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Trashy, idle Buckhead Village development site rankles neighbors Josh Green Thu, 09/26/2024 - 15:29 In the spring of 2023, New York-based developer Tidal Real Estate Partners brought plans before Buckhead’s design arbiters for a posh new apartment tower studded with public art, with an impressive motor lobby and small village of vibrant retail at the base.

Instead, according to concerned neighbors, all that’s been created to date is a wasteland of idleness and potential safety hazards.

Tidal’s approved plans call for a 21-story luxury high-rise at 321 Pharr Road, which would top out at 225 feet, the maximum height allowed in Buckhead Village. Its 406 apartments would continue a surge of new residential options—both under construction and proposed—from developers banking on walkability to luxury shopping and a multitude of eateries as selling points.

A Buckhead Development Review Committee gave Tidal’s plan their blessing a year and ½ ago. Numerous businesses shuttered in subsequent months. 

Encompassing nearly a full block, the site is home to an array of smaller buildings where School of Rock, Mediterranean restaurant Lily White, a cleaners, a salon, and other businesses operated. It’s located a block from Jamestown’s Buckhead Village district, between the Alexan Buckhead apartments and landmark restaurant Atlanta Fish Market. Prime Atlanta real estate, in other words. 

“It seems like a huge shame that so many local businesses were displaced for this project, only for the developers to turn around and leave the property in horrible shape,” nearby resident Adam Crisp wrote to Urbanize Atlanta via email. “[The site] is now derelict, attracting squatters, and generally making the neighborhood unattractive.”

As a recent visit proved, some of the site’s boarded-up buildings are dotted with graffiti and collapsing awnings, while the overgrown property was speckled with garbage, uprooted political campaign signs, and a least one toppled trash receptacle. It’s an urban ghost town—and a stark contrast to manicured Buckhead Village streets where Dior, Hermès, and Billy Reid do business a short walk away. 

The Pharr Road development site, at left, has been idle for nearly a year, as a host of Buckhead businesses moved out. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The block is part of Buckhead’s Garden Hills, a leafy, quiet residential neighborhood that extends south toward Midtown. According to Crisp, it’s been boarded-up, locked, and idle since about January.

Multiple inquiries to Tidal officials seeking development updates and phone interviews have not been returned. City of Atlanta permitting records show no activity for the site since December.

According to Crisp, measures to keep people out of the vacant buildings, such as plywood, have been compromised, and he fears the structures could become fire hazards in colder months ahead.

“As the season changes, I’m sure the buildings will become more attractive to people who need a warm place to sleep,” said Crisp. “This is a huge piece of land, and the lack of maintenance will have a big impact on the area's appearance.”

Where low-rise buildings are boarded up in Buckhead Village across nearly a full block.Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Crisp has reached out with concerns to District 7 Atlanta City Council member Howard Shook’s office. Shook’s office directed inquiries to Atlanta Police Department’s Code Enforcement Section. An official with that department said an Atlanta Municipal Court hearing has been scheduled for Nov. 18 to address housing code violations at the 321 Pharr Road site.

According to plans Tidal brought to Buckhead officials last year, rents at the Pharr Road project would range from about $2,800 to north of $5,000 monthly, with no small studio apartments in the mix. 

Renderings indicate the 18,540 square feet of planned retail would be separated into four slots along Pharr Road and North Fulton Drive around the corner—activating two streets. The 17,000 square feet of public space would nearly double what the district requires with a development of such scale, project leaders have said.  

Tidal reps said last year they hoped to deliver the building in 2025, but having not broken ground, that won’t be possible now.

The latest perspective on the proposal's Pharr Road frontage. Tidal Real Estate Partners; designs, Earl Swensson Associates; Long Engineering

Tidal Real Estate Partners; designs, Earl Swensson Associates; Long Engineering

Crisp worries that any fines the city levies for the property’s condition would be considered part of a large out-of-state developer’s business plan and a minor inconvenience as the site accrues value. In the short term, he’d like to see the property fenced, and the empty structures razed.

“The developer is charging for parking, so they’re deriving some income from the land that could be used for maintenance,” Crisp wrote. “A friend unknowingly parked there recently and incurred a $75 ticket.”

Find more context and images for 321 Pharr Road in the gallery above. 

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• Buckhead news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta) 

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321 Pharr Road NE Mixed-Use Development Tidal Real Estate Partners Buckhead Village Atlanta Development Atlanta apartments ESA Long Engineering SPI-9 Subarea 1 Buckhead Parking Overlay Buckhead Development Review Committee Buckhead Development Howard Shook Atlanta City Council Atlanta blight Blight Atlanta Police Department Community Service Division Atlanta Code Enforcement Code Enforcement Eyesores

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Portion of the Pharr Road block in question, excluding a Chevron on the corner. Google Maps/Urbanize Atlanta

Looking north, where the 321 Pharr Road building would rise in relation to Jamestown's Buckhead Village and other landmarks. Google Maps

The Pharr Road development site, at left, has been idle for nearly a year, as a host of Buckhead businesses moved out. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

A former multi-tenant commercial building fronting Pharr Road. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Where low-rise buildings are boarded up in Buckhead Village across nearly a full block.Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Conditions along North Fulton Drive, a side street, earlier this month. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The latest perspective on the proposal's Pharr Road frontage. Tidal Real Estate Partners; designs, Earl Swensson Associates; Long Engineering

Tidal Real Estate Partners; designs, Earl Swensson Associates; Long Engineering

Tidal Real Estate Partners; designs, Earl Swensson Associates; Long Engineering

Tidal Real Estate Partners; designs, Earl Swensson Associates; Long Engineering

Tidal Real Estate Partners; designs, Earl Swensson Associates; Long Engineering

Breakdown of street-level spaces at the Tidal Real Estate proposal. Tidal Real Estate Partners, via Buckhead DRC; designs, ESa architects

Plans for third-floor amenities over retail. Tidal Real Estate Partners, via Buckhead DRC; designs, ESa architects

Subtitle New York developer's Pharr Road proposal has yet to take off—to the detriment of those living nearby

Neighborhood Buckhead

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321 Pharr Road

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In Sweet Auburn, tweaked mixed-use build set for groundbreaking Josh Green Thu, 09/26/2024 - 13:41 A historic but ailing Sweet Auburn corner is weeks away from seeing the beginnings of new construction, developers tell Urbanize Atlanta.

The changes will come as part of a two-phase project called Sweet Auburn Grande that aims to revive corners located on the southwest and southeast sides of where Auburn Avenue meets Jesse Hill Jr. Drive.

The corners in question are currently dead zones of boarded-up, historically significant buildings and surface parking lots.

The Invest Atlanta Board of Directors last week approved a $28.3 million tax exempt loan for one facet of the project the agency says will save a historic site and incorporate more than 90 units of affordable housing in Sweet Auburn.

