ATLANTA | Development Thread V

[Alfred E Neuman]

[QUOTE=Tuckerman;6478279]

Originally Posted by simms3_redux

I'll look forward to seeing ground break on a couple of these [Midtown] projects, and I'll be blown completely away if more than 50% break ground within the next 2 years.

I think 50% would be terrific. In almost everything in life that one plans 50% is a very good percentage. We become so used to believing our own expectations that we forget that many are never met. The old saying " I'll believe it when I see it," really applies to the area of construction and sometimes it is hard to repress the excitement that grand proposals offer. Nonetheless, there are a lot of cranes around the city now and a palpable feeling of growth after a few years of the doldrums. I think we were spoiled by the work taking place 10 years ago. Regardless, there are some advantages to a little slower development. It gives the new buildings a little more time to settle in and fill up. When I visit cities with rapid development, e.g. recently returned from Beijing and Berlin, I am always thinking of the infrastructure that may not be there to support rapid development. We tend to think only of what is above the ground and visible rather than the sewers, drains, electrics, transport, police, etc. that are needed to support new buildings and population shifts.

Very well said, Tuckerman. Beijing is a house of coughing cards; a set piece built for admiration rather than for working and living. Maybe one day it will catch up with itself.
Otherwise, Atlanta seems to have hit a stride, moving at a pace conducive to her rhythm. Hell, we'll be prepared to host the 2024 Games if the Falcons third new stadium is complete.

[testarossa50]

Hell, just break ground on any one of 14th/Symphony site, 13th/Peachtree, or 6th/Peachtree and I'll be thrilled. Those would all be far and away bigger than anything since the recession.

Tech office tower would be cool too, but less exciting since residential > offices in terms of building a vibrant neighborhood IMO.

[thebigATL]

Originally Posted by testarossa50

Hell, just break ground on any one of 14th/Symphony site, 13th/Peachtree, or 6th/Peachtree and I'll be thrilled. Those would all be far and away bigger than anything since the recession.

Tech office tower would be cool too, but less exciting since residential > offices in terms of building a vibrant neighborhood IMO.

1138 and 1125 peachtree too!!!

[micropundit]

Ponce City Market announced the first group of tenants set to occupy its Central Food Hall. Dub's Fish Camp by Bacchanalia chef Anne Quatrano and Linton Hopkins's H&F Burger, both previously rumored, will come in early next year, as will brick-and-mortar locations for food truck Honeysuckle Gelato and farmers market vendor Simply Seoul Kitchen. Szechuan-inspired restaurant Jia will join them from Dahe Yang and chef Jiguo Jiang of Tasty China and Peter Chang's Tasty China 2. Openings will be staggered, with Dub's, H&F Burger, Honeysuckle, and Simply Seoul Kitchen slated to open in spring of 2015; Jia plans to open slightly sooner in winter of this year.
PCM's developers are in talks with New York-based creperie Bar Suzette for a space in the market, as well as other chefs from elsewhere in the southeast. With twelve to fifteen restaurants planned for the space, including a yet unspecified woodfire pizza concept, be on the lookout for future announcements.

http://atlanta.eater.com/archives/2014/03/04/first-tenants-of-ponce-city-markets-announced.php#more

[thebigATL]

http://clatl.com/freshloaf/archives/2014...paign=Feed%3A+freshloaf+%28Fresh+Loaf%29



If one man gets his way, Turner Field won't get razed in 2017 after the Atlanta Braves move up to its new Cobb County stadium. Instead, a brand new baseball team - known as, wait for it ... the Atlanta Surge - would replace the longtime professional baseball club at the Ted.
The idea for the Surge comes from veteran Atlanta ad exec Mike McDonald, a self-proclaimed lifelong baseball fan, who wants to bring a second Major League Baseball team to metro Atlanta. And he wants the Surge's slogan to be the following: "Let's Turner Lemon into Lemonade!"

