ATLANTA | Development Thread V

[cabasse]

^no. she. DIDN'T.

[jew4life4948]

Originally Posted by popewiz

Pirate history is really interesting, it could be a really great museum.

Not to mention it could make "Talk Like A Pirate Day" what Mardi Gras is to New Orleans.

$$$

[TarHeelJ]

Originally Posted by LouisianaCharm

how about grabbing up the cheerleader museum while yall are at it.......lol

Well...bring it on!

[nature's calling]

According to Wikipedia, MGM Mirage and Las Vegas Sands are trying to build 5 new casinos in Atlantic Station.

[cabasse]

^atlantic city, nj

[ugagrad08]

Originally Posted by cabasse

atlanta has "stolen" so many headquarters from other cities.

...arrr.

ATLANTA DOESN'T STEAL ANYTHING...WERE JUST THE 'ISH!
THINK OF ALL WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED WITH ONLY 500K IN THE CITY PROPER!
WAIT TIL' WE REALLY GET THINGS STRAIGHTENED OUT IN THE CITY...
THE TYPE OF INT'L PULL WE'LL HAVE!

[AtlMidtowner]

Originally Posted by scpatl4now

Why not have stipulations in the zoning making the clubs responsible for the clean up (of some sort) in say a 1 or 2 block radius? I have always thought that Backstreets demise came from the fact that they were too cheap to pay someone to keep the parking lot and adjacent areas clean and keep down the noise. That seems to be the major argument here. Noise and Trash. One minimum wage employee and one security guard outside could accomplish a good bit of this. Why not require them to do so...it would be a small price to pay to satisfy some of the concerns of the area. Some of course cannot be satisfied, ever...thats not who this would be addressed though

I just dont see a legal ground to stop the SPI club from opening. I see legal grounds on closing after opening. If they dont asking for zoning variances, they simply will take the city to court to issue business permits. I believe FRanklin really has no choice but to allow SPI to open.

I, as a resident and a "street walker" three times a day in the area, do not look forward to SPI opening and wish there were indeed a legal way of preventing them from opening, but I dont think there is.

After posting last week or so about the additional garbage, flyers, vomit and urine that we can expect from SPI, I thought of the same thing that SCPAT said in his/her post, but it actually should already be in place already, and paid for by the bars/restaurants opened past 10pm. These places are the sources of the garbage and would be most prudent for these to contribute to the cleanup.

In most cities around the world, especially in Europe, the city streets are cleaned every night, often to the dismay of tourists that are woken by the racket caused by the street cleaning. Americans dont put that much emphasis on city cleanliness, possibly because of the bulk of those who care live in the burbs. If the city of Atlanta does not provide cleaning, then this should be a private initiative, possibly from Midtown Green.

Bars and Restaurants could contribute to a fund that cleans the streets of flyers, garbage, vomit, food scraps etc in the bar and restaurant areas of Midtown and surrounding blocks. This would be great publicity for bars and restaurants and contributors should be deservingly added to be recognized. Other businesses and buildings could contribute as well as it is in everyone's interest that streets and side walks are clean.

A light cleaning on Saturday and thorough cleaning on Sunday probably will do the trick.

If the garbage becomes completely out of control, then the residents will eventually rise up against the restaurants and bars opening up in Midtown. Unlike Buckhead, here the residents are mixed together with the bars, restuarants and will not tolerate it for 20 years!!

Midtown Green actually already exists. Maybe someone should organize and initiative.


Guess there isnt much news on development....maybe for the next 10 years....It is interesting to note that Mandarin Oriental signed the petition against SPI

[AtlMidtowner]

Originally Posted by micropundit

I am very curious as to why all of the opposition to the new nightclubs centers on the TENANTS and not the landlord, who made a decision to 1) rent the property and 2) to rent it as a nightclub? If the citizens were so concerned, why did they not petition the landlord who can rescind the lease?