For phase one, revised Sweet Auburn Grande plans call for building 109 multifamily residences along Auburn Avenue, located at the southeast corner of the Jesse Hill Jr. Drive intersection.

Roughly 8,700 square feet of commercial space (2,000 square feet less than previously planned) will be included at street level, along with structured parking, per Invest Atlanta.

Finalized plans call for 109 apartments, with 92 of them reserved for residents earning 80 percent of the area median income or less.

The revised vision for Sweet Auburn Grande phase one, with the early 1900s office building preserved. Gorman & Company, via Invest Atlanta

The project is being led by Gorman & Company, a Wisconsin-based developer with expertise in building affordable housing.

Joel Reed, Gorman’s Southeast market president, tells Urbanize Atlanta the project’s refined phase one has received building permits and is ready to move forward. Reed expects to close on the property next month and begin construction in November. 

The schedule calls for 23 months of construction, which would put the roughly $56-million project’s opening in October 2026.

The project will incorporate—as opposed to demolish, as earlier plans had called for—the historic but long-vacant 229 Auburn building (Atlanta Life Insurance Building). That ailing structure once housed pioneering Black businesses during the district’s heyday, including Atlanta State Savings Bank, the first Black-owned bank in the city and Georgia’s first state-chartered Black bank.

The building was constructed in 1908 and more recently housed the Butler Street Community Development Corporation, according to Invest Atlanta.

Earlier plans had called for fewer affordable housing units (57 total) but with a deeper affordability threshold (50 percent AMI) for those rental options.

Meanwhile, across the street, the Sweet Auburn Grande project’s second phase calls for restoring two more historic structures: the 1920 former Butler Street YMCA-JD Winston Branch and the Walden Building. An attractive, functional public greenspace would also be added at the corner, at the base of the iconic John Lewis HERO Mural.

Breakdown of Auburn Avenue Grande's two-story phase one plans, and at left, phase two across the street. Invest Atlanta

The Butler Street CDC, which owns the 219 Auburn Avenue property that’s currently a parking lot, rechristened that corner “Good Trouble John Lewis Memorial Park” in 2022.

Gorman officials have said development costs are expected to come in around $18 million for that phase, but restoration work on the former YMCA building would have different funding sources.

A timeline for construction has yet to emerge as complex financing deals are worked out, but Reed previously said a late-2025 start date for moving phase two forward isn’t out of the question.

Plans for a circular greenspace to activate the parking lot, to be called the Good Trouble John Lewis Memorial Park. Central Atlanta Progress/Invest Atlanta/SCAD

Elsewhere in Atlanta, Gorman completed the Residences at Westview, a 60-unit affordable housing complex near Westview Cemetery. Development officials said during that project’s ribbon-cutting in February they expect to deliver 350 new housing units across Atlanta over the next two years.

In the gallery above, find more context and imagery pertaining to the vision for these important corners of Sweet Auburn. Below is a before-after preview of phase one:

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229 Auburn Ave. Sweet Auburn Grande Invest Atlanta Gorman & Company Gorman and Company Affordability Affordable Housing Sweet Auburn Auburn Avenue Adaptive-Reuse Adaptive-Reuse Development Adaptive-Reuse Project Atlanta Life Insurance Building Alonzo Herndon Building The Former Butler Street YMCA-JD Winston Branch

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State of the southeast corner of Auburn Avenue and Jesse Hill Jr. Drive today, with the historic office building in question at center. Google Maps

The revised vision for Sweet Auburn Grande phase one, with the early 1900s office building preserved. Gorman & Company, via Invest Atlanta

Breakdown of Auburn Avenue Grande's two-story phase one plans, and at left, phase two across the street. Invest Atlanta

Breakdown of two development phases on either side of Jesse Hill Jr. Drive. Gorman & Compay; via SR, 2023

State of the 1920 Butler Street YMCA today, once known as "Black city hall" for its importance in the community. Invest Atlanta

The current parking lot and building conditions at the corner of Jesse Hill Jr. Drive and Auburn Avenue, beneath the 65-foot Lewis mural. Google Maps

Plans for a circular greenspace to activate the parking lot, to be called the Good Trouble John Lewis Memorial Park. Central Atlanta Progress/Invest Atlanta/SCAD

Beside the greenspace, plans have called for outdoor workstations and free Wi-Fi. Central Atlanta Progress/Invest Atlanta/SCAD

Phase two calls for restoring the Walden Building, named for Austin Thomas Walden, a prominent Black Atlantan who had an office there until his death in the 1960s, per Atlanta History Center. Central Atlanta Progress/Invest Atlanta/SCAD

Subtitle Auburn Avenue project to incorporate historic—but long-vacant—Atlanta Life Insurance Building

Neighborhood Sweet Auburn

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Sweet Auburn Grande

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11 images: Atlanta Opera’s $45M development plans on Beltline trail Josh Green Wed, 09/25/2024 - 16:16 Today, pitstops along the 22-mile Atlanta Beltline corridor include myriad restaurants, greenspaces, breweries and watering holes, and scenic overlooks. In about three years, that list will also include—yes—opera.

The Atlanta Opera, an internationally recognized opera house founded in 1979, unveiled plans this week for a $45-million, adaptive-reuse project that will bring a multidisciplinary arts center to the doorstep of the Beltline’s Northwest Trail, on a looping segment completed a few years ago in Buckhead.

Plans call for vastly expanding and modernizing the former Bobby Jones Clubhouse, a Grecian revival structure that dates to the early 1900s at 384 Woodward Way, with the multi-use Beltline pathway and revised Bobby Jones Golf Course in its backyard.

Opening the facility will make Atlanta Opera the first arts organization to be headquartered on the Beltline’s loop around the city.

Scope of the 4.7-acre site in question, with the adjacent Beltline trail and links shown just to the south. Google Maps

Courtesy of Atlanta Opera; designs, Post Loyal

Situated between Northside Drive and Peachtree Road, the project will span 4.7 acres of new construction, greenspaces, and parking.

Atlanta Opera’s arts center facility will expand the current 17,000-square-foot clubhouse into a 56,000-square-foot complex, with its exterior on Woodward Way designed to blend with the surrounding, tony neighborhood, while a cutting-edge contemporary facility will face the Beltline around back, according to Post Loyal architects, an Atlanta-based firm leading designs.

Features around the new building will include a “nature-inspired” 200-seat recital hall (with greenspace views), an immersive theater venue, a film studio, a rehearsal hall, costume shop, administrative offices, and gardens, according to project heads.

Plans for the recital and theatrical spaces call for hosting a “variety of performances and community engagement focusing on the arts, including recitals, jazz, cabarets, immersive chamber operas, and more,” according to an announcement this week. Theater Projects and A’kustiks LLC are leading development of the recital hall.

