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Developer offloads site where high-profile 'The Reid' planned Josh Green Mon, 02/12/2024 - 15:51 A block-sized development site near the BeltLine that was supposed to continue Memorial Drive’s building boom while marking a developer’s return to the intown commercial real estate scene has been sold.

Toro Development Company completed demolition work last year at the 952 Memorial Drive property in Reynoldstown where Reid’s Body Shop, a cherished local business, had operated for nearly 70 years before selling in 2022.

A 185-unit apartment venture named The Reid Flats in homage to the property’s longtime owner was announced last year to replace the auto business and salvage yard.

Instead, Fulton County tax records indicate the property was sold to an LLC called KCC Capital in December.

The first conceptual look at plans for The Reid Flats along Memorial Drive. Toro Development Company; designs, Dynamik Design

TDC founder Mark Toro confirmed the sale to Urbanize Atlanta but provided few other details, noting he’s not at liberty to divulge the buyer or purchase price.

It marks the third instance in which Reynoldstown development plans have changed course or faltered near the BeltLine in recent weeks.

According to the Georgia Secretary of State’s office, KCC Capital was registered as a business in October and is based at offices on Dallas Street in the Old Fourth Ward. Attempts to reach KCC Capital representatives today were not successful.

Permitting records show no activity at the site since March, when TDC filed plans to build a five-story multifamily project around a parking deck in two phases. The Reid Flats were expected to begin vertical construction last May and to start delivering in summer 2025, officials told Urbanize in February last year.

Having been in business since the 1950s, Reid’s was one of Memorial Drive’s last big landowner holdouts near the Eastside Trail. In a statement when the shop’s closure became news in 2022, owner Robert Reid said the family was “excited to see this become a great new place for people to live.”  

Property records indicate the 1.64-acre parcel fetched $6.8 million in July 2022.

The corner building housing popular diner Home Grown, shown at right, wasn't impacted by demolition. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The Reid's Body Shop property in the context of recent Memorial Drive development and, at far left, the BeltLine's Eastside Trail. Google Maps

The apartments were planned to rise on a sloped site next to popular diner Home Grown at the corner of Memorial Drive and Holtzclaw Street, just north of the Madison Yards mixed-use complex. No new retail was planned, but TDC officials said they’d planned to incorporate memorabilia from the shop as an important aspect of the project’s design.

TDC’s plans called for a range of studios up to two-bedroom units, with a pool on the roof. Fifteen percent of the rentals would have been reserved as affordable housing—as required by the BeltLine’s inclusionary zoning ordinance—at 80 percent of the area’s median income. 

For Toro, a former North American Properties executive, the Reynoldstown project was supposed to mark his fourth venture along the Eastside Trail corridor. Others include Edge OTB, Anthem on Ashley, and Camden Fourth Ward (formerly BOHO4W).

The Reid Flats marked TDC’s first new multifamily project to break ground—at least in terms of demolition. The company’s much larger mixed-use venture in suburban Johns Creek—the 43-acre Medley project—continues to move forward.

The Reid joins two other proposals within a few blocks that have recently changed course in the same neighborhood.

The others include Colgate Mattress Lofts (now cancelled) and a 2-acre site at 195 Chester Ave., which national developer Toll Brothers has sold to Atlanta-based Embry Development Company to build a mix of 85 townhomes and condos.

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952 Memorial Drive SE The Reid Toro Development Company Memorial Drive Reid’s Body Shop Atlanta apartments Atlanta Development Atlanta Construction Home Grown Affordable Housing Edge OTB Anthem on Ashley BOHO4W Camden Fourth Ward Beltline Eastside Trail Atlanta BeltLine Mark Toro Dynamik Design The Reid Flats

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The first conceptual look at plans for The Reid Flats along Memorial Drive. Toro Development Company; designs, Dynamik Design

The corner building housing popular diner Home Grown, shown at right, wasn't impacted by demolition. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The former Memorial Drive auto shop and salvage yard, at right, prior to demolition. Google Maps

The Reid's Body Shop property in the context of recent Memorial Drive development and, at far left, the BeltLine's Eastside Trail. Google Maps

How the property in question excludes the popular breakfast and lunch spot next door. Fulton County Government/Board of Assessors

Across the street, the Madison Yards mixed-use community (bottom left) was sold by Fuqua Development for $80 million.Google Maps

Subtitle Plans had called for swapping Memorial Drive body shop with nearly 200 apartments

Neighborhood Reynoldstown

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Construction of Eastside Trail-adjacent condos on horizon Josh Green Mon, 02/12/2024 - 11:57 Three years after site plans first came to light, Reynoldstown’s largest current development is preparing to enter a new phase of construction that couldn’t be much closer to the Atlanta BeltLine.  

After breaking ground in 2021, Empire Communities’ Stein Steel project—named for a steel plant that operated on the 6.5-acre site for nearly a century—has remade property once marketed as BeltLine “beachfront” near the junction of historic, coveted Eastside Trail neighborhoods such as Cabbagetown, Old Fourth Ward, and Inman Park.

Eventually, Stein Steel’s plans call for dozens of for-sale housing units arranged around new streets, an expanded greenspace component, and popular adaptive-reuse restaurant and bar Breaker Breaker.

As part of the project’s fourth development phase, a portion called The Central Track is being prepped now to begin construction in coming months, Saba Loghman, Empire’s director of acquisitions, tells Urbanize Atlanta.

