Atlanta Project Thread III

[RobMidtowner]

There's also a pretty neat video on AJC.com

http://img.coxnewsweb.com/C/07/50/75/image_5675507.jpg

Huge dorm latest evidence of GSU's growth
Campus expansion is changing downtown as well as school itself

By ANDREA JONES
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 08/06/07

Standing in the courtyard of his university's massive student housing complex, Georgia State University President Carl Patton giddily ticks off a few facts.

Nearly 2,000 students will call University Commons home when it opens Friday, and many more are clamoring to get in. The $168 million mega-structure on Piedmont Avenue came in "early and under budget" and is, he says, the largest privately funded student housing project in the country.

It's just the latest coup for GSU, the urban university that has gobbled up downtown Atlanta.

In recent years, the school's campus has been a maze of building cranes and construction activity, all part of a decades long, two-tiered $1.5 billion campus expansion that is changing not only the school, but the city itself.

By 2015, Patton says, GSU plans to house 20 percent of its estimated student population of 36,000 on campus, a sea change for an institution founded in 1913 as a night commuter school for busy professionals.

Putting students on downtown streets, making GSU "a part of the community rather than apart from it" has been Patton's mantra for years.

It is a goal the urban planner put into play shortly after he arrived on campus in 1992, with the $14 million renovation of the Rialto Theatre, which for years had sat vacant and boarded up on the corner of Luckie and Forsyth streets.

In following years, GSU built a student center, a recreation center and a $45 million, four-story classroom building. The school moved its schools of business, music and public policy into the historical Fairlie-Poplar District.

Veteran Atlanta developer John Aderhold said the school is bringing downtown back.

Aderhold, a well known Georgia Tech booster, helped fund GSU's classroom building, a "Christmas, birthday and anniversary gift," for his wife, Helen, a GSU alumna.

"Now we have the right kind of folks downtown, replacing the wrong kind," he said, "It's nothing but good."

Last fall, the school broke ground on a $142 million science park on the corner of Decatur Street and Piedmont Avenue near Grady Memorial Hospital, a 3.2 acre site that will soon replace its red clay with a teaching laboratory and research laboratory.

The state kicked in $40 million for the park, one of the few upcoming projects that will use public funds, Patton said. The other $100 million was raised in private donations.

In addition to new construction, GSU has also has also been busy snapping up existing buildings downtown.

The school's private foundation bought the towering white 26-story SunTrust building on Park Place, overlooking Woodruff Park, last fall for $52 million and recently bought Citizens Trust Bank, adjacent to the new housing complex on Piedmont, this year.

The bank buildings will be used for desperately needed office space and the eastern portion of the SunTrust site will eventually be developed as a professional education center that will house Georgia State's colleges of law and business, Patton said.

Still, the bank building purchases could have some unintended consequences.

The buildings likely will eventually move off Fulton County's tax rolls, which could shift some of the burden of the expansion to taxpayers, said Burt Manning, the county's chief assessor.

Unlike private companies, state agencies don't have to pay property tax.

"When you start buying major buildings, it's a big deal," Manning said. "Most of the times, we are seeing them go from one company to another. When you get the state or the county or the Board of Regents involved, you lose that revenue stream."

But with a $135 billion tax digest, they won't make a huge dent in the city's tax base, he said.

Architect Ray Kimsey, president of Niles Bolton Associates, the firm that designed GSU's new dormitory, said the benefits of the construction far outweigh the tax trade-offs.

"The reality that the mission is so vital and the stability is so critical, the presence of Georgia State feeds the development," he said. "They are creating a vital downtown area."

For Patton, each construction project brings the university closer to his vision for the institution: becoming a place where people learn and live, instead of a campus of commuters.

As he walked down one of the long hallways at the Commons, where students will soon move into apartments any college kid would envy, he stopped and took a sniff.

"I can't help it, I just love that new building smell."

[Teshadoh]

36,000 students? I had no idea it was that many now, hard to call the college 'quaint' when it was 'only' 25,000 & didn't expand far beyond the original concrete campus - but I'm amazed at how much my college has grown.

[whiplash3825]

I don't consider LEED crazy and honestly I don't think the enviro crazies I was referring to pushed for many of the changes that are part of being an LEED building. I was referring to the broader public in my comments...sorry for not being clearer in my comments. The public that thinks profits are to high on gas are more in line for my thoughts not knowing the actual profit percentage versus the amount of taxes paid on fuel...blah blah blah those types of crazy clueless individuals that believe anything on tv or the internet.

As one of those folks that you would probably label an enviro crazy, I think gas prices are right in line with the demand of a country whose citizens believe it's their god-given right to drive one person to each 18mpg SUV (sit on the downtown connector for 10 minutes and say it ain't so.) Unfortunately, those of us who drive high-mileage vehicles are being punished right along with the gas-guzzlers who caused the run-up in prices.

And to get back on topic, LEED certification is simply a set a common sense standards that everyone should be able to agree on. Before someone calls it environmental wacko-ism, maybe they should research the requirements for LEED certification.

[Dragonheart8588]

There's also a pretty neat video on AJC.com

http://img.coxnewsweb.com/C/07/50/75/image_5675507.jpg

Huge dorm latest evidence of GSU's growth
Campus expansion is changing downtown as well as school itself

By ANDREA JONES
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 08/06/07

Standing in the courtyard of his university's massive student housing complex, Georgia State University President Carl Patton giddily ticks off a few facts.

Nearly 2,000 students will call University Commons home when it opens Friday, and many more are clamoring to get in. The $168 million mega-structure on Piedmont Avenue came in "early and under budget" and is, he says, the largest privately funded student housing project in the country.

It's just the latest coup for GSU, the urban university that has gobbled up downtown Atlanta.

In recent years, the school's campus has been a maze of building cranes and construction activity, all part of a decades long, two-tiered $1.5 billion campus expansion that is changing not only the school, but the city itself.

By 2015, Patton says, GSU plans to house 20 percent of its estimated student population of 36,000 on campus, a sea change for an institution founded in 1913 as a night commuter school for busy professionals.

Putting students on downtown streets, making GSU "a part of the community rather than apart from it" has been Patton's mantra for years.

It is a goal the urban planner put into play shortly after he arrived on campus in 1992, with the $14 million renovation of the Rialto Theatre, which for years had sat vacant and boarded up on the corner of Luckie and Forsyth streets.

In following years, GSU built a student center, a recreation center and a $45 million, four-story classroom building. The school moved its schools of business, music and public policy into the historical Fairlie-Poplar District.

Veteran Atlanta developer John Aderhold said the school is bringing downtown back.

Aderhold, a well known Georgia Tech booster, helped fund GSU's classroom building, a "Christmas, birthday and anniversary gift," for his wife, Helen, a GSU alumna.

