ATLANTA | Development Thread V

[testarossa50]

Do my eyes deceive me, or are there tree demolition permits labeled Sky House posted on West Peachtree?

[boomtown]

I biked the Beltline NE portion over the weekend and it was great to see some things coming together. The pics are from the new skate park and soccer field which are immediately adjacent to the Beltline next to the Freedom Pkwy. The awning holds a solar array.
The newest section of 4th Ward/North Av Park is amazing also.

[TarHeelJ]

Originally Posted by Chris Creech

I really hope they open up the campus a bit more too, I know it's a corporate headquarters, but it's always felt like such a prison complex. A lot of that I know is a hold over from when the complex was first build and the area was really, really bad.

What was really strange working there, is that there was really no way at all to actually walk in and out of the complex. There are no restaurants and shops really close by, but if there were you couldn't have really gotten to them.

I was glad to see that their redoing of the food court at least included a lot of outdoor areas to eat and be outside. Another odd thing was that with all the green space there, you could see it, but there was really not much of a way to enjoy it.

I hope they can somehow at least make a stab at making it more pedestrian friendly and open to the neighborhood. It seems that a restaurant area would do well with all those Coke employees AND GA Tech.

In fact, if you haven't been by lately Ga Tech has been doing a major renovation of their North Avenue sidewalks and street presence from the connector bridge all the way to Coca-Cola.

You have to wonder too if they're investing a lot of money into remodel if they're force the city to finally do something about the park across the street. That has to be one of the most neglected and dismal parks in the city. It's pretty much abandoned to the homeless and an open camp 24/7. When I was there no one at Coke would even dare thing of going over there to enjoy lunch. However, imagine that as a true active green space, where people from Coke and GATech could have lunch, catch bands, etc.

I understand your point about walkability for the area, but I really don't see the need for a corporate headquarters to be open to the neighborhood or to anyone else who does not have business there. Most corporate headquarters that I have experienced are definitely not open to the general public and usually appear as such.

[mayhem]

Originally Posted by TarHeelJ

I understand your point about walkability for the area, but I really don't see the need for a corporate headquarters to be open to the neighborhood or to anyone else who does not have business there. Most corporate headquarters that I have experienced are defitely not open to the general public and usually appear as such.

AT&T is a an example of how to do this better. They've got the only Chik-Fil-A in Midtown in their building and you can exit Marta into another portion of retail.

[mayhem]

It's about time North and Ponce De Leon AVENUE started being treated like such instead of being two of the most suburban streets in the country.

[TarHeelJ]

Originally Posted by mayhem

AT&T is a an example of how to do this better. They've got the only Chik-Fil-A in Midtown in their building and you can exit Marta into another portion of retail.

Isn't that in the basement of the building?

[UVAsuperman]

It's basically next to the parking garage. I doubt many people use it that don't work at AT&T. Chick-fil-a in Colony Square gets much more business with all the businesses around 14th--I even walk there every so often from my office on 10th. Plus, I think the one that's at AT&T closes early (and the Willys there).

[cityenthusiast]

Tarheelj, Its not about the buildings being open to the public but the fact that when they developed the whole complex they made it like a fortress they should have incorpoarated retail into the development. That whole area is aweful with small sidewalks and wide streets theres nothing appealing about the area it looks so subrurban when driving around. I think it would help that area so much if they knocked down the fence that surrounds the complex and built retail at the bottom for the general public and the people that work there. (which is normal for other cities) But thats not likely to happen.

[WoodeGA]

Originally Posted by Chris Creech

Odd question but has anyone actually ever heard the Campanile playing music at the tower? That was sort of the whole point when it was built.

For real? What kind of stuff were they gonna play? Even church belltowers don't play nonstop. Maybe chime like Big Ben or something? I wonder if they ever actually installed any sound equipment.

Originally Posted by Chris Creech

The 191 Building that was supposed to shoot steam out of the top of the "temples"

Actually, I don't think steam was supposed to "shoot" out of the top, it's just the HVAC equipment hidden by the temples can, in the right conditions, emit steam, so that was some kind of bonus in the builder's mind. Look at the building in Google maps and you can easily see the equipment.

Originally Posted by Chris Creech

The Suntrust Tower (Peachtree Center) with the giant UFO on top that is actually a big circle of spotlights that cut on and off, giving a lighthouse effect (they did it the first week then quit)

That UFO thing ruined the top of that building. It's like the developers get close to topping out, get giddy, then go do something totally lame. Too bad the tornado a few years ago didn't blow it off (only under the condition of no injuries, of course).

Wow, I always felt that a lot of developers are just plain tacky, now we have proof!

[AtlantaMustang]

Heres an update on the 10th and Williams site,





and the Gatech Coliseum.


Taken by me on Monday.

[simms3_redux]

The Mediterranean restaurant going in at Peachtree Pl and Peachtree next to Arden's Garden is making lots of progress on buildout, and the Margaret Mitchell museum next door is making progress on a simultaneous buildout.

Have noticed that the new furniture place where Kai Lin was (next to Pedini and escorpion) is nearly finished, and stocked up. Uomo or whatever that horrid clothing store was 2 spaces down has closed. I want to say good riddance, but I commend the owners for giving Midtown a shot, and I actually considered buying a few items there. Unfortunately, for anyone with taste the store was not worth going in.

Progress has been made on site prep work at 13th and West Peachtree, the cleared land around Carolyn's and towards Cosmo Lava. I have heard first hand that Midtown Alliance rejected a proposal to turn the site into a surface lot, and so the owners are merely prepping the site to be sold to a developer of a higher and better use. Still could take a damn long while in today's market.

