ATLANTA | Development Thread VI

[danielr]

I happened to walk past the Proton Therapy Center of Perpetual Incompleteness this morning and I heard what sounded like power tools coming from inside the building. I walked the length of the Ponce side of the building and it was clearly coming from inside, not reflecting off the walls from some other work site. Does anyone know anything about what might be going on there?

I thought it also looked like there were more lights on than usual inside, but it could easily just be that I hadn't paid attention to them before.

[micropundit]

The project will add new amenities on every level of the building, 360-degree connected concourses at all levels, improved sightlines and state-of-the-art video capabilities.
http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/...ase-renderings-and-video-of-philips.html

[DWNTWN]

I drove by 22 14th Street tonight, and it appears they have finished the parking podium, so it should hopefully really start taking off soon. This is the tallest tower u/c in midtown, if I recall correctly.

[RocketSurgeon]

Originally Posted by bryantm3

100% agree. the only reason so much retail in midtown is empty is that the rents are being artificially inflated to attract super high-end retail and keep "undesirables" (aka middle class people and ethnic groups) out. this is manipulation of the market and it's only made possible by offsetting the losses in retail with the rents they're getting from the apartments, which have a higher market rate. the city really should intervene and require some kind of separation in ownership between the retail/residential portions to prevent this kind of collusion.

1065/1075 is the only residential building I can think of that has a lot of retail vacancies. The rest of the buildings in Midtown are almost fully occupied, including 1010 where CB2 and MC were. Maybe a quarter of those retailers are high-end. The rest are dry cleaners, UPS stores, Which Wich, etc.

[bryantm3]

who owns the retail in 12th and midtown (1065, 1010, 1075)? these are specifically what i'm talking about. all i'm saying is that if the retail spaces are empty, the rent is being kept too high, and that indicates to me that they're trying to attract higher-end retail than what the market is demanding. seeing all those retail spaces kept empty on the never-never seems almost a sinful waste.

[bigstick]

Originally Posted by DWNTWN

I drove by 22 14th Street tonight, and it appears they have finished the parking podium, so it should hopefully really start taking off soon. This is the tallest tower u/c in midtown, if I recall correctly.

The webcam used for Skyhouse is officially turned off, so no cam for 22 14th???

[alco89]

Originally Posted by bigstick

The webcam used for Skyhouse is officially turned off, so no cam for 22 14th???

It's weird. Oxblue actually posted a video of 22 14th a few months back, so I just knew there would be a cam for it posted by now. They make it difficult to search and find, if there is one.

[Street Advocate]

Hanover W. Peachtree is topping off the western half of the building. Appears they'll begin installing the windows soon, as there was a stack of windows at the base floor.

[arctk2014]

Originally Posted by alco89

It's weird. Oxblue actually posted a video of 22 14th a few months back, so I just knew there would be a cam for it posted by now. They make it difficult to search and find, if there is one.

Some of the construction cameras are more for private use by ownership/contractors/financing partners and the design teams rather than being publicly posted.

[arctk2014]

Originally Posted by bryantm3

who owns the retail in 12th and midtown (1065, 1010, 1075)? these are specifically what i'm talking about. all i'm saying is that if the retail spaces are empty, the rent is being kept too high, and that indicates to me that they're trying to attract higher-end retail than what the market is demanding. seeing all those retail spaces kept empty on the never-never seems almost a sinful waste.

I believe it's still a joint partnership from the original team: Daniel Corporation, Selig Enterprises, the Canyon-Johnson Urban Fund (CJUF) and MetLife.

Looks like Ardent bought the retail space in 1010 Midtown back in 2013.
Ardent buys 1010 Midtown space, negotiating new restaurant

The Ardent Companies has announced the purchase of 37,853 square feet of retail and restaurant space at the 1010 Midtown building on Peachtree Street. Ardent bought the space for $15 million from its previous owner, a joint venture between Daniel Corporation, Selig Enterprises and Canyon-Johnson Urban Funds.

According to a media release, the Ardent Companies formed TAC Midtown, LLC to purchase the property at 1010 Midtown and are currently negotiating a lease for the remaining 2,021 square feet of retail space with an undisclosed restaurateur who owns several restaurants throughout the city. Once signed, this lease will be representative of 100 percent retail tenant occupancy.

The 35-story 1010 Midtown building has more than 400 condos and is home to Ri Ra Irish Pub, Panera Bread, RA Sushi, Mi Cocina, Piola, CB2 and Bank of America.

[cactuspunk]

Originally Posted by bigstick

The webcam used for Skyhouse is officially turned off, so no cam for 22 14th???

It's working for me. https://app.oxblue.com/open/SkyHouseApartments

[Street Advocate]

Originally Posted by cactuspunk

It's working for me. https://app.oxblue.com/open/SkyHouseApartments

Although last updated 11/1.

[MdtwnATL]

Originally Posted by Street Advocate

Although last updated 11/1.

OMG - really puts into perspective how utterly cookie-cutter, cheap and unoriginal these really are. This is the residential tower equivalent of the Best Buy/Pet Smart/Home Depot/Target/Ole Navy developments that have popped up in just about every small town in America.

