ATLANTA | Development Thread V

[RocketSurgeon]

Originally Posted by arctk2014

Perhaps it's the very faux take on "traditional" architecture that bothers most of the critics on here. Had they hired architects like Atlanta's very own Historical Concepts firm you'd have mostly everyone happy with the design (even those who are looking for more modern high-rises) because they would at least be trying to detail the proportions properly. Based off the renderings it wouldn't surprise me if they tried to pull this off with EIFS brick (like the Brookwood Condos).

Today's laymen are still able to tell the difference between an older building with intrinsic value and newer construction methods trying to fake "traditional" styles. If you're going to go traditional design it properly traditional.

The traditional style you accuse this of "faking" is itself a modern "fake" of an older style. With few exceptions, the architectural history of the US is one revival after another, all being shallower copies of the originals. Engineering evolves and styles are adjusted accordingly--bolted-on arches, steel scaffolding supporting shallow stone facades, you name it. With modern materials it's hard to economically justify anything like what was built a century ago, certainly not real Roman architecture, especially not in a relatively average residential tower. Depth and weight will probably continue to wane even as those traditional styles hang on, and of course there will be more glass than ever before. People will grow accustomed to it, then a hundred years from now they'll be designing things that look even less like your "traditional" benchmark, and people will long for the days of the early 21st-century when we hadn't strayed too far from it yet.

It is not identical, that was never my point. It's not even special, it's pretty average for the area. Still, I'm thoroughly convinced no one would let it be torn down if it was old. Only time will tell that too, although with the lifespan of modern buildings we probably won't be around to prove each other wrong

[robertjhajek]

NYC & SF are doing a terrific job of building timeless buildings.

Tower Verre, 111 W 57th, 432 Park, 181 Fremont

Buildings like 520 Park avenue & 220 Central Park South are excellent modern interpretations of history.

The Mandarin Oriental in Buckhead did a great job at modern/traditional.

[GeorgiaPeanuts]

A permit was filed for that O4W beltline hotel

Land Development for construction of a 7-story, 140 key boutique hotel with underground parking

A listing was created recentlyl for the remaining portion of the Kaplan residential development near COP. It includes a site plan showing how the currently planned building will be situated on the site as well as including an imagining of a hotel development on the southern portion: http://x.lnimg.com/attachments/7E06AEBE-CA5F-402D-B736-B12513647761.pdf

http://www.loopnet.com/Listing/19903608/377-Centennial-Olympic-Park-Drive-Atlanta-GA/

[Street Advocate]

Originally Posted by GeorgiaPeanuts

A permit was filed for that O4W beltline hotel

Here's hoping we continue to see more development along the EST. As much that's been going in at O4W, I can't help but feel it's not enough. There's plenty of land west of Ladybird, all of that surface parking at Kevin Rathbuns, empty lots on Ashland, and the gravel parkiing at Krog St. Not to mention all of the opportunity east and west down Edgewood, North Ave, and Ponce like the dog sitter & USPS by two urban licks and all the solo standing buildings with surface parking east on Ponce to North Highland. We still have so much room for growth and should be able to incorporate all types of housing, restaurants, and stores for our residents. I'm hoping we start to see more mid-rise condos along the EST soon.

[Libertarian]

I think what O4W is missing more than anything else, is good jobs. No everyone has downtown government/university jobs or wants to commute to the northside or airport.

[bryantm3]

Originally Posted by Pemgin

Interesting quote from Mark Becker at the end, saying there's no more plans to build student housing. I wonder what that means for the just announced tower across the street.

it means becker is asleep at the wheel, as usual. GSU is literally planning housing along capitol avenue.

[TarHeelJ]

Originally Posted by robertjhajek

NYC & SF are doing a terrific job of building timeless buildings.

Tower Verre, 111 W 57th, 432 Park, 181 Fremont

Buildings like 520 Park avenue & 220 Central Park South are excellent modern interpretations of history.

The Mandarin Oriental in Buckhead did a great job at modern/traditional.

I think we all know that not every building going up in NYC or SF is looking timeless...some are, and some are here as well - but again timeless is totally subjective. Just like in any other city, Atlanta will see some great, high quality buildings and some not so much. Obviously every building is not going to be a work of art.

[TarHeelJ]

Originally Posted by Libertarian

I think what O4W is missing more than anything else, is good jobs. No everyone has downtown government/university jobs or wants to commute to the northside or airport.

O4W is really close to 2 of Atlanta's major job centers...I'm fine with it being a residential/entertainment/dining area with a few jobs thrown in here and there. It just needs to be connected to the job centers by transit - that would make the big difference.

[jsvh]

The Stitch: An ambitious proposal to build parks and housing above The Connector - Atlanta Magazine

Meet “the Stitch”: a plan—concept, really—to cap the Downtown Connector by building concrete decking over the top of I-75/85 from the Spring Street flyover southeast to the Piedmont Avenue bridge. The effort would turn a half-mile stretch of interstate highway into a tunnel. More importantly, it would create 14 acres of new terrain out of what is now a no-man’s land of surface parking, empty lots, and an open trench containing a dozen lanes of traffic—metaphorically restitching the urban fabric that was torn by the placement of the freeway.