Empire’s plans call for going vertical on stacked condos facing the Eastside Trail in April, with delivery of the first units scheduled for November this year. (See the portion of the site plan highlighted by the red box below.)

Courtesy of Empire Communities

According to Loghman, The Central Track’s plans also call for 15 new townhomes and detached cottages in future phases. (Project officials have previously said the seven cottages will not include garages or any dedicated parking—a rarity in Atlanta.)

No information regarding the cost of phase four units was available this week.

How phase-two residences are expected to meet the BeltLine's Eastside Trail, with the restaurant component in the distance. Courtesy of Empire Communities

Elsewhere around Stein Steel, the first two phases of townhomes have all sold, according to Loghman.

Meanwhile, the southernmost portion of the project—Milltown Stacks, or phase three—remains under construction but has sold more than half of its homes, priced from the $350,000s to $690,000s.

Four more units are scheduled to deliver next month (shown in the green box above), while the remaining buildings in the third phase (shown in orange) are on pace to finish in May, according to Loghman.

On the greenspace front, Empire is finishing work on the Upper Lang-Carson Park component (an expansion of an existing park next door) and is in the process of transferring the private land and its infrastructure upgrades to the City of Atlanta.

The official transfer is expected to be complete within a couple of months.

“In total,” noted Loghman in an email, “it will be roughly a half-acre of new public greenspace and improvements off the BeltLine for Reynoldstown, Stein Steel, and the city.”

Loghman called Breaker Breaker a success in both business and historic preservation, while the rest of the project (standing two to four stories) is aiming to weave itself into the neighborhood.

“As phases start to build out, we’re seeing a strong pick up in sales… with buyers now able to see the quality and vision of the project taking shape,” said Loghman.

The latest Stein Steel site plan, with a centralized condo building replaced by a variety of for-sale housing types. Courtesy of Empire Communities

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933 Kirkwood Avenue SE Empire Stein Steel Stein Steel Square Feet Studio Empire Communities Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail Beltline Lang-Carson Park Smith Dalia Architects Troy King Lord Aeck Sargent Local Architects KTGY Lessard Kimley-Horn & Associates Merritt Lancaster Bridger Properties Breaker Breaker Atlanta Restaurants Atlanta Development Atlanta Construction Atlanta Condos Atlanta Condos for Sale Upper Lang-Carson Park

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Courtesy of Empire Communities

How phase-two residences are expected to meet the BeltLine's Eastside Trail, with the restaurant component in the distance. Courtesy of Empire Communities

The latest Stein Steel site plan, with a centralized condo building replaced by a variety of for-sale housing types. Courtesy of Empire Communities

Remnants of the former steel plant are apparent throughout Reynoldstown's new Breaker Breaker, but especially with this steel archway entry on Wylie retained from the site's industrial days. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Subtitle Where Reynoldstown's BeltLine-fronting Stein Steel project stands now

Neighborhood Reynoldstown

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Monumental memorial park project in NW Atlanta moves forward Josh Green Mon, 02/12/2024 - 09:06 A greenspace project in northwest Atlanta is moving forward that backers envision as one of the only sites in America dedicated to relaying the story of the dreadful convict leasing system that became prevalent in years following the Civil War.

A year and ½ after the former Chattahoochee Brick Company site made headlines lauded by preservationists and neighborhood groups, City of Atlanta officials have unveiled plans for gathering community input regarding the site’s future, beginning later this week.

The city is partnering with the National Center for Civil and Human Rights to host a series of discussions at The Carter Presidential Center with a goal of illuminating the property’s troubled history—and defining objectives for its redevelopment.

The acreage is more than three times the size of Centennial Olympic Park, and other attributes of the site would be unique among Atlanta greenspaces. 

The former Chattahoochee Brick Company site near northwest Atlanta neighborhoods such as Whittier Mill Village, Scotts Crossing, and Riverside. Google Maps

Remnants of the site's past uses still dot the property. Photo by Stacy Funderburke; courtesy of The Conservation Fund

The free monthly seminars will be held between this Saturday, Feb. 17, and June at The Carter Presidential Center. According to city officials, the meetings are considered the first phase of community involvement in bringing the historic site into a more useful state.

Saturday’s two-hour seminar begins at 1 p.m., with Morehouse College’s Clarissa Myrick-Harris scheduled to give the keynote address. It will lend an overview of the Chattahoochee Brick project “and how to get involved in the upcoming process to transform the site from its former use to one that not only memorializes those who worked (and possibly died) there, but also one that will serve the needs of Atlanta residents today,” according to the event's registry page.

Advancing the parks project to this stage was an arduous process.

Following protracted negotiations, city officials purchased the 75-acre former Chattahoochee Brick Company site from Lincoln Terminal Company in summer 2022. That purchase—aided by a $4-million grant from Atlanta nonprofit The Kendeda Fund and national environmental nonprofit The Conservation Fund—spared the culturally significant riverside property from non-public, industrial uses, such as a train terminal or chemical depot.

Situated today on Brick Plant Road, next to the historic Whittier Mill Village neighborhood, the brickworks business owned by former Atlanta mayor James W. English relied on extensive use of convict lease labor from the late 1870s to early 1900s. Hundreds of men, most of them Black, were accused of sometimes petty crimes such as vagrancy and forced to endure working conditions and beatings so severe that many died—until convict labor was outlawed in Georgia in 1909.

