UrbanizeAtlNewsBot

For BeltLine-fronting, former Paris on Ponce space, it's on to Plan B Josh Green Tue, 02/27/2024 - 16:43 Portman Holdings’ plans for a major new development where the Atlanta BeltLine intersects with Ponce de Leon Avenue are on hold indefinitely, developers tell Urbanize Atlanta.

That includes the fire-damaged former home of quirky, bohemian retailer Paris on Ponce, which has been vacant since late 2019 and appeared destined for a date with the wrecking ball as recently as last summer.

Instead, the old 1920s Paris on Ponce space at 712 Ponce Place has come to market this week seeking tenants or a fresh development vision for the high-profile site.

According to Cartel Properties, the building’s longtime owner, the .98-acre property is primed for a rehab of the existing building, a build-to-suit project, or ground lease of between three and 20 years.

Scope of the former Paris on Ponce building offered for lease where the Eastside Trail meets Ponce de Leon Avenue. Cartel Properties/LoopNet

Cartel Properties/LoopNet

Attributes of the Eastside Trail-fronting site include a “Walker’s Paradise” Walk Score of 91 and strong Bike Score of 81, according to a LoopNet listing posted Sunday. Potential rental rates aren’t specified. Cartel Properties didn't respond to an inquiry for more information today. 

Mike Greene, Portman Holdings’ senior vice president of development, told Urbanize via email Tuesday that market conditions have again necessitated a change of plans on Ponce.

“It appears it’s going to take the market some time to get back to conditions that support new ground-up development, so several of us BeltLine property owners are entertaining short-term leases in the meantime,” Greene wrote. “Hopefully once interest rates calm down, construction pricing levels out, and the current oversupply burns off, we can deliver some new product." 

Portman revealed in August it was scaling back its plans for two full blocks of mixed-use development along Ponce, sparing longtime businesses such as The Local dive bar from demolition.

At the time, however, Portman was still planning to close on the westernmost properties where mid-rise development would take place, spanning from the Paris on Ponce building to the small strip center occupied by The Bookhouse Pub. Development of those parcels, Greene said at the time, could take at least a couple of years.

Overview of the Ponce project's proposed massing, as laid out by Portman Holdings in early 2023. Portman Holdings; designs, ASD/SKY, master and retail architect; Pickard Chilton, office design architect; dwg., landscape architects; Hord Coplan Macht, residential designers.

Whether Portman followed through with buying those Ponce properties, or still plans to, isn’t yet clear, as Greene didn’t respond to follow-up questions before press time Tuesday.

We’ll update this story with any additional details that become available.    

According to initial plans, how uses would have been arranged across the Ponce blocks, beginning with the BeltLine at left. Residential plans at right were removed in 2023. via Portman Holdings

The full scope of the site for potential redevelopment, as outlined in marketing materials this week. Cartel Properties/LoopNet

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Virginia-Highland news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta) 

Tags

712 Ponce de Leon Place Ponce & Ponce Portman Holdings Ponce de Leon Avenue Virginia-Highland Poncey-Highland The Bookhouse Pub Atlanta Development Chipotle MJQ The Local Vesta Java Jive gusto! Friends Virginia-Highland Civic Association Southern Star Tattoo Friends on Ponce MJQ Concourse The Drunken Unicorn ASD|SKY dwg. Hord Coplan Macht Pickard Chilton Cartel Properties

Images

Scope of the former Paris on Ponce building offered for lease where the Eastside Trail meets Ponce de Leon Avenue. Cartel Properties/LoopNet

The full scope of the site for potential redevelopment, as outlined in marketing materials this week. Cartel Properties/LoopNet

Cartel Properties/LoopNet

Cartel Properties/LoopNet

According to initial plans, how uses would have been arranged across the Ponce blocks, beginning with the BeltLine at left. Residential plans at right were removed in 2023. via Portman Holdings

Overview of the Ponce project's proposed massing, as laid out by Portman Holdings in early 2023. Portman Holdings; designs, ASD/SKY, master and retail architect; Pickard Chilton, office design architect; dwg., landscape architects; Hord Coplan Macht, residential designers.

How the BeltLine, at left, would have met Portman's retail and office portions where the 712 Ponce de Leon Place building stands today. via Portman Holdings

Subtitle Vacant since 2019, large Eastside Trail property where Portman planned development is up for grabs

Neighborhood Virginia-Highland

Background Image

Image

Associated Project

Ponce & Ponce

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

High Street district announces wave of retail wins as openings begin Josh Green Tue, 02/27/2024 - 14:36 When we last checked in on Dunwoody’s new High Street district in April, all nine buildings in the first phase had topped out around the project’s centerpiece greenspace, but they remained very much works in progress.

Eleven months later, the potential $2-billion megaproject that could eventually span more than 10 city blocks has welcomed its first residents and leased more than half of its phase-one retail space, as national real estate developer, operator, and owner GID Development Group reports today.

Development officials unveiled five more tenants for High Street’s restaurant and retail mix in Central Perimeter: Jaguar Bolera, Nando’s Peri-Peri, Velvet Taco, Allen Edmonds, and Skin Spirit.

Those retail signings include a large “eatertainment” space, upscale menswear, and South African fare. (See short descriptions below).

An example of the latest artist renderings for High Street's central green and nine-building first phase. Courtesy of GID Development Group; designs, Dwell Design Group

Those tenants will join previously announced High Street offerings that include Atlanta’s second Puttshack (a 26,000-square-foot fusion of mini golf and nightlife), plus The Hampton Social (a costal-inspired restaurant), Agave Bandido (a Mexican and tequila bar), Cuddlefish (a sushi concept led by the James Beard-nominated team behind Brush and Momonoki), Ben & Jerry’s, and Sugarcoat (a boutique beauty salon).

