ATLANTA | Development Thread V

[jpk1292000]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Nice! The Whole Foods will be a great addition, too.

The version of the Whole Foods in today's rendering also looks a little better than the one I remember from the June rendering.

[Vaden]

Originally Posted by ATL_J

I think that is for a variety of reasons. A lot of the easier lots to develop on have been bought, developed, or are in the process. Other lots are either not for sale currently or simply priced too high to make certain projects economically feasible. I also think Atlanta is in a unique situation compared to perhaps some of its peer cities where there aren't a lot of areas you can have high density urban infill. For example, you're not going to tear down Ansley Park, Midtown, Home Park, etc. which is where the "natural" development would spread. So this limits growth.

I wish I knew what you meant by "tear down Midtown" for high density infill. You are about 40 years too late for that because high density development spread to Midtown long ago. That's why all those high rise condos, high rise offices, and apartment complexes are there...

[Ant131531]

Originally Posted by Vaden

I wish I knew what you meant by "tear down Midtown" for high density infill. You are about 40 years too late for that because high density development spread to Midtown long ago. That's why all those high rise condos, high rise offices, and apartment complexes are there...

He means the single family home part of Midtown south of 10th and east of Piedmont. That would probably be a high density area especially with it's street grid and small street widths, but....it's protected because it's a historic area.

I think Home Park needs to be rebuilt with 6 story apartment buildings...I see nothing special about the neighborhood that warrants protecting it when it can be a high density neighborhood that has easy access to Atlantic Station, Midtown, and the Westside neigborhoods. In fact, right now, it's a high crime area.

Atlanta protects the single family home neighborhoods a little too much and in the end, it's going to drive neighborhood prices through the roof and make them very unaffordable because the limited amount of units in the city due to how much land single family homes actually take up compared to apartment blocks.

[RocketSurgeon]

Aspire Waterworks update: Nearly what, a year in? It looks like they're still doing basic site work. I don't think it's stalled because there's still equipment there, so it must either have a ridiculously long schedule or something went wrong.

Originally Posted by arctk2014

Good thing zoning doesn't dictate architectural styles.
I don't know why someone kept perpetuating this lie otherwise.

Of course zoning can dictate architectural styles. Savannah does it in their historic district.

Originally Posted by Vaden

I wish I knew what you meant by "tear down Midtown" for high density infill. You are about 40 years too late for that because high density development spread to Midtown long ago. That's why all those high rise condos, high rise offices, and apartment complexes are there...

Hate to speak for him but I asume he meant the neighborhood of Midtown--a.k.a. Historic Midtown--where the single family homes are. The area most people think of when they hear "Midtown" is actually several neighborhoods, only one of which is actually called Midtown. The neighborhood with the highrises is Midtown Core. Confused enough yet?

[ATL_J]

I guess I needed to be more specific, but yes, "Historic Midtown". The rich, single family neighborhoods on either side of Peachtree Street from Midtown to Buckhead, Ansley Park, & Historic Midtown limit the urban growth of Atlanta. I'm not implying this a good or bad thing, that is purely subjective, but I think it goes a long way in explaining Ant's initial question. These neighborhoods force dense development in a few nodes, driving up land prices, and limiting what is economically feasible on these sites. The places where there is a lot of available land for more urban growth all have their own challenges, so projects will need to be carefully vetted and thus won't come at such a rapid pace as the "easier" sites did.

[testarossa50]

Originally Posted by Ant131531

I think Home Park needs to be rebuilt with 6 story apartment buildings...I see nothing special about the neighborhood that warrants protecting it when it can be a high density neighborhood that has easy access to Atlantic Station, Midtown, and the Westside neigborhoods. In fact, right now, it's a high crime area.

Atlanta protects the single family home neighborhoods a little too much and in the end, it's going to drive neighborhood prices through the roof and make them very unaffordable because the limited amount of units in the city due to how much land single family homes actually take up compared to apartment blocks.

Agree. Take a wrecking ball to Home Park--it contributes nothing to the city besides Antico Pizza and cheap apartments. Save the smattering of historic structures, redevelop the rest. No need to stop at 6 stories necessarily, though.

[thepope117]

Originally Posted by testarossa50

Agree. Take a wrecking ball to Home Park--it contributes nothing to the city besides Antico Pizza and cheap apartments. Save the smattering of historic structures, redevelop the rest. No need to stop at 6 stories necessarily, though.

I completely agree with the last part especially with its proximity to GT.