Courtesy of Atlanta Opera; designs, Post Loyal

The Bobby Jones Clubhouse's 384 Woodward Way location, in relation to the rest of the revised golf course, with commercial Peachtree Road shown at right. Google Maps

The opera’s current rehearsal space doubles as a storage warehouse next to an active railroad line along Northside Drive in Loring Heights, which officials say the company has outgrown. Main-stage productions of the Atlanta Opera will continue to be housed at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center.  

The planned $45-million facility, considered a key piece of the opera’s new $110-million comprehensive campaign, has secured core funding, with title naming rights and donor announcements in the pipeline, according to company officials.

The timeline calls for it to be finished and open in the summer of 2027.

Condition of the former Bobby Jones Clubhouse and its proximity to the park and golf course today. Google Maps

Courtesy of Atlanta Opera; designs, Post Loyal

The opera “has become known not only as one of the finest opera companies in the U.S., but also as a well-managed and financially sound business,” Rhys Wilson, Atlanta Opera board chair, said in an announcement this week. “The open and welcoming design of this [proposed] building emphasizes the same values we held during the pandemic and that we will always espouse—of being a skillfully managed organization dedicated to making beautiful music available to everyone, everywhere.”

Swing up to the gallery for more context and project renderings.

The full, official Northwest Trail route that will link the Lindbergh/Uptown area with Atlanta's Westside. Atlanta Opera's project will be located near the loop at top. Courtesy of Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

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384 Woodward Way NW The Atlanta Opera Bobby Jones Clubhouse Beltline Atlanta BeltLine Atlanta Golf Courses Haynes Manor Foundation Peachtree Battle Alliance Atlanta Memorial Park Conservancy Atlanta Architecture Atlanta History Theater Projects A’kustiks LLC Opera Atlanta Opera Arts Center Northwest Trail Atlanta Parks Parks & Rec Parks and Recreation Buckhead History Adaptive-Reuse Adaptive-Reuse Development Adaptive-Reuse Project

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The Bobby Jones Clubhouse's 384 Woodward Way location, in relation to the rest of the revised golf course, with commercial Peachtree Road shown at right. Google Maps

The full, official Northwest Trail route that will link the Lindbergh/Uptown area with Atlanta's Westside. Atlanta Opera's project will be located near the loop at top. Courtesy of Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

Condition of the former Bobby Jones Clubhouse and its proximity to the park and golf course today. Google Maps

Landscaping and architecture revision plans along Woodward Way. Courtesy of Atlanta Opera; designs, Post Loyal

Courtesy of Atlanta Opera; designs, Post Loyal

Courtesy of Atlanta Opera; designs, Post Loyal

Courtesy of Atlanta Opera; designs, Post Loyal

Courtesy of Atlanta Opera; designs, Post Loyal

Courtesy of Atlanta Opera; designs, Post Loyal

Scope of the 4.7-acre site in question, with the adjacent Beltline trail and links shown just to the south. Google Maps

The Bobby Jones Clubhouse's 384 Woodward Way location. Google Maps

Subtitle Esteemed opera house to transform Buckhead's historic Bobby Jones Clubhouse

Neighborhood Buckhead

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Decatur Square's first overhaul in 40 years enters development phase Josh Green Wed, 09/25/2024 - 14:02 Historic Decatur Square’s first makeover since the early 1980s has officially entered its development phase. But for fans of the walkable, transit-connected community hub, there’s still time to weigh in on exactly how it will evolve.

The first phase of Decatur’s Town Center 2.0 Plan project, an initiative put together by the city and its Downtown Development Authority, is in the process of collecting the final round of input from the public at large.

That includes the five-question Decatur Square Transformation Community Survey, which will be open until Monday, Sept. 30.

The questionnaire allows Decatur residents and visitors to weigh in on very specific aspects of design, from roofs to steps and new playground offerings.

Current conditions of the core Historic Downtown Decatur area in question, with McDonough Street shown at right. City of Decatur/Decatur DDA

Overview of new greenspaces and other changes in the latest Town Center 2.0 Plan. City of Decatur/Decatur DDA

Called “Decatur Town Center Plan 2.0,” the initiative marks Decatur’s first new masterplan for its core downtown area since 1982. It calls for improving sidewalks and signage, adding a performance stage, and implementing more active spaces to open up zones between the DeKalb County Courthouse, Decatur’s underground MARTA station, and landmark businesses such as Eddie’s Attic and Brick Store Pub.

City officials plan to finalize phase-one designs in the remaining months of 2024, and then open the bidding process to construction companies early next year.

The construction timeline calls for work to begin in earnest in the second quarter of next year, and to finish in time for FIFA World Cup matches in June 2026. (An earlier facet of the project included a new John Lewis sculpture unveiled near the courthouse last month.)

Exactly how the Decatur Square revisions will initially move forward has come to light since the City Commission adopted the overall plan in June last year.

Phase-one improvements, geared toward creating a more welcoming and vibrant city core, will include: construction of a modernized new performance stage and public restrooms, replacing the current blue-topped bandstand; expansion of the square into North McDonough Street, near the Eddie’s Attic performance venue, with greenspace and infrastructure; and upgrades to the existing plaza that will include play equipment, outdoor furnishings, and landscaping and hardscape work.

A play area and plaza improvements in the works for the easternmost end of the square, near a MARTA entrance. City of Decatur/Decatur DDA

A revised look at the Town Center 2.0 Plan’s new performance stage. City of Decatur/Decatur DDA; designs by MKSK

City officials say additional improvements to the Decatur Square could be carried out in future phases, but no timeline has been specified.

The effort to revamp Decatur’s downtown first emerged as an action item in the 2020 Decatur Strategic Plan.

Project leaders have previously said Decatur’s downtown population is expected to nearly double by 2030, adding 3,000 new residents and necessitating the need for more usable greenspaces.

Previously, a planning team heard from “more than 1,000 Decatur voices” as part of a communal envisioning process that spanned 10 months and included three steering committee meetings, plus three community meetings and other events ending in summer 2023, city officials have said.

Overview of planned alterations in the initial phase. City of Decatur/Decatur DDA

City of Decatur/Decatur DDA

The plan for Decatur’s downtown revamp is being led by MKSK, a planning, urban design, and landscape architecture firm with offices across the eastern U.S., including in Atlanta, that specializes in reimagining urban spaces.

Find more context and an updated look at what’s in store for Decatur’s celebrated downtown core in the gallery above.

