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For Mall West End, fresh name, visuals, details have emerged Josh Green Wed, 10/30/2024 - 14:46 Out with Mall West End and in with… “One West End”?

According to a new “Coming Soon” promotional website, the One West End branding will be applied to a 12-acre mall site that’s been a West End shopping destination for half a century but is set for a mixed-use overhaul that leverages proximity to downtown, MARTA, the Atlanta Beltline, and Atlanta University Center, among other attractions.

The website was put together by BRP Companies and The Prusik Group, New York City-based real estate companies that closed on Mall West End's property four weeks ago for an undisclosed price.

Those firms plan to redevelop the 1970s shopping center in partnership with the City of Atlanta and Atlanta Beltline Inc., with Atlanta Urban Development Corporation—a local nonprofit entity that strives to develop underused public land into mixed-income housing—also on board, according BRP officials.

The online promo package, which invites CRE professionals and neighborhood residents to “be a part of West End’s next chapter,” also includes the most specific visuals to date for what mall redevelopment could look like.

City leaders recently predicted Mall West End’s site will see 1.7 million square feet of development in coming years, costing to the tune of $450 million.  

How residential would be stacked over neighborhood amenities at One West End. Prusik Group/BRP Companies; One West End

Prusik Group/BRP Companies; One West End

Construction is expected to begin sometime next year, following rounds of community engagement to gather design input.

According to a city announcement earlier this month, the first phase will deliver in 2026. But the One West End website states the initial phase won’t open until roughly two years later, or sometime in 2028.

Key facets of the redevelopment are set to include roughly 125,000 square feet of retail with a grocery store, local boutiques, a fitness center, and food-and-beverage options.

At least 10,000 square feet of commercial space that leases at affordable rates will also be in the mix for qualified local small businesses, along with 12,000 square feet of medical office space, per the city.

Other sections would see a 150-room hotel built, plus roughly 900 units of mixed-income rental housing. According to the city’s announcement, 70 percent of those rentals would be reserved as workforce housing, while 20 percent would rent at 50 percent of the area median income or less, and 10 percent at 80 percent AMI.

Elsewhere would be student housing and communal perks that include bike parking, a public greenspace, resident lounges, and activated streetscapes, per the city.

Broader look at proposed mid-rise construction and a new through-street where Mall West End currently stands. Prusik Group/BRP Companies; One West End

Mall West End's most recent redevelopment concepts (unveiled by the same development team in 2022) called for a mix of retail and residential uses at a much smaller scale than previous proposals. Prusik Group & BRP

Mall West End’s ownership group had been exploring options to offload the property for several years. The mall is dotted with vacancies but counts Planet Fitness, Foot Locker, Journey’s, and food-and-beverage options such as American Deli as primary attractions today. Project leaders have called finding space for legacy retailers a priority for new development.

With its location near MARTA’s West End station, the Beltline’s Westside Trail, and AUC colleges, the mall property has had no trouble attracting developer interest in recent years. But each of three earlier visions fell apart—including a slightly smaller proposal (1.5 million square feet of total development) from The Prusik Group and BRP.  

Funding for the deal includes $19 million in acquisition financing provided by Merchants Capital, plus a $5 million acquisition loan from Atlanta Urban Development and another $5 million from Beltline coffers, according to the city.

The development team has vowed to contribute at least $500,000 to a fund that will help qualifying commercial tenants with rent credits and tenant improvement allowances.

General scope of the 1970s mall property and its 12 acres, with MARTA rail shown at right. Google Maps

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850 Oak Street SW One West End The Mall West End West End Mall Prusik Group Harlem South Bronx Tishman Speyer Ackerman and Co. Southwest Atlanta Dabar Development Partners Elevator City Partners Ryan Gravel Donray Von Gentrification Atlanta University Center Lee + White Gensler Atlanta Development Atlanta Malls food desert BRP Companies Atlanta Urban Development Corporation Atlanta Urban Development Affordable Housing affordable housing Merchants Capital

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How residential would be stacked over neighborhood amenities at One West End. Prusik Group/BRP Companies; One West End

Prusik Group/BRP Companies; One West End

Broader look at proposed mid-rise construction and a new through-street where Mall West End currently stands. Prusik Group/BRP Companies; One West End

Mall West End's most recent redevelopment concepts (unveiled by the same development team in 2022) called for a mix of retail and residential uses at a much smaller scale than previous proposals. Prusik Group & BRP

As viewed from the north, the West End mall property in June this year. Google Maps

The most recent proposed redevelopment of parking lots at Oak and Dunn streets. Prusik Group/BRP Companies; One West End

Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard today, with the mall property at right. Prusik Group & BRP

The Prusik Group and BRP Companies' vision for Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard (fist revealed in 2022) is included with new marketing materials. Prusik Group/BRP Companies; One West End

General scope of the 1970s mall property and its 12 acres, with MARTA rail shown at right. Google Maps

Subtitle Property rebranded "One West End" as massive redevelopment plans unfold

Neighborhood West End

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Mall West End redevelopment

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Images: How new facet of Cobb County town center came together Josh Green Wed, 10/30/2024 - 09:30 A multi-building development expected to help reawaken a historic downtown area in West Cobb is ready for its closeup.