Unfortunately I have no more news.

[TarHeelJ]

Originally Posted by UVAsuperman

It's basically next to the parking garage. I doubt many people use it that don't work at AT&T. Chick-fil-a in Colony Square gets much more business with all the businesses around 14th--I even walk there every so often from my office on 10th. Plus, I think the one that's at AT&T closes early (and the Willys there).

I thought there was at least one other Chik-fil-A in Midtown...I just couldn't think of where.

[TarHeelJ]

Originally Posted by cityenthusiast

Tarheelj, Its not about the buildings being open to the public but the fact that when they developed the whole complex they made it like a fortress they should have incorpoarated retail into the development. That whole area is aweful with small sidewalks and wide streets theres nothing appealing about the area it looks so subrurban when driving around. I think it would help that area so much if they knocked down the fence that surrounds the complex and built retail at the bottom for the general public and the people that work there. (which is normal for other cities) But thats not likely to happen.

It all sounds like a good idea and an ideal situation, but that kind of thinking/planning has only been popular for a few years now. When the complex was developed it was done so according to the current trends, i.e. campus-style complexes that were off limits to outsiders...additionally, the surrounding neighborhood was not one that most people would have wanted to invite in for lunch. But I agree that it would be nice to see some changes in the outdated design, and hopefully since the area has changed it can become more inviting.

[cityenthusiast]

^^^^I sure hope they do something about the complex. There's so many suburban developments in atlanta I just dont understand But the city is trying to turn things around. I was especially happy to hear about the ordinance in buckhead that all future developments are to be urban

[cityenthusiast]

Any updates on streets of buckhead or the apartment tower across the street. or any of the apartment towers in midtown. Just trying to keep the thread alive. Are some of those supposed to start this year?

[GTdan]

Originally Posted by cityenthusiast

Any updates on streets of buckhead or the apartment tower across the street. or any of the apartment towers in midtown. Just trying to keep the thread alive. Are some of those supposed to start this year?

As far as I know the former Streets of Buckhead, now Buckhead Atlanta, development is still planning on continuing construction by the end of the year.

Skyhouse (Novare's apartment tower on W Peachtree and 12th) has already had their building permits approved by the city and will probably begin construction in the next couple of months. According to the Atlanta Business Chronicle, Daniel Corp. is seeking $80 million in bond financing from the Fulton County Development Authority and aims to start construction this year on 77 12th Street.

Also, the National Center for Civil and Human Rights is planning on breaking ground in October and the College Football Hall of Fame is breaking ground in February. By the end of the year there should be plenty of construction going on in Atlanta. And does anyone know when the downtown streetcar project will begin construction?

[simms3_redux]

I don't believe the land for Skyhouse has gone under contract, yet.

The bond financing for 77 12th St may delay that project, though I could not say for certain obviously. While not in a TAD, the ADA has pulled back on issuing bond financing for projects in TADs, and obviously that goes for projects not even in TADs. 77 12th is a different scenario, though, as it is backed well, solidly planned, and something new for the area (full rental building, ahead of market, etc).

I believe there is still a small lack of funding to the tune of a few million dollars for the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, even with the reduction in final price. Construction may still commence on schedule, though.

And I agree it's funny that we haven't heard any updates on the streetcar recently. That's such a huge project, also still a few million short, that one would think there would be at least a "?" piece in the ABC or AJC.

Buckhead Atlanta has changed so much from the original plan that who knows the timeframe any longer. I'd be damned if Olliver McMillan even knew.

[micropundit]

The current uncertainty surrounding Oliver McMillan's plans for the former Streets of Buckhead project raises some questions concerning their experience, expertise and capacity to successfully complete projects of the scope and complexity of the proposed Atlanta project.

A casual review of the Oliver McMillan website reveals that while the San Diego based developers have a long and succesful track reord they have never done a project on the order of financial magnitude of the $700 million + Buckhead Atlanta project. In fact, if its web site is to be believed, the Houston River Oaks project-a $300 million deal- that has been on OM's books for 3 years without any significant progress in attracting upscale retail; the linchpin of the Atlanta deal.

OM's success stories like The Gaslight District in San Diego involved revitilizing a commerical district in the downtown area with a mix of residential and tourist focused restaurants. Subsequent projects such as the Honolulu deal focused primarily on residential in athe middle to upper middle price ranges.But a recent statement here in Atlanta by OM's president stating in effect, that Om was drawing interest in the Atlanta project from retailers who did not have a presence in either Atlanta or Houston caught my eye. Is OM trying to revive its Houston project by using Atlanta as a drawing card to earn their bones so to speak in the upscale development market?

OM is to be commended for assuming the reins of the former SOB in the current economy, however it is my expectation that they will at least meet if not exceed some of the original project's goals : a unique ,upscale shopping experience along with a first class roster of dining options ,set in a world class environment

Costly? Yes! Achievable: Now that is the question.

[simms3_redux]

The lenders are going to have as much say on the final project as OM has. BC Properties secured lines of credit from Wells and CBRE investors. Perhaps there is no current financing for the project as the new plan is still under development and the proposed name is literally an unpopular insult (what lender that knows the market would back a project with such an egregious name?).

[sunking1056]

I don't know when they'll actually start tearing up street, but all of the roads along the streetcar route have been all marked up for a few weeks now so I would think it shouldn't be too long.