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Decatur Square Transformation Community Survey Downtown Decatur Decatur City Commission Decatur Development Atlanta Parks MARTA Decatur Station Decatur Town Center Decatur Design MKSK Historic Decatur Square Decatur History Eddie's Attic Atlanta Downtown Centers Metro Atlanta Downtowns

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Current conditions of the core Historic Downtown Decatur area in question, with McDonough Street shown at right. City of Decatur/Decatur DDA

An illustration showing sore spots in today's urban experience near Decatur's MARTA station and courthouse. City of Decatur/Decatur DDA

A revised look at the Town Center 2.0 Plan’s new performance stage. City of Decatur/Decatur DDA; designs by MKSK

Overview of new greenspaces and other changes in the latest Town Center 2.0 Plan. City of Decatur/Decatur DDA

Overview of planned alterations in the initial phase. City of Decatur/Decatur DDA

A play area and plaza improvements in the works for the easternmost end of the square, near a MARTA entrance. City of Decatur/Decatur DDA

Revisions planned for McDonough Street, near Eddie's Attic music venue. City of Decatur/Decatur DDA

City of Decatur/Decatur DDA

City of Decatur/Decatur DDA

Overview of changes that could eventually come as part of the Decatur Town Center Plan 2.0 in the future. City of Decatur/Decatur DDA

Subtitle Downtown's Town Center Plan 2.0 seeks final public input

Neighborhood Decatur

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Developers: Density, affordable options bound for downtown Riverdale Josh Green Wed, 09/25/2024 - 08:01 Due south of Atlanta’s airport, a multifamily complex has begun construction to add density near Riverdale’s main commercial strip and a regional greenspace.

Plans for HearthSide Riverdale call for 70 units of senior housing where single-family houses now stand at 6795 Powers St. in the Clayton County city.

The site is a block off Ga. Highway 85, situated behind a Del Taco on Riverdale’s main hub of retail, just west of Riverdale City Hall and Riverdale Regional Park. It’s about five miles south of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

According to Swinerton, a California-based general contractor with offices nationwide, demolition of the existing homes has begun at the 2.64-acre Riverdale site. The project marks the company’s sixth with Atlanta-based developer OneStreet Residential. The building was designed by Boulder, Colo.-based DTJ Design.  

Previous HearthSide-branded projects include complexes in Tucker, Lawrenceville, and Peachtree City.

HearthSide Riverdale calls for a single gated building with a mix of market-rate and affordable apartments with either one or two bedrooms.

Courtesy of Swinerton; designs, DTJ Design

The Riverdale site's proximity to City Hall and food options along Ga. Highway 85. Google Maps

Monthly rents haven’t been specified. But according to the development team, just a dozen apartments will rent at market rates, while the other 58 will be reserved for seniors earning less than 60 percent of the area median income.

Pet-friendly amenities at the Riverdale complex will include a fitness center, garden beds, a community room, and laundry facilities. One unique facet will be a 700-square-foot bistro open to both HearthSide residents and the general public, according to Swinerton officials.

The $16.4 million Riverdale project is scheduled to be finished in early 2026.

For the Hearthside venture in Lawrenceville, which was finished last year, Swinerton received the Construction Management Association of America’s South Atlanta Project Achievement Award.

The company’s Atlanta Division has built $358 million of commercial and multifamily projects since expanding to the Southeast in 2018. That tally includes more than 11,000 finished residential units throughout metro Atlanta, with more than 700 under construction or in the development pipeline, according to Swinerton officials.  

The 6795 Powers St. site in relation to downtown Atlanta and the city's airport (shaded). Google Maps

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• Clayton County news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta) 

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6795 Powers Street Riverdale HearthSide Riverdale Swinerton OTP South OTP Atlanta Airport Construction Management Association of America OneStreet Residential DTJ Design Affordable Housing Atlanta Development Atlanta Construction Riverdale City Hall Clayton County Riverdale Regional Park senior housing affordable senior housing HearthSide Lawrenceville Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

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The 6795 Powers St. site in relation to downtown Atlanta and the city's airport (shaded). Google Maps

Courtesy of Swinerton; designs, DTJ Design

The Riverdale site's proximity to City Hall and food options along Ga. Highway 85. Google Maps

Subtitle HearthSide-branded project begins construction due south of Atlanta airport

Neighborhood Southside

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‘Urban conservation’ project hires farmer, reaches 80 percent sold Josh Green Tue, 09/24/2024 - 16:32 Now here’s an amenity you don’t see every day (or ever) with new residential developments around ITP Atlanta: a full-time, onsite farmer who’s an expert on sustainable agriculture.

But that’s the latest addition at Pendergrast Farm, a unique single-family project billed as the city’s “premier urban conservation community” that’s aiming to set the bar for sustainable living while preserving farmland and woods near Emory University.

Project officials send word that 80 percent of Pendergrast Farm’s 20 energy-efficient residences have either sold or are under contract, as amenities and additional homes take shape, and the project’s 1-acre working farm takes root.

Vincent McKoy, a graduate of the HABESHA Works Program with five years of professional experience, has been hired to manage Pendergrast Farm’s onsite urban farm and spearhead its Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA, program.

“This community represents everything I believe in—sustainable living, fresh food, and fostering a connection with the land,” McKoy said in an announcement. “I know exactly what’s in my food and that it’s completely from the earth, with no chemical fertilizers, no pesticides. Now I can continue that organic farming practice for others.”

McKoy, at center, and scenes around the communal farm today. Courtesy of Pendergrast Farm

Construction progress on residences near the communal saltwater pool last summer. Courtesy of Pendergrast Farm

At Pendergrast Farm, McKoy will be charged with planting and monitoring an array of seasonal vegetables, fruits, and herbs, creating educational programs such as gardening workshops for residents, and establishing the CSA program. The latter will allow onsite residents and surrounding neighborhoods to receive regular boxes of fresh produce by way of subscriptions.

Pendergrast Farm is tucked at the end of a wooded drive off Briarcliff Road in northeast Atlanta’s Briarcliff Woods community, just east of the point where Interstate 85 meets Clairmont Road. The 8.7-acre project is building a variety of housing and communal spaces with the goal of blending “farm-to-table living with urban convenience,” or what project reps have described as a “mini Serenbe, but intown.”

Site plans also call for a half-mile trail system, meadows, and other features tucked around the property. Homes will range between 1,600 and 3,000 square feet with garage options and courtyards, officials have said.

Prices for available homes start at $1.27 million, which buys a five-bedroom, four-bathroom stacked home across three levels and 3,000 square feet, over a two-car garage.

According to developer Healthy House of Georgia, 70 percent of the DeKalb County property will be preserved, to include 5 and ½ acres of woods. The site is being marketed as “the last key remnant of farm and woodland on Briarcliff Road.”

The Pendergrast Farm Common House as seen in July. Courtesy of Pendergrast Farm

Courtesy of Pendergrast Farm

Other Pendergrast Farm amenities will include a communal saltwater pool, central green, and a Common House where wine tastings, book clubs, and exercise classes are planned.

Each new home is solar-panel ready, wired for EV charging stations, and rated as using 50 percent less energy than comparable new housing built to current codes, according to project officials.