After breaking ground in summer 2022, Atlanta-based developer Novare Group, Batson-Cook Development Co., and PointOne Holdings have delivered a public-private development deal in Powder Springs now christened Springside.

Powder Springs, a Cobb County city of roughly 17,000 residents, is located about 25 miles northwest of Midtown and is known for its historic downtown shops and architecture—and for being a pitstop off the Silver Comet Trail.

The Springside project aims to add living options and foot traffic to a town center that city officials are working to make more vibrant, across the street from Thurman Springs Park, with local restaurants and shops nearby. Its grand opening will likely come next month, project reps tell Urbanize Atlanta.

With 226 units overall, the eight-building project counts a mix of two-story carriage houses and apartment structures standing three or four stories. No retail or commercial space was included.  

Courtesy of Novare Group/BCDC; Springside

Courtesy of Novare Group/BCDC; Springside

Springside rents start at $1,429 monthly. That gets a one-bedroom, one-bathroom unit in a studio-esque 428 square feet.

The largest two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartments start at $1,812 for between 1,188 and 1,296 square feet, spread across two floors.

Amenities at the Humphreys & Partners Architects-designed apartments include a pet park, coworking lounge, a fitness center with yoga, private garages for some units, and a pool with a sun-shelf and tanning ledge described as being resort-quality, according to developers.

“Our goal was to create modern, vibrant spaces that blend seamlessly with the charm of downtown Powder Springs,” said Novare president and CEO Jim Borders in a project announcement, “and we’ve accomplished exactly that.”

Courtesy of Novare Group/BCDC; Springside

Amenities areas inside the Springside project. Courtesy of Novare Group/BCDC; Springside

Powder Springs’ new town center will eventually cover 6.6 acres downtown, consuming land within walking distance of Marietta Street shops and restaurants, a future trail connection to the 61-mile Silver Comet, and the aforementioned, $4.1-million Thurman Springs Park, which the city debuted in 2021.

Swing up to the gallery for a closer look at how this section of downtown has come together.

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4484 Marietta Street Powder Springs Springside Powder Springs Town Center Novare Group Batson-Cook Development Co. BCDC & PointOne Holdings Silver Comet Trail Thurman Springs Park Powder Springs Downtown Development Authority Synovus Bank Humphreys & Partners Architects Stratus Construction Atlanta Development Suburban Atlanta Town Centers Cobb County OTP PointOne Holdings RAM Partners West Cobb Cobb County Apartments

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The city limits of Powder Springs, located about 25 miles from Midtown. Google Maps

Overview of the Springside community that counts eight buildings overall, per developers. Courtesy of Novare Group/BCDC; Springside

Courtesy of Novare Group/BCDC; Springside

Courtesy of Novare Group/BCDC; Springside

Amenities areas inside the Springside project. Courtesy of Novare Group/BCDC; Springside

Courtesy of Novare Group/BCDC; Springside

Courtesy of Novare Group/BCDC; Springside

Courtesy of Novare Group/BCDC; Springside

Courtesy of Novare Group/BCDC; Springside

Depiction of a walkable watering hole for Springside. Courtesy of Novare Group/BCDC; Springside

Courtesy of Novare Group/BCDC; Springside

Courtesy of Novare Group/BCDC; Springside

Courtesy of Novare Group/BCDC; Springside

Renderings for the Powder Springs project released in 2022. Courtesy of Novare Group; designs, Humphreys & Partners Architects

Courtesy of Novare Group; designs, Humphreys & Partners Architects

Subtitle 8-building Springside project aims to boost foot traffic in downtown Powder Springs

Neighborhood Powder Springs

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Powder Springs Town Center

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Large swath of downtown Hapeville land sells, green-lighting project Josh Green Tue, 10/29/2024 - 15:55 A significant swath of land near historic downtown Hapeville has sold in a deal that sellers say will push the ITP city’s revitalization efforts forward.

Real estate investment and management company Coro Realty Advisors closed Friday on the sale of the second half of a large land assemblage it had pieced together between 2020 and 2022, all positioned between Hapeville’s artsy commercial core and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

The latest sale included 18 lots totaling 8.5 acres. The buyer is Charlotte-based Terwilliger Pappas Multifamily Partners, which plans to erect a five-building apartment community called Solis Hapeville with retail on site. The purchase price wasn’t disclosed.

Coro Realty partnered with Miller Lowry Developments four years ago to buy 60 parcels totaling 16 acres along Chestnut and Elm streets in Hapeville. (Main Street Partners once assembled about 80 parcels in the same area to build a New Urbanist hub called “Ashbury Park” that was later nixed by the Great Recession.)