A Landlord can not rescind a lease. A lease is a binding contract. A Landlord has every legal right to lease out his property to legal businesses and are zoned property for the property that they bought for income. Dont blame a Landlord!! The Landlord has bills to pay and right now most Landlords are suffering dearly. Even Dewnothing, who made his fortune on strip shopping centers is most likely hurting VERY badly. A Landlord will make a decision to lease to a controversial tenant based on whether other tenants nearby will take offense and leave, and on the economic viability of the tenant, not based on whether customers of the tenant will trash and urinate the neighborhood. They look at the big picture.

By the way, I am a commercial office Landlord....but in the burbs, so I guess I am not the most objective on this......

[pdpmishap]

Originally Posted by AtlMidtowner

A Landlord can not rescind a lease. A lease is a binding contract. A Landlord has every legal right to lease out his property to legal businesses and are zoned property for the property that they bought for income. Dont blame a Landlord!! The Landlord has bills to pay and right now most Landlords are suffering dearly. Even Dewnothing, who made his fortune on strip shopping centers is most likely hurting VERY badly. A Landlord will make a decision to lease to a controversial tenant based on whether other tenants nearby will take offense and leave, and on the economic viability of the tenant, not based on whether customers of the tenant will trash and urinate the neighborhood. They look at the big picture.

By the way, I am a commercial office Landlord....but in the burbs, so I guess I am not the most objective on this......

I'm pretty sure Vision had its lease cancelled/changed in its last incarnation. The Gidewons spent millions renovating Vision to have a like 60 plasma screens (showing a glorified screen saver) and the place was open for less than a year before Selig had it shutdown in order to build 1010Midtown. I hope they would have had more business sense than to renovate a building they didn't hold a long term lease on. Maybe there were buyout stipulations to allow redevelopment. Either way, maybe Dewberry has something similar and there's a firm waiting in the wings to redevelop that plot.

[briantech]

*crickets*

[BlindFatSnake]

Originally Posted by pdpmishap

I'm pretty sure Vision had its lease cancelled/changed in its last incarnation. The Gidewons spent millions renovating Vision to have a like 60 plasma screens (showing a glorified screen saver) and the place was open for less than a year before Selig had it shutdown in order to build 1010Midtown. I hope they would have had more business sense than to renovate a building they didn't hold a long term lease on. Maybe there were buyout stipulations to allow redevelopment. Either way, maybe Dewberry has something similar and there's a firm waiting in the wings to redevelop that plot.

The Gidewons spent $2 mil on renovating the former Vision into a premier night club. They had bought out EarWax records, and expanded the club from corner-to-corner, which included a wine bar. Within a years time, the Gidewon SOLD the property for $12 mil to Selig for their 1010 condo project. They were not SHUT down.

Shortly afterwards, the Gidewons bought the Compound and retained the rights to the club names for Vision and the Compound. They had toyed with the idea of changing the Compound name to Vision, but decided against doing so. The $10 mil profit from the SELL of the Vision property afforded them the opportunity to invest in the new location (formerly the Velvet Room). The Gidewons have great business sense. Maybe some forumers need to roll down the window before spitting

As I've said b4, Vision will be allowed to operate on Peachtree until economic forces (Dewberry & company) deem the property suitable for development.


Until then, continue to spit, but please roll down the window to avoid getting the spital on you or the passengers stupid enough to ride with you.

[kevyfresh]

I'm posting photos from my site visit all this week. The project is coming along nicely and the condos have amazing views, finishes and great space.

[pdpmishap]

Originally Posted by BlindFatSnake

The Gidewons spent $2 mil on renovating the former Vision into a premier night club. They had bought out EarWax records, and expanded the club from corner-to-corner, which included a wine bar. Within a years time, the Gidewon SOLD the property for $12 mil to Selig for their 1010 condo project. They were not SHUT down.

Shortly afterwards, the Gidewons bought the Compound and retained the rights to the club names for Vision and the Compound. They had toyed with the idea of changing the Compound name to Vision, but decided against doing so. The $10 mil profit from the SELL of the Vision property afforded them the opportunity to invest in the new location (formerly the Velvet Room). The Gidewons have great business sense. Maybe some forumers need to roll down the window before spitting

As I've said b4, Vision will be allowed to operate on Peachtree until economic forces (Dewberry & company) deem the property suitable for development.


