ATLANTA | Development Thread VI

[Street Advocate]

Originally Posted by GeorgiaPeanuts

Detached parking decks at least can be dismantled and a new building built in its place when personal car ownership declines with the rise of self-driving cars.

I'd rather have decades of 7 stories of parking and 20 stories of residences on top than decades of lifeless parking garages. Other than Whole Foods on one block, the east side of Spring from 17th to 12th is already or planned to be parking. It's mistakes like this that hurt Atlanta in the long run.

[pawelra]

Originally Posted by Street Advocate

I'd rather have decades of 7 stories of parking and 20 stories of residences on top than decades of lifeless parking garages. Other than Whole Foods on one block, the east side of Spring from 17th to 12th is already or planned to be parking. It's mistakes like this that hurt Atlanta in the long run.

So in Atlanta there are or will be streets designated for parkings only ??????
"the east side of Spring from 17th to 12th is already or planned to be parking" ---- where did you get this info from???????

[mayhem]

Originally Posted by MdtwnATL

Just loving the new parking deck row on Spring Street.

The new deck is getting screened. Would not be hard to convert 1280 West or 1AC's deck into useable space in the future.

[Street Advocate]

Originally Posted by pawelra

So in Atlanta there are or will be streets designated for parkings only ??????
"the east side of Spring from 17th to 12th is already or planned to be parking" ---- where did you get this info from???????

It's how development has occurred on the street and what's planned to break ground in the near future. A half mile in a row except for a Whole Foods that goes on one block will have parking decks on the east side of the street with nothing on top. I think there's a hair cutter and dry cleaners at the southern end (12th St), but I'm not aware of much else. Maybe Northside's Medical Office Building's parking deck will have street level retail?

Midtown alliance has been great for the neighborhood steering Midtown in the right direction, but my god do our city's zoning laws let developers get away with too much garbage. This is one street over from two heavy rail stations. The entire length of this parking lot stretch is within a half mile physical walk to a transit station, not as the crow flies. And a block mind you from Atlanta's proposed second tallest tower. It's absurd, embarrassing, and terrible city planning.

[jpk1292000]

Originally Posted by Street Advocate

It's how development has occurred on the street and what's planned to break ground in the near future. A half mile in a row except for a Whole Foods that goes on one block will have parking decks on the east side of the street with nothing on top. I think there's a hair cutter and dry cleaners at the southern end (12th St), but I'm not aware of much else. Maybe Northside's Medical Office Building's parking deck will have street level retail?

Midtown alliance has been great for the neighborhood steering Midtown in the right direction, but my god do our city's zoning laws let developers get away with too much garbage. This is one street over from two heavy rail stations. The entire length of this parking lot stretch is within a half mile physical walk to a transit station, not as the crow flies. And a block mind you from Atlanta's proposed second tallest tower. It's absurd, embarrassing, and terrible city planning.

I love this city and I'm one of its biggest homers, but crap like this half mile of parking decks just boggles my mind and makes it hard at times to defend this city's planning when friends from other cities visit. It's one thing if these decks were built in the 1990s and were just there, but we're STILL, IN 2017, erecting these things in the heart of Midtown and spoiling a huge opportunity for creating a more pedestrian-active area.

[MdtwnATL]

Originally Posted by mayhem

The new deck is getting screened. Would not be hard to convert 1280 West or 1AC's deck into useable space in the future.

You can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig. I didn't even address how it looks, really. Just the complete uselessness of that entire block for pedestrians is what's maddening. The folks proposing and building these things couldn't care less about Atlanta it seems. They just want to make their quick $$ and get out. Midtown Alliance and especially the city of Atlanta should put an absolute STOP to this.

Do any of you attend the meetings where these projects are proposed and discussed? How open of a forum is it? This crap is inspiring me to get more involved in our neighborhood planning.

[Libertarian]

I really don't understand this anguish about these parking decks. Most office workers and apartment dwellers need a place to park. The fact that the decks are facing Spring and not W. Peachtree is a good thing. Besides Williams which is mainly just a feeder to the Connector, Spring is the edge of the commercial district. If you want dense development, the existence of congruent parking decks is reality. I mean, c'mon. Please eliminate the thought of Spring St. north of 10th being some great ped experience. Never was, never will be.

