and greenspace about the size of Piedmont Park. Medley is intended to be a buzzy new destination that gets the ball rolling.  

Medley’s phase one will include the first suburban locations of Fadó Irish Pub and Little Rey, a Mexican concept by chef and restaurateur Ford Fry.

Other announced tenants include CRÚ Food & Wine Bar, Summit Coffee, Lily Sushi Bar, Knuckies Hoagies, Cookie Fix, Sugarcoat Beauty, BODY20, and AYA Medical Spa.   

Find more site context and Medley renderings in the gallery above.

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11650 Johns Creek Parkway Medley Town Center Toro Development Company Mixed-Use Development Alpharetta Johns Creek Parkway McGinnis Ferry Avalon Colony Square TDC U.S. Realty Advisors Third Place Fulton County Town Center Vision and Plan State Farm State Farm Insurance Co. OTP Atlanta Development Atlanta Suburbs Mark Toro Kimley-Horn & Associates Boston Scientific Franklin Street Stream Managing Nelson Worldwide Site Solutions Johns Creek City Council Johns Creek Town Center Vision and Plan Johns Creek City Hall Creekside Park Adaptive Reuse Adaptive-Reuse Adaptive-Reuse Development

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The Medley site's location in Johns Creek, in relation to Atlanta's north OTP cities. Google Maps

Projected look of Medley's repurposed office building, next to a standalone restaurant and central plaza. Courtesy of Toro Development Company

Part of the 43-acre property, as seen along Johns Creek Parkway, while still actively used by State Farm in 2017. Google Maps

Overview of the Medley site's two mid-rise office buildings formerly occupied by State Farm Insurance Co. The building at bottom is being incorporated into the new project. Google Maps

The 43-acre Medley will be the first new section of Johns Creek's Town Center concept. Toro Development Company; designs, Nelson Worldwide

Toro Development Company; designs, Nelson Worldwide

Subtitle $44 million purchase of Johns Creek site completed

Neighborhood Johns Creek

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The Flint River Trail project just landed $50M. What is it? Josh Green Thu, 03/14/2024 - 16:26 Accompanying the bombshell news this week that downtown Atlanta’s Stitch project had landed enough federal cash to fund construction of its first phase was another surprise: An elongated, multi-use Atlanta BeltLine branch called the “Flint River Trail” project not only exists, but it, too, has been awarded a substantial bag of federal grant funding.

Which begs the question: What’s this Flint River Trail the feds speak of, and how exactly will it relate to the BeltLine?

The Flint River Trail, it turns out, is a broad term referring to the Atlanta Regional Commission’s 2023 application for federal infrastructure funding, which mentioned a “BeltLine to Flint River Trail” as a means of connecting intown to the southside natural water resource.

For more than a decade, community groups such as Finding the Flint and Aerotropolis Atlanta Alliance have been putting plans together to unearth and showcase the river’s headwaters through a visioning process. As Georgia’s second longest river, the Flint begins near the Atlanta airport, where it’s either obscured by culverts, hidden beneath runways, or fenced-off on airport property, before flowing more than 340 miles and joining the Chattahoochee River at the Florida line.

Plans compiled in 2021 for a trail section near a 23-acre industrial property called the Tift site. Willingham Corridor Improvement Study, via ARC

Eventually, the ARC’s vision calls for creating a new, contiguous multi-use trail that would branch off the BeltLine near today’s Lee + White district in West End and trickle down to Lovejoy, a distance of 31.5 miles.

But there’s a long way, so to speak, between here and there.

According to ARC spokesperson Paul Donsky, the $50-million federal grant announced this week—part of a bipartisan infrastructure bill approved by Congress in 2021—will pay for the construction of the purple and green segments outlined in this graphic:

Courtesy of Atlanta Regional Commission

The purple sections—two and 13—are considered more shovel ready, in that planning by the City of East Point and Clayton County has already been set in motion. Green sections will require more upfront visioning and planning before construction can begin, according to Donsky.

In Clayton County, the one-mile trail section will connect Drew High School with Southern Regional Medical Center.