Until then, continue to spit, but please roll down the window to avoid getting the spital on you or the passengers stupid enough to ride with you.

From AJC '06 Article:
For more than three years, the local nexus of nightclub chic and celebrity has been the monstrous Midtown space called Vision, where everyone from hip-hop producer P. Diddy to Britney Spears to Atlanta Falcon Michael Vick have partied.

But those days are about to end. Vision, which regularly drew thousands of clubbers every weekend, has announced that its final drink will be served and final song played on Aug. 5. The landlords, a partnership between Birmingham-based Daniel Corp. and Atlanta's Selig Enterprises, plan to tear down the space on Peachtree Street and turn it into a big condo tower.

The press-shy Gidewon brothers (Alex, Michael, Gabe, Simon) operate Vision but lease the land, located across the street from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. They declined to comment Monday through spokeswoman Tara Murphy. ...

Creative Loafing 2009 Article:
The plan for the Gidewons’ Peachtree Street nightclub has been a long time coming. Even before Vision closed in August 2006 — having lost its lease after the property owner sold out to condo developers — Michael and his older brother Alex bought the leases of the old Velvet Room nightclub and the Touch of India restaurant across Peachtree. Michael received a building permit in late 2006 to begin overhauling those spaces into another Vision-style mega-club. But a year later, work had ceased and the space was seemingly abandoned.

I'm not chock full of vitriol on every little aspect of Vision much like you apparently are. I was simply commenting that they had a lease and unless you can cite a source for the deal, I trust actual newspaper articles over you. It's certainly possible they got a big cash payout to end the lease but I really think you're mistaken that they owned the land outright.

I don't have the original AJC article but remember reading it and going to their closing night...maybe somebody w/ access to their archives can pull it up.
http://www.thecrusade.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=22850
http://atlanta.creativeloafing.com/gyrobase/club_king/Content?oid=1027140

[(four 0 four)]

Originally Posted by BlindFatSnake

As I've said b4, Vision will be allowed to operate on Peachtree until economic forces (Dewberry & company) deem the property suitable for development.

Until then, continue to spit, but please roll down the window to avoid getting the spital on you or the passengers stupid enough to ride with you.

Or hopefully MUCH sooner when the neighborhood that has to deal with all the crap this is likely to spawn rises up in protest.
(patooey )

It will be interesting to re-visit this about a month after the club opens to see if all the Gidewon promises hold true.

[skapunkskatedude]

Originally Posted by BlindFatSnake

The Gidewons spent $2 mil on renovating the former Vision into a premier night club. They had bought out EarWax records, and expanded the club from corner-to-corner, which included a wine bar. Within a years time, the Gidewon SOLD the property for $12 mil to Selig for their 1010 condo project. They were not SHUT down.

Shortly afterwards, the Gidewons bought the Compound and retained the rights to the club names for Vision and the Compound. They had toyed with the idea of changing the Compound name to Vision, but decided against doing so. The $10 mil profit from the SELL of the Vision property afforded them the opportunity to invest in the new location (formerly the Velvet Room). The Gidewons have great business sense. Maybe some forumers need to roll down the window before spitting

As I've said b4, Vision will be allowed to operate on Peachtree until economic forces (Dewberry & company) deem the property suitable for development.


Until then, continue to spit, but please roll down the window to avoid getting the spital on you or the passengers stupid enough to ride with you.

Lol. Are you making facts up? Apparently there is evidence contrary to what you're saying...

[AtlantaMustang]

They are starting to do something to the Peachtree Plaza

something around the top..


and up the side

Looks like we'll see some progress soon!

sorry about the pic quality, camera phone from a bus

[boomtown]

According to todays ABC, Alston and Bird's new lease negotiations may kick off a new office tower in midtown next year.....Shilandrah and Cousins were mentioned.

[ATLMidtown1]

Legoland scouting Atlanta sites. Is a wax musuem next?
By Rachel Tobin Ramos

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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A Legoland Discovery Centre – a small indoor attraction based on the tiny plastic brick children's toys from Denmark – is being planned for metro Atlanta, a broker said Friday.
The company that will develop it – Merlin Entertainment Group of the United Kingdom – may also seek to bring its wax museum brand -- Madame Tussauds -- to Atlanta, said Howard Samuels, the company's national broker with Samuels & Co. in Los Angeles.

