ATLANTA | Development Thread V

[RobMidtowner]

Originally Posted by arctk2014

One-way streets THAT wide do nothing to facilitate good development. The current state of Spring Street north of 10th is nothing more than a parking deck alley because of being a mere highway for 3+ lanes of travel.

It's not conducive for any active use - let alone retail- to survive that long - yet the Midtown DRC tries to dictate "active use" on them. Justy imagine trying to get to some retail location but you pass it...but it's too confusing to try to loop back on all these one-way streets that don't connect mid-block like they should. But Spring/West Peachtree are too wide to make these smaller mid-block connections work for traffic unless they're converted back to 2-lane roads.

Then "they" wonder why they fail to lease properly and conceded to having "Skyhouse-level" quality of retail that fails over time.

The last incarnation of Skyhouse's parking deck along Spring are nothing more than glorified signage boxes for Skyhouse Midtown.

Originally Posted by bryantm3

it's essentially a freeway, designed to keep traffic flowing through midtown as quickly as possible. if you slow down and try to stop, commuters honk at you, people cut around you, etc. it's horrible for local businesses. midtown is enough of an attraction in itself that redirecting that traffic elsewhere would only be an improvement.

If what y'all say is true, then how is Tech Square so successful? Also, Publix at Plaza Midtown seems to be doing really well too so I disagree with your logic about being bad for business/active uses. The problems you talk about (i.e. fast and aggressive drivers, missing and looping back around, etc.) will be there whether it's one-way or two-way, and traffic will be much worse if it's converted. Mid-block crossings work on these roads if you have a signal.

[shivtim]

Originally Posted by RobMidtowner

If what y'all say is true, then how is Tech Square so successful? Also, Publix at Plaza Midtown seems to be doing really well too so I disagree with your logic about being bad for business/active uses. The problems you talk about (i.e. fast and aggressive drivers, missing and looping back around, etc.) will be there whether it's one-way or two-way, and traffic will be much worse if it's converted. Mid-block crossings work on these roads if you have a signal.

Tech Square is successful because all of the retail is on 5th street - a 2-way street with slow traffic. There's nothing on Spring because Spring is a gutter for speeding cars.
Publix is one business on one corner of Spring, and hardly indicative of the overall effect of a 5-lane one-way street. Most people enter Publix either from the parking garage or by walking down Peachtree Place. That may change when the two huge student apartments open.
Of course the one-way nature of these streets isn't the only thing holding them back, there are stretches that are somewhat successful (like the block of Plaza Midtown on West Peachtree). But there is a huge difference in the pedestrian experience when cars are flying by at 55mph with 5 lanes, as opposed to 30mph with two lanes in each direction.

[gttx]

Originally Posted by shivtim

Tech Square is successful because all of the retail is on 5th street - a 2-way street with slow traffic. There's nothing on Spring because Spring is a gutter for speeding cars.
Publix is one business on one corner of Spring, and hardly indicative of the overall effect of a 5-lane one-way street. Most people enter Publix either from the parking garage or by walking down Peachtree Place. That may change when the two huge student apartments open.
Of course the one-way nature of these streets isn't the only thing holding them back, there are stretches that are somewhat successful (like the block of Plaza Midtown on West Peachtree). But there is a huge difference in the pedestrian experience when cars are flying by at 55mph with 5 lanes, as opposed to 30mph with two lanes in each direction.

Parking on Spring St to get to Publix is asking for near-certain death. It's awful.

[arctk2014]

Originally Posted by RobMidtowner

If what y'all say is true, then how is Tech Square so successful? Also, Publix at Plaza Midtown seems to be doing really well too so I disagree with your logic about being bad for business/active uses. The problems you talk about (i.e. fast and aggressive drivers, missing and looping back around, etc.) will be there whether it's one-way or two-way, and traffic will be much worse if it's converted. Mid-block crossings work on these roads if you have a signal.

Others have already addressed the main reasons but as far as traffic concerns - it's going to be there regardless of being one-way or two-way. Retail actually WANTS some traffic - so you slow down and can see what's there.