With 11 tenants in place, High Street reps say more than half of phase-one retail—80,000 of 150,000 square feet—has been claimed, prior to opening. Additional concepts are in negotiations now.

All retail tenants are expected to open throughout this year, according to the development team.

Meanwhile, High Street’s first residential building, The Brompton, welcomed its first resident earlier this month. Rents start at $1,580 for studios with 555 square feet.

In addition to retail, High Street’s initial phase is set to include 598 apartments total and 90,000 square feet of loft offices arranged around the “signature park,” designed for seasonal events such as yoga in warmer months and ice-skating in winter.

Developers are promising lush, tree-lined streets and an urban feel within walking distance of MARTA’s Dunwoody station.

“We have carefully curated a lively mix of retail experiences, including several new-to-Atlanta concepts and beloved community brands, that weave together the unique urban fabric of this district,” James Linsley, GID president, said in today’s announcement. “We’re enjoying terrific momentum and interest from tenants.” 

Courtesy of GID Development Group

Courtesy of GID Development Group

Claiming more than 31,000 square feet, High Street’s five recently announced retailers are described as follows (edited for length):

• ***Jaguar Bolera:***From the creator of Punch Bowl Social (locally at The Battery Atlanta), Jaguar Bolera is a next-generation “eatertainment” destination encompassing 21,500 square feet of food, beverage, and entertainment space with activities such as duckpin bowling, foosball, darts, board games, and karaoke in private rooms.
• ***Nando’s PERi-PERi:***Opening its first location in Georgia, Nando’s PERi-PERi is bringing its beloved spicy flame-grilled chicken and authentic PERi-PERi sauce from Africa to Atlanta. The brand, which originated in Johannesburg, will debut its 3,300-square-foot flagship location at High Street with an 85-seat interior featuring South African art, lighting and furniture, and a patio for an additional 96 guests.
• ***Velvet Taco:***Velvet Taco will open its second Atlanta location at High Street totaling 2,300 square feet, offering more than 20 taco varieties. The first debuted at The Interlock project three years ago.
• ***Allen Edmonds:***Relocating its Park Place location to High Street, luxury menswear retailer Allen Edmonds will open a storefront space with 1,800 square feet.
• ***Skin Spirit:***Opening its first location in Atlanta, Skin Spirit is described as the premier destination for medical aesthetics and skincare for face and body. The 2,300-square-foot med-spa will offer services such as injectables, laser hair removal, facials, and more in seven treatment rooms.

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Dunwoody news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta) 

Tags

Perimeter Center Parkway at Hammond Drive GID Development Group aerial tours Perimeter Center Parkway Hammond Drive Dwell Design Studio Dunwoody MARTA Station JLL 10Twelve Central Perimeter Puttshack High Street JLL Capital Markets Brasfield & Gorrie Site Solutions Elkus Manfredi Sandy Springs Atlanta Development Atlanta Construction Windsor Communities The Brompton Jaguar Bolera Nando’s Peri-Peri Velvet Taco Allen Edmonds Skin Spirit

Images

An example of the latest artist renderings for High Street's central green and nine-building first phase. Courtesy of GID Development Group; designs, Dwell Design Group

Courtesy of GID Development Group

Courtesy of GID Development Group

Courtesy of GID Development Group

Courtesy of GID Development Group

Subtitle Retail space at Perimeter project’s nine-building first phase more than half-leased, developers report

Neighborhood Dunwoody

Background Image

Image

Associated Project

High Street Phase 1

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

Near Pullman Yards, five-story, two-bedroom rentals pop up Josh Green Tue, 02/27/2024 - 12:58 More than four years after it was initially announced, a pocket of Edgewood multifamily units with unique floorplans has topped out all nine of its buildings and stepped up its leasing push.

Located where Edgewood meets Kirkwood, about a block west of the Pullman Yards food and entertainment district, the LaFrance Square project is being marketed as “Atlanta’s premiere, for-lease, luxury townhome and condo community.”

Formerly home to a warehouse, which was demolished in 2019, the site is positioned a little less than a mile from MARTA’s Edgewood-Candler Park station, where its namesake LaFrance Street meets Arizona Avenue.

Updated site plan for LaFrance Square showing rentals currently on the market (in orange and green) and final buildings under construction now. LaFrance Square

How buildings at LaFrance Square's northeastern corner have come together in recent months where LaFrance Street meets Arizona Avenue. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

According to developer The Ardent Companies, LaFrance Square will include 102 units when finished. The allure, according to the project’s marketing team, is residences large enough to offer “the privacy and comfort of owning a home” but with “all the flexibility and convenience of leasing.”

The 34 available rental options at LaFrance Square start at $2,838 monthly, promising the convenience of living on “the Central Eastside” amidst “the buzz of Kirkwood.”

That rents a two-bedroom, two and ½-bathroom floorplan called the Oakford with 1,661 square feet—spread across a whopping five stories, including the rooftop terrace. (Note: Only one unit is offered at that price now; 22 others with the same floorplan cost $3,450 monthly. Two months of free rent is being dangled as an incentive for some units.)

Here's a quick breakdown of the five-story Oakford floorplans: 

The base level of the smallest LaFrance Square units currently available, the five-story Oakford plan. LaFrance Square

The main hangout and first bedroom level with the Oakford plan. LaFrance Square

Top levels of the Oakford plan. LaFrance Square

The community’s largest options, the four-story Whitefoord plan, have three bedrooms and three and ½ bathrooms in 1,800 square feet. Those now start at $4,000 monthly.