Historians and others with interest in the site believe it is dotted with unmarked graves.

The former Chattahoochee Brick Company site, a 75-acre win for ITP greenspace preservation in 2022. Photo by Stacy Funderburke; courtesy of The Conservation Fund

Photo by Stacy Funderburke; courtesy of The Conservation Fund

Industrial uses continued at the property until about two decades ago, and attempts by environmental nonprofits and the City of Atlanta to buy the site had never come to fruition. Community members and descendants of laborers subjected to atrocities fought for the site’s protection for years.

Lincoln Terminal Company eventually bought the site and planned to redevelop but was denied a permit in 2017; that company’s subsequent plans to sell to Norfolk Southern, which hoped to build a train terminal, were met with fierce pushback from activists and city leaders. Those redevelopment plans were officially scrapped in 2021.  

More recently, the city has put together an 11-member group called the Chattahoochee Brick Company Memorial, Greenspace, and Park Board as a means of keeping the visioning, planning, design, and redevelopment phases more transparent and inclusive.

A city-issued announcement last week says the process of gathering public input is expected to take “several years.” A memorial honoring victims of lease labor practices will be an integral part of whatever becomes of the land, officials have said.

The site will also boost too-rare public access to the Chattahoochee River for city residents. It’s expected to eventually be linked to the Proctor Creek Greenway and the much larger, 53-mile Chattahoochee RiverLands initiative.

The 75-acre parcel in question, adjacent to the Chattahoochee River. Photo by Stacy Funderburke; courtesy of The Conservation Fund

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3195 Brick Plant Road NW Chattahoochee Brick Company Atlanta Historic Historic Sites The Conservation Fund Northwest Atlanta Convict Labor Civil War James W. English Lincoln Terminal Company City of Atlanta National Center for Civil and Human Rights Partnership for Southern Equity Center for Community Progress Chattahoochee Brick Company Descendants Coalition Chattahoochee River Proctor Creek Greenway Chattahoochee River Lands Atlanta Parks Parks and Recreation The Kendeda Fund Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation Morehouse College Morehouse

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The former Chattahoochee Brick Company site near northwest Atlanta neighborhoods such as Whittier Mill Village, Scotts Crossing, and Riverside. Google Maps

The former Chattahoochee Brick Company site, a 75-acre win for ITP greenspace preservation in 2022. Photo by Stacy Funderburke; courtesy of The Conservation Fund

Remnants of the site's past uses still dot the property. Photo by Stacy Funderburke; courtesy of The Conservation Fund

Photo by Stacy Funderburke; courtesy of The Conservation Fund

The 75-acre parcel in question, adjacent to the Chattahoochee River. Photo by Stacy Funderburke; courtesy of The Conservation Fund

Subtitle Community input process for former Chattahoochee Brick Company site launches this week

Neighborhood Whittier Mill Village

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First look: Boutique project enters pipeline near Goat Farm Josh Green Fri, 02/09/2024 - 14:56 The groundswell of new residential investment along the Westside’s Huff Road shows few signs of slowing down near a forthcoming leg of the Atlanta BeltLine.

Developers with Atlanta-based Braden Fellman Group tell Urbanize Atlanta today they’ve filed for a Special Administrative Permit to bring a boutique multifamily project to an empty parcel just north of the growing Goat Farm Arts Center complex.

The lot at 864 Huff Road covers just .8 acres. It’s situated immediately east of the building that houses Westside Modern, a midcentury modern furniture store, which will remain, according to Braden Fellman’s plans.

How the project would relate to an existing retail building (bottom right) and a bend in Huff Road. Braden Fellman Group; designs, Choate + Hertlein Architects

As designed by Choate + Hertlein Architects, the building would rise five stories, offering a mix of studios and one-bedroom units, but nothing larger.

At street level, near a bend in Huff Road, plans call for a lobby and amenity space, with public plazas off the street.

According to Braden Fellman officials, amenities for residents will include common area spaces on each floor, a fitness center, a multipurpose lounge, and the communal lobby.

The plan calls for introducing “a boutique living experience nestled within a stone's throw of the vibrant Westside Provisions District and the forthcoming extension of the Westside BeltLine,” Braden Fellman’s Anna Freeman wrote via email.

“Understanding challenges in the area, such as traffic,” the statement continues, “we’re committed to continued collaboration with the community to ensure the property's development aligns seamlessly with local goals to further enhance this growing neighborhood.”

The 864 Huff Road location between a city water reservoir and the growing Goat Farm complex (at bottom). Google Maps

Looking west along Huff Road at the site in question. Google Maps

We’ve submitted follow-up inquires with Braden Fellman officials and will update this story when more details are available.

The timeline for construction, according to project leaders, has not been determined.

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864 Huff Road Braden Fellman Group Choate + Hertlein Architects Huff Road Westside Goat Farm Goat Farm Arts Center Atlanta apartments Apartments Atlanta Construction Atlanta Development

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The 864 Huff Road location between a city water reservoir and the growing Goat Farm complex (at bottom). Google Maps

The site in question, looking east. Google Maps

How the project would relate to an existing retail building (bottom right) and a bend in Huff Road. Braden Fellman Group; designs, Choate + Hertlein Architects

Looking west along Huff Road at the site in question. Google Maps

Subtitle Braden Fellman proposal to continue Huff Road's residential boom

Neighborhood Blandtown

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Friday fun bag: What if we flooded the Connector—for recreation? Josh Green Fri, 02/09/2024 - 13:42 Move over, Chattahoochee—and meet the Atlanta River.