That new landscape could include public greenspace to host concerts and events—parks bracketed by newly reconnected streets that now dead-end. It would also—perhaps by financial necessity—include a cluster of new hotels, residential buildings, and office towers, according to a study that forms the conceptual blueprint for the Stitch.

“We’re trying to create an urban amenity that will spur development,” says A.J. Robinson, president of Central Atlanta Progress, the nonprofit devoted to promoting economic development downtown. It spent close to $100,000 to commission the 114-page study from Pasadena-based Jacobs Engineering.

...

It’s that public-private partnership aspect of the Stitch that makes its realization appear more likely—Robinson says a first phase could be completed within five years—than a project that depends solely on government funds. So far, he says, the surrounding property owners—Cousins Properties, Emory Hospital, Georgia Power, Portman Holdings, and St. Luke’s Episcopal Church—are enthusiastic supporters of the plan. His group has also given well-received presentations to City Hall; the Federal Highway Administration; Midtown Alliance, CAP’s counterpart to the north; MARTA; and the state Department of Transportation, which would be a partner in the project, says Jennifer Ball, CAP’s vice president of planning and economic development. John McColl, executive vice president at Cousins, one of Atlanta’s top commercial developers, says his company is eager to offer support and leadership to help see the project through.

Next, CAP will approach its corporate members to raise the $1 million needed to conduct preliminary engineering work, which will determine how the Stitch should be built and, crucially, how much it would cost. The early estimate of $300 million is based on the per-acre cost of a similar project in Dallas, Klyde Warren Park.

...

[ATL_J]

I love this part of the cycle.

[ATLSkyPalaceOwner]

Originally Posted by ATL_J

I love this part of the cycle.

The part where people ogle over projects that have a 0% chance of being built?

[Street Advocate]

Originally Posted by ATLSkyPalaceOwner

The part where people ogle over projects that have a 0% chance of being built?

seemed like two years to a year ago a new project would either break ground or be announced every week.

[RocketSurgeon]

Originally Posted by ATLSkyPalaceOwner

The part where people ogle over projects that have a 0% chance of being built?

It's roughly the same size and cost as the cap over GA-400, and that's well on its way to reality. If Downtown picks up in the next 5-10 years that kind of project is entirely possible. With private investment, $300 million isn't all that much for a city the size of Atlanta. The cleanup of the Atlantic Steel Mill and construction of 17th Street was more ambitious, and that was a long time ago (before Tech Square or the Midtown Mile even existed).

[A-town]

I like how "The Stitch" rendering includes the second phase of Twelve: Centennial Park. This proposal should encourage Novare to build the other half. This just may be the kick Downtown needs to start a significant development cycle. But most importantly this development will close the gap in our skyline and bridge Downtown and Midtown neighborhoods. So I'm all on board.

[bryantm3]

Originally Posted by A-town

I like how "The Stitch" rendering includes the second phase of Twelve: Centennial Park. This proposal should encourage Novare to build the other half. This just may be the kick Downtown needs to start a significant development cycle. But most importantly this development will close the gap in our skyline and bridge Downtown and Midtown neighborhoods. So I'm all on board.

they also knocked down the medical arts building in the rendering... let's hope that doesn't happen. otherwise i'm 100% on board, although i do wish they could have gone one more block west and reconnected spring street.

[Atlanta3000]

"The Stitch" - WHY?

We live in a world of limited financial resources. To consider spending $100 - 300+ Million in the hopes of spurring development Downtown is just foolish and reckless. The Atlanta Falcons are spending $1.5 Billion on an iconic stadium Downtown and it hasn't exactly ignited development. Also, do we need several more acres of land for development when we already have so many surface parking lots and underdeveloped sites?

Does "The Stitch" look nice? - YES, but the real question should be: Does it make sense? NO.

[BunkyWay]

LOLz at people thinking the Stitch will actually cost $300 million.

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by Atlanta3000

"The Stitch" - WHY?

We live in a world of limited financial resources. To consider spending $100 - 300+ Million in the hopes of spurring development Downtown is just foolish and reckless. The Atlanta Falcons are spending $1.5 Billion on an iconic stadium Downtown and it hasn't exactly ignited development. Also, do we need several more acres of land for development when we already have so many surface parking lots and underdeveloped sites?

Does "The Stitch" look nice? - YES, but the real question should be: Does it make sense? NO.

Stadiums usually have minimal net benefit in all the unbiased studies done. Why we spend tax dollars on them I have no idea. However, something like this will be much more beneficial for less tax dollars (than was spent on STP).

This is exactly the sort of project that should be getting tax dollars (and private contributions).

I am all for fiscal responsibility, but I don't think we are quite as "in a world of limited on financial resources" as you portray. CoA could probably pay the public half of this with the $150M in cash it has in the bank if it wanted. (Which of course it has because Reed has been responsible about not blowing it on projects like baseball stadiums).

[Kh9142]

Regarding the Hanover project at 7th: The zipcar spaces have been removed from the existing parking area for a few weeks, and of last night the parking lot closest to bulldogs was closed off to traffic and the pay machine was covered in plastic. Maybe signs of progress?

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by BunkyWay

LOLz at people thinking the Stitch will actually cost $300 million.

Klyde Warren Park cost $106.7M. This is probably a fair estimate since this is bigger. Of course the $300M will not include all the new buildings built around it. That will be private development.