LaFrance Square joins hundreds of other rental townhome options that cropped up across Atlanta through the pandemic and post-pandemic years. Other examples span from Peoplestown and Pittsburgh to Grant Park and many points throughout the suburbs.

The product type has drawn the ire of some municipalities and residents in the metro, however, for consuming valuable land with housing that doesn’t allow occupants to build equity through homeownership.

At LaFrance Square, only townhomes are marketed as being available now. But studio and one-bedroom apartment options are in the pipeline, according to developers.  

Facades along LaFrance today. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Bottom levels of the largest floorplan currently available at LaFrance Square, the three-bedroom Whitefoord option. LaFrance Square

LaFrance Square

Find more imagery and context in the gallery above.

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Edgewood news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta) 

Tags

450 Arizona Ave. LaFrance Square Kirkwood Pratt Pullman District Pullman Yards Arizona Avenue Ardent Companies The Ardent Companies Rental Townhomes Atlanta Townhomes Atlanta Development Atlanta Construction RangeWater Real Estate

Images

Updated site plan for LaFrance Square showing rentals currently on the market (in orange and green) and final buildings under construction now. LaFrance Square

How buildings at LaFrance Square's northeastern corner have come together in recent months where LaFrance Street meets Arizona Avenue. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Facades along LaFrance today. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The base level of the smallest LaFrance Square units currently available, the five-story Oakford plan. LaFrance Square

The main hangout and first bedroom level with the Oakford plan. LaFrance Square

Top levels of the Oakford plan. LaFrance Square

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Bottom levels of the largest floorplan currently available at LaFrance Square, the three-bedroom Whitefoord option. LaFrance Square

LaFrance Square

Kitchen rendering at LaFrance Square.LaFrance Square/The Ardent Companies

Community overview of the lot where Arizona Avenue meets LaFrance Street in Edgewood.LaFrance Square/The Ardent Companies

Design of exteriors and roof terraces.LaFrance Square/The Ardent Companies

Subtitle How LaFrance Square project is coming together, four years later

Neighborhood Edgewood

Background Image

Image

Associated Project

LaFrance Square - 250 Arizona Ave

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

Following 'pivotal' year, highway-capping Stitch enters new phase Josh Green Tue, 02/27/2024 - 08:14 Following what’s being called by backers of downtown’s Stitch project a “pivotal year” in 2023, the ambitious, highway-capping greenspace project is transitioning to a new phase that aims to use public input as a tool for hammering out final designs.

Central Atlanta Progress and its partners have scheduled a community workshop in early May—on the top floor of Bank of America Plaza, Atlanta’s tallest building, no less—to carry 2023 momentum and project support from local officials, federal agencies, and other public events into this year, according to CAP.

Meanwhile, an online portal for sharing input about how the Stitch should look and function will remain open until the end of next month, officials report in a February project update.

Alongside the City of Atlanta, CAP’s Atlanta Downtown Improvement District began the process of Stitch master-planning in April, and thousands of community members and stakeholders have chimed in so far via public events and online questionnaires, according to project leaders.

The Stitch has also collected more than $42 million from local and federal partners—including $12.5 million from federal grants—to help pay for environmental studies and preliminary engineering for the project’s first phase.  

Depiction of a Stitch greenspace between several landmark and hypothetical buildings. Central Atlanta Progress; thestitchatl.com

That initial phase will include up to 4.5 acres of interstate-capping infrastructure and public spaces spanning between Peachtree and Courtland streets, or just east of MARTA’s Civic Center station.

Plans also call for multimodal street, safety, and aesthetic improvements across the area in question.

All specifics remain TBD, but Stitch leaders say the project’s design phase, which is beginning now, is on track to finish this summer.

Central Atlanta Progress

Other aspects of phase one planning will include improvements to MARTA’s Civic Center station, an affordable housing plan, a framework for sustainability and resiliency, and an implementation strategy.

A crucial component of building phase one would be $157 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation—in the form of a FY23 Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods grant—that would fund construction. The Stitch’s planning team applied for that money in September.

Eventually, the Stitch’s scope calls for 14 acres of new public space spread across 3/4th of a mile, all intended to restitch neighborhoods torn apart by downtown freeway construction.

In the near term, the aforementioned Community Design Workshop for the Stitch project will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 1 on the 55th floor of Bank of America Plaza in Midtown (600 Peachtree St.) Free MARTA passes and free onsite parking will be offered to attendees who register, according to organizers.

Expect a half-hour update from project leaders on where the Stitch stands today, with the rest of the meeting devoted to community input that will help draft a master plan, officials say.

Alternately, to share thoughts on Stitch planning online, visit the comprehensive questionnaire on this page between now and March 31.  

In the meantime, CAP has provided this quarterly Stitch rundown for the eventful year that was: 

Central Atlanta Progress

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Downtown news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta)

Tags

Stitch Central Atlanta Progress MCP Foundation Midtown Connector Transportation Improvement Project Atlanta City Council Parks and Recreation Transportation Atlanta Downtown Improvement District Midtown Connector U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams U.S. Department of Transportation Atlanta Parks Midtown Civic Center MARTA Station MARTA Mayor Andre Dickens WSP Hargraves Jones GDOT Georgia Department of Transportation

Images

Central Atlanta Progress

Depiction of a Stitch greenspace between several landmark and hypothetical buildings. Central Atlanta Progress; thestitchatl.com

Central Atlanta Progress

The Stitch’s “Peachtree Green” section would reconnect a downtown street grid and create an active greenspace, setting the stage for park-oriented, high-rise development. Thestitchatl.com

Central Atlanta Progress

Subtitle Public workshop scheduled atop Atlanta's tallest building to help craft Stitch master plan

Neighborhood Downtown

Background Image

Image

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

BeltLine's march toward Buckhead takes key step forward Josh Green Mon, 02/26/2024 - 16:37 Atlanta BeltLine Inc. is officially seeking the right company to begin building the complex Northwest Trail section from the Westside toward Buckhead and the 22-mile loop’s top end.