The partners sold the first half of the assemblage in late 2022 to Texas-based D.R. Horton, the country’s largest homebuilder. D.R. Horton is planning to build more than 100 townhomes on another 8.3 acres immediately west of the Solis project.

Plans for Solis Hapeville submitted to city officials earlier this year show 310 rentals taking shape in five wood-framed, garden-style buildings at 3558 Elm St., each standing three or four stories.

Plans for the Solis Hapeville project’s Porsche Avenue facade.Terwilliger Pappas; designs, Dynamik Design

How street retail (at bottom) is expected to be worked into plans. Terwilliger Pappas; designs, Dynamik Design

The main structure would include about 8,500 square feet of retail spaces fronting Porsche Avenue, plus a clubroom. Another would see a sky lounge.

The Solis project, as drawn up by Dynamik Design, would also include two ancillary buildings used as standalone parking garages. Plans called for 470 parking spaces across the property overall—or 139 more than what Hapeville requires, according to project filings.

Previously, Mill Creek Residential appeared ready to close and break ground on the same property for a 300-unit venture called Modera Hapeville that had earned unanimous approval from the Hapeville Planning Commission. But Mill Creek officials opted to back away earlier this year, citing constrained capital markets and “unforeseen delays in the acquisition of a key city-owned land parcel” at the site’s corner.

Overview of the planned five-building community. Terwilliger Pappas; designs, Dynamik Design

The Solis Hapeville site plan, with the main building shown at right. Terwilliger Pappas; designs, Dynamik Design

Elsewhere in the metro, Terwilliger Pappas is behind another 214-unit Solis project in downtown Gainesville, and the residential component of the Parkside on Dresden development that’s opening in Brookhaven now. 

In Hapeville, other residential developments recently delivered, or in the pipeline, near downtown include a 285-unit multifamily project called SCP Hapeville, 68 rental townhomes along main-drag North Central Avenue, and a relatively dense single-family enclave called the Stillwood. 

Also nearby, Porsche completed its $50-million track expansion last year, while Atlanta Postal Credit Union and Center Parc Credit Union are investing in a 135,000-square-foot, Class A office headquarters that broke ground in spring 2023. 

Even more significantly (we jest), Hapeville is continuing its reign for at least two more months as the Urbanize 2023 Best of Atlanta tourney champion.

The 60 lots assembled by Coro Realty and Miller Lowry Developers four years ago are positioned between Hapeville's main commercial thoroughfare, North Central Avenue (top right), and the airport.Courtesy of Coro Realty

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The 60 lots assembled by Coro Realty and Miller Lowry Developers four years ago are positioned between Hapeville's main commercial thoroughfare, North Central Avenue (top right), and the airport.Courtesy of Coro Realty

This parcel in the 3500 block of South Fulton Avenue was one part of the 2021 land deal. Google Maps

This Elm Street land was also included in the earlier assemblage. Google Maps

Plans for the Solis Hapeville project’s Porsche Avenue facade.Terwilliger Pappas; designs, Dynamik Design

Overview of the planned five-building community. Terwilliger Pappas; designs, Dynamik Design

The Solis Hapeville site plan, with the main building shown at right. Terwilliger Pappas; designs, Dynamik Design

How street retail (at bottom) is expected to be worked into plans. Terwilliger Pappas; designs, Dynamik Design

Plans for the small, standalone garages on site. Terwilliger Pappas; designs, Dynamik Design

Now cancelled, Mill Creek's plans for nine buildings of new construction with an existing car-repair business shown at bottom that proved a sticking point for these plans. Courtesy of Mill Creek Residential; designs, Dynamik Design

As shown in 2022, the former Modera site's proximity to Porsche's expanded campus and longer Porsche Experience Center Atlanta track. Google Maps

Subtitle ITP city's latest development calls for five buildings, mixed uses near Atlanta airport

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Solis Hapeville

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Timeline emerges for 3-building affordable housing, restaurant mix Josh Green Tue, 10/29/2024 - 13:42 A construction timeline has come to light as the search for restauranteurs begins at a unique infill project claiming a vacant corner lot in South Atlanta.

Environmental remediation has begun for Brownsville Point, a three-building mixed-use venture that will rise on an arrow-shaped parcel where McDonough Boulevard meets Jonesboro Road.

The .53-acre site is situated about three miles south of downtown and a few blocks from the Beltline’s Southside Trail corridor.

Alongside two residential buildings, Brownsville Pointe will include a brick-clad, two-story restaurant space that developer Focused Community Strategies says will offer prime visibility at a three-way intersection that counts Carver Neighborhood Market, Community Grounds Coffee Shop, and other businesses as tenants.

