ATLANTA | Development Thread VI

[mind field]

Could someone give a brief synopsis of the companies that have relocated to the CITY of Atlanta (only those with over 10 employees) within the last few years, where they came from, and how many employees relocated. Also include any companies that have announced a future relocation. Thanks Atlantans!

[Nanosolar]

Originally Posted by mind field

Could someone give a brief synopsis of the companies that have relocated to the CITY of Atlanta (only those with over 10 employees) within the last few years, where they came from, and how many employees relocated. Also include any companies that have announced a future relocation. Thanks Atlantans!

None. Our economy is based on rap music and strip clubs.

[ATLMidcity]

Originally Posted by Nanosolar

None. Our economy is based on rap music and strip clubs.

Don't forget the lemon pepper wings!!

[skyscraperpage17]

Originally Posted by ATLMidcity

Don't forget the lemon pepper wings!!

Ugh, now I want some lemon pepper wings!

[Atlanta3000]

Hyatt Place Centennial Park - Downtown (New Renderings)





Gables Buckhead (New Renderings)

Brick - YES!





14th & Spring - Midtown (Detailed Rendering)

I know some on here question the size of this project and I agree to some extent. However, no one should question the architecture or the quality of the materials they are using - especially the parking deck. Click on the below for detailed views.

https://www.midtownatl.com/_files/docs/14th+spring_drc_final_s-(4).pdf

[MARTAisSmarta]

Originally Posted by Atlanta3000

14th & Spring - Midtown (Detailed Rendering)

I know some on here question the size of this project and I agree to some extent. However, no one should question the architecture or the quality of the materials they are using - especially the parking deck. Click on the below for detailed views.

https://www.midtownatl.com/_files/docs/14th+spring_drc_final_s-(4).pdf

I have a few problems with it. One is, as you acknowledged the wasted FAR on this site, and the failure to procure the parcels with the billboards (which may very well be at an unjustifiable price). Hopefully they are planning on a FAR transfer to another project, but we will see. Downtown & Midtown should be targeting the biggest & best projects in the southeast an not allowing crappy 4 story stick frame apartments.

Architecturally, they should not be getting any credit for connecting 13th street - because they're not. It is an entrance into a private drive where they will expect to have complete control.

The 4 curb cuts for this project seem excessive. Sure, you could look at it as 2 for each building being presented, but given the design of this project, and the fact that it's not two separate buildings - I think we could demand a more pedestrian friendly experience.

The mesh screening of the parking deck (which will look like ass) extends the length of Williams and most of 14th. Anyone who ever complained about the Icon parking deck or the Portman/Anthem parking deck screening should be outraged by this. Only on Spring are they even attempting to create a pedestrian friendly environment (and using our favorite phrase "activate the street level").

Overall

[Atlanta3000]

Originally Posted by MARTAisSmarta

Downtown & Midtown should be targeting the biggest & best projects in the southeast an not allowing crappy 4 story stick frame apartments.

This makes total sense. Let's take the 2 areas of Atlanta (Midtown & Downtown) with the infrastructure to support the highest population density and reserve these areas just for the biggest and best projects. Sorry teachers, police officers, hotel workers, government workers...MARTAisSmarta wants you to F-off because these areas are exclusively for the wealthy. So much for workforce housing in MARTAisSmarta's utopian view on Atlanta's zoning requirements.

FYI - 14th & Spring is a 13 story cement structure apartment building, but let's not let the facts get in the way of your narrative. I am curious what price per sqft a prospective condo developer could price his/her units for this particular parcel? Factoring in the sweeping picturesque views of the Connector and sizzling sounds of a Class c23-1a electrical substation.

Architecturally, they should not be getting any credit for connecting 13th street - because they're not. It is an entrance into a private drive where they will expect to have complete control.

Hmmmmm - If they are paying for it, then why the hell shouldn't they get the credit? Do you have information that is not public to make the statement the developer will have control of 13th Street and will be preventing non-residents or office tenants from using it? I suspect you don't think people should be driving anyway, so why the hell do you care?

I think we could demand a more pedestrian friendly experience.

Sentences like this are like someone raking their nails on a chalkboard - it drives me insane. Why the hell should a developer be forced to provide a Madison Ave-esque like pedestrian experience on 14th Street, 13th Street or Williams Street? In your wildest dreams can you actually envision groups of hipsters strolling along Williams Street widow shopping or stopping at a bistro with outdoor seating to partake in a farm to table palate pleasing cornucopia of culinary delights? The answer is NO. Midtown DRC knows this, the banks know this and the developers know this.

The mesh screening of the parking deck (which will look like ass) extends the length of Williams and most of 14th. Anyone who ever complained about the Icon parking deck or the Portman/Anthem parking deck screening should be outraged by this. Only on Spring are they even attempting to create a pedestrian friendly environment (and using our favorite phrase "activate the street level").

Opinions are like @$$......because I think this exceeds architecturally speaking the parking deck screening from most of the recent developments in Midtown and Downtown. Lastly, the parking deck at 14th & Spring looks like it is only 3 stories above ground level - hardly comparable to the 11 story parking deck on Icon Midtown. Again, don't let the facts get in the way of your narrative.