BeltLine leaders officially opened the bidding process Tuesday for contractors capable of constructing what’s known as Segment 5 of the Northwest Trail.  

The project will take the BeltLine from its temporary end point—where the Westside Trail terminates at Huff Road and Marietta Boulevard today—and travel northeast to Ellsworth Industrial Boulevard before ending at the intersection of English and Culpepper streets, near the Atlanta Waterworks complex.

That’s a distance of .7 miles.

Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

BeltLine officials have recently said real estate work for Segment 5 was concluding and that construction bids would be sought as soon as all required property closes.

As finalized in 2022, Atlanta BeltLine Inc. and the PATH Foundation decided it best to build the Northwest Trail in five phases, beginning at the southwestern-most point with the relatively straightforward Segment 5.

Where the BeltLine's Westside Trail ends at Huff Road today—and an approximation of where Northwest Trail Segment 5 will pick up progress soon toward Underwood Hills and Buckhead. Courtesy of Atlanta BeltLine Inc./PATH Foundation

BeltLine officials are accepting questions from potential Segment 5 builders until March 6. The deadline for submitting bids is April 11.

Segment 5 is expected to take roughly 18 months to build, according to the BeltLine.

Here's the most recent overview of where all BeltLine construction stands today: 

Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Blandtown news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta) 

Tags

Northwest Trail Segment 5 Northwest Trail Beltline Atlanta BeltLine BeltLine Construction Marietta Boulevard Huff Road Ellsworth Industrial Boulevard English Street BeltLine progress PATH Foundation

Images

Where the BeltLine's Westside Trail ends at Huff Road today—and an approximation of where Northwest Trail Segment 5 will pick up progress soon toward Underwood Hills and Buckhead. Courtesy of Atlanta BeltLine Inc./PATH Foundation

Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

Subtitle Contractor sought to build Segment 5 section of Northwest Trail

Neighborhood Blandtown

Background Image

Image

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

Campus 244 project celebrates tenant signings, hotel topping out Josh Green Mon, 02/26/2024 - 14:07 Developers are pointing to a growing, transit-connected Central Perimeter project as Exhibit A that office culture is not dead—so long as the perks are right.

The team behind Dunwoody’s Campus 244 today shed light on its forthcoming phase two while celebrating tenant signings, including restaurants, and the project’s hotel component topping out.

Eventually, Campus 244 is expected to encompass 1.3 million square feet of mixed uses spread across 12 acres next to MARTA’s Dunwoody station and Interstate 285, a development highlight in a subdistrict that’s making strides toward better walkability.

According to New York developer Georgetown Company, which is partnering with Buckhead-based RocaPoint Partners on the project, the “unmatched leasing success and forward momentum” of Campus 244’s initial phase includes the Element by Westin Atlanta Perimeter's topping out earlier this month.

Slated to open this fall, the 145-key hotel will include two food-and-beverage offerings—a new boutique cocktail lounge concept called The Spruce Social House, and a first for metro Atlanta, Stäge Kitchen & Bar—as project officials announced today.

A new rendering depicting office amenities and a plaza space at Campus 244's first phase. Courtesy of RocaPoint Partners/Georgetown Company; designs, S9 Architecture

Courtesy of RocaPoint Partners/Georgetown Company; designs, S9 Architecture

Plans for The Spruce Social House call for a large, four-sided indoor-outdoor bar that abuts an expansive outdoor seating area, all located at the base of the hotel. Codeveloped by Georgetown and Vision Hospitality Group, the lounge is envisioned as a hub for Campus 244 employees, nearby residents, and guests. Stäge, meanwhile, is expected to include a large outdoor patio and a seasonal menu focused on steaks, sushi, seafood, and pasta. Both are scheduled to open this fall. 

Elsewhere, Campus 244’s five-story, adaptive-reuse centerpiece, the Palladium Building, will feature a concept called CT Cantina & Taqueria, which has started its buildout in hopes of opening this summer.

Major tenant commitments Insight Global and Beon are expected to start moving into office spaces at the 405,000-square-foot, Class A Palladium building this spring, developers say.  

According to marketing materials, the timber-infused Palladium building has fully leased four of its five floors, totaling more than 300,000 square feet. Only the top level—a smaller floorplan with 64,000 square feet—remains available.

Last but not least (or leased), the development team today announced the name of its second phase—The Stacks—that will rise on vacant land next to the office building.

Courtesy of RocaPoint Partners/Georgetown Company; designs, Skidmore Owings & Merrill

Courtesy of RocaPoint Partners/Georgetown Company; designs, Skidmore Owings & Merrill

As depicted in new renderings, the 300,000-square-foot, Class AA The Stacks is being designed by the Skidmore, Owings & Merrill architecture firm with private outdoor space on each of its six floors. Oversized windows for plentiful natural light and “unrivaled ceiling heights” are also part of The Stacks designs, per developers.

RocaPoint principal Phil Mays called the overall project “a testament to the demand still out there for high-quality, well-located office space that energizes employees” in an update today. Jonathan Schmerin, Georgetown managing principal, said Campus 244’s walkable environment will present a new way of experiencing the area, adding: “With the creative office space, hotel, and accompanying dining options on-site, we’re bringing a new community gathering spot for the area to reenergize a previously overlooked pocket of the submarket.”