"Now we have the right kind of folks downtown, replacing the wrong kind," he said, "It's nothing but good."

Last fall, the school broke ground on a $142 million science park on the corner of Decatur Street and Piedmont Avenue near Grady Memorial Hospital, a 3.2 acre site that will soon replace its red clay with a teaching laboratory and research laboratory.

The state kicked in $40 million for the park, one of the few upcoming projects that will use public funds, Patton said. The other $100 million was raised in private donations.

In addition to new construction, GSU has also has also been busy snapping up existing buildings downtown.

The school's private foundation bought the towering white 26-story SunTrust building on Park Place, overlooking Woodruff Park, last fall for $52 million and recently bought Citizens Trust Bank, adjacent to the new housing complex on Piedmont, this year.

The bank buildings will be used for desperately needed office space and the eastern portion of the SunTrust site will eventually be developed as a professional education center that will house Georgia State's colleges of law and business, Patton said.

Still, the bank building purchases could have some unintended consequences.

The buildings likely will eventually move off Fulton County's tax rolls, which could shift some of the burden of the expansion to taxpayers, said Burt Manning, the county's chief assessor.

Unlike private companies, state agencies don't have to pay property tax.

"When you start buying major buildings, it's a big deal," Manning said. "Most of the times, we are seeing them go from one company to another. When you get the state or the county or the Board of Regents involved, you lose that revenue stream."

But with a $135 billion tax digest, they won't make a huge dent in the city's tax base, he said.

Architect Ray Kimsey, president of Niles Bolton Associates, the firm that designed GSU's new dormitory, said the benefits of the construction far outweigh the tax trade-offs.

"The reality that the mission is so vital and the stability is so critical, the presence of Georgia State feeds the development," he said. "They are creating a vital downtown area."

For Patton, each construction project brings the university closer to his vision for the institution: becoming a place where people learn and live, instead of a campus of commuters.

As he walked down one of the long hallways at the Commons, where students will soon move into apartments any college kid would envy, he stopped and took a sniff.

"I can't help it, I just love that new building smell."

I'm very excited and proud to a part of this institution and its growth. I love GSU.

[jcathens]

I can't believe they only house 20% of their students. It would help traffic tremendously if they could get more housing.

[Teshadoh]

I can't believe they only house 20% of their students. It would help traffic tremendously if they could get more housing.

Try ZERO percent before 1997. Considering GSU was exclusively a commuter college, 20% is unbelievable - which I don't believe is even that high. It would likely be less than 5%.

[micropundit]

Atlanta Business Chronicle - 10:24 AM EDT Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Cousins Properties Inc. will partner with The Related Group for One CityPlace, the first phase of CityPlace Buckhead.

Miami-based The Related Group and Atlanta-based Cousins Properties (NYSE: CUZ) in a joint release said One CityPlace will be a 29-story tower with 269 condominiums and 11 townhouses at the intersection of Roxboro and East Paces Ferry Roads in Atlanta's posh Buckhead neighborhood. Homes at One CityPlace will range from the $300s to more than $1 million for penthouses and townhouses. Construction will start in October with completion slated for 2009.

One CityPlace is the first phase of CityPlace Buckhead, a development with 3,800 homes on 16 acres near the Buckhead Loop, Georgia 400 and Lenox and Peachtree Roads.

The project also marks Related Group's entry into the Atlanta market. The multifamily developer has built and managed more than 50,000 residential units in Florida.

Miami-based Arquitectonica will design One CityPlace, while New York-based Rockwell Group will design the interiors. Arquitectonica specializes in post-modern design, and its credits include Philips Arena in Atlanta. Rockwell Group's recent projects include Elinor Bunin Film Center at Lincoln Center in New York and the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles. Rockwell Group has been commissioned to design the interior architecture for the new Jet Blue terminal at the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.

[sabino86]

There's also a pretty neat video on AJC.com

http://img.coxnewsweb.com/C/07/50/75/image_5675507.jpg

Huge dorm latest evidence of GSU's growth
Campus expansion is changing downtown as well as school itself

By ANDREA JONES
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 08/06/07

Standing in the courtyard of his university's massive student housing complex, Georgia State University President Carl Patton giddily ticks off a few facts.

Nearly 2,000 students will call University Commons home when it opens Friday, and many more are clamoring to get in. The $168 million mega-structure on Piedmont Avenue came in "early and under budget" and is, he says, the largest privately funded student housing project in the country.

It's just the latest coup for GSU, the urban university that has gobbled up downtown Atlanta.

In recent years, the school's campus has been a maze of building cranes and construction activity, all part of a decades long, two-tiered $1.5 billion campus expansion that is changing not only the school, but the city itself.

By 2015, Patton says, GSU plans to house 20 percent of its estimated student population of 36,000 on campus, a sea change for an institution founded in 1913 as a night commuter school for busy professionals.

Putting students on downtown streets, making GSU "a part of the community rather than apart from it" has been Patton's mantra for years.

It is a goal the urban planner put into play shortly after he arrived on campus in 1992, with the $14 million renovation of the Rialto Theatre, which for years had sat vacant and boarded up on the corner of Luckie and Forsyth streets.

In following years, GSU built a student center, a recreation center and a $45 million, four-story classroom building. The school moved its schools of business, music and public policy into the historical Fairlie-Poplar District.

Veteran Atlanta developer John Aderhold said the school is bringing downtown back.

Aderhold, a well known Georgia Tech booster, helped fund GSU's classroom building, a "Christmas, birthday and anniversary gift," for his wife, Helen, a GSU alumna.

"Now we have the right kind of folks downtown, replacing the wrong kind," he said, "It's nothing but good."

Last fall, the school broke ground on a $142 million science park on the corner of Decatur Street and Piedmont Avenue near Grady Memorial Hospital, a 3.2 acre site that will soon replace its red clay with a teaching laboratory and research laboratory.

The state kicked in $40 million for the park, one of the few upcoming projects that will use public funds, Patton said. The other $100 million was raised in private donations.

In addition to new construction, GSU has also has also been busy snapping up existing buildings downtown.

The school's private foundation bought the towering white 26-story SunTrust building on Park Place, overlooking Woodruff Park, last fall for $52 million and recently bought Citizens Trust Bank, adjacent to the new housing complex on Piedmont, this year.

The bank buildings will be used for desperately needed office space and the eastern portion of the SunTrust site will eventually be developed as a professional education center that will house Georgia State's colleges of law and business, Patton said.

Still, the bank building purchases could have some unintended consequences.

The buildings likely will eventually move off Fulton County's tax rolls, which could shift some of the burden of the expansion to taxpayers, said Burt Manning, the county's chief assessor.

Unlike private companies, state agencies don't have to pay property tax.

"When you start buying major buildings, it's a big deal," Manning said. "Most of the times, we are seeing them go from one company to another. When you get the state or the county or the Board of Regents involved, you lose that revenue stream."

