Atlanta Project Thread IV

[Martinman]

Now THAT is how you build out a Beltline adjacent site.

[shivtim]

More plans for Stein Steel. North is to the right.

[smArTaLlone]

https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news...utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter

A developer with several projects already in play along the Atlanta Beltline is seeking to expand its footprint with a massive 1,180 residential unit project near the Southside Trail.

Empire Communities is proposing to build 782 multifamily rental units and 398 for-sale condominiums and townhomes on nearly 34 acres at 1335 Boulevard SE, just south of the Beltline’s Boulevard Park Crossing. The name of the project is Chosewood Park for its proximity to the namesake green space.


Empire, a Canadian company, entered the Atlanta market last year when it purchased the majority stake in Atlanta-based Edward Andrews Homes LLC. The developer has other Beltline-adjacent deals in the works, including a pair of townhome projects: in the Old Fourth Ward with units expected to start in the low $400,000s and in West Midtown, with units starting in the high $300,000s.


Kevin Norton, vice president of land acquisition for Empire, told members of the Atlanta Beltline Design Review Committee that a Development of Regional Impact has been filed with the Atlanta Regional Commission. A DRI is triggered for projects with more than 700,000 residential square feet that are expected to impact neighboring jurisdictions; the Chosewood Park project is currently planned at more than 900,000 square feet. Two small retail spaces are also part of the project.

Norton also said plans are to begin construction in March 2021 and finish by the fourth quarter of 2027.

[Street Advocate]

Anyone know how many housing units used to exist on that site? I wonder if it’s more or fewer than the 15% of units available at 80% AMI. Gut reaction is the 80% AMI is higher than the average income that used to be living here.

[Sura]

That's a lot of units.

[Street Advocate]

Originally Posted by Sura

That's a lot of units.

38 an acre.

Grocers aren’t too close to this area. People will most likely drive to Carver Market or Kroger. Considering all the residences coming in this area and how Boulevard and the SST is supposed to be a big stop for future light rail, you’d think the area may see more retail with future developments.

[shivtim]

Almost 1500 new units on the south/southeast Beltine between these two developments.

[Street Advocate]

Originally Posted by shivtim

Almost 1500 new units on the south/southeast Beltine between these two developments.

BeltLine DRC also had a project on Allene for another 320 units, as well as a senior family project on Lakewood.

From Allene to the Hamilton Ave & Boulevard/SST, there’s around 4,000 units under construction, proposed, or just recently completed (skylark). This excludes townhomes at the Pratt Stacks.

Capitol Ave to the Hamilton Ave alone is something like 3,500 units.

[Martinman]

Originally Posted by Street Advocate

BeltLine DRC also had a project on Allene for another 320 units, as well as a senior family project on Lakewood.

From Allene to the Hamilton Ave & Boulevard/SST, there’s around 4,000 units under construction, proposed, or just recently completed (skylark). This excludes townhomes at the Pratt Stacks.

Capitol Ave to the Hamilton Ave alone is something like 3,500 units.

1246 Allen

[Sura]

Originally Posted by Street Advocate

38 an acre.

Grocers aren’t too close to this area. People will most likely drive to Carver Market or Kroger. Considering all the residences coming in this area and how Boulevard and the SST is supposed to be a big stop for future light rail, you’d think the area may see more retail with future developments.

There's only mention of two small retail spaces, but I doubt a neighborhood market is the plan.

[Ant131531]

What is up with the surface parking along the Southern half of the beltline? Is the planning in that area different than the northern half of the Beltline?

[Street Advocate]

That Allene project has surface parking abutting the SST, cut off to the right side of the site plan.

So many of the SST projects remind me of some of the worst projects in Atlanta that I wouldn’t wish for good urbanism in any neighborhood. It’s like they want people to have to walk through surface parking lots.

[atlHawks]

Originally Posted by Ant131531

What is up with the surface parking along the Southern half of the beltline? Is the planning in that area different than the northern half of the Beltline?

Cheaper land? Plus the housing doesnt look as 'luxurious.'

[shivtim]

Planning permit filed to subdivide 835 Angier Springs, on a sloping wooded stretch of land next to Beltline Kroger and New Realm's parking lot. For "planned development housing subdivision." Maybe townhomes, given the small size of the site?

[Ant131531]

Originally Posted by Street Advocate

That Allene project has surface parking abutting the SST, cut off to the right side of the site plan.

So many of the SST projects remind me of some of the worst projects in Atlanta that I wouldn’t wish for good urbanism in any neighborhood. It’s like they want people to have to walk through surface parking lots.

Some of them on this page look good and urban and some of them look like suburban trash you can find in Stone Mountain. It's ridiculous that they are still building that ALONG THE BELTLINE. How is that even allowed? Where is the zoning plan at , Tim Keane? Why is NEW surface parking ALONG the Beltline? They really don't care about the section. It's all about the northern half.

Originally Posted by atlHawks

Cheaper land? Plus the housing doesnt look as 'luxurious.'

Cheaper land should mean it's easier to build parking garages at the very least.

[montydawg]

Originally Posted by Martinman

1246 Allen

This is really horrible. With a tiny bit of effort, they could have moved the 2000 building to stretch along the Beltline and limit the parking to the rear. Instead, they have the 2000 building literally surrounded by parking lot. I can't think of a worse view for residents and Beltline patrons.

[Street Advocate]

It’s a tricky site. Below is the full site plan, notice the weird tail to the right of the site plan with parking, and the BeltLine’s sub area master plan concept.


For orientation, direction of north points to the bottom right of the image:

I don’t think the master plan concepts are perfect. I don’t like they have more at grade crossings or roads that parallel the BeltLine, cutting off direct access between residential and the BeltLine, but they do help show a cohesive vision of what could be.

[Terminus]

Originally Posted by Street Advocate

38 an acre.

Grocers aren’t too close to this area. People will most likely drive to Carver Market or Kroger. Considering all the residences coming in this area and how Boulevard and the SST is supposed to be a big stop for future light rail, you’d think the area may see more retail with future developments.

Summerhill has a supermarket anchor. It will probably draw from this trade area.

[Terminus]

Originally Posted by Street Advocate

I don’t think the master plan concepts are perfect. I don’t like they have more at grade crossings or roads that parallel the BeltLine, cutting off direct access between residential and the BeltLine, but they do help show a cohesive vision of what could be.

At the time the design policy was to front the BeltLine with public streets, in the same way that urban parks should be ringed by public streets. You can see the implementation of this behind Barcelona in Inman Park. I believe the policy has changed.

[Street Advocate]

Originally Posted by Terminus

At the time the design policy was to front the BeltLine with public streets, in the same way that urban parks should be ringed by public streets. You can see the implementation of this behind Barcelona in Inman Park. I believe the policy has changed.

Thanks for sharing! Didn’t realize it was their policy initially. Seems it changed for the better! Big difference from that example and what we see developing elsewhere. The former reminds me of cities that built roads or highways along their river fronts, making it more difficult to access newly added public space and trails along said river fronts.

And agreed about the Summerhill grocery... but that’s a whole other community away. I cannot imagine many biking from these SST developments to that grocer. I can see them biking to Carver or Glenwood Kroger, though even they may be a stretch due to topography. The big empire project could use an e-bike station. A big focus of mine as we continue to grow is how do we provide goods in segments of our city so that we are not reliant on personally owned vehicles. We’re getting some great parks and trails, but we really need to continue to work on our zoning and land use despite having great “anchor” areas. Transit is also improving and for most in CoA, they’d be covered if the bus routes were just a bit more frequent.