 

FCS has hired Atlanta real estate advisory firm terra alma to lease the 2,800-square-foot space, citing the firm’s success in leasing the new Halidom Eatery food hall on Moreland Avenue.

“The type of operator they have at Halidom is close to what we are looking for,” said Marvin Nesbitt, FCS senior director of community development, in a leasing announcement.

“[We’re] looking for an operator who can provide a great dining experience," Nesbitt continued, "but also connect with the neighborhood and embrace its rich history and diversity.”

The brick-clad, triangular piece of Brownsville Pointe includes 2,800 square feet of retail at the base. Kronberg Urbanists + Architects

The Brownsville Pointe location in relation to South Downtown and the BeltLine's Southside Trail corridor. Google Maps

With preliminary environmental work underway, project officials say the goal is to open the restaurant building by late 2025 or early 2026. Selling points include ceilings that will rise 12 and 11 feet, officials have said.

Brownsville Pointe’s residential plans call for two buildings standing three stories with 18 apartments total—12 of them reserved as affordable housing at 60 percent of the area median income or below.

The property was contaminated by its former use as a gas station and from nearby dry-cleaning facilities, which left material containing asbestos, according to Invest Atlanta. Earlier this year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded the project a $550,000 brownfield cleanup grant intended to remediate contamination prior to development, with vapor barriers installed. 

Perks of the location, according to FCS officials, include access to the Beltline’s Southside Trail, Summerhill’s Publix, the under-construction Terminal South food hall project, and the forthcoming, five-mile MARTA Rapid Summerhill BRT line.  

The latter two projects, according to FCS, are just 1/10th of a mile from Brownsville Pointe.

The former gas station site in question in February. Google Maps

Kronberg Urbanists + Architects

The property, which FCS purchased in 2018, most recently functioned as a gas station, but that closed years ago, and the buried fuel tanks have been removed. In 2019, FCS floated plans for converting a convenience store building left standing on site into a sit-down restaurant that didn’t come to fruition.

FCS has deep roots in South Atlanta, having built more than 200 affordable homes in the community over the past 25 years, while also creating the coffee shop and market across the street from Brownsville Pointe’s site. The developer manages a rental portfolio of 34 single-family homes in the area today, per company officials.  

Brownsville Pointe’s designers, Kronberg Urbanists + Architects, are behind another project in English Avenue with a similar scope and blend of uses that’s under construction now, spearheaded by nonprofit Westside Future Fund.

Find a closer look at the South Atlanta plans in the gallery above.

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The Brownsville Pointe location in relation to South Downtown and the BeltLine's Southside Trail corridor. Google Maps

The former gas station site in question in February. Google Maps

The brick-clad, triangular piece of Brownsville Pointe includes 2,800 square feet of retail at the base. Kronberg Urbanists + Architects

Kronberg Urbanists + Architects

Kronberg Urbanists + Architects

The 108 McDonough Boulevard project site at a key South Atlanta crossroads. Google Maps

Subtitle South Atlanta project Brownsville Pointe begins search for two-level eatery tenant

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Images: Mixed-income project delivers in shadow of downtown ATL Josh Green Tue, 10/29/2024 - 08:11 Following two years of construction, a mixed-income housing complex is set to officially debut this week within whistling distance of downtown Atlanta, a MARTA transit station, and a new affordable healthcare facility.

McAuley Station Phase I includes 170 apartments on Gartrell Street in Sweet Auburn, adjacent to the expanded Mercy Care campus and just north of Decatur Street and MARTA’s King Memorial station.

The $50-million development is one component of the McAuley Park masterplan, a mixed-use community spread across several blocks near the neighborhood’s junction with Old Fourth Ward. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and other city, state, and private-sector officials are scheduled to lead a ribbon-cutting at the new building Wednesday morning.

Bocce and views on McAuley Station Phase 1's roof deck. Pennrose

McAuley Station's 375 Gartrell St. location near MARTA's King Memorial transit hub. Google Maps

The project, a partnership between Mercy Care and Philadelphia-based developer Pennrose, includes rentals ranging from studios to two-bedroom options that qualify as either affordable, workforce, or supportive housing.

All rentals are reserved for tenants earning at most 30 to 80 percent of the area median income, according to project officials.

Listed rents for McAuley Park range from $1,106 to $1,450 monthly for one-bedroom apartments, and between $1,332 and $1,716 monthly for two-bedroom units with up to 920 square feet.

No studios are listed as being available. Those floorplans start at 404 square feet.

Thirty of the studio apartments are being reserved as permanent supportive housing, as operated through Fulton County’s Behavioral Health Department in partnership with Partners for HOME. And 10 apartments of the 170 will function as transitional or respite units for Mercy Care patients, per officials.

Perks of the building include a resident lounge and business center, a fitness center, and rooftop deck with sweeping views from downtown to Midtown, plus bocce and a grilling station.