The longer trail segment, covering 1.6 miles in East Point, will run along U.S. 29 (Main Street) from the city’s historic downtown up to the Lakewood MARTA station, just north of Langford Parkway. The broader goal, according to the ARC, is to reconnect the Colonial Hills neighborhood, which was bisected by Langford Parkway’s construction in the 1960s.                

The trail route is designed to link together several key attractions—the Ballethnic Dance Company, the East Point Farmers’ Market, East Point Public Library, and City Hall—before it ends at West Cleveland Avenue. That’s at the northern end of the downtown district, four blocks from the East Point MARTA station. (It’s worth noting the City of East Point is building another four-block trail segment that will pass in front of the East Point MARTA station, helping fill the gap.)

But if strolling or pedaling along these trails sounds nice, don’t hold your breath.

Donsky says construction of segments two and 13 isn’t expected to kick off until 2030, as no engineering work has been completed, and both will “have to go through a lengthy process that includes environmental review, right-of-way acquisition, [Georgia Department of Transportation] permitting, and approval.”

At this point, the schedule calls for completing trail construction in 2032.

But there’s good news for ATL trail enthusiasts regarding segment one: The 2.6-mile trail section extending southward off the BeltLine along Lee Street could happen sooner.

Plans for the 2.6-mile trail segment in Southwest Atlanta. Courtesy of ARC

That segment will run between West End and the Lakewood MARTA station. It’ll be raised and made of concrete where space permits, incorporating a landscaped buffer to protect pedestrians, cyclists, and wheelchair users from vehicle lanes. The bulk of the $8.1-million project is being funded through ARC’s Livable Centers Initiative, with 20 percent of those costs sourced from a City of Atlanta match, according to Donsky.

The Atlanta Department of Transportation’s website forecasts segment one construction starting in 2027 and wrapping up two years later.

A project description indicates the trail will run along the east side of Lee Street, which will be reconfigured from five to four lanes. Wayfinding would be provided throughout, as would intersection improvements at each street crossing. Plus, a new HAWK (or High-Intensity Activated Crosswalk) signal would be installed to connect Westside Trail BeltLine users to the new trail between Donnelly and White streets.

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Plans compiled in 2021 for a trail section near a 23-acre industrial property called the Tift site. Willingham Corridor Improvement Study, via ARC

Courtesy of Atlanta Regional Commission

Plans for the 2.6-mile trail segment in Southwest Atlanta. Courtesy of ARC

Subtitle Vision calls for branch off Atlanta BeltLine to many points south

Neighborhood Southside

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New Census estimate puts Atlanta past Washington DC, Philadelphia Josh Green Thu, 03/14/2024 - 13:15 Since the dark days of the COVID-19 pandemic, metro Atlanta has made an astonishing leap from the country’s ninth largest metropolitan area to the sixth, according to U.S. Census population estimates released today.

Across the year ending July 1, 2023, metro Atlanta’s 29-county region added another 68,585 residents, for a total of 6.3 million. Only two metros (Dallas and Houston, respectively) gained more people last year.

That growth was enough to push the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell metropolitan statistical area past the metro populations of Washington D.C. and Philadelphia last year, leapfrogging them for sixth place among U.S. population centers now, per the new Census data.

Two years ago, Census officials said metro Atlanta had added about 43,000 residents over the year ending in summer 2021, pushing it past Greater Miami for eighth place. (At the time, the ranking was the highest metro Atlanta had ever had among U.S. cities—and it marked the first time in modern history Atlanta’s metro area was considered the largest in the Southeast.)

According to the most recent Census tally, the only U.S. cities with larger metro areas than Atlanta’s are, in descending order: New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, and Houston.  

via U.S. Census Bureau

The Census estimates indicate metro Atlanta has packed on more than 200,000 residents since the early days of the pandemic in April 2020.

The new population count also shows bright spots at the county level, too.

Two Georgia counties landed in the top 10 among fastest growing counties with a population of 20,000 or more. Those were Jackson County northeast of Gwinnett (5.5 percent growth), and Dawson County north of Atlanta (5.1 percent).

via U.S. Census Bureau

Another population estimate released in December by Census officials showed Georgia had reached a new threshold for the first time in history last year, joining just a handful of U.S. states with 11 million or more people.