Find more context, construction progress photos, and site plans in the gallery above.

Site plan for the 8.7-acre property with gardens, woodlands, meadows, and a trail system. Courtesy of Pendergrast Farm

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• Three-building Lumen project nears finish in northeast Atlanta (Urbanize Atlanta)

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2155 James Alley Pendergrast Farm Briarcliff Woods Healthy House of Georgia Emory University Atlanta Farms Sustainable Living Atlanta homes HERS rating Atlanta Housing Atlanta Homes for Sale Homes For sale Interior Design Nicolae Trifu sustainability Sustainable housing sustainable planned community Vincent McKoy HABESHA Works Program

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Pendergrast Farm's James Alley location in northeast Atlanta near Interstate 85. Google Maps

McKoy, at center, and scenes around the communal farm today. Courtesy of Pendergrast Farm

Construction progress on residences near the communal saltwater pool last summer. Courtesy of Pendergrast Farm

Courtesy of Pendergrast Farm

The Pendergrast Farm Common House as seen in July. Courtesy of Pendergrast Farm

Courtesy of Pendergrast Farm

Courtesy of Pendergrast Farm

Courtesy of Pendergrast Farm

Courtesy of Pendergrast Farm

A nature trail and natural waterfall on the northeast Atlanta property. Courtesy of Pendergrast Farm

A communal plaza and examples of finished Pendergrast Farm housing. Courtesy of Pendergrast Farm

Example of interiors in finished Homesite 5 today. Courtesy of Pendergrast Farm

Existing housing at Pendergrast Farm today. Courtesy of Pendergrast Farm

Site plan for the 8.7-acre property with gardens, woodlands, meadows, and a trail system. Courtesy of Pendergrast Farm

Plans for the finished residential buildout. Courtesy of Pendergrast Farm; Nicolae Trifu architecture

Courtesy of Pendergrast Farm; Nicolae Trifu architecture

Expected look of the community green once finished. Courtesy of Pendergrast Farm

Subtitle Northeast Atlanta's Pendergrast Farm has been likened to a mini Serenbe intown

Neighborhood North Druid Hills

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Gwinnett's next transit referendum vote is weeks away. Will it pass? Josh Green Tue, 09/24/2024 - 14:09 Today marks exactly six weeks until Americans will be asked to make a monumental, potentially historic decision: Will Gwinnett County see $17 billion worth of transit investment in its future, or not?

Another way of framing the question: For Georgia’s second most populous county—with a population that topped 1 million for the first time in history this year—could the third time for referendum votes in the past five years be a charm?

Back in June, the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners voted 4-1 in favor of placing a SPLOST transit referendum on the Nov. 5 General Election ballot, which also includes the presidential election. Should Gwinnett voters approve the extra funding for transit—historically, and infamously if you ask Atlanta urbanists, they have not—the transit referendum would impose a 1 percent sales tax for up to 30 years.

According to county leadership, the estimated $17 billion culled from consumer spending in Gwinnett would fund up to 75 transit projects around the county, with an emphasis on expanding bus and microtransit options. But here’s the kicker: It would not include MARTA expansion or heavy rail in any capacity.

MARTA branching into the northeast OTP suburbs was one facet of transit referendums that failed most recently in Gwinnett in both 2019 and 2020. The latter, a $12 billion plan, was rejected by a razor-thin margin.  

The overarching goal now, as supporters of the SPLOST measure at the county level have previously told reporters, is to create a scalable transit system that allows Gwinnettians to travel anywhere in the county without a car, setting a blueprint for suburban transit in the metro that could lift Gwinnett onto “the world stage” in terms of doing viable transit right.

Should voters approve, Gwinnett would make substantial bets on buses and microtransit, an on-demand, shared-service operating with shuttles and vans that allows people to order rides via phones and pay $3 per trip. Gwinnett currently operates microtransit but in a limited capacity. 

Highlights of the $17 billion transit plan unanimously approved by commissioners in September 2023—following a year and ½ of public input and revisions—would include:

Expanded microtransit by 2033 across the entire county;

Additional, modernized transfer facilities throughout Gwinnett;

Extended and reconfigured bus routes. Additions would include a bus-rapid-transit line between Doraville’s MARTA station and Lawrenceville, the county seat, and high-frequency buses elsewhere. (The BRT route, as advocates have noted, could be a viable means of getting to Hartsfield-Jackson International Atlanta Airport without a personal vehicle or pricey rideshare);

Express bus routes from Snellville in southeast Gwinnett and Mall of Georgia in the far north down to Atlanta’s airport, providing an additional airport connection for residents in those sections of the county;

Gwinnett transit services would operate on Sundays, which they currently don’t.

Ride Gwinnett's proposed transit service diagram, should November's SPLOST measure pass. Ride Gwinnett

Gwinnett’s track record with tax-funded, transit-expansion proposals appears daunting, with four MARTA rejections dating back to 1971 and 1990, in addition to the two more recent failed efforts. But the county is a vastly different place these days, with three times the population as the early 1990s and a shift in politics and identity from suburban conservative to more progressive and remarkably diverse.

While its growth today isn’t on par with much of the boom-times 1980s and ’90s, Gwinnett remains firmly among the region’s leaders. According to the Atlanta Regional Commission’s 2024 population estimates from July, Gwinnett packed on another 14,900 residents over the year ending in April. That was the second most in metro Atlanta, behind only Fulton County’s 17,400 boost in population (with the City of Atlanta factored in).

Gwinnett also finished second in terms of single-family and multifamily building permits issued (5,423), trailing only Atlanta proper (7,621) in that category over the past year.

As of July, ARC officials pegged Gwinnett’s population at 1,012,112, marking just the third county in Georgia to edge over 1 million residents. Will these people support a significant tax outlay to boost transit options? We shall see, in six weeks.

In the meantime, here’s a preview of the specific SPLOST referendum ballot language Gwinnettians will see in November:

“Shall a special one (1%) percent sales and use tax be imposed in the special district consisting of Gwinnett County for a period of time not to exceed thirty (30) years and for the raising of funds for transit projects?”

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Ride Gwinnett's proposed transit service diagram, should November's SPLOST measure pass. Ride Gwinnett

Subtitle Transit SPLOST plans totaling $17 billion are at stake come November

Neighborhood Gwinnett County

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First look: Beltline pocket neighborhood aimed at first-time buyers Josh Green Tue, 09/24/2024 - 08:05 Construction has begun on a unique southeast Atlanta project that developers say is geared toward first-time buyers, couples without kids, downsizing adults, or any other intowner generally sick of renting.

The 18-townhome venture is underway at 1160 Boulevard, claiming a vacant, 1/2-acre site that was home to a gas station decades ago and has since been cleaned up, per developers.