The AJC's Tim Tucker, who first reported on the proposal last night, writes from behind the AJC's paywall:

He has presented the idea to some local politicos and business folks. He has talked to lawyers about how to challenge MLB. He even wrote a letter to the Tampa Bay Rays, asking if they'd be interested in relocating. The Rays haven't responded and McDonald has decided he'd prefer the fresh start of an expansion team.
[...]

McDonald already has a name in mind for the AL team he seeks: the Atlanta Surge, drawn from the city motto Resurgens (Latin for rising again). He envisions the city and county receiving an equity stake in the team in return for use of the venue, and an investor group operating the team with him. He says MLB should waive an expansion fee as a way to settle the damages of the Braves leaving the city limits.

He expects people to "take shots" at his plan and says that is fine.

McDonald believes that Atlanta and Fulton County are "owed" a team for their longstanding financial and emotional investments into the Braves' franchise. But it's unlikely the region will land another ball club. There's not enough demand, according to one expert. Plus, the Braves have exclusive rights from MLB for all home games played in most of the metro region - which could be problematic.

The Atlanta Braves declined to comment on the prospects of the Surge. But at least Fulton County Commissioner Robb Pitts said the proposal was "a magnificent idea." That's a start!

[AtlantaMustang]

Took more pictures today.

112 Courtland is topped out and the facade is coming along. Here you can see the streetcar construction as well as the very top of what will be state's new law building.



Equitable's new lobby is coming along nicely.



Again, state's new law building.



I'm also loving the new streetscaping that is coming with the streetcar. They're laying a ton of brick in the area toward the top of the photo.



And they've all but finished the stop across from my office.



In other news, posted by Alfred E Neuman in the subforum.

Originally Posted by Alfred E Neuman

Filling the hole on 10th and Piedmont
Atlantic realty has announced in the 'Midtown Patch' a 494 unit mixed use in three buildings where the hole left by the never realized Onyx was to be.
A 16 story tower facing 10th; a 5 story condo wrapping around Piedmont; then, a 24 high end apt tower will front 11th.
No name or sked has been issued yet.

And here's a picture and the article link:


The corner of 11th and Piedmont.

http://midtown.patch.com/groups/business...proposed-for-10th-street-hole-in-midtown

This could make one of the most active intersections in midtown, 10th and Piedmont, even more lively.

[bigstick]

Great pics and thanks for the information. I think everyone is sick of that hole on 10th. Definitely time for something there.

[ATLaffinity]

Originally Posted by thebigATL

http://clatl.com/freshloaf/archives/2014...paign=Feed%3A+freshloaf+%28Fresh+Loaf%29

And he wants the Surge's slogan to be the following: "Let's Turner Lemon into Lemonade!"

The AJC's Tim Tucker, who first reported on the proposal last night, writes from behind the AJC's paywall:

He expects people to "take shots" at his plan and says that is fine.

McDonald believes that Atlanta and Fulton County are "owed" a team for their longstanding financial and emotional investments into the Braves' franchise.

Braves can't even fill playoff games.

In other news, looks like they are getting ready to build Centergy 2.

[briantech]

Originally Posted by ATLaffinity

In other news, looks like they are getting ready to build Centergy 2.

Like... you saw them ripping up the ground?

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by AtlantaMustang

Took more pictures today.

Excellent, thank you! I also like the new streetscapes. And I'm especially pleased to see the Equitable catching a second wind. It is one of downtown's true grande dames.

[micropundit]

The American Planning Association (APA) is coming to Atlanta in April for its 2014 conference.A workshop at the conference will look at a troubled, historic strip of Broad Street — from Garnett Street to Alabama Street: "Today the Broad Street corridor — accompanied by 80 acres of surface parking lots — sits right in the middle of substantial urban Atlanta energy, yet it is derelict and desolate, waiting for reinvestment. The area is ideal for planners from across the U.S. to engage peers prior to the national conference and create a lasting impact."