Okay, not really. But a time-honored Atlanta tradition is to imagine various canker sores of urban topography flooded with billions of gallons of water, including the Gulch, Bellwood Quarry (well, that happened), and occasionally the Downtown Connector.

But never before has the dream been rendered so vividly as this.

Using an Urbanize Atlanta aerial photo from over Atlantic Station, and another pic by WSB airborne traffic reporter Mark McKay, an urban designer named Stone Ray this week compiled images replacing the Connector with a serpentine body of water, and he asked: “What if Interstate 75/85 were a river?”

Imagine a Midtown recreational paradise instead of 16 traffic lanes. Stone Ray/@stoneray; original image, Urbanize Atlanta

Ray (@stoneray) works for Birmingham planning and redevelopment advisory firm Orchestra Partners. He tells Urbanize Atlanta these mind-boggling renditions of the waterlogged Connector took just a few minutes to compile in Photoshop. (We've offered many more aerials for him to work his magic on, when time allows.) 

The images paint a picture of what the ATL would look like if, like most major cities, it was actually founded on a major river. Or if we decided one day to make drivers take I-285 instead and flooded Midtown/downtown’s giant freeway—which at one point swells to 16 traffic lanes—with glorious recreational opportunities.  

Cannonball off the 17th Street bridge anybody?

A lovely sunrise over Atlanta River. Stone Ray/@stoneray; original image, Mark McKay/WSB

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Department of Big Ideas Downtown Connector The Connector Midtown Atlanta Downtown Atlanta Big Ideas Friday Fun Bag Mark McKay Orchestra Partners WSB-TV Atlanta River

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Imagine a Midtown recreational paradise instead of 16 traffic lanes. Stone Ray/@stoneray; original image, Urbanize Atlanta

A lovely sunrise over Atlanta River. Stone Ray/@stoneray; original image, Mark McKay/WSB

Subtitle Now this would make a splash

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Construction cranks up to make The Forum cool again Josh Green Fri, 02/09/2024 - 08:20 Following a Holidays hibernation, efforts to convert a dated Gwinnett County open-air shopping district into more of a buzzy, mixed-use OTP destination are entering a new phase.

North American Properties officials have provided construction updates and fresh visuals that lend a better idea how The Forum shopping district in Peachtree Corners will soon look and function.

Several phases of development are planned, but the push to create expanded public social areas from current streets and parking spaces is well underway.

The initial phase of Forum construction began in May, focusing on retail improvements. It paused in November in light of what NAP officials call “high volume holiday traffic” but has restarted in recent days.

In late January, construction fencing was also erected to begin building a section called the South Plaza. Echoing the central green at NAP’s Avalon in Alpharetta, the future events space will include a valet station, performance stage, LED screen, and other components.

Plans for the concierge and valet hospitality zone, where a hypothetical Porsche 911 Turbo just might have a flat tire. Courtesy of North American Properties

Future phases will see the addition of 380 residential units, a 125-key boutique hotel, new dining and experiential retail, and a parking structure.

The hotel and multifamily components are currently scheduled to start construction in 2025, according to NAP. 

The Forum debuted in its original, vaguely Medieval format in 2002—a decade before Peachtree Corners was incorporated as Gwinnett’s largest city.

A graphic showing what retail surrounds the South Plaza today. Courtesy of North American Properties

A fresh look at plans for a new Forum plaza. Courtesy of North American Properties

At its core is surface parking, a roundabout, and a fountain; around that, The Forum’s retail strip had been dotted with vacancies but managed to retain key tenants such as lululemon, Pottery Barn, Trader Joe’s, and Ulta Beauty, along with restaurants and office space.

Alongside joint venture partners Nuveen Real Estate, NAP acquired the 500,000-square-foot, open-air shopping hub two years ago.

Initial fixes included changes such as daily street sweeping and pressure washing, increased security, and a new calendar of events.

Beyond Avalon’s development, NAP is best known in Atlanta for redeveloping Colony Square in Midtown and revising Atlantic Station before selling it. The company’s undertakings also include the new Avenue East Cobb, a drive-to shopping center where NAP aimed to create a downtown-like experience in Cobb County.

Courtesy of North American Properties

Approved plans for The Forum's multifamily component. Courtesy of North American Properties

The Forum still attracts more than 4 million visitors per year, according to NAP. Its selling points today include walking trails, a pedestrian bridge to Peachtree Corners Town Center, Wi-Fi throughout the property, and pet-friendly rules.

Find a closer look at what’s in store in the gallery above.