[RocketSurgeon]

Actually the portion of Home Park north of 14th has been improving lately. A lot of it is still iffy though. If zoning allows it those parts will probably be developed eventually but it will be awhile with the lack of transit and the number of vacant/underdeveloped lots on the other side of the Connector.

Piedmont Park and MARTA have probably defined Midtown's development patterns more than anything.

[TarHeelJ]

Originally Posted by RocketSurgeon

Hate to speak for him but I asume he meant the neighborhood of Midtown--a.k.a. Historic Midtown--where the single family homes are. The area most people think of when they hear "Midtown" is actually several neighborhoods, only one of which is actually called Midtown. The neighborhood with the highrises is Midtown Core. Confused enough yet?

Wasn't a big portion of the highrise area in Midtown once single-family homes too?

[testarossa50]

Originally Posted by TarHeelJ

Wasn't a big portion of the highrise area in Midtown once single-family homes too?

I believe by the time 1980 rolled around most of that was long-gone, and was replaced by a lot of lowrise buildings, surface lots, and blight.

Kind of amazing how far Midtown has come, actually.

[thepope117]

Originally Posted by testarossa50

I believe by the time 1980 rolled around most of that was long-gone, and was replaced by a lot of lowrise buildings, surface lots, and blight.

Kind of amazing how far Midtown has come, actually.

http://www.myajc.com/gallery/lifestyles/flashback-fotos-atlantas-midtown-1970-1990/gCGx4/#4321988

[bigstick]

Originally Posted by thepope117

http://www.myajc.com/gallery/lifestyles/flashback-fotos-atlantas-midtown-1970-1990/gCGx4/#4321988

Wow, awesome pics...I remember it well.

[Terminus]

Originally Posted by arctk2014

Good thing zoning doesn't dictate architectural styles.
I don't know why someone kept perpetuating this lie otherwise.

The requirement was NOT a zoning requirement, it was a design requirement actually tied to the deed. It was self-imposed by the master developer of One Atlantic Center. A single owner had all four corners under control at one time and and master planned called for three shorter gothic revival towers and one tall one. The idea was that the composition would resembler a gothic cathedral.

I'd imagine all four current owners signed paperwork to remove the requirement.

[SteveD]

Originally Posted by bigstick

Wow, awesome pics...I remember it well.

Wow....I do too. Those pics are amazing. Family relocated from the North to Atlanta in 1974, I was 11. Those pictures really take me back.

[bryantm3]

Originally Posted by thepope117

http://www.myajc.com/gallery/lifestyles/flashback-fotos-atlantas-midtown-1970-1990/gCGx4/#4321988

i only caught the very end of that era— the one with the skyscrapers under construction. i wish i could have seen midtown back in the hippie days.

[TarHeelJ]

Originally Posted by testarossa50

I believe by the time 1980 rolled around most of that was long-gone, and was replaced by a lot of lowrise buildings, surface lots, and blight.

Kind of amazing how far Midtown has come, actually.

True, but even prior to that...commercial building encroached into residential areas just off Peachtree and completely altered the area. It's still happening on the edge of Historic Midtown along Piedmont. Not that it isn't a good thing, but it can happen so slowly that no one notices until the houses are gone.

[arctk2014]

Originally Posted by Terminus

The requirement was NOT a zoning requirement, it was a design requirement actually tied to the deed. It was self-imposed by the master developer of One Atlantic Center. A single owner had all four corners under control at one time and and master planned called for three shorter gothic revival towers and one tall one. The idea was that the composition would resembler a gothic cathedral.

I'd imagine all four current owners signed paperwork to remove the requirement.

I've seen the model for the master plan and knew the intent was to originally have 2 more "mini-me" buildings. But my point was that the idea floating about a "requirement" - even if it were in the deed from 30+ years ago - wasn't really a dead-set requirement but more of an intent/request when they were trying to build IBM's regional HQ in Midtown.

[GeorgiaPeanuts]

I'm glad Stubby was the only offshoot. Everything about it is cheap mimicry. Every little detail on stubby is a simplified cheaper variant of OAC's details.

[arctk2014]

Originally Posted by GeorgiaPeanuts

I'm glad Stubby was the only offshoot. Everything about it is cheap mimicry. Every little detail on stubby is a simplified cheaper variant of OAC's details.

Except Novare's taking that even further by trying to make it even cheaper with a parking deck on the opposing SE corner...

[Frankster87]

This might be old news for some, but I noticed yesterday after exiting the Midtown Marta station that the garage at 33 Peachtree Place is officially open and being used.

The lot next door was empty this morning. Looks like work should start very soon on the second half of this lot.