But with a $135 billion tax digest, they won't make a huge dent in the city's tax base, he said.

Architect Ray Kimsey, president of Niles Bolton Associates, the firm that designed GSU's new dormitory, said the benefits of the construction far outweigh the tax trade-offs.

"The reality that the mission is so vital and the stability is so critical, the presence of Georgia State feeds the development," he said. "They are creating a vital downtown area."

For Patton, each construction project brings the university closer to his vision for the institution: becoming a place where people learn and live, instead of a campus of commuters.

As he walked down one of the long hallways at the Commons, where students will soon move into apartments any college kid would envy, he stopped and took a sniff.

"I can't help it, I just love that new building smell."

I got invited to go to the dedication ceremony on Friday (I guess being a GSU SGA Vice President has its perks).

;)

[Atlriser]

20% is a goal...right now they only house 2000 students at the center just below tech...this adds another 2000. Or with this one the one at tech is gone I believe this year. Then they house around 600 grad students at the grad housing building downtown....that's it right now. It's just the way GSU started and has always been. Most people who attended 10 years ago were all professionals or older nontraditional students from the metro area. Only over the past 10 years has that changed drastically to include more college age traditional students because of Patton's push to make GSU more focused on downtown and the campus.

I think it's wonderful what they've accomplished in such a short frame of time and the goals are top notch and progressing well.

[atl2phx]

By all tongue-in-cheek definitions listed above, Dewberry should be hailed as a hero on this thread. He purchased 10th and Peachtree at a good price with his own money, and is sitting on it until the real estate market dictates something very special can be built on it. Sitting at such a key intersection, it's a better block than the neighboring 12 & Midtown assemblage -- though the Selig/Daniel development makes Dewberry's idle block scarcer and even more valuable. And Dewberry should be praised for his patience, as he has so far refused to be rushed into throwing up something less than his strategic block deserves. (Or perhaps we should just be thankful he has enough wealth that he can afford to be patient.) As the Midtown Mile builds out and key lots become scarce, 10th and Peachtree will be in position to see something very special -- but not in this demand cycle. So for as long as he can afford to wait, Dewberry is in the catbird seat. I'm hoping he can continue to wait...
:cheers:

Check out Skidmore's submission for SFO's Transit Center and Tower development. Maybe if SF doesn't choose this design, ATL can buy it. This is exactly what I'd like to see on Dewberry's 10th & Peachtree parcel:

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f295/ATL2PHX/retrieveassetcaauo62wzh9.jpg
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f295/ATL2PHX/retrieveassetca2cvd6wik8.jpg
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f295/ATL2PHX/pageresized294gr9.jpg

[daveyp]

wow, that's really sweet!

[Tombstoner]

Wow, indeed. Can't tell from the rendering but would that be SF's tallest?

[CityFan]

Check out Skidmore's submission for SFO's Transit Center and Tower development. Maybe if SF doesn't choose this design, ATL can buy it. This is exactly what I'd like to see on Dewberry's 10th & Peachtree parcel:

Yes, it's ver nice. However it would be lonely in Atlanta that is not very modernized in building architecture.

[atl2phx]

Wow, indeed. Can't tell from the rendering but would that be SF's tallest?

as proposed at 1,375-foot it would be SF's tallest by a longshot. they're also shooting for LEED platinum certification and suggesting it would be carbon neutral after 10 years. in addition to the SOM submission, pelli submitted an entry along with some other firm i'm not very familiar with.

[micropundit]

By JULIE B. HAIRSTON
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 08/08/07

Miami-based developer The Related Group has cemented its position as a major player in the urban rejuvenation of Atlanta by announcing a multimillion-dollar partnership with local powerhouse Cousins in two key projects.

Cousins announced Wednesday it will become an equal partner in the $130 million development of the first tower in CityPlace at Buckhead. Related acquired the 16-acre site on Roxboro Road near Lenox Square in 2006 and received zoning approval from the city last year after more than a year of negotiations with neighborhood groups for the site design.

CityPlace ultimately will contain nine high-rise towers with 3,860 residential units, 28 townhouses, 110,000 square feet of retail space and an undetailed portion of office space.

Lee Hodges, vice president for Related's Atlanta division, said the two companies, which have already partnered on two successful Miami projects, have been in talks since early this year.

"When we came to Atlanta, we were looking to partner with a local developer who was familiar with the market, with the contractors and subcontractors and the market in general," said Hodges, who grew up in nearby Madison, Ga. "By combining the strengths of the two companies, we would become a real development force here in Atlanta."

As part of the deal, Related will also become an equal partner in the second and third residential towers planned for Terminus, Cousins' most recent project on Peachtree Street at Piedmont Road in Buckhead. The first tower at Terminus is already under construction.Sales at CityPlace will open at the end of this year, with prices expected to hover around $400 per square foot.



Now we know how much the project costs, what the price points may be AND that Terminus 's next 2 towers will have a little Miami spice.

[scania]

Now we know how much the project costs, what the price points may be AND that Terminus 's next 2 towers will have a little Miami spice.

Well, I'm a huge fan of Arquitectonica who designs some of Related's towers. But Arquitectonica, designs towers all over the world and are not known for a Miami look. One Cityplace is Arquitectonica's first tower for Atlanta. If Arquitectonica designs the second and third tower at Terminus, we would/should see some very post modern and contemporary designs, which Arquitectonica is known for designing. I've heard but have not seen, that the design for One Cityplace is drastically different from whats here in Atlanta.

[(four 0 four)]

But Arquitectonica, designs all over the world and are not known for a Miamish look. One Cityplace is a first for Atlanta.
Other than Philips Arena and Rio Mall (RIP).

[micropundit]

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/holco34/Smallerrendering.jpg

[RobMidtowner]

^Seems kinda bland to me :shrug:

[SteveD]

Not my cup of tea either, but, as I'm sure someone will point out, it's just a preliminary rendering, and they will tell me to either withhold my judgment or to stop bitching! :)

[ThrashATL]

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/holco34/Smallerrendering.jpg

It's alright, kinda "Miami-ish" but mainly a rounded Novare.

[atl2phx]

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/holco34/Smallerrendering.jpg

given it's a design by arquitectonica ~ it's essentially what i expected ~ a toned down version of their most popular work. i really like it ~ albeit i'd rather see it downtown or midtown.

i'm glad they left some of their trademark design elements such as bold colors and gaping holes on the drafting table. i do like the treatment and surface pattern of the facade.

