WESTSIDE Development Thread

[alco89]

Yep, the railroads are very powerful...and stubborn.

[shivtim]

True. But there are a number of cases where this has been done. Probably much easier with MARTA tracks, but even with freight rail we have pedestrian bridge examples like Westside provisions, several places between West Lake and Washington Park (e.g. https://www.google.com/maps/@33.7552533,-84.4378284,127m/data=!3m1!1e3 and https://www.google.com/maps/@33.7561097,-84.4300411,127m/data=!3m1!1e3, of course the MARTA ped crossings over freight rail tracks (Lakewood, Inman Park, Edgewood, East Lake, Avondale, etc), and dozens of places where PATH trails or other trails cross freight rail. I don't think it's really much of a barrier, it's probably just cost prohibitive and there's no reason for most individual developments to consider paying for it.

[atlHawks]

Originally Posted by Atlriser

Study history of the railroads in this country for total answer. Railroad companies have more political power then even energy companies due to national laws dating back 2 centuries. I’ll leave it at that...google it not being smart 🞵🞵🞵 at all. There are volumes of books regarding railroad laws and requirements and very little incentive for them to agree without spending a lot of political energy at all levels of government to get things done with them.

That's unfortunate. Need a disruptor in that industry. Something like the Boring Company that makes underground railroads.

[Street Advocate]

I maintain it would be helpful if the city were to maintain a list of locations they’d want to see pedestrian bridges implemented, that way they could prioritize implementation. Or perhaps PATH already has a good starting point file to reference.

[shivtim]

Imagine how many ped bridges over rail tracks we could afford if we hadn't spent $500billion (or whatever it was) on the Northside Drive stadium bridge that has holes in its roof, was closed during the superbowl, and doesn't even have enough capacity to handle the stadium crowds trying to get to MARTA.

[Street Advocate]

Originally Posted by shivtim

Imagine how many ped bridges over rail tracks we could afford if we hadn't spent $500billion (or whatever it was) on the Northside Drive stadium bridge that has holes in its roof, was closed during the superbowl, and doesn't even have enough capacity to handle the stadium crowds trying to get to MARTA.

#Yup. Would be interesting to know the cost of the new PATH foundation bridge across Peachtree creek by Lindbergh compared with the $23mil NSD Bridge.

[cabasse]

Originally Posted by Street Advocate

#Yup. Would be interesting to know the cost of the new PATH foundation bridge across Peachtree creek by Lindbergh compared with the $23mil NSD Bridge.

oh about ONE TENTH the cost https://www.mdjonline.com/neighbor_newsp...af82266-e3fc-11ea-af81-6bd227d5d808.html

[Street Advocate]

Originally Posted by cabasse

oh about ONE TENTH the cost https://www.mdjonline.com/neighbor_newsp...af82266-e3fc-11ea-af81-6bd227d5d808.html

Thank you! Great looking bridge, too!

[smArTaLlone]

Two influential real estate owners in West Midtown have picked up prime development sites.

Global asset management giant Clarion Partners LLC paid $3.6 million for just under half an acre at West Marietta Street and Brady Avenue, according to Fulton County property deeds and state records. The property is next to Stockyards Atlanta, the mixed-use development that Clarion bought for almost $70 million earlier this year.

Also in West Midtown, along a rapidly changing section of Howell Mill Road, Allen Morris Co. bought about one-third of an acre behind a planned $100 million hotel within its Star Metals mixed-use project.

“We are sitting on the site as we wait for the capital markets to come back,” said Spencer Morris, an executive vice president with Allen Morris Co. “We could start demo work on the (hotel site) early next year and be well under way later in 2021.”

“We are long-term believers in West Midtown,” Morris said. “The amount of demand we are seeing at the [Star Metals] residential building, and the number of office tenants we are talking with, has been a very positive trend.”

https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news...cx_testVariant=cx_3&cx_artPos=0#cxrecs_s

[atlHawks]

Originally Posted by smArTaLlone

https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news...cx_testVariant=cx_3&cx_artPos=0#cxrecs_s

Are they referring to this building? Wasnt some kind of hotel supposed to go up here?

[Martinman]

Originally Posted by atlHawks

Are they referring to this building? Wasnt some kind of hotel supposed to go up here?

Now that you mention it, I do seem to remember a rendering of a mid rise tower there. But I think it was only conceptual and not a firm proposal.

[smArTaLlone]

https://atlantaintownpaper.com/2020/09/o...tside-paper-development-in-west-midtown/

Third & Urban and FCP have broken ground on Westside Paper, a 15.2-acre former industrial site that will be transformed into office and retail space along the Atlanta BeltLine’s Westside Trail.

The 245,200-square-foot renovation of 950 West Marietta Street is a mix of new construction and existing space, including a three-story addition with sweeping skyline views of the city. The site was originally home to the Atlanta Paper Company and also used to create packaging for Coca-Cola.

The mixed-use project will have 210,000 square feet of creative office space including 67,000 square feet of new construction; 32,500 square feet of retail, restaurant and entertainment space and more than 10,000 square feet of outdoor space wired for connectivity that can serve as alternate office and meeting space.

[atlHawks]

Originally Posted by smArTaLlone

https://atlantaintownpaper.com/2020/09/o...tside-paper-development-in-west-midtown/

Awesome renderings! I pass by here often, the work has been ongoing for a few months now.

[3yonce]

Originally Posted by atlHawks

Awesome renderings! I pass by here often, the work has been ongoing for a few months now.

Did they purchase the whole site? At one point, I thought QTS bought the property for a data center, but this would be a better use of the land, especially if they can squeeze some added density onto some of the lots.

[atlHawks]

Originally Posted by 3yonce

Did they purchase the whole site? At one point, I thought QTS bought the property for a data center, but this would be a better use of the land, especially if they can squeeze some added density onto some of the lots.

Last year, when data center giant QTS Realty paid $80 million for a 55-acre plant, it added more complexity to the future pathway of the Beltline along and near West Marietta.

However, Third & Urban and FCP worked out a deal with Overland Park, Kan.-based QTS Realty Inc. (NYSE: QTS) to acquire the buildings. QTS will maintain a long-term ground lease, as warehouses are redesigned for creative office space and retail.

Link

[3yonce]

Originally Posted by atlHawks

Link

Awesome! Good to know. Should be huge for the area.

[smArTaLlone]

Sidewalks going in.

[atlHawks]

Originally Posted by smArTaLlone

Sidewalks going in.

So are those power lines not getting buried? Such a shame.

[Street Advocate]

Originally Posted by atlHawks

So are those power lines not getting buried? Such a shame.

And I don’t get why they don’t put the bioswale adjacent the street, making a wider, safer sidewalk. Doesn’t even appear to capture stormwater runoff from the street. We keep missing on some basic design standards that occur elsewhere.

[shivtim]

Wait - that gap is for a bioswale? And then with the powerlines the sidewalk on the left becomes completely un-usable?