[Verge]

>>I think we could demand a more pedestrian friendly experience.

>>Sentences like this are like someone raking their nails on a chalkboard - it drives me insane. Why the hell should a developer be forced to provide a Madison Ave-esque like pedestrian experience on 14th Street, 13th Street or Williams Street? In your wildest dreams can you actually envision groups of hipsters strolling along Williams Street widow shopping or stopping at a bistro with outdoor seating to partake in a farm to table palate pleasing cornucopia of culinary delights? The answer is NO. Midtown DRC knows this, the banks know this and the developers know this.

Just a reminder-- Zoning requires active use (read no blank walls) at the streetscape, not retail. Residential, office all acceptable. This is vitally important to making Midtown and Atlanta a pedestrian friendly place-- and yes zoning and the city have every right to make these rules-- its why we have zoning. I do agree the parking screening is better than most. The billboard ROW is ridiculous.

[shivtim]

Originally Posted by Nanosolar

None. Our economy is based on rap music and strip clubs.

Recently Atlanta United accounts for about 50% of the city's economy.

[Atlanta3000]

Originally Posted by Verge

>>I think we could demand a more pedestrian friendly experience.

>>Sentences like this are like someone raking their nails on a chalkboard - it drives me insane. Why the hell should a developer be forced to provide a Madison Ave-esque like pedestrian experience on 14th Street, 13th Street or Williams Street? In your wildest dreams can you actually envision groups of hipsters strolling along Williams Street widow shopping or stopping at a bistro with outdoor seating to partake in a farm to table palate pleasing cornucopia of culinary delights? The answer is NO. Midtown DRC knows this, the banks know this and the developers know this.

Just a reminder-- Zoning requires active use (read no blank walls) at the streetscape, not retail. Residential, office all acceptable. This is vitally important to making Midtown and Atlanta a pedestrian friendly place-- and yes zoning and the city have every right to make these rules-- its why we have zoning. I do agree the parking screening is better than most. The billboard ROW is ridiculous.

Verge I suppose you support MARTAisSmarta and the DRC zoning and that is OK. Help educate me on what pedestrian friendly active uses the developer could incorporate into 13th St? Do you think an art installation would help incorporate the Class c23-1a electrical substation better into the pedestrian experience? Just spit ballin' what pedestrian traffic do you expect this development will see on 13th, 14th and Williams Street long term: low, medium or high foot traffic?

This is a question for you - not based on the DRC zoning requirements, but I want to hear your personal viewpoint:

1. Do you personally believe a developer should be required to have active uses on all sides of their development regardless if any particular side(s) will see limited to no pedestrian activity or if the developer will not see a ROI for providing retail spaces?

2. Do you think retail should be scattered throughout Midtown or concentrated into the areas that have the highest density and pedestrian activity?

3. Do you think it is better for Midtown to see empty storefronts that are not leased or for a developer not to have retail spaces in areas not likely to have market demand for these spaces?

[Verge]

Originally Posted by Atlanta3000

Verge I suppose you support MARTAisSmarta and the DRC zoning and that is OK. Help educate me on what pedestrian friendly active uses the developer could incorporate into 13th St? Do you think an art installation would help incorporate the Class c23-1a electrical substation better into the pedestrian experience? Just spit ballin' what pedestrian traffic do you expect this development will see on 13th, 14th and Williams Street long term: low, medium or high foot traffic?

This is a question for you - not based on the DRC zoning requirements, but I want to hear your personal viewpoint:

1. Do you personally believe a developer should be required to have active uses on all sides of their development regardless if any particular side(s) will see limited to no pedestrian activity or if the developer will not see a ROI for providing retail spaces?

2. Do you think retail should be scattered throughout Midtown or concentrated into the areas that have the highest density and pedestrian activity?

3. Do you think it is better for Midtown to see empty storefronts that are not leased or for a developer not to have retail spaces in areas not likely to have market demand for these spaces?

Too busy designing buildings in these areas to respond in detail-- I do suggest you read what I wrote though-- Retail is NOT required, just a decent streetscape in lieu of blank walls-- a very, very basic urban design principle that everyone should follow (and in midtown must follow)-- There are plenty of good examples of this on non-major (or retail) streets, Juniper comes to mind-- that why the ordinance identifies Storefront Streets. Units open to the street, the lobby or amenity area may have a storefront-- but no retail. Sidewalks follow Midtown streetscape standards, etc.

[Street Advocate]

Originally Posted by Verge

Too busy designing buildings in these areas to respond in detail-- I do suggest you read what I wrote though-- Retail is NOT required, just a decent streetscape in lieu of blank walls-- a very, very basic urban design principle that everyone should follow (and in midtown must follow)-- There are plenty of good examples of this on non-major (or retail) streets, Juniper comes to mind-- that why the ordinance identifies Storefront Streets. Units open to the street, the lobby or amenity area may have a storefront-- but no retail. Sidewalks follow Midtown streetscape standards, etc.