The location for the Legoland attraction – which would charge admission of $15 for kids and $19 for adults – is still in negotiations, Samuels said. The attraction would include an Atlanta skyline made of Legos.
Sites being considered are Atlantic Station near Midtown, North Point Mall in Alpharetta, Buckhead and downtown Atlanta, he said, as well as other sites that "meet our criteria."
Criteria include being near other "family-oriented co-tenants" with good dining nearby. Samuels said he is in negotiations, but he wouldn't say whether a letter of intent has been signed.
The indoor attraction would be about 35,000 square feet – the size of the recently closed ESPN Zone restaurant in Buckhead.
It would include several rides, a large play area, a café and a gift shop, and be available for private parties.
There is only one U.S. location of Legoland Discovery Centre, which is in Schaumburg, a Chicago suburb. A Legoland amusement park is in Carlsbad, Calif., near San Diego.
Mike Pastor, the general manager of the Schaumburg location, said the average age for visitors is about 7 years old, but the attraction brings in kids ages 3 to 12.
The Chicago outpost opened in July 2008. "We've met our budget goal so far and exceeded what we expected," he said.
Samuels said these attractions are built with the expectation they could get 400,000 to 600,000 visitors annually. The company does not disclose development costs.
Merlin Entertainment operates about 60 attractions in 13 countries. A London spokeswoman wouldn't confirm details about Atlanta, but she did say Merlin is looking to add U.S. locations for several of its brands, including Sea Life.
In general, Merlin seeks economic development incentives to help offset the capital costs for the attractions, Samuels said. But without a lease in hand, it has yet to pursue public incentive funds, he added.
The Legoland attraction is set to open in the spring of 2011, he added.
A Legoland and/or Madame Tussauds would add more feathers to Atlanta's hat as a tourism destination in the Southeast.
A pirate museum and college football hall of fame were recently announced as well.
William Pate, president of the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, said it would be nice to have another place for young kids, along with the Imagine It Children's Museum of Atlanta and the Georgia Aquarium.
"It really fits in to our diversified portfolio of tourist offerings," he said, referring to the varied tourism sites now downtown, plus the ones that are coming, such as the National Health Museum.
He believes a Legoland indoor park, because of its uniqueness, would also be another magnet for tourists who drive from Birmingham, Nashville and Knoxville, for example.

[gttx]

Originally Posted by boomtown

According to todays ABC, Alston and Bird's new lease negotiations may kick off a new office tower in midtown next year.....Shilandrah and Cousins were mentioned.

Wow - that is big news! Their current offices are at One Atlantic Center, right? Any idea how much space they are looking for? Any information you can provide is great.

[R Emerson]

Originally Posted by gttx

Wow - that is big news! Their current offices are at One Atlantic Center, right? Any idea how much space they are looking for? Any information you can provide is great.

According to the article, it says they are looking to lease somewhere around 350,000 to 400,000 sq ft. The new tower if it comes to be would be "up-to-30-story Midtown tower." The article also mentions a building that could range in size from 500,000 to 700,000 sq ft. Also mentioned "the developers could hear a decision from Alston & Bird within the next two to six months." Also there could be a 2010 groundbreaking.

The biggest hurdle even with Alston & Bird as a lead tenant would be getting the construction loan especially with vacancy rate of 20% - 24% for Midtown Class A office space by the end the first quarter of nex year.

One of the pieces of news that caught my attention in the article was this piece. "Pope & Land Enterprises Inc. is also pitching a Midtown site, according to sources familiar with the proposals.

The firm has been negotiating to buy the property planned for Trump Tower, a $500 million project that hasn't gotten off the ground at West Peachtree and 15th streets."

Just last week or the one before, Trump's daughter was talking with the Bert Show's morning show about how the Trump project in Atlanta was a definite and that it would be happening sooner then later. Maybe that's just talk while the negotiating is taking place, who knows?