[smArTaLlone]

The main entrance to the Streets of Buckhead project will face Peachtree Road and include the new 1 Hotel & Residences.
http://www.atlantaintownpaper.com/images/CASX4DSB.jpg

Another conceptual view of Buckhead Village once the Streets of Buckhead Develeopment is completed.
http://www.atlantaintownpaper.com/images/CA7UYL7N.jpg

[L.ARCH]

:previous: much better rendering IMO

[Dragonheart8588]

The main entrance to the Streets of Buckhead project will face Peachtree Road and include the new 1 Hotel & Residences.
http://www.atlantaintownpaper.com/images/CASX4DSB.jpg

Another conceptual view of Buckhead Village once the Streets of Buckhead Develeopment is completed.
http://www.atlantaintownpaper.com/images/CA7UYL7N.jpg

I think it look somewhat nice. I guess if this is what "old money" wants then they will get it. The giant surface parking lot in the middle of it is biggest turn off for me.

[SteveD]

:previous: it looks to me like those renderings are depicting adjacent public streets, not parking lots...

[Dragonheart8588]

:previous: it looks to me like those renderings are depicting adjacent public streets, not parking lots...

Yeah, I know that but don't they have a giant surface parking lot in the middle of it? <-- I should have been clearer.

[atl2phx]

Yeah, I know that but don't they have a giant surface parking lot in the middle of it? <-- I should have been clearer.

do you mean the garage inbetween the two towers? i agree, for the bizzillionz of dollars going into this project, drop the parking below grade.

[Atlriser]

Very St. Regis looking to me. Classic American -- which equates to the money and older clientelle being courted by the development I would say.

I like One City Place. I also like the sleeker rounded look with recessed balconies which is nothing like Novare. Novare tends to be very straight edged, blocky geometric with all of their buildings height and width wise. The couple exceptions would be the circles in 12 AS crown area. Even there balconies are always extending from the buildings creating rectangular definitions in there designs.

This building has none of that, just a sleek modern look almost more office tower than residential feeling.

I approve and hope they use a vibrant bright green glass, something different from metropolis green. Good change and something unique from the other buildings along that small section of Peachtree which is shaping up to be one of the more diverse sections of Atlanta's skyline architecturally.

[Andrea]

do you mean the garage inbetween the two towers? i agree, for the bizzillionz of dollars going into this project, drop the parking below grade.

The parking decks are going to be underground, although there will be a limited amount of onstreet parking. But no surface lots.

Just as an aside, SPI-9 (which covers this project) is getting a new zoning overlay governing sidewalks, streetscapes, lighting, etc.

http://apps.atlantaga.gov/citycouncil/2007/images/proposed/07O1454.pdf

[jobe]

Does the Related / Cousins partnership allude to the fact that 10 Terminus isn't selling well? Could it be assumed that; if it were selling well, Cousins wouldn't be looking for a partner? Thoughts?

[scania]

Does the Related / Cousins partnership allude to the fact that 10 Terminus isn't selling well? Could it be assumed that; if it were selling well, Cousins wouldn't be looking for a partner? Thoughts?

10 Terminus wasn't expected to sell that fast. Its a different price point than your typical Novare property. Also, this is not Related and Cousin first project together. Also, as far as sales, Viewpoint is not selling at the pace of recent Novare properties.

[Atlriser]

I think it's just normal business practice. Cousins and Related teamed on 50 Biscayne and I've heard it's been a great partnership. In construction you are always forming joint ventures to spread risks and persue projects that would other wise be put off for years or never occur without the JV. Who has statistics on how well 10 is selling anyway. Didn't know they were public info just curious?

[RobMidtowner]

Also, as far as sales, Viewpoint is not selling at the pace of recent Novare properties.

Is this based on word of mouth or do you know someone working for Novare? Not disagreeing, just curious.

[micropundit]

Does the Related / Cousins partnership allude to the fact that 10 Terminus isn't selling well? Could it be assumed that; if it were selling well, Cousins wouldn't be looking for a partner? Thoughts?

I think that the partnership is a tacit admission on the part of Cousins that their residential hi-rise development skills need help.That being said, look for some major mixed use projects from this collaberation, particularly downtown, in the near future,eg 5 years.Plus, Related needed a passport in order to enter Atlanta's good'ol boy network and who better can provide that entre?

[scania]

Is this based on word of mouth or do you know someone working for Novare? Not disagreeing, just curious.

I was told this when I went to the sales center.

[scania]

I think that the partnership is a tacit admission on the part of Cousins that their residential hi-rise development skills need help.That being said, look for some major mixed use projects from this collaberation, particularly downtown, in the near future,eg 5 years.Plus, Related needed a passport in order to enter Atlanta's good'ol boy network and who better can provide that entre?


I have to disagree. Cousins might need marketing help as far as hi-rise development, but as fas Related needing a passport to enter in Atlanta's good'ol boy network is ridiculous. Related purchase over 10 -15 acres of land in an area considered one of the most expensive areas in Atlanta. They also was able to get zoning approval to build 9 towers. A passport was awarded to them a couple of years ago.

[Fiorenza]

Yeah, I'd say it was more the opposite tack: Atlanta needed a passport for getting to Jose Perez.

[UVAsuperman]

I went to the Viewpoint sales center yesterday to inquire about a few 2-bedroom units and their respective prices per square foot (which I must say are significantly higher than what I paid for my 2-bedroom at Spire in August 2006). They said about 20% of the units had sold, and that the pace had quickened lately, selling over a dozen units last weekend (~75 total sold). I also asked about the other two towers, and I was told that it was when not if (I would think if there was any doubt they would say so because the prospect of those towers are real viewpoint killers, pun intended, for certain units in phase 1). The sale rep did suggest that 1 or both of the phase 2/3 towers could end up being office space.

[jobe]

I was told this when I went to the sales center.

A sales agent would tell you they weren't having strong sales? Wow. Interesting approach.

[ThrashATL]

The sale rep did suggest that 1 or both of the phase 2/3 towers could end up being office space.

What did we expect? 12CP is a two tower and it's gonna have a hard enough time filling with all the competition. Viewpoint would be better to make one tower office, one tower hotel or apartments.

[cactuspunk]

A sales agent would tell you they weren't having strong sales? Wow. Interesting approach.

I was thinking the same thing?!?!?

[RobMidtowner]

What did we expect? 12CP is a two tower and it's gonna have a hard enough time filling with all the competition. Viewpoint would be better to make one tower office, one tower hotel or apartments.

Unless I'm mistaken 12CP and all the Viewpoint towers were to have roughly the same number of units. I'm surprised though they're talking about office space for the other two towers though because how hard would it be to concentrate at work when you can look out your window and see bunches of young 20-30 somethings frolicking at the pool? It just doesn't seem to match the building design and seems like it would be a tough conversion.