According to that analysis, Georgia added 116,077 residents across the year ending in July, for a total population of 11,029,227. Only eight states count 11 million or more people, and just three states—Texas, Florida, and North Carolina, respectively—grew more than Georgia last year. 

As impressive as metro Atlanta’s growth may sound last year, it was dwarfed by the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro area, which swelled with nearly 153,000 more people and surpassed 8 million residents for the first time.

The Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands metro, meanwhile, added 139,789 people over the same period, for a tally of 7.5 million.

U.S. Census Bureau

via U.S. Census Bureau

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Atlanta: On the move, when traffic allows. Shutterstock

via U.S. Census Bureau

via U.S. Census Bureau

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U.S. Census Bureau

Subtitle Metro ATL counted third largest population boost in U.S. last year, per Census count

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Trio of Scandinavia-inspired homes claims vacant Pittsburgh corner Josh Green Thu, 03/14/2024 - 08:12 As another example of where housing trends are heading in the Pittsburgh neighborhood south of downtown, an infill project has brought together a trio of homes that wouldn’t look out of place on the fringes of Stockholm.

Developed by homebuilder Grit City, which counts projects in several intown neighborhoods, two of the Pittsburgh dwellings are back on the market after struggling to land buyers in the face of high interest rates last year, according to the sales team.

Spanning from 986 to 990 McDaniel St., the site in question is located about two miles due south of Mercedes-Benz Stadium, east of the Lee + White food and beverage district along the BeltLine.

The three Scandinavian-inspired homes, designed by Atlanta architecture firm Adam Stillman Residential Design, claimed a vacant corner lot where smaller, shuttered houses had been cleared several years ago. They were originally listed for sale last fall, but only the southernmost home (990 McDaniel St.) found buyers, selling for $489,000 in December.

Porch view from 988 McDaniel St. today. Photos: Traci Kruger/TraLynn Photography

The Pittsburgh corner in question, in relation to the Connector (right) and the Lee + White district (left) along the BeltLine. Google Maps

According to listing agent Shane Little of Avenue Realty, the remaining residences were pulled from the market until interest rates dipped south of 6.5 percent, which happened last week.

988 McDaniel St. came back to market Thursday, and the third home is expected to list today, Little said. Both will be priced at $479,900, which buys three bedrooms and two and ½ bathrooms in an open-concept 1,484 square feet. Perks include a covered front porch, carport around back with an EV outlet, fenced yard, and ceiling fans befitting the overall style.

Those price points wouldn’t sniff the highest sale Pittsburgh has seen recently. That title belongs to a 3,600-square-foot modern abode that traded for an eye-popping $900,000 at the end of 2022.

Facades of 986 to 990 McDaniel Street today. The southernmost home at right sold in December. Photos: Traci Kruger/TraLynn Photography

Photos: Traci Kruger/TraLynn Photography

Redfin pegs the median sales price for Pittsburgh at $330,000 right now. That's a 20 percent jump over February 2023 but also reflects the amount of fixer-uppers selling in the neighborhood. 

Beyond the BeltLine and easy interstate access, other attractions in the area include the Pittsburgh Yards jobs hub, the Adair Park I and II greenspaces, and the adaptive-reuse Academy Lofts, now home to a Switchyards coworking space.

Find a quick, closer look at the available McDaniel Street products in the gallery above.

How the corner appeared, once cleared of fire-damaged and vacant housing, in 2022. Google Maps

Photos: Traci Kruger/TraLynn Photography

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The Pittsburgh corner in question, in relation to the Connector (right) and the Lee + White district (left) along the BeltLine. Google Maps

How the corner appeared, once cleared of fire-damaged and vacant housing, in 2022. Google Maps

Facades of 986 to 990 McDaniel Street today. The southernmost home at right sold in December. Photos: Traci Kruger/TraLynn Photography