Good streetscaping makes a huge impact on a neighborhood. In general, I'm a fan of large sidewalks, bioswales, trees, separated bike lane, more trees, then road lanes, as well as a median depending on the road width. Aligns pretty well with TSW's Juniper Phase II design:

[Atlanta3000]

Songy Highroads, Hyatt Close $32.9M Construction Loan for Hyatt Place Centennial Park in Downtown Atlanta

Posted on March 21, 2018 by Camren Skelton in Development, Georgia, Hospitality, Loans, Southeast

ATLANTA — Atlanta-based developer Songy Highroads LLC and Hyatt Hotels Corp. have closed on a $32.9 million construction loan for Hyatt Place Centennial Park, a 175-room hotel that will be located at 300 Luckie St. in downtown Atlanta. Designed by Wakefield Beasley, the 11-story hotel will be situated directly across the street from the Georgia Aquarium and one block from Centennial Olympic Park. Ed Coco led HFF’s team in arranging the loan through HSBC on behalf of the Songy Highroads-Hyatt joint venture. Set to open in August 2019, the hotel will feature a parking garage, pool, fitness center, 2,100 square feet of meeting space and retail facing Luckie and Marietta streets. General contractor Reeves Young is underway on construction, which included razing an existing two-story building at the site. Hyatt Place Centennial Park will mark Songy Highroads’ sixth Hyatt-branded development since 2014.

[Verge]

Originally posted Street Advocate- Good streetscaping makes a huge impact on a neighborhood. In general, I'm a fan of large sidewalks, bioswales, trees, separated bike lane, more trees, then road lanes, as well as a median depending on the road width. Aligns pretty well with TSW's Juniper Phase II design:

Exactly-- All of these elements combine with the street wall (buildings) to make a good urban environment. Blank walls and parking decks create a hostile environment. Walking a mile in an urban city seems short, walking a mile in some parts of Atlanta seems like an eternity--

[Street Advocate]

Originally Posted by Atlanta3000

Atlanta-based developer Songy Highroads LLC and Hyatt Hotels Corp. have closed on a $32.9 million construction loan for Hyatt Place Centennial Park, a 175-room hotel that will be located at 300 Luckie St. in downtown Atlanta.

Nice, I am digging all these hotel additions to downtown. Slow and steady improvements going on here!

As for Spring street, they're adding 1,000's of residences and jobs within just a few blocks. People will want places to escape home and/or work other than the Whole Foods, Caribou, Shell gas station, and 5,000 parking spaces nearby

[Atlanta3000]

Originally Posted by Verge

Originally posted Street Advocate- Good streetscaping makes a huge impact on a neighborhood. In general, I'm a fan of large sidewalks, bioswales, trees, separated bike lane, more trees, then road lanes, as well as a median depending on the road width. Aligns pretty well with TSW's Juniper Phase II design:

Exactly-- All of these elements combine with the street wall (buildings) to make a good urban environment. Blank walls and parking decks create a hostile environment. Walking a mile in an urban city seems short, walking a mile in some parts of Atlanta seems like an eternity--

Trust that I understand what you are saying and in most cases I do agree with your perspective. However with respect the 14th & Spring development, I can't imagine 13th Street and Williams St ever being traveled to much extent by pedestrians. So in my opinion I don't see the perforated metal cladding covering the parking deck as creating a hostile pedestrian experience (mostly because I can't fathom pedestrians using these streets). With respect to the 14 St side of the project, it is noted the developer does not own the property. From my perspective, having a grass lawn is an active use for residents with pets. So I think it is a blessing they are leaving it with grass.

[Hokiehaven]

Originally Posted by ATLMidcity

Don't forget the lemon pepper wings!!

You forgot our metal grates to cover potholes.

[Verge]

Originally Posted by Atlanta3000

Trust that I understand what you are saying and in most cases I do agree with your perspective. However with respect the 14th & Spring development, I can't imagine 13th Street and Williams St ever being traveled to much extent by pedestrians. So in my opinion I don't see the perforated metal cladding covering the parking deck as creating a hostile pedestrian experience (mostly because I can't fathom pedestrians using these streets). With respect to the 14 St side of the project, it is noted the developer does not own the property. From my perspective, having a grass lawn is an active use for residents with pets. So I think it is a blessing they are leaving it with grass.

I don't really dispute that-- Williams Street is basically a freeway on-ramp-- It can however still be a pleasant place to walk, so we shouldn't preclude that (and yeah its a terrible retail site). The solution shown for parking deck screening is not bad-- at least it should be interesting in some way acting at an interstate scale perhaps. The city should step in on 14th-- an odd and unfortunate condition I wish could be solved more easily.

[Street Advocate]

Originally Posted by Verge

Too busy designing buildings in these areas to respond in detail

SooooOOooOoo, you working on any projects we are not familiar with at the moment? Any info you can share on location and/or size of the building designs?

[Atlanta3000]

Originally Posted by Street Advocate

SooooOOooOoo, you working on any projects we are not familiar with at the moment? Any info you can share on location and/or size of the building designs?

Yeah Verge - cut the shit and come clean on what you are working on or I/We are going to label you a parking structure architect.

SCAD Student Housing - Midtown Atlanta