The Boulevard Heights location is roughly two blocks south of Grant Park and the Beltline’s Southside Trail corridor, which is undergoing trail construction on both sides of Boulevard. Next door to the east is Chua Quang Minh, Georgia’s oldest Vietnamese Buddhist temple.

The project, led by an LLC called 1160 Boulevard and designed by architecture firm TSW, is another example of an intown pocket neighborhood turning underused, tighter sites into denser residential enclaves that prioritize social interactions, economical use of space, and alternate means of transportation.

That means the one-bedroom, one and 1/2-bathroom townhomes will have no garages, but instead one dedicated surface parking space per unit toward the south end of the trapezoidal lot. A centralized courtyard and corner amenity space for barbecues are also meant to foster social interactions.

Meanwhile, another section of the site is being reserved for a lockable bike storage facility for residents who prefer to pedal to the nearby Beltline—which will be possible in coming years via the South Boulevard Complete Street (estimated construction start: 2025), should the city’s plans come to fruition.

No units at 1160 Boulevard have listed yet, but pricing is expected to start in the mid-$300,000s.  

Plans for a lockable bike storage structure on site. Courtesy of 1160 Boulevard LLC; designs, TSW

Site plan for the 18-home project and its amenities. Courtesy of 1160 Boulevard LLC

The three-building project is inspired by Kronberg Urbanists + Architects’ 25-unit Edgewood community La France Walk, where a smaller but more centralized resale unit fetched $370,000 earlier this year.   

Each of the 18 townhomes will stand three stories, with about 912 square feet inside and another 150 square feet in mostly covered rooftop patio spaces.

The breakdown: Main levels will see living rooms, kitchens, and half-bathrooms; the second stories are devoted to primary bedrooms, bathrooms, and laundry; and the third levels call for a flex space with small wet bars in addition to the patios.

Small, fenced yards for each home are also in the mix.

“It will be the lowest-priced [project] in the area, but it will sell for market-rate,” a 1160 Boulevard LLC development official who requested anonymity told Urbanize Atlanta.

“The thought was, there’s a whole lot of development going on in the area, a lot to be excited about, but we wanted to create something that’s different," he continued. "Everybody has their version of a two and three-bedroom townhome. We thought to go maybe a bit smaller and offer something that isn’t all that common.”

Plans for one of two rows of eight one-bedroom townhomes, topped with a flex space and covered porch. Courtesy of 1160 Boulevard LLC; designs, TSW

Site work at the corner lot in question this month where Boulevard (right) meets Francis Avenue. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Another cost-saving tactic is to make the townhomes fee-simple, meaning owners would fully own the homes and land, as opposed to a generally more expensive condo arrangement with pricier insurance policies and other costs.  

“So rather than being $250 to $300 per month, the HOA we’re hoping will be like $40 to $50 bucks a month, because of fee-simple,” said the project official. “If you’re a single person renting or young couple and want to get out of an apartment and start building equity, there’s just not much around that’s affordable at an entry price point.”

The three-story layouts will also be less expensive to build, as any building at four stories or higher in Atlanta requires that fire sprinklers be incorporated, in addition to other costs such as more stairs, per the project leader.

Other plans call for onsite parking to be built with permeable pavers to help control water runoff, while conduit will be installed for future EV charging if buyers prefer. Landscaping calls for trees planted along Boulevard and other “tree islands” in the courtyard.

Beyond the Beltline, proximity to Zoo Atlanta, the future Boulevard Crossing Park, and a public greenspace that’s taking shape now as part of the Englewood development across the street are all cited as perks of the area.

Three-story facades planned along Boulevard. Courtesy of 1160 Boulevard LLC; designs, TSW

The 1160 Boulevard site prior to construction in January 2023. It last sold for $230,000 in 2018, property records indicate. Google Maps

Project heads tell Urbanize Atlanta vertical construction should begin at the site within about six weeks, and townhomes are scheduled to start delivering in late summer or early fall next year, when interest rates for mortgages could be lower. Plans call for building all homes at once, as opposed to in phases.

Head up to the gallery for more context and a closer look at what plans call for on this quickly developing section of Boulevard.

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The 1160 Boulevard site in relation to Grant Park, the Beltline corridor (dotted line), and other landmarks. Google Maps

Site work at the corner lot in question this month where Boulevard (right) meets Francis Avenue. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Courtesy of 1160 Boulevard LLC; image, Atlanta Beltline Inc.

Site plan for the 18-home project and its amenities. Courtesy of 1160 Boulevard LLC

Three-story facades planned along Boulevard. Courtesy of 1160 Boulevard LLC; designs, TSW

The 1160 Boulevard site prior to construction in January 2023. It last sold for $230,000 in 2018, property records indicate. Google Maps

Plans for one of two rows of eight one-bedroom townhomes, topped with a flex space and covered porch. Courtesy of 1160 Boulevard LLC; designs, TSW

Courtesy of 1160 Boulevard LLC

Plans for a lockable bike storage structure on site. Courtesy of 1160 Boulevard LLC; designs, TSW

The 1160 Boulevard site today, after work began in July. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Subtitle Boulevard Heights project breaks ground with bikeability, social interaction, lower HOA fees in mind

Neighborhood Boulevard Heights

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Influential Atlanta City Studio plots comeback in South Downtown Josh Green Mon, 09/23/2024 - 14:35 An influential pop-up studio with a singular mission to create collaborative, public realms that Atlantans can take pride in is setting up shop in the heart of rapidly changing South Downtown.

The Atlanta City Studio plans to officially open its fourth location—and first since 2022—on Monday in The Sylvan Building on Mitchell Street, an important component in the revitalization of historic Hotel Row. A tech-focused startup and coworking hub is also set to open in that building in early 2025.

Atlanta City Studio leaders say the Hotel Row location, situated next to Spiller Park Coffee, will confirm their commitment to South Downtown’s growth while providing a base for the city departments that oversee it.

The urban design studio operates within the City of Atlanta's Department of City Planning, and it’s managed by the Department’s Office of Design.

Atlanta City Studio periodically relocates to different locations throughout the city in an effort to make the studio’s work more accessible to the public, allowing residents in different areas to pop in, share their 2 cents, and “play an integral role in the design of our city,” per studio leaders.

The Atlanta City Studio's forthcoming space (with orange, in center) as seen in June on Mitchell Street. Google Maps

Since its inception in 2016 at Ponce City Market, the studio has worked on aspects of Westside Park, Broad Street’s pedestrian-friendly revamp downtown, the Cascade Storefront Redesign Program, Beecher Street design concept, and Cascade Bus Canopy design and construction, among other initiatives.

Previous Atlanta City Studio locations included Ponce City Market (from 2016 to 2017), Cascade Heights (2017 to 2019), and most recently a building on South Broad Street (2019 to 2022).