[SteveD]

:previous: also, considering how weak the market is for new (intown) office space I would say those comments if accurrate mean the prospects for seeing towers two or three come out of the ground any time soon are quite slim. :(

[Atlriser]

Weak office space demand?? I'd actually say the residential demand has peaked right now but the office demand is still rising slightly. You've got several large office towers in preconstruction and site prep stages now in downtown and midtown. Several more are trying to gain traction to get started in the current cycle of building or else they will likely not get built as proposed. I think mixing in an office tower isn't a bad idea at all myself and will add to the mix of people on the streets in that little section of midtown. Makes perfect sense in my mind. They've already got the land and if they sign a lead tenant they've ensured a buildout of the original concept with just a change in usage with minimal impact or even do a 50/50 building if necessary to complete it....sounds ingenious to me and shows that Novare is smarter yet again then what everyone on here thinks.

[SteveD]

atlriser...it sounds like you are agreeing with me and challenging me at the same time. Your post is confusing. Yes, demand for intown office is quite weak, and has been for some time...that's why so little of it is under construction, and other proposed towers have been left wanting for lead tenants...in your post you just allowed that office demand is "rising slightly", and that several office towers are trying to "gain traction". Office demand rising slightly, and other already announced office towers waiting for lead tenants, doesn't equate into bringing scads of new office SF online, or for the prospects of new announced office towers. I wasn't making any statement about whether that would be beneficial for Viewpoint, or Midtown, or anything else. All I said was that if they are making a decision to switch from residential to office, that probably signals a long wait before any additional towers get built there, unless their plan is to go completely spec with it. I'm talking about a delay in further construction at Viewpoint, not how smart Novare is. I think the key words in your post are "if they sign a lead tenant". All I'm saying is, that's a mighty big "if".

[scania]

A sales agent would tell you they weren't having strong sales? Wow. Interesting approach.

:haha: You are right, but it is someone that I know personally. They also know I had/have no interest in buying there.

[ThrashATL]

Nice project in Dunwoody near Perimeter Mall... This is kinda how the townhomes at AS should have looked, not the Beazer disasters.

http://img.coxnewsweb.com/B/01/71/94/image_5694711.jpg

WHAT IT IS

The Gramercy townhouse community, near Perimeter Mall in Dunwoody, is being built by the same company that developed the first condo tower in the emerging Perimeter Place mixed-use development. The Gramercy, being built by Southeast Capital Partners, will provide 152 townhouses priced from the low $300,000s to the $400,000s. Units will range from about 1,400 to 1,900 square feet.

WHAT IMPACT IT WILL HAVE

The Gramercy will provide an additional housing option in the Perimeter area, one of metro Atlanta's first communities to offer a combination of office, retail and residential neighborhoods. Most residences in the area were houses, as opposed to apartments or townhomes, until the Manhattan opened in 2006 as a 27-story building with 227 units. Penthouses sold for more than $1.2 million. The master developer of Perimeter Place is the Sembler Co., which built a retail center with 452,000 square feet, which is more than half the size of Phipps Plaza, in Buckhead. Sembler now is seeking approval to build a mixed-use development in DeKalb County at the corner of North Druid Hills and Briarcliff roads.


WHEN IT WILL BE DONE

Closings have started and the project is to be complete in September. For information, call 770-551-9255 or visit www.gramercytownhomes.com.

[Atlriser]

I never said scads of new office; however, all the market trends in midtown and downtown are positive. Every week there is good news reported about office absorption in the CBD and midtown markets that keeps picking up momentum. Just this week 191 went from being 20% full when Cousins bought it less than a year ago to 78% leased with new activity. Alan Plaza, AS, Metropolitan Center, 12th & Midtown (the big projects) have all sprung up the past 3 years with office towers and planned additions they just haven't been the 50+ stories we saw in the last wave of the early 1990's which is when the midtown skyline came into existence. Plus areas all over the CBD have been renovated into office space that was vacant 5 years ago. There’s resurgence in small businesses on the west side of downtown and the east reclaiming the abandoned warehouses.

All the attention has been focused on the condo boom in the media but the office market has added several million SF without little notice except 1180 PT. These 15 to 20 story buildings are evident throughout the area in discussion but aren’t the eye catchers everyone on here wants to talk and discuss. Vacancies have dropped every quarter since 2004 I believe and several billion of investment dollars have been spent the past 2 years buying downtown and midtown office portfolios by big name investors because of the resurgence occurring in the market for in town towers. This is just now beginning to hit its stride as the residential market softens. Even the lovely Portman complex is about to undergo a $100 million renovation. The new owners wouldn’t sink that kind of funding into the facilities immediately if they were projecting a stagnant market for office space. Cousins claims to be delaying the Premier to evaluate whether to make the office portion larger or even eliminating the condos completely for office towers only and moved their headquarters into downtown as a statement of their belief in the market. Maybe the Premier delay is a lie (I don’t know) to explain why they haven’t started, but there’s always some truth in every lie as well typically. Developers/REITs/Investors aren’t as dumb as lots of the people on here think and they wouldn’t be sinking as much money into office towers if they thought they were entering a market that’s not got favorable 5 year growth patterns and good upside potential for profits in the existing buildings being bought.

Master plans must adjust to market conditions as each year the factors and percentages change in favor of one type of construction over another. That’s my assessment and reasoning of the situation whether someone else feels it is correct or not.

[MarketsWork]

Atlriser, there you go interjecting facts and logic into a purely speculative conversation. And just when we were talking ourselves into recession...

[scania]

Just this week 191 went from being 20% full when Cousins bought it less than a year ago to 78% leased with new activity.





That is NOT what the article stated.


The new leases bring the building to 78 percent leased and once the moves are complete, the building will be approximately 55 percent occupied. When Cousins purchased the building in September 2006, it was 51 percent leased.

[smArTaLlone]

atlriser...it sounds like you are agreeing with me and challenging me at the same time. Your post is confusing. Yes, demand for intown office is quite weak, and has been for some time...that's why so little of it is under construction, and other proposed towers have been left wanting for lead tenants...in your post you just allowed that office demand is "rising slightly", and that several office towers are trying to "gain traction". Office demand rising slightly, and other already announced office towers waiting for lead tenants, doesn't equate into bringing scads of new office SF online, or for the prospects of new announced office towers. I wasn't making any statement about whether that would be beneficial for Viewpoint, or Midtown, or anything else. All I said was that if they are making a decision to switch from residential to office, that probably signals a long wait before any additional towers get built there, unless their plan is to go completely spec with it. I'm talking about a delay in further construction at Viewpoint, not how smart Novare is. I think the key words in your post are "if they sign a lead tenant". All I'm saying is, that's a mighty big "if".

Not necessarily.

Several office projects are likely to break ground without any lead tenants. 3630 (already has), Two Alliance, 12th & Midtown Phase II, and Metropolitan Center have all announced their intentions to do so and I was just reading an article that explains why.

Beginning in 2009 and the 2-3 years after that, there will be something in the neighborhood of 10 million + SF of office leases that will expire. All of these developers would like a shiny new building for any tenants that might be looking to expand or move and Novare may choose to be one of them. Also the Midtown and Buckhead submarkets have alternated having the lowest vacancy rate in the entire metro.