Pennrose

Pennrose

Next door, Mercy Care finished a 36,000-square-footexpansion of its clinic space and resource center for partner agencies in 2022, nearly doubling the size of the nonprofit’s former campus. That project allows Mercy Care to serve 3,000 more patients per year—many of them uninsured—with primary, dental, vision, and psychiatric care.

Across its local network, Mercy Care saw more patients in the 12 months ending in June this year than in any other year in its nearly 40-year history. Those roughly 79,000 appointments for more than 18,800 people were up 25 percent and 12 percent from the prior year, respectively, per the nonprofit.

All residents of McAuley Station will have access to Mercy Care’s medical services next door, which project officials describe as reliable and affordable.

The second phase of McAuley Station, a 96-unit senior housing complex, is in the works just north of the new apartments on a formerly vacant lot.

Find more project context and imagery in the gallery above.

A 404-square-foot studio is the smallest McAuley Station option listed today. Pennrose

The largest two-bedroom option (920 square feet) currently listed for rent. Pennrose

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McAuley Station's 375 Gartrell St. location near MARTA's King Memorial transit hub. Google Maps

Bocce and views on McAuley Station Phase 1's roof deck. Pennrose

Pennrose

Pennrose

Pennrose

Pennrose

Pennrose

Pennrose

Pennrose

Pennrose

A 404-square-foot studio is the smallest McAuley Station option listed today. Pennrose

The largest two-bedroom option (920 square feet) currently listed for rent. Pennrose

Pennrose

How the apartments relate to the recently expanded offices and clinic, at right, just north of Decatur Street and MARTA's King Memorial station. Courtesy of Smith Dalia Architects

Subtitle 170-unit McAuley Station Phase I to officially open this week in Sweet Auburn

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Filings shed light on scope of West Midtown tower proposals Josh Green Mon, 10/28/2024 - 14:59 Documents filed with the City of Atlanta in recent weeks shed fresh light on how a new intown skyline could continue to evolve in coming years.

Star Metals District developer The Allen Morris Company filed plans last month with Atlanta’s Office of Zoning and Development that show proposed massing and scale for the final three buildings planned in the Marietta Street Artery district.

Those designs call for a tower that would climb 42 stories—and as new drawings indicate, would dwarf the Stella at Star Metals high-rise apartments that have topped out next door.

The Florida-based real estate firm has asked the city for a variance to increase the allowable height to 435 feet for the tallest proposed building. New development in the area, as is, can’t climb taller than 225 feet, according to city ordinances.

Looking west over Northside Drive, the context of Star Metals' phased proposals (at center) with the under-construction Stella at Star Metals tower (at right) and second phase of Interlock (at far right). Dwell Design Studio; The Allen Morris Company; via City of Atlanta Office of Zoning and Development

As seen in July, looking south from 17th Street, how the Stella project was beginning to stand out among other buildings in the district, including some at higher elevations. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Site plans submitted with the city in July show the high-rise, considered Star Metals’ phase six, would be the easternmost building on site, nearest to Northside Drive. In terms of scale, the 42-story component would be a dramatic shift for the former industrial zone just west of Georgia Tech. Plans call for it to top out at just 18 feet shorter than downtown’s 100 Peachtree, formerly known as the Equitable Building.

Like its sibling towers (phases four and five), the project would replace a low-rise block where the densifying Howell Mill Road corridor meets 11th Street.

Twenty-one stories would be the maximum height for other buildings in the final Star Metals phase, per planning documents.

The 3.27-acre property in question spans a full city block. Allen Morris in late 2022 succeeded in having the property rezoned to an MRC-3 designation to allow for mixed uses.  

The tallest building in Star Metals' final phases (center) as seen next to the Stella building (left) and the project's existing office stack on Howell Mill Road (right). Dwell Design Studio; The Allen Morris Company; via City of Atlanta Office of Zoning and Development

Blocks where Star Metals District is expected to expand (in yellow), between Howell Mill Road (left) and Northside Drive. Red stars represent existing Star Metals buildings, while the section marked "1" is where the 22-story Stella building is under construction. Google Maps/Urbanize ATL

The height variance would allow for more than 40 percent of the site to remain open space—as opposed to 15 percent in earlier plans, Allen Morris officials have said.

The site is unusually large for infill development in an urban setting and will allow for unique placemaking (think: outdoor dining, pedestrian improvements, and plazas) near all four surrounding streets, as project leaders explained in earlier paperwork.

“In an area dominated by new high-rise development with limited areas for pedestrian activity,” reads an application submitted in August, “the exchange of building height for significant sidewalk level open areas is appropriate.”

Earlier filings indicated the 42-story project would be the last of the three new Star Metals buildings to be erected on site, suggesting it might not move forward soon. Refined renderings for the final Star Metals phases have yet to be compiled, project reps have said.

So far, Star Metals counts two completed buildings, and both stand out for their atypical architecture in the Howell Mill Road corridor: Star Metals Offices and flex-living concept Sentral West Midtown across the street.