Phase two plans for The Stacks building, a 300,000-square-foot, Class-AA office space, and an adjoining parking garage. Courtesy of RocaPoint Partners/Georgetown Company; designs, Skidmore Owings & Merrill

Courtesy of RocaPoint Partners/Georgetown Company; designs, Skidmore Owings & Merrill

The 244 Perimeter Center Parkway property is the former Gold Kist headquarters, a 1970s complex the poultry company had vacated a decade prior to construction. Other elements include a retail and restaurant building and a centralized park area.

Find more context and a closer look at what’s on tap for Campus 244 in the gallery above.

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Dunwoody news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta) 

Tags

244 Perimeter Center Parkway NE Main Street Advisors Georgetown Company RocaPoint Partners Campus 244 Central Perimeter Gold Kist Element Hotel S9 Architecture Marriott Bonvoy AC Hotel by Marriott Atlanta Perimeter Dunwoody MARTA Station MARTA Adaptive-Reuse Atlanta Development Vision Hospitality Group Yenser Co. Pill Hill State Farm Perimeter Mall Office Space Atlanta Hotels Atlanta Offices SOM Skidmore Owings & Merrill Element by Westin Atlanta Perimeter Insight Global Beon The Spruce Social House Stäge Kitchen & Bar CT Cantina & Taqueria

Images

Campus 244's location on Perimeter Center Parkway in relation to Interstate 285, Perimeter Mall, and other area landmarks. Google Maps

A new rendering depicting office amenities and a plaza space at Campus 244's first phase. Courtesy of RocaPoint Partners/Georgetown Company; designs, S9 Architecture

Phase two plans for The Stacks building, a 300,000-square-foot, Class-AA office space, and an adjoining parking garage. Courtesy of RocaPoint Partners/Georgetown Company; designs, Skidmore Owings & Merrill

Courtesy of RocaPoint Partners/Georgetown Company; designs, S9 Architecture

Courtesy of RocaPoint Partners/Georgetown Company; designs, S9 Architecture

Courtesy of RocaPoint Partners/Georgetown Company; designs, S9 Architecture

Courtesy of RocaPoint Partners/Georgetown Company; designs, Skidmore Owings & Merrill

Courtesy of RocaPoint Partners/Georgetown Company; designs, Skidmore Owings & Merrill

Courtesy of RocaPoint Partners/Georgetown Company; designs, Skidmore Owings & Merrill

Courtesy of RocaPoint Partners/Georgetown Company; designs, S9 Architecture

The Campus 244 site plan for full buildout. The Georgetown Company/Campus 244

The 1970s structure and its 12-acre site as seen beside MARTA tracks (left) and Interstate 285 prior to construction. Courtesy of S9 Architecture

Subtitle New renderings also depict forthcoming second phase dubbed "The Stacks"

Neighborhood Dunwoody

Background Image

Image

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

Fresh renderings: What the future holds for MARTA's Airport station Josh Green Mon, 02/26/2024 - 11:53 MARTA is ramping up renovation work at one of its busiest transit hubs with designs that will mimic terminal canopies at the world’s largest airport next door—but not before a growing-pains phase of closures and rerouted riders.

MARTA officials have provided Urbanize Atlanta with renderings that vividly depict what’s in store for the agency’s Airport station. The southernmost stop on MARTA's Red and Gold lines will lend a first impression for legions of World Cup fans arriving in the city for eight matches scheduled in summer 2026.

According to MARTA, the $55 million canopy installation and other renovations will boost “the safety and appearance of the rail station to best serve travelers and employees” coming to and leaving the airport. 

But first comes a six-week closure of the Airport station that’s expected to last between Monday, April 8 and Sunday, May 19, as platform and concourse levels are renovated. The station closure is necessary, according to MARTA, to protect customers and workers, and it will allow renovations to be finished at the station 17 months quicker.

Designs for the MARTA canopy structure that will echo larger airport canopies. Courtesy of MARTA

Revised look of MARTA Airport station interiors in the works now. Courtesy of MARTA

To get around the construction, MARTA is launching a shuttle bus service between College Park Station and the airport’s North Terminal Lower Level.

The shuttle will arrive at the airport downstairs from North Baggage Claim, and it will operate 22 hours a day, or from 4 a.m. to 2 a.m., according to MARTA.

MARTA advises all travelers heading to the airport to allow 30 extra minutes for travel, beginning April 8.

Rehabilitation work began at Airport station in June 2022. The next phase will entail replacing floor tiles on platform and canopy levels and preparing the station for its new canopy structure.

The current state of MARTA Airport station platforms for airport arrivals and departures into the city. Courtesy of MARTA

Courtesy of MARTA

Additional upgrades in the offing include a new RideStore, a rehab of the station’s elevator, ceiling and lighting replacements, a public art installation, renovated employee spaces, and replacement of all signage.

To finish the project, MARTA says the station will also be closed nightly for 10 months sometime in 2025.

Another six-week closure is also possible after that, when the new canopy structure will be installed at the end of the construction process, per MARTA.  

MARTA officials say signs and announcements will be posted throughout the system, and at the airport, to raise awareness of the temporary station closure and shuttle service. The agency has also issued these specific instructions for riders, starting April 8:

• “If you’re flying out or heading to work at the airport, travel to College Park Station as you normally would and follow the signs for the shuttle to the airport. The shuttle will drop you at the North Terminal Lower Level—Doors LN1 and LN2—located near the employee entrance.
• If you’re flying in or heading home from your job at the airport*, follow the signs to Ground Transportation and North Baggage Claim, and take the stairs, escalator, or elevator down to the North Terminal Lower Level—Doors LN1 and LN2—to catch the shuttle to College Park Station.*
• Courtesy of MARTA

Delta customers should follow the signs from South Baggage Claim to North Baggage Claim and the North Terminal Lower Level—Doors LN1 and LN2—to catch the shuttle to College Park Station.