In related news, South Downtown owners Atlanta Ventures have recently rolled out a system of high-tech sensors and AI-powered security cameras as a means of thwarting and reporting crime in the 10-block district.

Elsewhere in South Downtown, work is revving up on what’s called “Project Elle,” an L-shaped collection of more than 25 buildings that begins at Ted Turner Drive/Mitchell Street and bends around to Broad Street and up to Five Points.

Plans call for converting that to more than 100 adaptive-reuse apartments, 150,000 square feet of commercial space, and the 31,000-square-foot Atlanta Tech Village—Sylvan, the downtown coworking answer to Buckhead’s tech startup hub. Atlanta Ventures’ goal, officials said in July, is to be under construction on the majority of those buildings by the end of 2024.  

How historic Hotel Row facades have come together in South Downtown. Google Maps

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The Atlanta City Studio's forthcoming space (with orange, in center) as seen in June on Mitchell Street. Google Maps

How historic Hotel Row facades have come together in South Downtown. Google Maps

Subtitle For fourth location, Department of City Planning pop-up takes space on historic Hotel Row

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Centennial Yards scores nearly $600M in financing to fuel growth Josh Green Mon, 09/23/2024 - 12:53 A downtown megaproject called one of the largest public-private partnerships in the U.S. and the “central attraction in Atlanta’s ongoing revitalization efforts” has secured a major infusion of funding to help it toward a goal of being finished within about six years, officials announced today.

Financial services firm D.A. Davidson’s Development Finance Group has closed $575 million of bonds in a complex deal meant to fuel Centennial Yards’ 50-acre remake of the downtown Gulch in coming years.

Kyle Thomas, D.A. Davidson’s Development Finance Group managing director, called the deal “the largest transaction in our group’s history” for an urban revitalization project among the biggest in the country right now. The company served as co-manager in the financing arrangement, alongside lead manager J.P. Morgan and co-manager Truist Securities.

“By leveraging our expertise in structuring complex, large-scale, early stage financings which are solely secured by tax increment,” added Thomas in a prepared statement, “we've been able to support the transformation of this historic site into a vibrant, inclusive community that will benefit all Atlantans.”

The $575 million in bonds were issued through the Atlanta Development Authority.

Specifically, they consist of $356 million Convertible Capital Appreciation Economic Development Certificates secured by a 5 percent EZ Fee—or what’s similar to a sales tax—that’s set to be collected within Centennial Yards, once it begins opening.

The rest of the financing is being sourced from $219 million in Senior Revenue Bonds secured by property tax increment within the Westside Gulch, according to D.A. Davidson reps.

Centennial Yards is considered a partnership between the Atlanta Development Authority, the City of Atlanta, and Los Angeles-based developer CIM Group, which counts more than $29 billion in assets, among other stakeholders. A CIM affiliate, Spring Street LLC, is leading the development, while co-investors are being led by Atlanta Hawks owner Tony Ressler, the brother of CIM cofounder and principal Richard Ressler.

It's expected to cost in the ballpark of $5 billion overall. 

View of the Centennial Yards tower projects in August from the east, across the Gulch. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

“We’re committed to enhancing and supporting the communities in which we invest,” Brian McGowan, Centennial Yards Company president, said in a statement. “By building upon the rich history of Atlanta as a pivotal rail hub, Centennial Yards will not only honor the past but also create a vibrant future.

D.A. Davidson’s announcement also provides some updated clarity on Centennial Yards’ ambitious scope.

Current plans call for more than 2,600 residential units to be built, with 20 percent of those reserved as affordable housing. (The project’s first ground-up new residential tower, the 304-unit The Mitchell, topped out last month). Elsewhere will be almost 3,000 hotel rooms in projects ranging from boutique to full-service, alongside more than 900,000 square feet of entertainment and retail space, according to the financing update.

Just east of the first apartment tower, Centennial Yards has also broken ground on an 8-acre, mixed-use entertainment hub anchored by a Cosm entertainment dome with a fan plaza at the center. Those buildings are scheduled to be finished in time for eight 2026 FIFA World Cup matches set to be played in Atlanta, beginning in June that year.

In terms of new infrastructure, Centennial Yards’ designs call for creating a dozen city blocks downtown, with a police mini precinct, a new fire station, and public greenspaces tucked among them.

Project leaders say they're aiming for 38 percent participation from minority and female enterprises and small businesses as a means of providing inclusivity and economic opportunity.

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

How the entertainment district is expected to meet Centennial Olympic Park Drive, near State Farm Arena. Courtesy of Centennial Yards; images by Apex Visualization

All told, Centennial Yards’ buildout is forecasted to add more than 5.7 million square feet of residential, retail, and commercial spaces downtown. Plans call for completing the project by 2030, according to D.A. Davidson’s announcement.

Founded in 1935, employee-owned D.A. Davidson Companies is headquartered in Great Falls, Montana, with regional headquarters in Denver, Los Angeles, New York, Omaha, and Seattle. It counts roughly 1,475 employees and offices in 28 states, per company officials.

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

As viewed from the north last month, the 19-story Mitchell apartment tower now overlooks Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Construction progress on base levels of the 18-story Anthem hotel project, situated just north of the apartment tower. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Courtesy of Centennial Yards; images by Apex Visualization

View of the Centennial Yards tower projects in August from the east, across the Gulch. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

How the next Centennial Yards phase is expected to meet Martin Luther King Jr. Drive (left), with active rail lines separating it from the Anthem hotel tower (back left) and The Benz. Courtesy of Centennial Yards; images by Apex Visualization

Planned look of a plaza area at Centennial Yards' entertainment district. Courtesy of Centennial Yards; images by Apex Visualization

How the entertainment district is expected to meet Centennial Olympic Park Drive, near State Farm Arena. Courtesy of Centennial Yards; images by Apex Visualization

Courtesy of Centennial Yards Company

Main entry point to the entertainment district along Centennial Olympic Park Drive. Courtesy of Centennial Yards; images by Apex Visualization

Courtesy of Centennial Yards Company

Courtesy of Centennial Yards Company

Plans for the Cosm venue's exterior, at left. Courtesy of Centennial Yards; images by Apex Visualization

Subtitle Financial firm calls project one of largest public-private partnerships in U.S., with 2030 goal to finish

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Photos: Latest Beltline retailer opens at revised shopping center Josh Green Mon, 09/23/2024 - 08:27 Nearly two years after renovations wrapped, a reconfigured shopping center that aims to bridge the “gap between Midtown’s energy and the recreational haven offered by the Beltline” has a new cornerstone retailer in place with trail frontage.

Beltline officials and company leaders recently cut the ribbon on a unique flagship location of The Athlete’s Foot at Midtown Promenade, a 931 Monroe Drive shopping center just south of Piedmont Park along the Beltline’s Eastside Trail.