In the gallery above, find more context and a closer look at the site and projects in question.

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690 11th Street NW Star Metals Hotel + Residences Stella at Star Metals Star Metals Star Metals Atlanta Oppenheim Architecture Square Feet Studio Atlanta Architecture Atlanta Development The Allen Morris Company Star Metals District West Midtown Atlanta apartments Marietta Street Artery OMFGCo Prevail Coffee Savi Provisions Flight Club PlantHouse Office of Zoning and Development

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Blocks where Star Metals District is expected to expand (in yellow), between Howell Mill Road (left) and Northside Drive. Red stars represent existing Star Metals buildings, while the section marked "1" is where the 22-story Stella building is under construction. Google Maps/Urbanize ATL

Looking west over Northside Drive, the context of Star Metals' phased proposals (at center) with the under-construction Stella at Star Metals tower (at right) and second phase of Interlock (at far right). Dwell Design Studio; The Allen Morris Company; via City of Atlanta Office of Zoning and Development

The tallest building in Star Metals' final phases (center) as seen next to the Stella building (left) and the project's existing office stack on Howell Mill Road (right). Dwell Design Studio; The Allen Morris Company; via City of Atlanta Office of Zoning and Development

Portion of the site where the 42-story tower would rise today. Oppenheim Architecture, Allen Morris Company; via City of Atlanta Office of Zoning and Development

Existing site conditions today near the easternmost boundary. Oppenheim Architecture, Allen Morris Company; via City of Atlanta Office of Zoning and Development

Oppenheim Architecture, Allen Morris Company; via City of Atlanta Office of Zoning and Development

As seen in July, the section of the Stella at Star Metals building where Edgehill and Bellingrath avenues meet. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Subtitle How final Star Metals phases could redefine skyline west of Georgia Tech

Neighborhood Marietta Street Artery

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Stella at Star Metals Signature at Star Metals

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Retailers start opening at Pittsburgh Yards public section on Beltline Josh Green Mon, 10/28/2024 - 13:04 Two years after it was announced, Pittsburgh Yards’ public-facing retail section has debuted its first local tenant. According to project leadership, it’s only the beginning of things to come before 2024 winds down.

Situated along the Atlanta Beltline’s completed Southside Trail section, Pittsburgh Yards’ The Container Courtyard on Saturday officially welcomed Pink Pothos at 352 University Ave.

The Atlanta-based houseplant retail store and plant advisor—situated in a fittingly bright-pink former shipping container off the Beltline—was founded by Lakeisha Jones in 2022.

The next Container Courtyard business slated to open near the plant purveyor is Aztec Cycles, a Stone Mountain bicycle repair, rental, and retail shop that’s been owned since 2010 by Kris and Michelle Dunbar. Their container concept along the Southside Trail will be called Pittsburgh Bicycle Rentals, or PBR for short.

According to Pittsburgh Yards officials, Pittsburgh Bicycle Rentals plans to be open by mid-November, marking the second of a planned nine container-based concepts that will be open to the public.

Lakeisha Jones stands outside the new Pink Pothos shop off the Southside Trail. Courtesy of Pittsburgh Yards

Container Courtyard plans eventually call for nine permanent businesses on site near the Beltline. Courtesy of Pittsburgh Yards; designs, Atelier 7 Architects

The retail section is designed by another Pittsburgh Yards tenant, architect Anthony “Tony” Pope, co-founder of Atelier7. Like the first two tenants, the firm is Black-owned, as Pittsburgh Yards officials note.

Another business, affordable infill and mid-size development builder Fortas Homes, opened its headquarters at a Pittsburgh Yards container in summer 2023.

Container Courtyard spaces “will be filling out over the next few months with the addition of multiple new businesses in a phased approach, allowing each to get its shine,” said Chantell Glenn, a senior associate responsible for Pittsburgh Yards’ development and operations, in a project update.

“These two are just the beginning," Glenn continued, "as we are scheduled to have all nine businesses in place before the end of the year, including a Black-owned coffee house, skincare company, and dining options."                  

Overview of Pittsburgh Yards, prior to The Container Courtyard, in relation to downtown. Courtesy of Cushman & Wakefield

The main building's Beltline-adjacent facade, with branding made of shadows. Pittsburgh Yards/The Annie E. Casey Foundation

The 31-acre Pittsburgh Yards property is unique among Beltline-bordering projects in that it’s geared toward benefiting surrounding communities that include Summerhill, Pittsburgh, Mechanicsville, Capitol View, Adair Park, Capitol View Gateway, and Peoplestown.

Since the outset, the adaptive-reuse project’s goal has been to create a commercial anchor where baristas, graphic designers, and food entrepreneurs work under the same roofs as carpenters, welders, jewelry-makers, and other tradespeople, many of them able to walk from home to work.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation—a philanthropic organization named for the mother of UPS founder Jim Casey that aims to improve American children’s lives—bought the site for $4.2 million about 18 years ago.

