^ It's the call box for the front door. :D

i'm listening to 929 dave fm online right now, and i'm hearing an ad for Viewpoint as I type this. kinda cool

Any Spire residents with cameras?
 

Now is the perfect time for a look-down shot of Viewpoint from Spire. With the roof of the parking pedestal fully poured, and the view presently unobstructed by further tower construction, the rooftop terrace layouts should be clear. If I'm not mistaken, the swimming pool will be on the south terrace. If some kind forumer has a camera and access to Spire, a photo or two would be appreciated by all...

Viewpoint - slow sales???
 

I dropped into the sales office this afternoon (april 5th) and the "sales board" shows they have about 35 units or so under contract after 5 days of selling - they started last saturday. That dosent sound too bad - but obviously includes the usual "insider" sales to developers friends etc. The majority of the sales seem to be the cheapest of the 1 brm units. It sounds like buyers (whether owners or investors) are much more cautious than past years. If i remember correctly Spire had about 200 units under contract after 5 days. Personally im happy that the crazy investor days are behind us. It will be very interesting to see how long this building will take to sell and what kinds of incentives Novare will have to offer to move units in the future.....????

I wouldn't consider almost 10% available units sold after five days slow at all. Isn't there at least another year of construction before occupancy? Seems like so many folks just keep waiting for the sky to fall on Atlanta's condo market. How much of a dent can 396 units make in a metro poulation of 5 million +? I think this market can last a long time as long as only a handful of residential high-rises are going up at any one time. My completely unprofessional opinion, but it just makes sense. That doesn't even count the critical mass that we get closer and closer to as more buildings open.

Is this a 3-building project?

Yes. The first one is under construction, with two more, proposed, to be built.

I have a view of Viewpoint from my home and it looks like they are really picking up pace with the residential floors. I could be totally off but it seems like they're building a floor every 5 days now!

Too bad this project couldn't have been reversed, two towers in back fronting P'tree and the entire block facing the street with retail. What's that little 1 story thing to the left with all that wasted land for parking?

Starbucks. Its already there is you want a cup of coffee with a touch of suburban land waste to wake you up in the morning.

I used to think that, but changed my mind. What I like about the current tower configuration of that block (one up, two back) is that it spreads the building density to the east -- away from Peachtree. The normal pattern would concentrate the most height and density directly on the Peachtree spine, further exagerrating the linear skyline. A completed Viewpoint will add lateral density and depth. My two cents...

I'm going to assume they were negotiated with and offered space in the new building... if not, someone at Novare should be fired.

Your assumption is correct -- Novare did try to lure Starbucks out of its stand alone location and into the new building. But Starbucks had a favorable lease on its very profitable location, and refused to move out. A contract is a contract, and who can blame them?

While it looks a bit odd, I actually think the carve out will work. It looks like Novare flanked the one side aroun Starbucks with shops. That may not be a bad thing, and it calls attention to the stores down 6th.

Any chance Starbucks will take space in the new building AFTER it is built? This way they wouldn't have to close for long...

Wasn't that cutout's existence designed to save that Neel Reid building on 7th as well?

Unlikely. Novare tried to convince Starbucks to move in, but they said they required a drive-through, which was flatly denied, and so Starbucks decided not to move. Yes, the cutout also allowed the Neel Reid building to remain.

Photo taken 4-22-07
 

The crane will need to be jacked sometime this week or the upcoming weekend. Maybe then we'll get a good idea the impact this will have on the skyline. Will they jack the crane all the way, or only to a second-stage height?

I would imagine to a secondary height. I reacall the cranes at both 12 CP and Gallery being raised a few times.