[http://blogs.planning.org/conference/201...nd-regeneration-of-historic-broad-street

[thebigATL]

Time Line of Civil and Human Rights Musuem:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aH1jkEYE4_c

[ATLaffinity]

Originally Posted by briantech

Like... you saw them ripping up the ground?

I saw them drilling.

[briantech]

Originally Posted by ATLaffinity

I saw them drilling.

Wow nice! If that gets going for real too, this part of midtown is going to be surrounded with cranes.

[thebigATL]

Originally Posted by micropundit

The American Planning Association (APA) is coming to Atlanta in April for its 2014 conference.A workshop at the conference will look at a troubled, historic strip of Broad Street — from Garnett Street to Alabama Street: "Today the Broad Street corridor — accompanied by 80 acres of surface parking lots — sits right in the middle of substantial urban Atlanta energy, yet it is derelict and desolate, waiting for reinvestment. The area is ideal for planners from across the U.S. to engage peers prior to the national conference and create a lasting impact."

[http://blogs.planning.org/conference/201...nd-regeneration-of-historic-broad-street

Love the ART

[thebigATL]

Arthur Blank still having 'substantial' talks to bring pro soccer club to Atlanta

Atlanta's professional soccer dreams are still alive and well, Arthur Blanks says.

Over the past year, the Home Depot co-founder and Atlanta Falcons owner has had lengthy talks with Major League Soccer officials about potentially bringing one of four planned expansion teams to the city sometime between 2015 and 2020.

It's been a while since Blank, whose proposed Falcons stadium plans include administrative offices for a professional soccer team, publicly commented on the prospects of an Atlanta soccer club. But Blank gave a brief update to veteran Atlanta reporter Maria Saporta on how the talks are going:

"You look at the crowd, and you see the spirit that's here," Blank said during a 10-minute sit-down interview in his suite during the game. "It is a great tribute to Atlanta and the appetite that Atlanta has for soccer at the highest level.

Asked about the status of his talks with MLS to buy an expansion team, Blank said: "I would say they are substantial."

Is a deal about to be announced?

"All I will say is that the talks are substantial," Blank said. "They have an interest in Atlanta. They love Atlanta, and we obviously know Atlanta. We are building a world-class sports facility for professional soccer. If you look at their map, there's a huge hole in the Southeast, and Atlanta is the hub of the Southeast."

MLS Commissioner Don Garber sounded pleased at the turnout for this week's friendly matchup between Mexico and Nigeria, which drew more than 68,000 fans to the Georgia Dome, and said that these kinds of events help MLS make decisions about where to expand the league. When asked about Atlanta, he replied:

"This has exceeded our expectations," Garber said. "It has exceeded the expectations of the Mexican Federation. This is a bold statement of support for high-level soccer in the Southeast.

"The sport continues to show signs of real growth. This will represent an opportunity for all of us who want to see MLS come to Atlanta."

The expected price tag for an MLS expansion team is estimated between $70 million and $100 million, Saporta says based on other recent transactions.

[RocketSurgeon]

Here are a couple views of Skyhouse South and the Viewpoint retail work. It's great that things are finally filling in east-to-west instead of just along Peachtree. Midtown is starting to look nice and dense!

[gttx]

What is the plan for that giant hole in the retail along 6th where Loca Luna used to be?

[Dettmann1]

Originally Posted by AThillLaffinity

I saw them drilling.

Probably a geotechnical doing soil testing for the building. If that is what it was you are probably looking at 3 to 9 months before a construction. Not a certainty it would go to construction but a darn good sign.

[cokezero]

Originally Posted by gttx

What is the plan for that giant hole in the retail along 6th where Loca Luna used to be?

Unfortunately, a surface parking lot. They're installing the curbing for the parking lot as we speak. The developer pitched it as a necessity to fill the retail space in design review meetings because they claim visitors don't know how to or don't want to navigate the one-way streets (Peachtree to 8th to Juniper to Viewpoint entrance) to get to the Viewpoint parking deck off Juniper.