The Great Recession interrupted redevelopment plans, but by 2018, construction on the initial, $26-million first phase had launched, just as the Beltline was purchasing the former CSX railroad corridor next door to build the Southside Trail. Finished components include The Nia Building, a 61,000-square-foot small business and maker hub.

Tiered seating in an interior events space at Pittsburgh Yards. Pittsburgh Yards/The Annie E. Casey Foundation

Next door to The Container Courtyard, Pittsburgh Yards hopes to eventually redevelop 5 acres of “plug and play” sites, with a goal of attracting organizations capable of creating up to 1,000 more jobs, according to 2023 marketing materials.

Last year, Beltline officials purchased 13.7 acres immediately west of Pittsburgh Yards.

Beltline leaders say that vacant, cleared land will eventually be used for development that continues the agency’s quest to build affordable housing, job centers, and more affordable commercial opportunities at sites along the 22-mile, multipurpose loop.

Rough depiction of the 13.7 acres in question, with Pittsburgh Yards and its grassy James Bridges Field in the foreground. The Southside Trail is at left. Photo by LoKnows Drones

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Lakeisha Jones stands outside the new Pink Pothos shop off the Southside Trail. Courtesy of Pittsburgh Yards

Overview of Pittsburgh Yards, prior to The Container Courtyard, in relation to downtown. Courtesy of Cushman & Wakefield

Container Courtyard plans eventually call for nine permanent businesses on site near the Beltline. Courtesy of Pittsburgh Yards; designs, Atelier 7 Architects

Tiered seating in an interior events space at Pittsburgh Yards. Pittsburgh Yards/The Annie E. Casey Foundation

Pittsburgh Yards/The Annie E. Casey Foundation

The Nia Building is a 61,000-square-foot small business and maker hub. Its name reflects a Swahili term meaning “purpose.”Pittsburgh Yards/The Annie E. Casey Foundation

The main building's Beltline-adjacent facade, with branding made of shadows. Pittsburgh Yards/The Annie E. Casey Foundation

Subtitle Container Courtyard's first two tenants are houseplant store, bike shop; more coming soon

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Images: Kirkwood project gets name, visuals on Memorial Drive Josh Green Mon, 10/28/2024 - 08:15 A residential Kirkwood project is coming into clearer focus that developers say will contribute to Memorial Drive’s metamorphosis as a more walkable, denser, and amenity-rich section of Atlanta.

Empire Communities, a Canada-based homebuilder with active development sites and finished projects dotted across Atlanta, is prepping to start vertical construction on what’s now called “Songbird,” the company’s third project along a few blocks of Memorial Drive on the eastside.

Empire officials say site work is finishing now on 3.6 acres that was formerly the Stanton Grove Baptist Church property at 2011 and 2015 Memorial Drive.

Vertical construction on the first of Songbird’s planned 81 townhomes is scheduled to begin with 60 days. (The project was subjected to an arson attempt in August, according to Atlanta police, that caused brief delays.)

Songbird floorplan called the Maxwell basement. Courtesy of Empire Communities

Recent aerial of the Songbird site, with the growing The Moderns townhome project pictured at top. Courtesy of Empire Communities

The Songbird name was inspired by the trees saved on site and a new dedicated greenspace that will be built at the entrance to the townhome community, near Memorial Drive, project officials tell Urbanize Atlanta. A yellow farmhouse near the front of the property, facing Memorial Drive, is also being retained.

All 81 of Songbird’s offerings will be for sale, as opposed to rentals, but information on estimated price ranges wasn’t provided.

By Atlanta standards, none of the townhomes will be especially large—either two or three bedrooms, with between 1,171 and 1,360 square feet—which could be a strategy to keep down costs for potential homebuyers.

Empire officials point to bus transit access into downtown as one selling point of the location. The deep site is situated where Kirkwood meets the Parkview neighborhood.

Empire also developed the rainbow-hued Paintbox community directly across the street.

Facades for the Addison floorplan, the largest of two being offered. Courtesy of Empire Communities

Arrangement of the 81 townhomes bound for Memorial Drive. Courtesy of Empire Communities

The acreage in question was annexed into the City of Atlanta in 2021, and the property was later rezoned to the same designation (MR-3) that applied to the Paintbox project, which also replaced a church.

Paintbox—named Attached Community of the Year by the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association in 2021—has earned an average of 20 percent increase in values for current townhome owners, Empire leaders noted this week.

For the Songbird project, Empire officials have said they participated in more than seven meetings, collaborated with Kirkwood Neighbors Organization, and worked with adjacent property owners before applying for the rezoning. KNO leadership previously told Urbanize Atlanta the neighborhood governing board stressed to Empire the Memorial Drive venture should be both walkable and safe for cyclists, environmentally sustainable with shade, greenspace, and native plantings, and respectful of neighboring tree canopies and connections to the broader community.