[Street Advocate]

Originally Posted by Libertarian

I really don't understand this anguish about these parking decks. Most office workers and apartment dwellers need a place to park. The fact that the decks are facing Spring and not W. Peachtree is a good thing. Besides Williams which is mainly just a feeder to the Connector, Spring is the edge of the commercial district. If you want dense development, the existence of congruent parking decks is reality. I mean, c'mon. Please eliminate the thought of Spring St. north of 10th being some great ped experience. Never was, never will be.

With limited room for development in Midtown east to west (0.7 of a mile at its widest, or 0.4 of a mile as a more common distance), I have to say this extremely short sighted rationale encourages bad city planning and it is a shame you are enabling this. One block of bad planning ruins a vibe of an area. We are talking about nearly 5 sequential blocks for half a mile of parking decks in this instance! Could you imagine if someone proposed today a development that only included a half mile of parking decks in a row? Any neighborhood in the entire country would be livid. Just because parking decks already exist there mean we should encourage more to come.

The recent developments between 5th-10th along Spring should be enough evidence as to what could be in store for Spring north of 10th. This area is growing into the epicenter of Atlanta. We should be fighting for true urban experiences, rather than settling for whatever crap developers propose as most cost effective to them.

[arctk2014]

Originally Posted by MdtwnATL

Love the building the new deck is attached to, but no way should that deck have been allowed to face Spring street without some form of street level retail. It's now basically a super block of bleak nothingness.

FYI - There will be some ground-level "retail" spaces fronting Spring Street here- it's just a bit shallow for a substantial retail presence but will do a better job than the shadowboxes Skyhouse slapped on to their parking deck.

[Atlanta3000]

Parking Garages

When I lived in Washington DC, there was a ton of parking garages. You just didn't notice them. So the argument should not be around eradicating them, but how best to disguise them and blend in more meaningfully within their surroundings. The DRC really needs to create/enforce architectural codes on how developers should incorporate parking garages.

Street Level Retail

What looks better? A building/parking garage with street level retail that is empty or a building with no street level retail. I claim the latter. Do people on here really believe Spring Street north of 14th Street is ever going to be a shopping district? With that said, there are areas/blocks/streets of Midtown where the code should mandate street level retail. Most importantly, Midtown will never have a strong successful street level environment unless it is concentrated - not spread out sporadically.

Just my $0.02

[Street Advocate]

Originally Posted by Atlanta3000

Parking Garages

When I lived in Washington DC, there was a ton of parking garages. You just didn't notice them. So the argument should not be around eradicating them, but how best to disguise them and blend in more meaningfully within their surroundings. The DRC really needs to create/enforce architectural codes on how developers should incorporate parking garages.

Street Level Retail

What looks better? A building/parking garage with street level retail that is empty or a building with no street level retail. I claim the latter. Do people on here really believe Spring Street north of 14th Street is ever going to be a shopping district? With that said, there are areas/blocks/streets of Midtown where the code should mandate street level retail. Most importantly, Midtown will never have a strong successful street level environment unless it is concentrated - not spread out sporadically.

Just my $0.02

I'm with you about at least purposing the structure to not kill the experience. You want to feel like you're walking next to something, even if you're not. Some places they even have fake facades for subway air vents, so it feels no different than walking next to another building. A few examples: http://www.messynessychic.com/2013/01/29/the-fake-townhouses-hiding-mystery-underground-portals/ http://weburbanist.com/2013/02/12/faux-facades-fake-buildings-hide-trains-power-more/

I also agree the important thing here is having buildings for people, not necessarily demanding a retail at every instance. Some locations I'd prefer there's retail (Peachtree, next to Piedmont Park, surrounding MARTA stations, and developments around our most populous office towers). So I do believe a few retail spaces around 14th and Arts Center Station won't do any harm, especially with all of the current and proposed offices in the area, as well as incoming residential.