[shivtim]

I don't think this rendering of Azure on the Park has been posted yet:


"two level outdoor terrace with infinity edge swimming pool on the 22nd and 23rd levels"
"two story open amenity. The lower of the two has outdoor kitchen, theatre, two fire pits (on the outside corners). The upper level is the infinity edge swimming pook deck. They are connected by an intermediate level balcony on level with the receiving basin for the water of the infinity edge."

[NewUrbanist90]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Hm, just ran across this. Apparently this would be where the Garden Hills cinema was, next to Fellini's.

The office building looks okay but I'm not sure I'm getting all that other stuff.

http://buckheadview.com/2015/06/26/brand...ng-of-garden-hills-retailoffice-project/

Few things. First of all, I'm happy this has retail at the base, but I wish the office building would interact with Peachtree better.

Secondly, by the time this is built it will already look dated. Unless it is just really, really well done (see: St. Regis Buckhead).

[testarossa50]

Converting those streets to two-way brings about some major technical issues, and underscores the real issue with these streets: they function as massive access roads for 85 North and the Connector South. Both streets serve vastly more traffic than just local traffic. Combine this with mediocre (at best) traffic control and small sidewalks and you've got a pretty bad pedestrian experience.

- First, we need to review lane needs on both streets. Why, on West Peachtree, does it grow from 4 to 5 lanes at 12th street? That's a minor access point with a negligible amount of additional northbound traffic. The 5th lane should be converted into extra sidewalk/bike lane space, with a proper turn lane onto 14th street. At 14th, it can begin being 5 lanes.
- Second, we need a new interstate access point. If the 15th Street Bridge could be built with HOV/HOT access to 85 North, it would do a lot to alleviate the sheer volume of cars speeding northbound in West Peachtree up to the Buford/Spring Connector. 15th St and Williams St would both be viable alternative routes to 85, at least for cars willing to pay the toll (I would wager many would).
- Third, we need to upgrade the sidewalks and crosswalks throughout the two roads, and implement more traffic calming. Some of the crosswalks are comically bad (13th Street at West Peachtree actually used to be a crosswalk, but it completely wore away!), as are sidewalks (again, 13th and West Peachtree, which will hopefully be rebuilt soon).
- Finally, we need dedicated turn lanes. In other major cities, the practice of having five through-lanes all intersect with a massive street with no turn lanes whatsoever is very uncommon; on these streets it's the norm. This rushes turning cars who feel like through traffic is piling up behind them, and causes pedestrians to get cut off a lot more often. Also, on the other side of the intersection after the turn lane you can have a curb with wider sidewalk, since the through traffic is gone from that lane. This improves the pedestrian experience and feeling of safety vastly (more sidewalk, fewer lanes to cross, etc).

If the avenues in NYC can be successful one-way streets that are clogged with traffic all day long I don't see why it's impossible for West Peachtree and Spring to be workable. We just need to reign in the chaos a bit.

[NewUrbanist90]

Construction started at "The Flats on Howell Mill" (now called Millworks):

http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/m...-building.html

Also note that 455 14th St is now called "The Local" (which sounds more like a bar than an apartment building).

[Verge]

Originally Posted by NewUrbanist90

Few things. First of all, I'm happy this has retail at the base, but I wish the office building would interact with Peachtree better.

Secondly, by the time this is built it will already look dated. Unless it is just really, really well done (see: St. Regis Buckhead).

Really, really terrible-- the Adam's Family Office Building--

[boomtown]

Originally Posted by Verge

Really, really terrible-- the Adam's Family Office Building--

Looks like the Haunted Mansion if Disney had built it in Vegas.

[Libertarian]

I could imagine a better setting, but whateva.

[Atlanta3000]

University House Midtown - 100% Leased
Other developers should be taking note that both GA Tech privately funded dorms (Square on 5th and University House) are 100% leased in their 1st year. Springs Street might be getting a neighbor soon....

http://www.atlantaintownpaper.com/2015/06/real-estate-briefs-new-apartments-big-sales-and-more/


Brand Properties - (2815 Peachtree Road NE) Development

From the BuckheadView article:

Told that the design of the building seemed to pick up some of the architectural characteristics of the Cathedral of St. Philip, as well as the Gallery and maybe some of the Atlanta St. Regis Buckhead Hotel & Residences mixed in, Morgan responded, he appreciated that. “We will be proud to call it our home.

