South Downtown Redevelopment

[ArchKid]

Originally Posted by Sojourner_Terminus

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure Jon Birdsong, the Tech Square guy who bought all these properties has said they are only going to build residential to 6 stories "human-scale" development.

Its my understanding that they are changing tack from what Newport had envisioned, and are focusing on residential conversions.

Someone else with more info chime in to correct me if im wrong.

I think the design style of "STUDIOS Architecture" focuses on European modern style, which is more appropriate for the renovation of old buildings. I hope the new developer can hire them to continue designing in the future.
If the new developer want to transform it into a pedestrian street, adding residential buildings to the old commercial buildings is the right idea. This "insertion" method can organically combine the old and new buildings. Newport's original design ideas had some merit.
With the addition of streetcar, the ground floor will be commercial retail and the upper floors will be residential, transforming it into a pedestrian street just like some streets in Sydney CBD.
If there is only commercial retail but no residential buildings, it will never be able to gather popularity. This is a fatal injury.

[bryantm3]

The funny thing about modern "human scale development" is that it's a facade— there is no way to operate a building with 1000 residents at a human scale. What I would like to see are more apartment buildings that can be successfully managed by a large family. The crazy people who call the massive 5-over-1s "communist" might not have a good grasp on what communism actually is— but they do have a point that such a living situation is authoritarian. The income inequality issue— where we all wait for big corporations to build because we're all too poor— is manifesting itself in the types of buildings that are being built— designed so that they can only be managed and maintained by bureaucracy— whether that's a large corporation or the government is really besides the point. They are killing the creativity & ingenuity that happens in a city that has a lot of granularity— because that granularity is what gives opportunities for someone to take a risk and start something new.

It seems like everybody's so hungry for housing that they're willing to take anything. But these types of developments have almost always turned out to be bad news, and I don't see how our technology is going to change that.

[smArTaLlone]

Potential tenants are showing interest in these properties due to their strategic location near MARTA & Mercedes-Benz Stadium, as well as the planned $10 billion that will be invested in Downtown Atlanta in the coming years.

[smArTaLlone]

https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/...-birdsong.html

Last week, a representative for the South Downtown venture filed eight permits to build out co-working space at 235 Mitchell Street, a building that will become another location of Atlanta Tech Village, the Buckhead-based startup incubator.

The new owners of 235 Mitchell plan to spend more than $4 million to continue renovating the building, according to the permits. The renovation will transform about 31,000 square feet, creating office space for tech entrepreneurs and neighborhood businesses. The goal is to open in January.

The new location will be called Atlanta Tech Village-Sylvan, named after the Sylvan Hotel that was originally housed in the building.

The group is also negotiating leases for three new retail and restaurant tenants in South Downtown but did not disclose details. Birdsong said that the group wants tenants and businesses to be local.

“We want people in the neighborhood, building the community, activating buildings,” Birdsong said.

[smArTaLlone]

https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/...ext-phase.html

The tech entrepreneurs who acquired 10 blocks in South Downtown plan to invest at least $100 million into its next phase, transforming a collection of historic buildings into housing, shops, restaurants and office space.

A venture led by David Cummings and Jon Birdsong, entrepreneurs behind Buckhead startup incubator Atlanta Tech Village, aims to complete a section of South Downtown by the time the 2026 FIFA World Cup comes to Atlanta.

They’re calling this phase Project Elle because the streets involved form an “L” shape south of Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Project Elle could bring about 100 housing units to the historic buildings. The next phase will span Broad and Mitchell streets, and Ted Turner and MLK Jr. drives.

Birdsong, in an interview, said the team is working with a total of eight to 10 firms that are all in Atlanta, naming Local Architects LLC, Smith Dalia Architects and Kronberg Urbanists + Architects.

Birdsong said the project is being financed with “all cash, no debt,” meaning it will be funded by the venture’s equity.

[smArTaLlone]

[bryantm3]

They posted this old postcard image to instagram on slide 3, showing a much more elaborate building. I had no idea the building ever looked like this.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C9w5eYGO..._web_copy_link

[L41A]

Originally Posted by bryantm3

They posted this old postcard image to instagram on slide 3, showing a much more elaborate building. I had no idea the building ever looked like this.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C9w5eYGO..._web_copy_link

Thanks for sharing this historical info.
I remember a vibrant Mitchell Street in the not so distant past when C&S/NationsBank/BofA had a major presence along with Norfolk Southern in the area.

[BKeeper3]

Originally Posted by L41A

Thanks for sharing this historical info.
I remember a vibrant Mitchell Street in the not so distant past when C&S/NationsBank/BofA had a major presence along with Norfolk Southern in the area.

My dad was starting his career as a young officer at C&S bank there on Mitchell Street in the 1960s. Of course everything seems bigger when you're a kid, but my memories of the big city vibes the area had at the time were very different from the relatively sterile feel that started to take hold in later decades.

[bryantm3]

Originally Posted by BKeeper3

My dad was starting his career as a young officer at C&S bank there on Mitchell Street in the 1960s. Of course everything seems bigger when you're a kid, but my memories of the big city vibes the area had at the time were very different from the relatively sterile feel that started to take hold in later decades.

Small world! My dad worked at C&S in the 70s.

[briantech]

Construction update of the new Atlanta Tech Village - Sylvan:

https://www.instagram.com/p/C_gpvtBupqp/

[mackiejamieson]

There's a new tenant on hotel row (Delilah's Everyday Soul) and they've started renovation on 185 and 191 Mitchell St. (retail ground; 195 will have apartments above). Still waiting for official announcement of the bookstore that's been in talks for hotel row.

[briantech]

222 Mitchell also kicked off demo phase today!

[numacs]

Originally Posted by briantech

222 Mitchell also kicked off demo phase today!

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/birds...20ahead%20with

[Sojourner_Terminus]

hahahaha super excited about South Downtown and think Jon Birdsong has a good shot at pulling it off, but I am 95% sure those construction guys behind him were waiting to shuffle those supplies off as soon as the camera pans, to give the viewer a sense of progress.

[mackiejamieson]

Originally Posted by briantech

222 Mitchell also kicked off demo phase today!

I heard from someone who attended last week's block party tour that the plan for 222 ois retail on the ground level and rooftop, with 200-ish apartments in between.