[gttx]

Interesting article in the ABC today:

"New dome, convention space could be part of master plan"

http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2007/08/13/daily13.html?surround=lfn

[Atlriser]

Um actually I hate people who do this but I did say 78% leased, and yes 20% full...not leased....reread what I wrote...sorry to be an ass but it gets old around here quick! If I'm speculating or unsure I always say I believe. If it's factual I tend to say that as well.....thank you.

You are right I should not have mixed the full and leased percentages like I did, but what I stated was correct.

[Atlriser]

Not necessarily.

Several office projects are likely to break ground without any lead tenants. 3630 (already has), Two Alliance, 12th & Midtown Phase II, and Metropolitan Center have all announced their intentions to do so and I was just reading an article that explains why.

Beginning in 2009 and the 2-3 years after that, there will be something in the neighborhood of 10 million + SF of office leases that will expire. All of these developers would like a shiny new building for any tenants that might be looking to expand or move and Novare may choose to be one of them. Also the Midtown and Buckhead submarkets have alternated having the lowest vacancy rate in the entire metro.

Thank you for reframing my thoughts better. The market is upticking now slowly and the amount of turnover is going to be significant in 2 to 3 years; therefore, the timeframe that Viewpoint 2 or 3 would be started would be a great time to investigate the office component instead of residential for Novare. Then if View 3 were to start in 4 years, it might be a great time to switch it back to residential. I was trying to state. A developer that can't be fluid with their developments won't be around long enough to finish large scale projects like Viewpoint.

[ATLaffinity]

Interesting article in the ABC today:

"New dome, convention space could be part of master plan"

http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2007/08/13/daily13.html?surround=lfn

and is there anything sillier than playing football in ATL in a dome? it's wrong anywhere but absurd in the South.

i hope the moving roof would also bring natural grass.

watching a fall game at Tech is a joy. i went to the Peach Bowl once and it wasn't even like being at a football game.

[Atlriser]

Sorry, I sat for years in Fulton Cty stadium tuna can sweating my balls off watching football there. Games can be beautiful outside for college, but I like watching the Falcons inside myself. That's just like the people in Chicago when asked about building a dome to replace Soldier Field revolted and said no. I THINK THAT'S INSANITY! Outside freezing in Chicago....but they don't apparently. They wanted an outside stadium. I love the idea of a retractable roof for sure, but it's nice being in a dome when it's 90 and 90% humidity in September and 55 and rainy in November and December too. It's all preference. Anyway attend the SEC Championship in the Dome.....it's very lively and fun....sorry but GO DAWGS! :-)

[Hot_Pepper]

Sorry, I sat for years in Fulton Cty stadium tuna can sweating my balls off watching football there. Games can be beautiful outside for college, but I like watching the Falcons inside myself. That's just like the people in Chicago when asked about building a dome to replace Soldier Field revolted and said no. I THINK THAT'S INSANITY! Outside freezing in Chicago....but they don't apparently. They wanted an outside stadium. I love the idea of a retractable roof for sure, but it's nice being in a dome when it's 90 and 90% humidity in September and 55 and rainy in November and December too. It's all preference. Anyway attend the SEC Championship in the Dome.....it's very lively and fun....sorry but GO DAWGS! :-)

I love it, you don't mince words, you cut right to the chase, and I love it. I like being in the climate control dome myself. I like anything like a game or concert to be climate controlled. I like the dome just like it is.:cheers:

[Atlriser]

LOL! Sorry my bad morning at work has spilt over into my postings today! I apologize to all but it is true....it was so hot in that place and the dome is so comfortable. Agreed for the Falcons its dull usually but being a long time game attendee since the mid 1980's growing up, the Dome can really rock when you have a good team and in the playoffs. The Vikings game before the Superbowl was quit loud and a great time by all. The key is putting a team on the field to get excited about in the first place whether they are losing or winning.

[jcathens]

I think domes are retarded, especially in Atlanta. The Georgia Dome is one of the worst places to watch a football game. I think Arthur Blank understands this and is why something is probably going to change.
I rarely go to Falcons games just because of the dome.

[mayhem]

Anyone who hates the GA Dome could not have been to a game in Fulton Co Stadium.

[Teshadoh]

^ I've been to FulCo Stadium & I hate the GA Dome. Yes - the old stadium sucked, but so does the replacement.

[Toxostoma Rufum]

I don't care how bad the weather is, football shouldn't be played indoors period.

Nobody thinks the Braves ought to play indoors even though it's going to be 102 degrees tomorrow...or are baseball fans tougher than football fans?

You only have to sit through maybe ten games a YEAR maximum if your team goes far into the playoffs...and you want to spend it in a freakin' DOME???

[jcathens]

I know ^^ The one Falcons game I went to last year against the Browns it was 60 degrees outside and beautiful. Inside it was smoky and dark. Then Vick lost the game by dropping the football without anybody touching him. Ahh, hopefully no more of that anytime soon.

[ATLaffinity]

I know ^^ The one Falcons game I went to last year against the Browns it was 60 degrees outside and beautiful.

exactly.

they don't play football in July. Autumn is perfect for football in ATL.

[Trae]

In Autumn in Houston, you wish the summer pools were open.

[the local]

Here's the thing about having a dome... you can hold many other events in there too. Football, while the marquee event held at the dome, is one of the least common. After all it only happens about 8-12 times a year. You are just as likely to see other events or competitions there which can be related to what is happening in the congress center. Additionally, it allows other large periodic events such as basketball to happen there as well. It is a massive operation to make a retractable roof stadium that can also host the final four in a good configuration. (The new Colts stadium is actually designed for basketball as well)
Football: http://www2.indystar.com/library/factfiles/places/indianapolis/colts_stadium/img/rendering1_0905.jpg
Basketball: http://www.stadiumsofnfl.com/future/colts102.jpg
Also of interest is that its end zone walls will apparently open when the roof is retracted.

[ThrashATL]

Anyone who hates the GA Dome could not have been to a game in Fulton Co Stadium.

The master bathroom in my house is wider than the concourse at FulCoStad.

[boomtown]

^ I've been to FulCo Stadium & I hate the GA Dome. Yes - the old stadium sucked, but so does the replacement.

Bleakly efficient on the inside and ugly on the outside imo. The mauve and seafoam green stripes are horrible.:yuck:

[shanthemanatl]

Bleakly efficient on the inside and ugly on the outside imo. The mauve and seafoam green stripes are horrible.:yuck:

There is a plan to repaint the outside in a red/grey color scheme.

I think the sight lines are excellent in the Georgia Dome. I think adding a retractable roof and natural grass would do the trick.

[Atlriser]

Agreed on the retractable roof. The dome is so much more important as a dome to the city then just a football stadium. 10 games for the Falcons versus the use of the dome 355 other days a year.