[GeorgiaPeanuts]

Some new renders of the Charles in Buckhead Village

and floorplans now available: http://thecharlesbuckhead.com/floor-plans/

[micropundit]

curtsey of ATLnole.

[MdtwnATL]

Originally Posted by arctk2014

FYI - There will be some ground-level "retail" spaces fronting Spring Street here- it's just a bit shallow for a substantial retail presence but will do a better job than the shadowboxes Skyhouse slapped on to their parking deck.

When I drove by it looked VERY shallow and low. As in, just enough space to possibly call "retail" so they could get it approved. We shall see. My complaint isn't just that there will be a long row of parking decks. I just think there should always be significant retail/restaurant spaces at ground level of these decks to engage the pedestrian. I understand they may not fill quickly, and that's ok. At least the planning is in place for the future. One day they will (hopefully sooner than later).

[Street Advocate]

Originally Posted by GeorgiaPeanuts

Some new renders of the Charles in Buckhead Village

and floorplans now available: http://thecharlesbuckhead.com/floor-plans/

Wow. Stunning renderings. The place will be an impressive addition to Buckhead. Condos starting at 2,460 square feet plus an additional 400+ exterior patio. Absolutely massive. This place looks amazing, but my god you could really fit more people in that building. I don't really understand why you'd need 4,000 square feet

[Street Advocate]

Originally Posted by MdtwnATL

When I drove by it looked VERY shallow and low. As in, just enough space to possibly call "retail" so they could get it approved. We shall see. My complaint isn't just that there will be a long row of parking decks. I just think there should always be significant retail/restaurant spaces at ground level of these decks to engage the pedestrian. I understand they may not fill quickly, and that's ok. At least the planning is in place for the future. One day they will (hopefully sooner than later).

Some is better than none. Will be interesting what comes of this corridor. I'm anxious for the Arts Center TOD to unfold the next few years. A few more towers and this part of town could really liven up

[MdtwnATL]

Originally Posted by GeorgiaPeanuts

Some new renders of the Charles in Buckhead Village

and floorplans now available: http://thecharlesbuckhead.com/floor-plans/

THAT'S how you build a parking deck in a building.

[arctk2014]

Originally Posted by Street Advocate

Some is better than none. Will be interesting what comes of this corridor. I'm anxious for the Arts Center TOD to unfold the next few years. A few more towers and this part of town could really liven up

I'd love to see someone like SCAD utilize it for studio and/or gallery space at least. It's proximity to SCAD and the Arts Center make for an ideal tenant situation if AMLI worked something out with them.

[WoodeGA]

Just for those wondering why 195 13th/Lennar hasn't started yet... One reason is that my building's residents (187 13th) don't have to vacate until Feb 28th. We had suspected this date for a while now--my lease was shortened by 1 month when I renewed last spring, and my property manager confirmed that all leases would terminate that date when I called about the lease not being a full year. Then we got official notices to vacate back in October, I think. I don't know about the other two buildings (195 and 203), though.

*sigh* I'm not looking forward to moving, because rent's been cheap as heck here, but it'll be nice to be in a newer building, and not feeling the need to describe my place as "ghetto" to my friends. Luckily I found a great (if smaller) place here in my neighborhood.

[GTdan]

Originally Posted by WoodeGA

Just for those wondering why 195 13th/Lennar hasn't started yet... One reason is that my building's residents (187 13th) don't have to vacate until Feb 28th. We had suspected this date for a while now--my lease was shortened by 1 month when I renewed last spring, and my property manager confirmed that all leases would terminate that date when I called about the lease not being a full year. Then we got official notices to vacate back in October, I think. I don't know about the other two buildings (195 and 203), though.

*sigh* I'm not looking forward to moving, because rent's been cheap as heck here, but it'll be nice to be in a newer building, and not feeling the need to describe my place as "ghetto" to my friends. Luckily I found a great (if smaller) place here in my neighborhood.

Thanks for the update and that's great you were able to find another place to live close by! Just curious...how much was rent in your building?