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5155 Peachtree Parkway Norcross The Forum The Forum on Peachtree Parkway Gwinnett County North American Properties Atlanta Suburbs OTP Peachtree Parkway Nuveen Real Estate Avalon Avenue East Cobb Colony Square Atlantic Station Lifestyle Center Mixed-Use Development Value-Add Strategy Peachtree Corners Town Center lululemon Pottery Barn Trader Joe’s Ulta Beauty Birkdale Village ExperienceMakers® Atlanta Malls Atlanta Renovations Renovations

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The Forum shopping district's Peachtree Corners (formerly Norcross) location, northeast of Atlanta. Google Maps

Plans for the concierge and valet hospitality zone, where a hypothetical Porsche 911 Turbo just might have a flat tire. Courtesy of North American Properties

A fresh look at plans for a new Forum plaza. Courtesy of North American Properties

A graphic showing what retail surrounds the South Plaza today. Courtesy of North American Properties

Courtesy of North American Properties

Courtesy of North American Properties

Courtesy of North American Properties

Courtesy of North American Properties

Approved plans for The Forum's multifamily component. Courtesy of North American Properties

Subtitle Fresh renderings help illustrate plans for dated, outdoor Gwinnett County shopping district

Neighborhood Peachtree Corners

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Analysis: Georgia has emerged as magnet for millennials Josh Green Thu, 02/08/2024 - 15:31 As ubiquitous housing construction across much of metro Atlanta can attest, the Peach State has emerged as one of the top destinations for Americans leaving other regions and states behind.

A new study suggests a significant portion of those people—almost half, in fact—are part of a younger age group looking to launch careers and families right now.

Georgia’s mix of a thriving economy, fair weather, and relatively affordable cost of living appears to be working, as it’s recently emerged as the fifth most sought-after state in the nation, according to an analysis of 2022 U.S. Census data by StorageCafe, a nationwide self-storage search website. (Clearly, StorageCafe has a vested interest in tracking where uprooting Americans are going.)

Georgia saw an influx of 116,000 millennials in 2022—by far the generation who favored the state most—that resulted in a net gain of 36,000 people in the 24-to-39 age group, according to analysts. (Only Texas saw a greater influx of more millennials, with a net gain of 75,100.)

Overall, Georgia packed on 74,000 more people than it lost that year, according to the most recent available data. The top five states with households moving here were, in order, Florida, Texas, North Carolina, California, and Alabama. (Californians transplanting to the Peach State, for example, were attracted by a 60-percent cheaper real estate market overall, per the study.)

StorageCafe

A small town’s worth of New Yorkers (16,500 people) also moved south to Georgia that year, nearly double the number that made the reverse move.

A relatively high 35 percent of these newly christened Georgians hold at least a bachelor’s degree, and about 13 percent of those moving in reported that they work from home, according to analysts. 

It’s a different story for Gen Zers in Georgia, the youngest demographic to start entering the housing market. Georgia actually saw a dip in that category—with a net loss of more than 1,000 kids and young adults leaving that year.

Conversely, the Peach State also landed at No. 6 for in-migration of Baby Boomers (10,456 people), with all of the top 10 being SunBelt states in that category.

Overall, the U.S. saw a decade-high 8.2 million people move between states in 2022—resulting in both influxes and exoduses—which analysts attributed to being one aftereffect of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The four states with bigger population boosts than Georgia in 2022 were, in order, Florida, Texas, economic nemesis North Carolina (we kid), and Arizona.  

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Subtitle Bulk of inbound new residents have come from five states, spanning California to Florida, study finds

Neighborhood Citywide

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Images: 630 apartments, shopping district bound for Brookhaven Josh Green Thu, 02/08/2024 - 13:29 As frequent travelers of top-end Interstate 285 have probably noticed, infill development on a relatively grand scale is rising on Brookhaven’s northern fringe right now.  

That’s where Chicago-based AMLI residential is swapping an office complex with a sizable, mixed-use development several years in the making called AMLI Residential. It’s positioned next to Interstate 285, Perimeter Center Parkway, and Atlanta’s “Pill Hill” medical district, near the heart of Perimeter Center.

As of this week, one apartment building at the 21-acre, 1400 Lake Hearn Drive site has topped out, parking structures and other residential buildings are in various stages of development, and one retail building is standing.

In the pipeline are 630 apartments, all described as luxury, in four buildings standing a half dozen stories or less, according to marketing materials. Beside those structures will be 5 acres of preserved woods and walking trails for tenants and guests. 

Planned look of one multifamily corridor. AMLI Brookhaven/Oakhurst Realty Partners/LoopNet

The site shown prior to construction (but after demolition of the office building) next to Interstate 285 and other Perimeter landmarks, including State Farm's multi-tower complex across the interstate. Google Maps

Elsewhere will be about 25,000 square feet of retail clustered near main entries and parking garages. Todd Semrau of Oakhurst Realty Partners tells Urbanize Atlanta some retail spaces will feature large patios and linear lawn space, with one building sporting a drive-thru. (Renderings suggest Armani might be a good fit on one street corner.)

“The focus is neighborhood commercial, including craft-driven [food and beverage], fast casual to-go, child education uses, pet-related, coworking, breweries, and entertainment,” Semrau wrote via email.  

A vacant, five-story Cox Enterprises office building from the 1980s was razed on site a couple of years ago, and AMLI Brookhaven site work has been underway for more than a year. We’ve reached out to AMLI Residential for construction updates and timelines in recent weeks, but that information wasn’t provided.

AMLI Brookhaven marketing materials point to proximity to Northside Medical Center and MARTA’s Medical Center rail station—both are roughly a mile away—as perks. Perimeter Summit’s 1.7-million square feet of Class A offices and 183-room hotel are also within walking distance of the forthcoming rentals, according to project heads.