[reggie]

Anyone who hates the GA Dome could not have been to a game in Fulton Co Stadium.

Amen, brother.

[Hot_Pepper]

Anyone who hates the GA Dome could not have been to a game in Fulton Co Stadium.


EXACTLY !! this heat is hell, its days like this I LOVE THE DOME, A/C RULES:banana:

I go there for other stuff other than football, and Turner Field would RULE if it could close its roof, if it had one !!!

[Chris Creech]

I think the sight lines are excellent in the Georgia Dome. I think adding a retractable roof and natural grass would do the trick.

It is after all the largest cable supported roof in the world. Designed that way to prevent columns from messing up the sightlines for games - that should count for something.

I know people don't like the color - but geez - that can always be changed.

[MarketsWork]

A nice surprise along with my morning coffee! OxBlue has enhanced their webcam sites since last night. Along with a sleeker, more "tabbed" appearance, the new pages feature a Full Screen option, a Most Recent button, a Visual Calendar with thumbnail photos, and Time Lapse sequence from beginning to present. I was going to get a jump start on my work, but have been playing with the webcams for over half an hour instead.

[(four 0 four)]

The tower crane is finally going up for The Brookwood. South Buckhead has quite a collection of cranes (although not all are of the tower variety) at The Brookwood, Shepherd Center, new apartments on P'tree Valley, Mezzo, The Astoria and Gallery.

[RobMidtowner]

^Also (I don't know if this would be considered South Buckhead or West Midtown) there's a crane up for Piedmont West expansion at Howell Mill and I-75.

[Broccoli]

I noticed today that there is a trailer on Spring St. and 8th, across the street from the Plaza Midtown Publix. Anyone know what that's about?

[micropundit]

Atlanta Business Chronicle - 4:55 PM EDT Monday, August 20, 2007
Insurance provider MetLife has submitted plans for mixed-use development in Alpharetta, Ga., on its MetLife Tract (Georgia 400 Center) along Lakeview Parkway near Haynes Bridge Road.

The plans, which need rezoning approval as a development of regional impact, call for a 150-room hotel, 458 multifamily units, 503,600 square feet of office space, 32,900 square feet of retail space and a 22,000-square-foot restaurant.

Pending rezoning approval, the project is slated for completion at the end of 2009.

[(four 0 four)]

I noticed today that there is a trailer on Spring St. and 8th, across the street from the Plaza Midtown Publix. Anyone know what that's about?
Jeff Foxworthy has moved to Midtown?:shrug:

[Broccoli]

Jeff Foxworthy has moved to Midtown?:shrug:

I was thinking it must be a construction trailer, but that was a good one... :haha:

[mayhem]

Possibly a trailer for The Palomar since King owns both lots?

[DoteDote]

^Also (I don't know if this would be considered South Buckhead or West Midtown) there's a crane up for Piedmont West expansion at Howell Mill and I-75.Yeah, I posted this photo last week:

http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/2267/piedmontwest081307szm4.jpg
Shot with Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL (http://profile.imageshack.us/camerabuy.php?model=Canon+EOS+DIGITAL+REBEL&make=Canon) at 2007-08-13

[trainiac]

I took Auburn into work today. The new SCLC building looks sharp! Fits right in with the historic buildings there.

Approaching Renaissance Walk, I noticed that it stops 30 or so feet short of Butler St. (or Jesse Hill) and there are a number of cars parked on that little lot. Anybody know what the plan is there? Perhaps another small storefront?

Heading north on Piedmont, there were a bunch of students navigating from the new GSU dorms south to campus. Too bad the sidewalks on the east side of Piedmont are closed for construction -- hopefully it won't be for too much longer.

Oh, and the old GSU bookstore on Edgewood got a long-over-do facelift. It looks great! This part of town is transforming quickly

[Labtec]

and is there anything sillier than playing football in ATL in a dome? it's wrong anywhere but absurd in the South.

i hope the moving roof would also bring natural grass.

watching a fall game at Tech is a joy. i went to the Peach Bowl once and it wasn't even like being at a football game.

Well I don't think we would've hosted Super Bowl's, Final Four's, and other marquee events if not for the dome.

[DSGB]

Well I don't think we would've hosted Super Bowl's, Final Four's, and other marquee events if not for the dome.

Don't forget about the olympics.

[ThrashATL]

Don't forget about the olympics.

They got ripped off (the Olympics), few of the venues lived up to their original design and hype, the dome being one of those. Funny, two of the best venues, the swim center at GT and the tennis venue at Stone Mountain, have either been heavily modified (swim) or go virtually unused (tennis).

If you saw original designs of the Georgia Dome and if it were built that way, people probably wouldn't hate it so much. The area between the side walls and the edge of the dome were covered in glass and the concourses open to the light of the sky, not the dark, dank and depressing mausoleum effect it has now.

[RobMidtowner]

^I like the additions they made to the GT rec center, the gym and basketball courts are much bigger and better than they were before. And nothing beats the views from the running track on the top floor.

[A-town]

Well I don't think we would've hosted Super Bowl's, Final Four's, and other marquee events if not for the dome.

This may sound weird but I don't think the Dome is a good place to host the Super Bowl for one reason. You can't see the fighter jets fly over the arena after the singing of the national anthem, it's my favorite part of the show.

[KevinAtl]

MCL Properties Break Ground at Skyline at Lindbergh



MCL Companies and members of the Buckhead Coalition recently broke ground at Skyline at Lindbergh - an all glass luxury condominium high rise in Atlanta.