[RATBOYKEV]

Originally Posted by MdtwnATL

OMG - really puts into perspective how utterly cookie-cutter, cheap and unoriginal these really are. This is the residential tower equivalent of the Best Buy/Pet Smart/Home Depot/Target/Ole Navy developments that have popped up in just about every small town in America.

Walking by the original Skyhouse (Spring & 12th) with it's soviet-bunker parking deck and lazy(er) hardscaping compared to walking by Skyhouse South (Juniper & 6th) with much better finishes, 3-of-4 corners very well activated (Ace Hardware, Kale Me Crazy, & Rreal Tacos), and well-lit with trees/benches/bike-racks makes me not give a damn on what is happening more than 2 storeys above my head.

I walk as fast as possible to get where I'm going versus enjoying the community feeling and sense of safety provided by seeing other people out and about. It really makes me appreciate the work that the Midtown Alliance does with Blueprint Midtown and the DRC

[RobMidtowner]

Originally Posted by Frankster87

If the issue is overblown in Atlanta, then for *&#*$ sake, what is it in New York, Chicago, London, Paris, etc? I mean as a city, we are way behind. We just want a good experience for pedestrians. Is that really too much to ask for? Don't be the woman in this photo:

There are plenty of one-way streets in big cities like the ones you mention. Manhattan in particular is almost all one-way pairs going N/S. San Francisco is another one that comes to mind with several one-way streets. My point is that people are always talking about one-way streets as these awful experience for peds and being like highway on ramps and how converting to two-way will create a magical pedestrian environment. Spring between 15th and 18th would still be a barren wasteland for peds if converted to two-way. If you converted west peachtree to two-way right now, there would still be issues for example between 10th and 14th with narrow and broken sidewalks, overhead utility lines, no planting strip, lack of seating spaces, etc. If you want to add those things by creating a streetscape, you can do that on one-ways just as effectively. Look at west peachtree by plaza midtown for example. I just disagree with the premise. Sure there are areas where being a ped is not the most pleasant, but the problem is the streetscape, not because it's a one-way street IMO.

[smArTaLlone]

Originally Posted by alco89

It's weird. Oxblue actually posted a video of 22 14th a few months back, so I just knew there would be a cam for it posted by now. They make it difficult to search and find, if there is one.

There is a webcam. Its just that the builder chose to not make it open to the public.

[bryantm3]

Originally Posted by arctk2014

I believe it's still a joint partnership from the original team: Daniel Corporation, Selig Enterprises, the Canyon-Johnson Urban Fund (CJUF) and MetLife.

Looks like Ardent bought the retail space in 1010 Midtown back in 2013.
Ardent buys 1010 Midtown space, negotiating new restaurant

thanks for looking that up; i had entirely the wrong info. do any economics majors have any idea what would spur Ardent into charging market rate for those retail spaces? my theory is that they can charge those rents on crescent, but there isn't the same demand for the retail spots on peachtree and especially juniper, so they stay empty.

[atlantaguy]

Originally Posted by bryantm3

thanks for looking that up; i had entirely the wrong info. do any economics majors have any idea what would spur Ardent into charging market rate for those retail spaces? my theory is that they can charge those rents on crescent, but there isn't the same demand for the retail spots on peachtree and especially juniper, so they stay empty.

What a relief that the nefarious plot to 'whitewash' Midtown you were so convinced of was as delusional as it sounded.

[scania]

Originally Posted by RocketSurgeon

1065/1075 is the only residential building I can think of that has a lot of retail vacancies. The rest of the buildings in Midtown are almost fully occupied, including 1010 where CB2 and MC were. Maybe a quarter of those retailers are high-end. The rest are dry cleaners, UPS stores, Which Wich, etc.

I'm not sure where people are getting the idea that these places are charging above market rate. I know a few people and this isn't the case. In fact, the rates are really good in Midtown...cheaper than Atlantic Station, and the new Buckhead retail center. I've talked to a couple of people who are in the know, and the main issue is that some of the companies that have been courted to open their business in Midtown and the market analysis have stopped a lot of companies from opening up. It's not an issue of overcharging. These places closing down were simply not making enough money to stay profitable as a company.

[arctk2014]

Originally Posted by scania

I'm not sure where people are getting the idea that these places are charging above market rate. I know a few people and this isn't the case. In fact, the rates are really good in Midtown...cheaper than Atlantic Station, and the new Buckhead retail center. I've talked to a couple of people who are in the know, and the main issue is that some of the companies that have been courted to open their business in Midtown and the market analysis have stopped a lot of companies from opening up. It's not an issue of overcharging. These places closing down were simply not making enough money to stay profitable as a company.

Agreed- it would be one thing if CB2 just closed this location, but they closed most of their locations to scale back and focus on online sales.

Regarding Mi Cocina - I just don't think it was managed well and/or performed well here in Atlanta. They pulled out of Chevy Chase, MD back in 2014 in the same manner as well as Kansas City back in 2008. They're testing markets and if they don't do well then they close - unfortunately it sounds like it's not communicated to employees until the day of because they don't want employees to not show up or leave before the official day of closing.