Planned look of the retail corridor at the heart of AMLI Brookhaven. AMLI Brookhaven/Oakhurst Realty Partners/LoopNet

Site plan for more than 600 multifamily residences, retail, and greenspace components at AMLI Brookhaven. AMLI Brookhaven/Oakhurst Realty Partners/LoopNet

Expect mostly one-bedroom rentals, with the remaining 35 percent being two-bedroom options and a few three-bedrooms.

AMLI officials told the Brookhaven Planning Commission in 2020 at least 10 percent of apartments—or more than 60 units—would be reserved as workforce housing for households earning less than 80 percent of the area median income.

Find more context and imagery for AMLI Brookhaven in the gallery above.

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1400 Lake Hearn Drive Brookhaven AMLI Brookhaven AMLI Oakhurst Realty Partners Perimeter Central Perimeter LoopNet Mixed-Use Development Atlanta Retail Atlanta Construction Atlanta Development AMLI Lake Hearn MARTA Northside Medical Center Medical Center MARTA Rail Station Perimeter Summit AMLI Residential Pope & Land TriGate Capital Cox Pill Hill Cox Enterprises Perimeter Center

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Location of the 1400 Lake Hearn Drive site in Brookhaven.Google Maps

The site shown prior to construction (but after demolition of the office building) next to Interstate 285 and other Perimeter landmarks, including State Farm's multi-tower complex across the interstate. Google Maps

Site plan for more than 600 multifamily residences, retail, and greenspace components at AMLI Brookhaven. AMLI Brookhaven/Oakhurst Realty Partners/LoopNet

Planned look of the retail corridor at the heart of AMLI Brookhaven. AMLI Brookhaven/Oakhurst Realty Partners/LoopNet

Planned look of one multifamily corridor. AMLI Brookhaven/Oakhurst Realty Partners/LoopNet

Breakdown of roughly 25,000 square feet of retail at AMLI Brookhaven. AMLI Brookhaven/Oakhurst Realty Partners/LoopNet

Attributes of the site, as shown at bottom right, according to marketers. AMLI Brookhaven/Oakhurst Realty Partners/LoopNet

Subtitle AMLI Brookhaven project flaunts walkability to MARTA, enormous amount of office space

Neighborhood Brookhaven

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Toll Brothers Announces New Homes Available at Eloise at Grant Park in Atlanta, GA Steven Sharp Mon, 02/12/2024 - 11:18 Toll Brothers, Inc., the nation’s leading builder of luxury homes, today announced the highly anticipated release of new homes at Eloise at Grant Park, an exceptional new home community of townhomes and stacked condos overlooking historic Grant Park in Atlanta, Georgia.

Aerial view of Eloise at Grant ParkToll Brothers, Inc.

Surrounded by the largest park in Atlanta, Eloise at Grant Park enjoys an ideal location just outside the city, offering residents stunning views of the beautiful Atlanta skyline from their private rooftop terraces. Additionally, with convenient access to the south entry of the Atlanta BeltLine, as well as Atlanta transit and the airport, homeowners benefit from easy connectivity to all that the city has to offer.

Eloise at Grant Park provides an urban oasis amidst the bustling energy of Atlanta. Nestled within reach of vibrant shops and dining options, this community offers a harmonious blend of city convenience and suburban tranquility.

Interior of Eloise at Grant ParkToll Brothers, Inc.

At Eloise at Grant Park, home buyers will find a diverse array of townhomes and stacked condos, each thoughtfully designed to maximize comfort and convenience. Perched atop these exquisite homes are rooftop terraces, providing a serene sanctuary where home buyers can unwind and take in breathtaking views of the Atlanta skyline with optional outdoor kitchens. At Eloise at Grant Park, homeowners enjoy curated design finishes that are hand selected by professional designers. Pricing begins at $449,995.

Interested home buyers can learn more about this community from Toll Brothers local experts with the most up-to-date information about pricing, availability, and other community details. Schedule an appointment today to tour the new homes by calling 855-229-5676 or visit https://www.tollbrothers.com/luxury-homes-for-sale/Georgia/Eloise-at-Grant-Park

Interior of Eloise at Grant ParkToll Brothers, Inc.

About Toll Brothers 

Toll Brothers, Inc., a Fortune 500 Company, is the nation's leading builder of luxury homes. The Company was founded 56 years ago in 1967 and became a public company in 1986. Its common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “TOL.” The Company serves first-time, move-up, empty-nester, active-adult, and second-home buyers, as well as urban and suburban renters. Toll Brothers builds in over 60 markets in 24 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington, as well as in the District of Columbia. The Company operates its own architectural, engineering, mortgage, title, land development, smart home technology, and landscape subsidiaries. The Company also develops master-planned and golf course communities as well as operates its own lumber distribution, house component assembly, and manufacturing operations.  

Toll Brothers was named the #1 Home Builder in Fortune magazine’s 2023 survey of the World’s Most Admired Companies®, the eighth year it has been so honored. Toll Brothers has also been named Builder of the Year by Builder magazine and is the first two-time recipient of Builder of the Year from Professional Builder magazine. For more information visit TollBrothers.com.  

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Sponsored by Toll Brothers Eloise at Grant Park Toll Brothers

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Eloise at Grant Park is an exceptional new home community of townhomes and stacked condos overlooking historic Grant ParkToll Brothers, Inc.