I think everyone should reserve their judgement on this project until you see the final product. Brand Properties is setting the bar high drawing architectural from both the Cathedral of St. Philip and the St. Regis Hotel. I know the pictures look a little "wonky," for lack of a better word, but the materials they are using appear to be "expensive," again for lack of a better word.

Just my $.02.........

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by Atlanta3000

I think everyone should reserve their judgement on this project until you see the final product. Brand Properties is setting the bar high drawing architectural from both the Cathedral of St. Philip and the St. Regis Hotel. I know the pictures look a little "wonky," for lack of a better word, but the materials they are using appear to be "expensive," again for lack of a better word.

The office building looks fine to me but I don't understand how it interacts with the street level elements.

For example, what's going on right here? Is there a space in between, or does the second floor of the building butt up against the lower structure in front?

(I also think the family office concept is interesting for Atlanta. Are there other buildings around the city dedicated to that purpose?)

[Atlanta3000]

Originally Posted by arjay57

The office building looks fine to me but I don't understand how it interacts with the street level elements.

For example, what's going on right here? Is there a space in between, or does the second floor of the building butt up against the lower structure in front?

(I also think the family office concept is interesting for Atlanta. Are there other buildings around the city dedicated to that purpose?)

It's a driveway - seen in the pic below. I think a bank is planned for that space.

[BlueSangha]

Originally Posted by Atlanta3000

University House Midtown - 100% Leased
Other developers should be taking note that both GA Tech privately funded dorms (Square on 5th and University House) are 100% leased in their 1st year. Springs Street might be getting a neighbor soon....

http://www.atlantaintownpaper.com/2015/06/real-estate-briefs-new-apartments-big-sales-and-more/


Brand Properties - (2815 Peachtree Road NE) Development

From the BuckheadView article:

I think everyone should reserve their judgement on this project until you see the final product. Brand Properties is setting the bar high drawing architectural from both the Cathedral of St. Philip and the St. Regis Hotel. I know the pictures look a little "wonky," for lack of a better word, but the materials they are using appear to be "expensive," again for lack of a better word.

Just my $.02.........

What you mean by getting a neighbor soon? Nothing in the article suggests that.

[AtlHeel]

Originally Posted by Atlanta3000

University House Midtown - 100% Leased
Other developers should be taking note that both GA Tech privately funded dorms (Square on 5th and University House) are 100% leased in their 1st year. Springs Street might be getting a neighbor soon....

http://www.atlantaintownpaper.com/2015/06/real-estate-briefs-new-apartments-big-sales-and-more/


Brand Properties - (2815 Peachtree Road NE) Development

From the BuckheadView article:

I think everyone should reserve their judgement on this project until you see the final product. Brand Properties is setting the bar high drawing architectural from both the Cathedral of St. Philip and the St. Regis Hotel. I know the pictures look a little "wonky," for lack of a better word, but the materials they are using appear to be "expensive," again for lack of a better word.

Just my $.02.........

Good points 3000! I like it better realizing the 'nod' to St Regis and the Cathedral.

[arctk2014]

Originally Posted by BlueSangha

What you mean by getting a neighbor soon? Nothing in the article suggests that.

Modera Midtown is slated to go behind University House on the same block and NCR's Headquarters campus is infilling between University House and Square on Fifth projects.


Modera Midtown



NCR HQ Preliminary Site Plan

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by Atlanta3000

It's a driveway - seen in the pic below. I think a bank is planned for that space.

Sorry, I wasn't clear with my arrow drawing!

What I meant was this area where the streetfront element butts up against the office building.

It looks like an odd connection but maybe that is just an artifact of the rendering.

[BlueSangha]

Originally Posted by arctk2014

Modera Midtown is slated to go behind University House on the same block and NCR's Headquarters campus is infilling between University House and Square on Fifth projects.


Modera Midtown



NCR HQ Preliminary Site Plan

Oh, that. I think that's already started.

[Atlanta3000]

Originally Posted by BlueSangha

Oh, that. I think that's already started.

I meant another developer is highly likely to propose/develop another GA Tech dorm given the success of the previous two.