• International arrivals: Follow signs to Ground Transportation and take the airport shuttle to the Domestic Terminal. From there, follow the signs to the North Terminal Lower Level—Doors LN1 and LN2—to catch the shuttle to MARTA’s College Park Station.”

Courtesy of MARTA

In other airport construction news, Hartsfield-Jackson officials have embarked on a widening of tight and outdated Concourse D that’s described as being among the most ambitious expansions in airport history. It’ll allow for the addition of 1,000 concourse seats and more exterior space for larger-capacity jets, but it’s not expected to be finished for more than five years.  

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Images: Atlanta airport embarks on one of ‘most ambitious projects to date’ (Urbanize Atlanta) 

Tags

MARTA MARTA Airport Station Airport Station Atlanta Airport Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority MARTA Stations MARTA Construction Airport Station Construction MARTA Closures MARTA RideStore Alternate Transportation Alternative Transportation

Images

The current state of MARTA Airport station platforms for airport arrivals and departures into the city. Courtesy of MARTA

Designs for the MARTA canopy structure that will echo larger airport canopies. Courtesy of MARTA

Revised look of MARTA Airport station interiors in the works now. Courtesy of MARTA

Courtesy of MARTA

Courtesy of MARTA

Courtesy of MARTA

Courtesy of MARTA

Subtitle Upgrades including new canopy will require six-week closure soon—and more closures later

Neighborhood Southside

Background Image

Image

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

Images: $13M makeover bound for Chamblee park Josh Green Mon, 02/26/2024 - 08:01 The City of Chamblee has been busy in recent years upgrading its municipal facilities and multi-use trail system as developers pack in hundreds of new housing options near the ITP city’s historic core.

Now, that influx of investment is set to extend to one of Chamblee’s prized greenspaces.

Chamblee city officials plan to host a groundbreaking in March for a Dresden Park renovation project slated to see nearly $13 million in upgrades. Demolition of existing park structures is expected to immediately follow that event next month.

Dresden Park is tucked off Buford Highway, just south of DeKalb-Peachtree Airport, at 2301 Dresden Drive. At 24 acres, the greenspace is 2 acres larger than Centennial Olympic Park downtown, for context.

City officials finalized a contract this month with Integrated Construction and Nobility, allowing construction to begin.

Final masterplan for the 24-acre greenspace. Courtesy City of Chamblee

Revitalization plans call for a new modern-style community center, a rectangular field with artificial turf and a multi-use field, a dog park, tennis courts, a large playground, a walking trail, a pavilion, and a new concessions building.

Infrastructure upgrades such as new lighting, terraced seating, restrooms, and a new parking lot are also planned.  

The bulk of park upgrades is being paid for with COVID-19 relief funding—specifically, $10.8 million via American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA, funds.

Earlier this year, Chamblee’s city council approved another $2 million to pay for the larger community building in Dresden Park, bumping the total renovation budget up to $12.8 million.

Entries and overall architecture for the planned Dresden Park Community Center. Courtesy City of Chamblee

The park's 2301 Dresden Drive location (in red) near the City of Chamblee's southeastern border. Google Maps

Chamblee Mayor Brian Mock called the ARPA funding “likely a once in a lifetime opportunity” that will create “the crown jewel of the neighborhood” for an area that’s been underserved. “Our kids deserve the best,” the mayor noted in a project announcement, “and we intend to deliver facilities second to none.” 

The downside, in the short term, is that Dresden Park will be off-limits to the public for 14 months to allow for construction. Contracted programming usually held at Dresden Park will be moved to Keswick Park and other privately owned field locations, and Chamblee officials are urging parkgoers to use other city greenspaces for picnics and family outings, said Jodie Gilfillan, Chamblee’s parks, recreation, and arts director.  

Dresden Park is scheduled to be under construction through April 2025. City officials are planning a ribbon-cutting and grand opening for the revised greenspace in May next year.

Find more context and images in the gallery above.

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Chamblee news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta)

Tags

2301 Dresden Drive Chamblee Dresden Park Atlanta Parks Greenspaces Chamblee Parks Park Upgrades American Rescue Plan Act Chamblee City Council Atlanta Greenspaces ITP Parks Parks and Rec Parks and Recreation Dresden Park Community Center City of Chamblee Integrated Construction and Nobility Keswick Park DeKalb-Peachtree Airport

Images

The park's 2301 Dresden Drive location (in red) near the City of Chamblee's southeastern border. Google Maps

Final masterplan for the 24-acre greenspace. Courtesy City of Chamblee

Entries and overall architecture for the planned Dresden Park Community Center. Courtesy City of Chamblee

Interior layout for a Dresden Park community room. Courtesy City of Chamblee

Example of a planned Dresden Park pavilion. Courtesy City of Chamblee

Subtitle Dresden Park renovations to bar public access for more than a year

Neighborhood Chamblee

Background Image

Image

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

Affordable rental community debuts near Atlanta BeltLine section Josh Green Fri, 02/23/2024 - 14:26 The explosion of new housing options near the BeltLine due south of downtown now includes a complex with rents that might actually qualify as affordable for most Atlantans.

A grand opening is scheduled Tuesday for a 56-unit project called Stanton Park Apartments in Peoplestown, a joint venture between Woda Cooper Companies and Parallel Housing.

The complex stands roughly a block north of an access point (Milton Avenue) for the BeltLine’s Southside Trail corridor, where construction to pave the multi-use trail is expected to begin early this year.

Other landmarks in the area include Peoplestown’s DH Stanton Park and The Beacon food-and-beverage district, both located a few blocks east. Also within walking distance is the Terminal South food hall project, which officially broke ground a couple of weeks ago.