Aerial view of Eloise at Grant ParkToll Brothers, Inc.

Interior of Eloise at Grant ParkToll Brothers, Inc.

Interior of Eloise at Grant ParkToll Brothers, Inc.

Interior of Eloise at Grant ParkToll Brothers, Inc.

Roof deck of Eloise at Grant ParkToll Brothers, Inc.

Subtitle Toll Brothers Announces a New Release of New Construction Townhomes and Stacked Condos

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Sponsored By Toll Brothers, Inc.

Chosewood Park's building spree continues with condos, houses Josh Green Thu, 02/08/2024 - 08:14 About four miles south of downtown Atlanta, an expansive residential project is expected to start delivering in coming months that will continue the breakneck pace of new development across century-old Chosewood Park.

This latest entrant to Chosewood Park’s pipeline is called Nolyn Pointe, a project by national homebuilder Toll Brothers that will blend for-sale condos, townhomes, and standalone houses in hopes of banking on Atlanta BeltLine proximity and lower starting prices than comparable eastside communities. It’s located near the southern border of Chosewood Park, along the north side of McDonough Boulevard and on both sides of Gault Street.

Nolyn Point joins a surge of Chosewood Park investment that in some ways mirrors Old Fourth Ward circa-2011, in that the BeltLine is under construction next door, local park improvements are gaining steam, and new housing with scales both boutique and massive is materializing.

Positioned across the street from the Sawtell mixed-use proposal and the U.S. Penitentiary Atlanta, the 10-acre Nolyn Pointe site was previously home to a large brick Baptist church building—later used as an arts complex—and a huge expanse of barren concrete, in addition to several shuttered standalone houses. Toll Brothers began demolition work about two years ago.

Nolyn Pointe's location at 420 McDonough Boulevard in relation to landmarks including the Chosewood Park greenspace and federal penitentiary. Google Maps

Plans approved by the city for the Nolyn Pointe project three years ago. Office of Zoning and Development/2021

Eric White, division president for Toll Brothers in Atlanta, tells Urbanize Atlanta the project is set to include 224 homes and is expected to open for sale sometime this summer.

Prices will range from the high $200,000s for condos to the high $600,000s for single-family houses, according to White.

The least expensive condos—dubbed the Smith collection—will range from 538 to 1,880 square feet, with between one and three bedrooms, and one and three and ½ bathrooms.

Other condo options, the Wright collection, will start in the mid-$400,000s for relatively large floorplans, even by Atlanta's big standards: 1,314 to 1,662 square feet, with either two or three bedrooms.

Office of Zoning and Development/2021

The 10-acre site in relation to downtown Atlanta and the Connector. Google Maps

The Bungalows collection standalone home options, meanwhile, will each have four bedrooms and three and ½ bathrooms, with square footages around 2,750, give or take.

Planned amenities include pocket greenspaces, a pool with cabanas, a dog park, walking paths, and yard maintenance covered by HOA fees.

We’ve asked for an updated site plan and exterior renderings and will update this story should those materials come.

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• Chosewood Park news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta)

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420 McDonough Boulevard Nolyn Pointe by Toll Brothers Nolyn Pointe Lessard Design United States Penitentiary Atlanta Single-Family Homes Homes For sale McDonough Boulevard Atlanta Condos Atlanta Condos for Sale Southside Chosewood Park Friends of Chosewood Park Atlanta Construction Atlanta Development Toll Brothers

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Nolyn Pointe's location at 420 McDonough Boulevard in relation to landmarks including the Chosewood Park greenspace and federal penitentiary. Google Maps

Plans approved by the city for the Nolyn Pointe project three years ago. Office of Zoning and Development/2021

Office of Zoning and Development/2021

The 10-acre site in relation to downtown Atlanta and the Connector. Google Maps

Subtitle Plans for Nolyn Pointe project call for more than 200 residences along McDonough Boulevard

Neighborhood Chosewood Park

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Photos: Inside Mailchimp's dynamic new HQ at Fourth Ward Project Josh Green Wed, 02/07/2024 - 14:35 If ever there was a case for ditching work-from-home conveniences, this could be it.

Global software company Intuit led the official ribbon-cutting today for Atlanta-grown digital marketing behemoth Mailchimp’s headquarters, a dynamic office project in the works since the depths of COVID-19.

Counting direct BeltLine frontage at New City Properties’ Fourth Ward Project, Mailchimp’s new nine-floor habitat includes spaces ranging from futuristic to vintage (see: wood-paneled libraries) and quirky (hello, Tiki Room with a menacing shark overhead). It marks Intuit’s only offices in the Southeast.

As a rare example of major office leasing success in the post-pandemic era, Mailchimp’s HQ has claimed 360,000 square feet—or more than two-thirds of Fourth Ward Project’s first two office towers, each standing 11 stories over the Eastside Trail. The office buildings are one facet of the project’s four-tower first phase; it's expected to cost $1 billion eventually, with space for several more buildings in the future. 

Mailchimp has claimed the majority of Fourth Ward Project's first two office buildings along the BeltLine. Between the buildings is a skybridge for company employees, topped with a 10,000-square-foot garden space. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Inside the chill, nautical Tiki Room social space. Courtesy of Intuit/Mailchimp; photography by Seamus Payne

So vast is Mailchimp’s space, it’s been segmented into “neighborhoods” with different motifs and philosophies as part of a “lively cityscape” scheme overall, all of it meant to spur “collaboration, connection, and comfort” for nearly 1,000 employees based in Atlanta, according to project leaders.