The two-story store includes an entry off the Beltline, space for the sneaker retailer’s corporate functions, and a community center on the main floor for hosting local sports-based initiatives, alongside custom murals reflecting Atlanta sites and culture.

It’s another shopping option at an Eastside Trail pitstop with a fresh roster of services and food-and-beverage offerings.

Proximity of the Beltline's Eastside Trail (left) to Midtown Promenade's new flagship The Athlete's Foot. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Courtesy of The Athlete's Foot

Beginning in 2021, Krog District owners Asana Partners and SRS Real Estate Partners remade Midtown Promenade into a more accessible, modernized 111,000-square-foot retail hub with access to the Beltline’s most patronized section.

Previously, the shopping center faced away from the Beltline, and several facades still do, but behind them now are a plaza, stairs, a ramp, and landscaping. A breezeway through the property, dotted with storefronts, was carved from former retail space.

Other food and retail offerings at the revised Midtown Promenade include Amalfi Coast-inspired seafood restaurant Alici, Colorado-based breakfast and brunch restaurant Snooze, sister Mexican concepts Yumbii and The Queso Shop (with Beltline patio spaces), Intown Animal Hospital, and Restore Hyper Wellness, among several others.

Midtown Promenade remains anchored by Trader Joe’s and Landmark Theatres’Midtown Art Cinema. Longtime attractions Richards Variety Store and F.R.O.G.S. Cantina, along with home décor retailer Tuesday Morning and Ah-Ma’s Taiwanese Kitchen, previously departed the shopping center to make way for changes.

Courtesy of The Athlete's Foot

Patio seating and new entry points at Midtown Promenade. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

In another Beltline-altering endeavor two miles south on the Eastside Trail, Asana is behind the multifaceted expansion of Krog Street Market and Atlanta Stove Works into the broader Krog District. Nearby, the company also remade one of Coca-Cola’s first bottling plants into a hub of creative offices in Old Fourth Ward.

The developer is also a partner in the new 1050 Brickworks spec office building that’s continued West Midtown’s vertical growth this year.

Find a closer look at Midtown’s newest Beltline attraction in the gallery above.

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Proximity of the Beltline's Eastside Trail (left) to Midtown Promenade's new flagship The Athlete's Foot. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Courtesy of The Athlete's Foot

Courtesy of The Athlete's Foot

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Courtesy of The Athlete's Foot

Courtesy of The Athlete's Foot

Courtesy of The Athlete's Foot

Courtesy of The Athlete's Foot

Courtesy of The Athlete's Foot

Patio seating and new entry points at Midtown Promenade. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Subtitle Trail-fronting, flagship Athlete's Foot is cornerstone of reconfigured Midtown Promenade

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Images: Midtown's Rambler project officially reaches max height Josh Green Fri, 09/20/2024 - 15:11 Just a year after site work began, another stack of amenitized student housing has topped out in Midtown, this time standing over Atlanta’s signature street.

Officials with Texas developer LV Collective confirm to Urbanize Atlanta that vertical construction has finished at Rambler Atlanta, a project that began late last summer and was just a few stories out of the ground as recently as April.

The 736 Peachtree St. development, which modified its height twice before breaking ground, stands 19 stories on a former parking lot, two blocks north of the landmark Fox Theatre.

Rambler Atlanta will count 214 apartments and 2,977 square feet of retail space, according to building permit records. The Rambler name echoes another LV Collective project, Rambler ATX, in the developer’s home city of Austin.

Vertical construction progress at the Rambler project last week in Midtown. Contributed

Plans for the retail arrangement fronting Peachtree Street. LV Collective/Niles Bolton Associates; courtesy of Midtown Alliance

Rambler's 1-acre property had long been used as surface parking bounded by Peachtree Street, 4th Street, and to the west, Cypress Street. Under construction now are student apartments offering 798 bedrooms total, with amenities on the top floor. The location, as developers have noted, is less than a quarter-mile from Georgia Tech buildings at Tech Square.

Renderings indicate a café with outdoor dining will be recessed into the building, facing Peachtree Street, with exposed pillars and garden-like components, as opposed to glass storefronts. These facets are now clearly visible near the street.

The building’s resident lobby and leasing office will also be placed near Peachtree, at the corner of 4th Street, according to site plans.

Building amenities will include coworking spaces, bike lockers, and a pet spa on lower levels, with a pool deck, fitness center, and outdoor terrace positioned on or near the roof, according to architects. Elsewhere, plans call for screening a 134-space, three-level parking garage with a perforated masonry wall, a means to help hide the deck.

Meanwhile, the western face along Cypress Street will see no active uses, instead housing loading and service areas at what will essentially be the tower’s backside.

The 736 Peachtree St. development viewed recently from the south (left) and west along Cypress Street. Contributed

Revised facade of the 736 Peachtree St. property. LV Collective; designs, Niles Bolton Associates

When initially presented to the Midtown Development Review Committee in 2022, LV Collective’s plans for the Peachtree site called for a building standing much taller: 37 stories with 480 apartments. That was later reduced to 29 stories and 374 units. Then in summer 2023, the height and unit count were scaled back again to the current size, though development officials haven’t provided answers as to why.

The Rambler building is expected to deliver in 2025, according to LV Collective. Niles Bolton Associates architects, Archie Bolden, and Michael Hsu Architecture are all listed as partners on the project.

The project joins three other student towers that delivered in Midtown in 2023 alone, with more in the pipeline. Those include another LV Collective venture, Whistler, the final building in SCAD Atlanta’s recent growth spurt, and Hub Atlanta.

Swing up to the gallery for more project images and context.

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Vertical construction progress at the Rambler project last week in Midtown. Contributed

The 736 Peachtree St. development viewed recently from the south (left) and west along Cypress Street. Contributed

Perspectives on the 736 Peachtree site's former condition. LV Collective/Niles Bolton Associates; courtesy of Midtown Alliance

Current plans for Rambler Atlanta's Peachtree facade. LV Collective/Niles Bolton Associates; courtesy of Midtown Alliance

How the project will meet Cypress Street, a block west of Peachtree. LV Collective/Niles Bolton Associates; courtesy of Midtown Alliance

LV Collective/Niles Bolton Associates; courtesy of Midtown Alliance

LV Collective/Niles Bolton Associates; courtesy of Midtown Alliance

Plans for the retail arrangement fronting Peachtree Street. LV Collective/Niles Bolton Associates; courtesy of Midtown Alliance

Original, taller plans for how the LV Collective 37-story proposal would have met Peachtree Street, at left. LV Collective; designs, Niles Bolton Associates

How the original designs would have looked facing south toward downtown (left) and west, to Cypress Street. LV Collective/City of Atlanta Office of Buildings; designs, Niles Bolton Associates

Subtitle Well that was quick...

Neighborhood Midtown

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