Porch view from 988 McDaniel St. today. Photos: Traci Kruger/TraLynn Photography

Photos: Traci Kruger/TraLynn Photography

Photos: Traci Kruger/TraLynn Photography

Photos: Traci Kruger/TraLynn Photography

Photos: Traci Kruger/TraLynn Photography

Photos: Traci Kruger/TraLynn Photography

Photos: Traci Kruger/TraLynn Photography

Photos: Traci Kruger/TraLynn Photography

Photos: Traci Kruger/TraLynn Photography

Photos: Traci Kruger/TraLynn Photography

Photos: Traci Kruger/TraLynn Photography

Photos: Traci Kruger/TraLynn Photography

Photos: Traci Kruger/TraLynn Photography

Photos: Traci Kruger/TraLynn Photography

Subtitle Agent: Two of the infill dwellings are back on market with discounted prices

Neighborhood Pittsburgh

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Alpharetta to National Hockey League: Come here instead Josh Green Wed, 03/13/2024 - 14:48 The north OTP arms race for a hypothetical hockey team has officially begun.

A conglomerate called Alpharetta Sports & Entertainment Group comprised of city officials and influential sports figures has officially thrown its hat (helmet?) into the ring in hopes of luring a National Hockey League team back to metro Atlanta for the first time in more than a decade.

The potential landing spot would be the dated North Point Mall, where other urban-style, mixed-use redevelopment plans crumbled in 2022.

The group’s intentions—made official in a press release issued Tuesday by NHL broadcaster and former player Anson Carter, a longtime metro Atlanta resident—marks the second active campaign for a pro hockey-anchored mega development in the northern suburbs. 

Overview of North Point Mall's layout, uses, and occupancy today. Courtesy of Trademark Property Company; 2021

Another proposal about six miles up Ga. Highway 400, The Gathering at South Forsyth, has gained steamed recently in terms of key hires and government approvals, despite requiring several hundred million dollars in public financing to be feasible.

Carter, also a businessman, is considered the leader of Alpharetta Sports & Entertainment Group, which has made a formal request with NHL leadership to expand the league and bring pro hockey back to the metro. Get this: The arena at the heart of the group’s proposal would be designed by architecture legend Frank Gehry, marking the Pritzker Prize winner’s first work in Georgia, according to the announcement.

Mall owner New York Life, an insurance company, is considered a partner in the proposal, along with Top Tier Sports, Simon Sports, and Zeigler Automotive Group. Carter’s statement says he’s been in conversations with NHL leadership about an expansion team since 2019, and that the proposal has garnered substantial support from local government leaders, though no financial specifics were provided.

Alpharetta Mayor Jim Gilvin told 11Alive News he’s been impressed with Carter’s vision as the two have worked closely together over the past year.

According to Alpharetta Sports & Entertainment Group, North Point Mall and its parking lots would be swapped with a hockey arena, practice facility, a pro-grade outdoor stadium for soccer and lacrosse, in addition to "hotels, a performing venue, an esports facility, and various residential, retail, dining, conference, and community spaces."

Two years ago, Texas-based developer Trademark Property Company compiled plans for a $500-million, mixed-use overhaul of North Point Mall that would have covered 84 acres. Pushback over the amount of apartments included in those plans was fierce, and the proposal ultimately failed to gain city council approval, eventually fading from headlines. Appen Media has reported that Alpharetta city leaders are expecting new plans for the mall’s redevelopment to emerge from owner New York Life sometime this spring.

Meanwhile, last month, the team behind the potentially $2-billion Gathering at South Forsyth project publicly stated for the first time they’re gunning to bring the NHL back to Georgia—and that it would take a monumental public investment of $390 million to make that happen, should the league decide to expand.

The Gathering at South Forsyth; designs, SCI Architects

The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners has approved an agreement on principal terms to allow Krause Sports and Entertainment to proceed with four-phase development plans alongside Ga. Highway 400, but no public funding would be allotted unless the NHL will indeed play at a planned 70,000-square foot arena, the project’s anchor. 

The NHL’s return to the metro would be welcome for legions of hockey fans.