The sheer numbers are impressive: More than 20 conference rooms (and nearly 50 “huddle rooms”), five libraries, three outdoor spaces, two large gathering spaces, more than 60 drop-in rooms, one auditorium-like event space, and naturally, eight freestanding phone booths.

Entering the main office lobby at Mailchimp's HQ. Courtesy of Intuit/Mailchimp; photography by Seamus Payne

A look at eighth-floor office spaces from one building to the next, with the BeltLine's Eastside Trail below at right. Courtesy of Intuit/Mailchimp; photography by Seamus Payne

Alongside Intuit Mailchimp’s in-house creative agency, Wink, the design team included TVS (architect of record), Studio O+A (workplace design consultant), Olson Kundig (office building architect), and Future Green (landscape architect). Developer New City was also closely involved, according to Intuit reps.

In the gallery above, have a closer look at how this colorful, relatively enormous work of interior design turned out.

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• Old Fourth Ward news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta) 

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405 N. Angier Ave NE Mailchimp Intuit Mailchimp headquarters TVS Olson Kundig Studio O+A Future Green New City Properties Beltline Eastside Trail Mixed-Use Development Office Space Interior Design Historic Fourth Ward Park Wink

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Mailchimp has claimed the majority of Fourth Ward Project's first two office buildings along the BeltLine. Between the buildings is a skybridge for company employees, topped with a 10,000-square-foot garden space. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

A look at eighth-floor office spaces from one building to the next, with the BeltLine's Eastside Trail below at right. Courtesy of Intuit/Mailchimp; photography by Seamus Payne

Entering the main office lobby at Mailchimp's HQ. Courtesy of Intuit/Mailchimp; photography by Seamus Payne

The C-suite lobby. Courtesy of Intuit/Mailchimp; photography by Seamus Payne

Mailchimp's auditorium-like "all-hands space." Courtesy of Intuit/Mailchimp; photography by Seamus Payne

Inside the chill, nautical Tiki Room social space. Courtesy of Intuit/Mailchimp; photography by Seamus Payne

The wood-paneled office library. Courtesy of Intuit/Mailchimp; photography by Seamus Payne

Where open offices meet "soft seating." Courtesy of Intuit/Mailchimp; photography by Seamus Payne

An in-house maker space. Courtesy of Intuit/Mailchimp; photography by Seamus Payne

A lounge area with a fireplace—and views. Courtesy of Intuit/Mailchimp; photography by Seamus Payne

A company break room space called the Blue Kitchen. Courtesy of Intuit/Mailchimp; photography by Seamus Payne

Subtitle Covering nine floors, Atlanta company’s vast space imagined as “lively cityscape” with "neighborhoods"

Neighborhood Old Fourth Ward

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300 more rentals to continue growth near downtown Lawrenceville Josh Green Wed, 02/07/2024 - 13:15 An eight-building apartment venture is officially underway on the northern fringes of downtown Lawrenceville, adding to growth along a residential and retail corridor known as the Lawrenceville Gateway.

Called The Averly Collins Hill, the project by ECI Group and joint venture partner The Griffin Fund aims to capitalize on the momentum of Gwinnett County’s burgeoning county seat—and proximity to nearby Georgia Gwinnett College, the expanding jobs hub that is Northside Hospital Gwinnett, and even the titanic, 2,000-acre Rowen tech and research project to the east.

The Averly, designed by Atlanta-based Dynamik Design, is expected to deliver 300 Class A apartment units at a cost of $76 million, with the bulk of financing provided by Synovus. It recently broke ground on 22 acres at 700 Collins Hill Road, according to project leaders.

Courtesy of ECI Group

With density hardly reminiscent of Midtown, the apartments are being built in three-story, garden-style fashion, with a goal of complementing a planned 55-plus commercial and adult housing component by other developers in the Lawrenceville Gateway.

According to ECI reps, The Averly’s construction schedule calls for it to deliver alongside the 15-story Northside Hospital Gwinnett tower (among the tallest buildings in Gwinnett), where between 3,000 and 5,000 new jobs are expected to be located.

The Averly Collins Hill's location at 700 Collins Hill Road, just north of downtown Lawrenceville and south of Georgia Gwinnett College. Google Maps

The Averly’s 300 apartments call for a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom floorplans.   

Along with proximity to, say, Slow Pour Brewing Company and a forthcoming distillery, The Averly’s perks will include an onsite dog park, a 7,000-square-foot clubhouse, coffee bar, and a large pool with cabanas.

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700 Collins Road Lawrenceville The Averly Collins Hill The Griffin Fund Gwinnett County OTP Atlanta Suburbs Dynamik Design Synovus Georgia Gwinnett College Northside Hospital Gwinnett Rowen Atlanta Development Atlanta Construction Suburban Growth Ga. Highway 316 Lawrenceville Gateway

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The Averly Collins Hill's location at 700 Collins Hill Road, just north of downtown Lawrenceville and south of Georgia Gwinnett College. Google Maps

Courtesy of ECI Group

Subtitle Eight-building The Averly to join new commercial, senior housing in Lawrenceville Gateway

Neighborhood Lawrenceville

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