ATLANTA | Development Thread V

[WoodeGA]

Originally Posted by SwimAtl

thanks for the pics. I wonder if they're going to re-do all the glass and/or change the look of the top? will be interesting to see what happens

No prob!

AJC says they're taking the top off completely, in this article from today that's mostly about SunTrust Georgia leasing the bottom 5 floors of the Campanile for the division HQ.

"Renovations, which include removing the pyramid shape atop the building, should be done by 2012 when he hopes to face 'improving market conditions.'" - SunTrust's Ga. HQ moving to Midtown Rachel Tobin, Atlanta Journal-Constitution 8/22/2011

I actually liked the top of the building, but I guess it's gonna be generic and flat now. But that means I'll be able to see a tiny bit more of 1180 Peachtree from my building. (Also, I'm an annoying pedant: it's not a pyramid they're removing, it's a triangular prism.)

[foxmccleod]

Originally Posted by SwimAtl

thanks for the pics. I wonder if they're going to re-do all the glass and/or change the look of the top? will be interesting to see what happens

To expand a little on what WoodeGA noted.

SunTrust's Ga. HQ moving to Midtown
By Rachel Tobin
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
August 22, 2011

...Renovations, which include removing the pyramid shape atop the building, should be done by 2012 when he hopes to face "improving market conditions."

Dewberry Capital is spending millions of dollars to replace the elevators, electrical and lighting systems. It hired Harmon Inc., the company that replaced the windows in the downtown Westin after it was struck by a tornado, to replace all the Campanile's windows.

Dewberry also is working on a plan to use the broad footprint around the building for retail or other uses.

http://www.ajc.com/business/suntrusts-ga-hq-moving-1130800.html

[simms3_redux]

Originally Posted by joecool

Does the Hotel have a website with renderings or at least some info?

Any updates on the Mandarin Hotel or Trump? Are these totally dead or just on hold? I also remember seeing on here that someone bought the lot across from the High. Is something proposed for that spot?

Tivoli Properties, the developer of Aqua on 10th, was supposed to build the Mandarin. That property, which is 1138 Peachtree, went back to the bank (First Citizens) this March. Tivoli still has the Mandarin up on their website, but that is a factor of not updating their website.

http://www.tivoli-properties.com/

The site across from Woodruff/the High was sold by Woodruff Arts Center to One Museum Place, LLC in January, 2007 for $17M. Doing some very basic research, the LLC is still active and they had a name reservation for their proposed condominium association back in 2007. The name reservation has expired. There were a few articles last year and in 2009 about a potential rebirth of the project, but nothing is happening now (and if something happens, I am bound to hear about it pretty quickly).

http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2010/04/12/story4.html
http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2008/05/19/story9.html
http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2008/02/11/story5.html
http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2007/11/12/daily17.html

Developer: http://www.jwhomes.com/Whoweare.aspx

As for the Trump Towers, that is dead. The sales center is long closed and the property is being operated as a parking lot to at least generate some revenue to service the debt. The development partnerships are not dissolved because the developers are still active, but they have 1240 West Peachtree up for sale and JLL is listing it (this to the best of my knowledge).

http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2006/11/20/focus1.html

In that area keep in mind that most of the block where Einstein's is and Carolyn's is inward toward CosmoLava is owned by a group out of Winter Park, FL. They purchased it from the bank last year. Here is an excerpt from their website:

Avanti focuses its investment activities primarily on

•Three- to nine-year residential and commercial land, including parking lots and “teardown” buildings, acquired through short sales, recapitalizations, loan purchases and outright acquisitions
•Community Development District (CDD) bond purchases
•Land financing (three- to seven-year first and second mortgages, non-recourse loans)

I have noticed some demolitions and site work on the parcel recently.

The site where Novare is planning Skyhouse does not appear to have gone under contract yet as Paul Hanna's sign is still up. As soon as his sign comes down and it is no longer listed for sale on CoStar, we'll know Novare is serious about building their tower. I predict that will be a while.

Meanwhile, Daniel/Selig own their two additional parcels on Peachtree and next to Ra where their new building is going. That development is more imminent and a developer like that I'm sure wants to "break ground" in a time of fanfare and momentum. Perhaps the ground breaking for the hotel on Williams got the energy level up a little.

[sevensixtwo]

This park looks really great. Looks like it could also be a reservoir.



Development site from north end of park


Turning earth


South across the park


Southern end


Development from south side of park


HAARP activities

[NYC2ATX]

Originally Posted by sevensixtwo

South across the park


Southern end


Development from south side of park

Looks like paradise

[micropundit]

In what promises to be the first of many medical related projects at the 486 acre former Army base, the Veterans Administration announced that it will purchase a site at Ft. Mcpherson for use as a campus for medical and other services.



http://www.ajc.com/news/va-to-build-new-1131136.html

[boomtown]

This is what the 10th St dual hotel project site looked like this morning.