[USPRwire, Wed Aug 22 2007] President of the Buckhead Coalition, Sam Massell, joined developers from Chicago's famed MCL Companies and Atlanta’s own George S. Morgan Companies, to not only break ground on Skyline at Lindbergh, a luxury condominium tower located at the corner of Morosgo Drive and Adina Street, but also to “break sky.” As Massell and company shoveled the first few feet of ground, six-foot tall, helium-filled, tethered balloons were released from four corners of the site into the air to simulate the height of the new 21-story building. In addition to the exciting groundbreaking ceremony, the company announced that the sales center is now open at Lindbergh Plaza.
“We are thrilled to officially break ground on Skyline at Lindbergh and look forward to installing the crane, laying the foundation, and getting this fabulous new high rise built,” said Michael Maier Vice President of MCL Companies. “Skyline will be unlike anything else in the area, and will offer phenomenal views from most every home. It will truly become a landmark for the Lindbergh area.”
Speaking to a crowd of media, contractors, architects, sales reps and marketing agents, Dan McLean of MCL expressed his excitement about bringing his vision of luxury urban living to Atlanta. George Morgan announced that Phase One, which features 220 one- to three-bedroom homes priced from the $190,000s to $1 million-plus for penthouses, will be completed by Spring 2009. Massell reminisced about the Lindbergh neighborhood and how it looked when he and his wife lived there in their first home for a mere $65 per month, while also sharing his enthusiasm for the area’s renovation and rebirth.
The group later joined about 75 guests for an evening reception at the sales center, which features a scale model of the condominium high-rise, sample floor plans, a model bathroom and kitchen with samples of various finishes, and a virtual DVD tour.
Homes at Skyline will offer 700 to 2,400 square feet of living space, and will feature an array of upgrades which are included at no additional charge. All homes from the eighth floor and up offer phenomenal views of the city, and every home includes 10-foot ceilings, granite countertops, Bosch stainless steel appliances, hardwood floors, spacious bathrooms and floor to ceiling windows.
In addition to the array of shopping, dining and entertainment located at Lindbergh Plaza, homeowners will enjoy superb amenities such as a swimming pool with waterfalls; cabana; clubhouse with fitness center and billiards room; concierge service; a dog walk area and plenty of green space for afternoon picnics.
For more information about Skyline or to register for the VIP List, visit www.skyline-atl.com or call 404-467-4447.
MCL Companies was started by Daniel E. McLean in 1976 as a company that specializes in development, construction and marketing of urban properties nationally, including residences and retail centers. Skyline is the first Atlanta project for the Chicago-based company, which is building the high-rise in a joint venture with George S. Morgan Development Company Inc. MCL has been synonymous for excellence in creativity in Chicago, New York, Denver, Boston, Las Vegas and on Fisher Island in Florida. The company now brings its flair for the dramatic to Atlanta.

[sprtsluvr8]

They got ripped off (the Olympics), few of the venues lived up to their original design and hype, the dome being one of those. Funny, two of the best venues, the swim center at GT and the tennis venue at Stone Mountain, have either been heavily modified (swim) or go virtually unused (tennis).

If you saw original designs of the Georgia Dome and if it were built that way, people probably wouldn't hate it so much. The area between the side walls and the edge of the dome were covered in glass and the concourses open to the light of the sky, not the dark, dank and depressing mausoleum effect it has now.


The '96 Olympic venues are the one thing that I always hear praises about. I thought the entire Olympics was fabulous and exciting, but of course Atlanta is not going to get away from the criticism of people in "greater" cities...anyway...

1. The dome is an awesome place to see a football game. It's dark??
2. The dome sucks for watching basketball - Phillips is 100% better.
3. When the dome is remodeled, the dated pastels on the outside will change.
4. The only Olympic venues that were being built were Turner Field, tennis, beach volleyball, and the aquatic center. I think everything else was already built and in place.
5. GA Tech couldn't make use the aquatic center without enclosing it.
6. The tennis center is great, but there isn't a major tennis event or another good use for it. I think Wimbledon, Roland Garros, etc, sit empty most of the year until tournament time.

[UVAsuperman]

It appears that both of the vacant Spire retail spaces might not be so vacant soon. The one closer to Peachtree (was Tasty-D-Lite) has posters up for a pizza (ZPizza or Pizza-Z, looks like a chain--and the posters suggest accolades from other places like Washington) place and also had signs out on the sidewalk in the last few days. Can't see in there but the old yogurt decor is still up. The other space (between Fune and Twelve) is in the process of build-out. A concrete mixer was parked there yesterday morning and a guy was carting in concrete with a wheelbarrow. I got a peak in the door and it looks like a counter is under construction. No word on exactly what this might be. At any rate, looks like 1-2 new retail/restaurant spaces are coming to this growing stretch of Peachtree.

[ATLssMania]

It appears that both of the vacant Spire retail spaces might not be so vacant soon. The one closer to Peachtree (was Tasty-D-Lite) has posters up for a pizza (ZPizza or Pizza-Z, looks like a chain--and the posters suggest accolades from other places like Washington) place and also had signs out on the sidewalk in the last few days. Can't see in there but the old yogurt decor is still up. The other space (between Fune and Twelve) is in the process of build-out. A concrete mixer was parked there yesterday morning and a guy was carting in concrete with a wheelbarrow. I got a peak in the door and it looks like a counter is under construction. No word on exactly what this might be. At any rate, looks like 1-2 new retail/restaurant spaces are coming to this growing stretch of Peachtree.

Great News! That ZPizza looks interesting. From the signs it looks like it is "healthy pizza." Perfect for the Midtown crowd!

[mayhem]

We can only hope they stay open late! :)

[jnihiser]

It appears that both of the vacant Spire retail spaces might not be so vacant soon. The one closer to Peachtree (was Tasty-D-Lite) has posters up for a pizza (ZPizza or Pizza-Z, looks like a chain--and the posters suggest accolades from other places like Washington) place and also had signs out on the sidewalk in the last few days. Can't see in there but the old yogurt decor is still up. The other space (between Fune and Twelve) is in the process of build-out. A concrete mixer was parked there yesterday morning and a guy was carting in concrete with a wheelbarrow. I got a peak in the door and it looks like a counter is under construction. No word on exactly what this might be. At any rate, looks like 1-2 new retail/restaurant spaces are coming to this growing stretch of Peachtree.

To piggyback on your comment...

1280 west peachtree retail appears to have all been spoken for. Currently, the Goodstone Cafe and a salon occupy 2 of the 4 retail spaces. The leasing signs came down yesterday for the 2 empty storefronts, and I noticed today that permits have taken their places. I'll let everyone know what's going in the next time I walk by.

[ATLssMania]

Does anyone know when Steel and the Pizza place at Plaza Midtown will open?

[UVAsuperman]

No word on exactly what this might be.

To follow up on my post from yesterday, the space between Fune and Twelve will be a Firehouse Subs (checked the posted building permit last night and then this morning large signs announcing its eminent arrival materialized).

I can't wait to have both of these places at Spire (not just because I live there). They will add more quality, fast, and inexpensive places to eat in this area!

[ATLssMania]

To follow up on my post from yesterday, the space between Fune and Twelve will be a Firehouse Subs (checked the posted building permit last night and then this morning large signs announcing its eminent arrival materialized).

I can't wait to have both of these places at Spire (not just because I live there). They will add more quality, fast, and inexpensive places to eat in this area!

Very good to hear...we need more quick, high quality places like Firehouse Subs. This ZPizza sounds really interesting too...is it a chain? I hope all these places have outdoor seating...

Does anyone know how Kuhlman is doing? I NEVER see anyone in there and they have the most awful clothes I have ever seen. I hope something takes its place...it just doesn't fit in Midtown.

[Fiorenza]

high quality places like Firehouse Subs

If the Mile is going to be successful (which is a doubtful proposition) it will need to be more than a strip of "high quality" fast food franchises.

[mayhem]

Great news about Firehouse Subs! I'll definitely be frequenting them. I'm glad it's not another place like Fune where I would only eat a few times a year.