The project's proximity to the Southside Trail, DH Stanton Park, and other landmarks. Google Maps

The Stanton Park facade at 1056 Hank Aaron Drive in Peoplestown. Stanton Park Apartments; Woda Cooper Companies/Parallel Housing Inc.

Project leaders call Stanton Park unique in that it’s a combination of public, nonprofit, and private business efforts meant to provide housing for Atlantans who’ve faced homelessness, in addition to other renters who qualify.

Having risen four stories on a previously vacant corner lot, Stanton Park offers 36 one-bedroom and 20 two-bedroom apartments for residents earning between 30 and 80 percent of the area median income. (Ten units are reserved via the Project Based Voucher rental assistance program for formerly homeless residents, with support services included, officials say.)  

Rents for standard, single-bedroom apartments with 650 square feet start at $542 and climb up to $925.

Two-bedroom options with between 860 and 885 square feet are renting from between $670 and $1,080 per month. Some have a single bathroom, others a bathroom and ½.

Stanton Park Apartments; Woda Cooper Companies/Parallel Housing Inc.

Stanton Park Apartments; Woda Cooper Companies/Parallel Housing Inc.

Amenities at the complex include a fitness center, barbecue and picnic area, laundry facilities, on-site management, and a community room. No pets are allowed.

Other partners in the project include Atlanta BeltLine Inc., Invest Atlanta, Atlanta Housing, Partners for HOME, the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, Sugar Creek Capital, and Walker & Dunlop.

In the gallery above, find more Stanton Park context and photos.

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Peoplestown news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta) 

Tags

1056 Hank Aaron Drive Stanton Park Apartments Affordable Housing Southside Southside Trail Peoplestown Beltline Atlanta BeltLine senior housing Woda Cooper Companies Parallel Housing Invest Atlanta Atlanta BeltLine Inc. Atlanta Housing Partners for Home Georgia Department of Community Affairs Walker & Dunlop Sugar Creek Capital

Images

The Stanton Park facade at 1056 Hank Aaron Drive in Peoplestown. Stanton Park Apartments; Woda Cooper Companies/Parallel Housing Inc.

The 1056 Hank Aaron Drive location in relation to downtown Atlanta on the southside. Google Maps

Model living room at Stanton Park Apartments. Stanton Park Apartments; Woda Cooper Companies/Parallel Housing Inc.

Example of a Stanton Park kitchen. Stanton Park Apartments; Woda Cooper Companies/Parallel Housing Inc.

Stanton Park Apartments; Woda Cooper Companies/Parallel Housing Inc.

Stanton Park Apartments; Woda Cooper Companies/Parallel Housing Inc.

Stanton Park Apartments; Woda Cooper Companies/Parallel Housing Inc.

The project's proximity to the Southside Trail, DH Stanton Park, and other landmarks. Google Maps

Subtitle Rents start in $500s monthly at project called Stanton Park Apartments

Neighborhood Peoplestown

Background Image

Image

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

Friday fun bag: Hot new slogans for Atlanta neighborhoods! Josh Green Fri, 02/23/2024 - 11:33 It’s hard to believe, but nearly 20 years have flown by since Atlanta unveiled its fresh slogan, “Every Day Is an Opening Day,” a somewhat befuddling effort to boost tourism that became national news.

When’s the last time you heard someone say that?

With spring coming on, we need fresh, catchier, more meaningful slogans around here, along the lines of “The City Too Busy to Hate” and “Decatur, Where It’s Greater.”

There’s no shortage of creativity in Atlanta. So let’s put our collective heads together and bestow good, honest, candid slogans on so many wonderful ATL neighborhoods, which each seem to have their own personalities anyway. Maybe it won’t boost the tax base or bring jobs, but it should be fun.

For inspiration, here’s a few actual slogans (official and not) from around the metro, both iconic and somewhat cheesy:    

“West End, Best End”

“Snellville, Where Everybody is Somebody”

“Decatur, Open for Business”

“You’ll Like What U.C.” (Union City)

“Lilburn is Hip”

“Kennesaw: Honoring Our Heritage, Forging Our Future”

...

And these are a few of our favorite suggestions—both in-house and otherwise:

“Loring Heights: Really close to a lot of places you’ve heard of”

“Reynoldstown: Duplex Capital of Georgia®”

“Boulevard Heights: It’s best you don’t even know we’re here”

“Edgewood: No, the neighborhood, not the street”

“Ansley Park: No Thru Traffic!”

“Castleberry Hill: Still the Brooklyn of southwestern South Downtown™***”***

“Gresham Park: Please annex us”

"Tucker/Dunwoody: Because you grew up ITP and got priced out by transplants"

“Westview: We told y’all you should have bought in 2016”

“Vinings: Yep, still out here”

“Kirkwood: Where Virginia-Highland dreams go to die.”

For this installment of Friday fun bag, we’re hankering to hear slogan suggestions for intown neighborhoods, official municipalities, and anywhere else that could use a fresh, catchy tagline.

Please have a go in the comments section below—but try to keep it (reasonably) appropriate.

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Friday fun bag: What will Atlanta look like 10 years from now?

Tags

Friday Fun Bag Reynoldstown Kirkwood Neighborhood Slogans Atlanta Neighborhoods Best Atlanta Neighborhoods Ansley Park Boulevard Heights Edgewood Decatur West End

Subtitle Now accepting (reasonably appropriate) suggestions

Neighborhood Citywide

Background Image

Image

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

$30M hotel with rooftop eatery bound for downtown Roswell Josh Green Fri, 02/23/2024 - 10:03 The trend of relatively dense development in the blocks around historic Downtown Roswell is continuing.