[GTdan]

Originally Posted by boomtown

This is what the 10th St dual hotel project site looked like this morning.

They have made a decent amount of progress since last week.

[shivtim]

^They now have TWO porta-potties on site.

[Dale]

^ Do we have an official height on those porta-potties ? Atlanta is WAY overdue for some highrise activity.

[AtlantaMustang]

So they're definitely hacking the top off of the campanile building.
Taken by me from the High today.

[Dale]

I read somewhere that the Coca-Cola renovation could well involve a notable exterior renovation ? Has anyone else heard this ?

[simms3_redux]

Yes it will. There was a bid for the project last year and as you wrote in another thread, Gensler won. TVS and I think Perkins & Will were in the running. As you also mentioned in another thread, employees are slowly being moved, floor by floor, from the main tower to other parts of the campus and elsewhere (temporarily).

No renderings have been released, but there is a building in Washington DC that I photographed a few years ago that was built about the same time and once featured a very similar skin.









Not sure who did the architectural work on this building, but it was completed in 2009.

http://www.tishmanspeyer.com/properties/Property.aspx?id=144

And I am fairly certain that the project will earn the building and probably the entire campus various LEED ratings (it's pointless if they don't go for that and have it certified). I predict at least LEED gold.

[Dale]

That kind of work would make me VERY happy.

[cityenthusiast]

The Coca-Cola complex deffinately needs a renovation. And the main building is in need of an exterior renovation. That would be awesome if they redid the exterior with all glass. The whole complex looks so outdated. I think the complex should reflect the fact that coca cola is one of the most recognized brands and largest companies in the world. A new tower would be awesome too but thats highly unlikely. one can dream though

[shivtim]

^^^ Small world. I used to work in that building's Tishman-Speyer sister across the street at 1717 Pennsylvania. The rooftop on 1730 has an incredible view.

[futuresooner]

Idk if it has already been asked, but why remove the top of The Campanile? Are they replacing it with something else or just leaving it as a flat roof?

[Chris Creech]

I really hope they open up the campus a bit more too, I know it's a corporate headquarters, but it's always felt like such a prison complex. A lot of that I know is a hold over from when the complex was first build and the area was really, really bad.

What was really strange working there, is that there was really no way at all to actually walk in and out of the complex. There are no restaurants and shops really close by, but if there were you couldn't have really gotten to them.

I was glad to see that their redoing of the food court at least included a lot of outdoor areas to eat and be outside. Another odd thing was that with all the green space there, you could see it, but there was really not much of a way to enjoy it.

I hope they can somehow at least make a stab at making it more pedestrian friendly and open to the neighborhood. It seems that a restaurant area would do well with all those Coke employees AND GA Tech.

In fact, if you haven't been by lately Ga Tech has been doing a major renovation of their North Avenue sidewalks and street presence from the connector bridge all the way to Coca-Cola.

You have to wonder too if they're investing a lot of money into remodel if they're force the city to finally do something about the park across the street. That has to be one of the most neglected and dismal parks in the city. It's pretty much abandoned to the homeless and an open camp 24/7. When I was there no one at Coke would even dare thing of going over there to enjoy lunch. However, imagine that as a true active green space, where people from Coke and GATech could have lunch, catch bands, etc.

[Chris Creech]

Originally Posted by futuresooner

Idk if it has already been asked, but why remove the top of The Campanile? Are they replacing it with something else or just leaving it as a flat roof?

Odd question but has anyone actually ever heard the Campanile playing music at the tower? That was sort of the whole point when it was built.

campanile (ˌkæmpəˈniːlɪ)
— n
Compare belfry (esp in Italy) a bell tower, not usually attached to another building

That whole top was supposed to be full of not actually bells but big speakers that were supposed to play music. I'm not sure if they actually ever installed them, but that was the reason for that top design.

That probably just joins that whole list of Atlanta tops of buildings that were supposed to do something. 1) The 191 Building that was supposed to shoot steam out of the top of the "temples", 2) the Suntrust Tower (Peachtree Center) with the giant UFO on top that is actually a big circle of spotlights that cut on and off, giving a lighthouse effect (they did it the first week then quit), 3) The gold top of the BofA building. If you notice several of the cross beams in the top skeleton are covered in bronze metallic metal, they were all supposed to be giving the look of a golden top that would still light up from the inside. Nationsbank when they bought C&S immediately slashed the budget of the building as it was being finished, they tried to cut the height down so that it wouldn't be taller than the HQ in Charlotte but it was too far along.

[cityenthusiast]

Chris Creech, I absolutely agree, they really need to open up that campus. Its completely un-urban. They need to knock down the fence and build retail, restaurants and shops. I dont understand why they would build a headquarters in the middle of the city and make it a fortress.