The city’s Flames relocated to Calgary in 1980, and following a dozen years in downtown Atlanta, the Thrashers decamped to Winnipeg in 2011. Metro Atlanta’s population has swollen by another 1.4 million people since the Thrashers skedaddled to Canada, making it the second largest U.S. market without a pro hockey team right now, following only Houston.

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Overview of North Point Mall's layout, uses, and occupancy today. Courtesy of Trademark Property Company; 2021

How the initial phase of North Point Mall multifamily construction was expected to fit into the district, per early renderings. Courtesy of Trademark Property Company; designs, Torti Gallas + Partners

How the lawn could function during concerts and events. Courtesy of Trademark Property Company; designs, Torti Gallas + Partners

Initial renderings for a planned village where outdoor dining would meet greenspace. Courtesy of Trademark Property Company; designs, Torti Gallas + Partners

Plans for North Point's open events space by day. Courtesy of Trademark Property Company; designs, Torti Gallas + Partners

Subtitle North Point Mall could be replaced with arena by architect legend Frank Gehry, supporters say

Neighborhood Alpharetta

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200-unit affordable housing build a go near Georgia Tech Josh Green Wed, 03/13/2024 - 13:21 Just west of downtown and Midtown, a mid-rise building with nearly 200 apartments that meet affordability standards is officially moving forward, with a goal of offering walkability to multiple new job hubs and city amenities.

A groundbreaking led by Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens is scheduled Thursday morning for the second and largest phase of Herndon Square, the mixed-income, master-planned, 12-acre redevelopment of the former Herndon Homes public housing site.

The English Avenue project will rise along Northside Drive, next to the growing Science Square district and a few blocks southwest of Georgia Tech’s Bobby Dodd Stadium. The BeltLine’s Westside Connector Trail is located about two blocks west.

Affordable housing developer Pennrose is partnering with Hunt Companies, Oakwood Development, Atlanta Housing, and city agencies on the development. Invest Atlanta approved $41.5 million in tax-exempt bond financing to help develop the apartments last year.

Project leaders said this week Herndon Square’s second phase will see 201 one and two-bedroom apartments total, plus 10,000 square feet of commercial space designated for resident programming. An enclosed parking deck is considered a phase-two perk.

Overview of phase two along Northside Drive, with a future Herndon Square grocery component depicted to the left and future townhomes at back center. Thriven Design

Just 30 apartments are expected to be market-rate. The other 170 will be considered Low Income Housing Tax Credit units, reserved for individuals and families earning 30 to 80 percent of the area median income.

Onside amenities will include a wellness clinic, fitness center, and computer business and learning center. At the core of the project, an interior courtyard with greenspace and a covered picnic area is intended to help residents socialize, officials said this week.

The schedule calls for opening the phase-two component in spring 2026.

Signage on the phase two building. Thriven Design

The project's 527 Herndon Square Avenue location off Northside Drive, near Tech Square. Google Maps

Project leaders say recent and existing investments in the area—from Science Square and Echo Street West to the Signia by Hilton Hotel and Georgia World Congress Center—are expected to generate more than 5,000 permanent jobs in coming years.

Beyond the phase-two apartments, Herndon Square includes a 97-unit senior housing component that’s been fully leased. The project’s full scope calls for 379 units of multifamily residential (spread across two mid-rise buildings), 32 townhomes, and a 30,000-square-foot retail space on a section fronting Northside Drive.

That commercial component is expected to bring a neighborhood grocery option with fresh food access to English Avenue. No timeline on the remainder of development has been specified. 

Find a closer look at Herndon Square's forthcoming second phase in the gallery above.

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The project's 527 Herndon Square Avenue location off Northside Drive, near Tech Square. Google Maps

Overview of phase two along Northside Drive, with a future Herndon Square grocery component depicted to the left and future townhomes at back center. Thriven Design

Signage on the phase two building. Thriven Design

Thirty-two Herndon Square townhomes are also expected to be built in a later phase. Thriven Design

The Thriven Design project is aiming to meet EarthCraft Multifamily and ENERGY STAR Certification standards.Thriven Design

Thriven Design

Subtitle Second phase of Herndon Square development to include commercial piece

Neighborhood English Avenue

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