A $30-million boutique lodge called the Chambray Hotel is moving forward at a site where Alpharetta Highway meets Fraser Street in Roswell, about two blocks east of the food and beverage destination Canton Street has become.

According to Swinerton, the construction management firm picked to build the JdV by Hyatt property, the Chambray Hotel will see 125 rooms across five stories, designed to overlook the historic district.

Dotted with local artwork, the hotel’s architecture “draws inspiration from the area’s mill vernacular while incorporating contemporary details,” aligning with the City of Roswell's Master Plan, which calls for boutique development that doesn’t mar historic character, according to the development team.

JdV by Hyatt; designs, Matt Mitchell Design

Planned hotel amenities include a restaurant at street level, a rooftop eatery, a 24-hour market, valet, a fitness center, and 1,300 square feet of flex and meeting space.

The development team is a joint venture of DSM Real Estate Partners and Garage Cap.

The project will rise immediately north of the multifaceted Southern Post development, which has replaced a 1960s strip mall. According to Swinerton officials, the hotel will be built of steel and masonry to enhance its strength and vintage look.

The planned hotel site, where Alpharetta Highway meets Fraser Street, in relation to historic downtown Roswell landmarks. Google Maps

The site, at center, as seen along Alpharetta Highway in early 2023, with the Southern Post development just to the south. Google Maps

On the flipside of downtown, a Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants property was announced as part of the larger West Alley Roswell development two years ago, but that project has since stalled. Development officials say early planning phases continue at the partially cleared site.

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Roswell news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta) 

Tags

Alpharetta Highway and Fraser Street JdV by Hyatt Chambray Hotel Matt Mitchell Design DSM Real Estate Partners Garage Cap Swinerton Atlanta Hotels OpenSpace Downtown Roswell Historic Downtown Roswell OTP Atlanta Suburbs Atlanta Construction Atlanta Development

Images

The planned hotel site, where Alpharetta Highway meets Fraser Street, in relation to historic downtown Roswell landmarks. Google Maps

The site, at center, as seen along Alpharetta Highway in early 2023, with the Southern Post development just to the south. Google Maps

JdV by Hyatt; designs, Matt Mitchell Design

Subtitle 125-room Chambray Hotel positioned for walkability to restaurants, breweries

Neighborhood Roswell

Background Image

Image

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off

Images: Wedge-shaped infill project rises up near Atlantic Station Josh Green Thu, 02/22/2024 - 15:19 An infill project with unique, flatiron-like designs is nearing top-out in Atlantic Station’s backyard, claiming a site that’d been a source of developer interest and proposals for several years.

Called 400 Bishop for its address, the project by Charleston-based Middle Street Partners has risen on a previously vacant, 1.4-acre site just north of Atlantic Station’s Target in the Loring Heights neighborhood.

Renderings indicate the building will top out at 11 stories on land formerly zoned for heavy industrial uses. According to Middle Street, the project started in September 2022 and will deliver 274 units.

How the 274 units are coming together along Bishop Street, with Atlantic Station shown at left. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The lone available rendering for 400 Bishop depicts the project's northern face, away from Atlantic Station. Middle Street Partners; designs, Brock Hudgins Architects

Several outdoor amenities areas will extend from the wedge-shaped building’s north and east faces, and units along Bishop Street at ground level will function as live-work properties, according to plans approved by the city in 2021.

Situated next to active Norfolk Southern railroad lines, the apartments would range from one to three bedrooms, with market-rate rents between roughly $1,500 (670 square feet) up to $3,000 (1,450 square feet) monthly, according to 2021 filings.

We reached out to Middle Street officials this week for a construction update and more details but hadn’t heard back as of press time.

How the project is stacking up just north of Atlantic Station, as seen from the 17th Street bridge near Northside Drive. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Where the 400 Bishop project is nearly topped out in Loring Heights. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Elsewhere in Atlanta, Middle Street’s debut project is a mixed-use apartment venture fronting the BeltLine’s Southside Trail corridor in Grant Park. The company is also building two Midtown towers, rising 36 and 33 stories, on the former site of longstanding establishments Einstein’s and Joe’s On Juniper.

Other ideas hatched for the 400 Bishop site failed to move forward. (Ditto for a pedestrian bridge that would have been built over the adjacent railroad tracks for quicker access between Loring Heights and Atlantic Station.)

Plans that emerged in 2019 by another development group, Track West Partners, called for 130,000 square feet of creative offices above retail in a shorter building. Other concepts have called for just 26,000 square feet of offices in four stories, with a “post-COVID-era wellness plan” and emphasis on city views.

Find a closer look at where the 400 Bishop project stands today in the gallery above.

...

Follow us on social media:

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Atlantic Station news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta)

Tags

400 Bishop Street NW Atlantic Station Middle Street Partners Brock Hudgins Architects Telos Ventures Track West Ventures Midtown Norfolk Southern Target Development Mixed-Use 400 Bishop J.M. Wilkerson J.M. Wilkerson Construction Atlanta Development Atlanta Construction

Images

The 400 Bishop St. site in February 2021, with Atlantic Station's tallest buildings and Midtown in the background. Google Maps

How the 274 units are coming together along Bishop Street, with Atlantic Station shown at left. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

How the project is stacking up just north of Atlantic Station, as seen from the 17th Street bridge near Northside Drive. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Where the 400 Bishop project is nearly topped out in Loring Heights. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The lone available rendering for 400 Bishop depicts the project's northern face, away from Atlantic Station. Middle Street Partners; designs, Brock Hudgins Architects

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Subtitle Loring Heights venture claims gap near Target

Neighborhood Loring Heights

Background Image

Image

Associated Project

400 Bishop Street NW

Before/After Images

Sponsored Post Off