Elsewhere along Memorial Drive, Empire previously built a single-family home community called Bixton across the street from Drew Charter School.

The company’s latest intown bet will add to a stock of hundreds of new townhomes in the pipeline now or recently developed along the Memorial Drive corridor.

The 2011 and 2015 Memorial Drive location, east of downtown, where Kirkwood meets the Parkview neighborhood. Google Maps

The two Songbird floorplans currently offered:  

Empire Communities

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Empire Communities

Overview of the former Stanton Grove Baptist Church property along Memorial Drive, looking south. The 62-unit The Moderns townhome project is shown at left while under construction. Google Maps

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The 2011 and 2015 Memorial Drive location, east of downtown, where Kirkwood meets the Parkview neighborhood. Google Maps

Two residential structures with the former church tucked behind, as seen in December 2021. The yellow farmhouse will remain standing, according to developers. Google Maps

Overview of the former Stanton Grove Baptist Church property along Memorial Drive, looking south. The 62-unit The Moderns townhome project is shown at left while under construction. Google Maps

Facades for the Addison floorplan, the largest of two being offered. Courtesy of Empire Communities

Empire Communities

Songbird floorplan called the Maxwell basement. Courtesy of Empire Communities

Empire Communities

Recent aerial of the Songbird site, with the growing The Moderns townhome project pictured at top. Courtesy of Empire Communities

Arrangement of the 81 townhomes bound for Memorial Drive. Courtesy of Empire Communities

Subtitle 81-home “Songbird” development has consumed former church property

Neighborhood Kirkwood

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Serenbe unveils plan for large new neighborhood with central park Josh Green Fri, 10/25/2024 - 15:52 A recent growth spurt for metro Atlanta’s original OTP New Urbanist community is set to continue in a significant way.

The first phase of Spela, Serenbe’s latest neighborhood hamlet, is set to break ground this fall, lending a new dimension to the south of existing and planned development at the Chattahoochee Hills project with a focus on agriculture and well-being.

Spela—that translates to “play” in Swedish—will be unique in that a 4-acre park meant for kids and adults will be a focal point, surrounded by homes and commercial space. Plans call for that greenspace to meld play and meditation structures with the area’s thick, natural forest.

Traditional architecture planned for a Spela street. Courtesy of Serenbe

Scope of the Spela Hamlet relative to built and planned sections of Serenbe.Serenbe

The first phase of 70 houses will be just a fraction of what the Spela section is planned to eventually be.

Serenbe reps tell Urbanize Atlanta more than 50 percent of the first phase offerings are scheduled to be complete by the end of 2025. Those homes will range from three-bedroom, two and ½ bathroom dwellings with 1,600 square feet up to five and six-bedroom estate homes.

Prices have yet to be finalized but will likely start in the high $700,000s, according to project leaders.

Spela plans call for sidewalks and connectivity to nature trails, while homes will include geothermal HVAC systems and Earthcraft Environmental certification. Each house will be solar and EV-ready, according to marketing materials.

Spela homes are planned to start at 1,600 square feet. Courtesy of Serenbe

Where Spela's initial phase will be located. Yellow represents large estate lots, and darkest red are commercial spaces on the planned park. Courtesy of Serenbe

Like Serenbe’s Victorian-inspired Overlook Hamlet that’s recently started delivering, Spela will include access to public schools in Coweta County, which count an A- rating on Niche.

Serenbe is located about 35 miles southwest of Atlanta, set among rolling woodlands and pastures and woven with miles of nature trails.

After erecting its first residence in 2004, Serenbe now counts several neighborhoods and 550 homes. About 1,250 people currently live there, project leaders report this week.

Serenbe's color key for visuals above. Serenbe

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Scope of the Spela Hamlet relative to built and planned sections of Serenbe.Serenbe

Where Spela's initial phase will be located. Yellow represents large estate lots, and darkest red are commercial spaces on the planned park. Courtesy of Serenbe

Spela homes are planned to start at 1,600 square feet. Courtesy of Serenbe

Traditional architecture planned for a Spela street. Courtesy of Serenbe

Serenbe's color key for visuals above. Serenbe

Subtitle Southwest of Atlanta, planned community's growth spurt includes "Spela" (that's Swedish)

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Decatur affordable housing build goes vertical at sprawling park site Josh Green Fri, 10/25/2024 - 13:16 A long-planned injection of affordable housing is making visible progress at a greenspace-laden Decatur property considered a “historic oasis in the city.”

The first phase of a Decatur Housing Authority project called Village at Legacy has begun vertical construction near the city’s southern limits, where South Columbia Drive meets Katie Kerr Drive, at the southernmost tip of 77-acre Legacy Park.

South Housing Village, the facet under construction now, calls for 66 housing units—duplexes and garden-style apartments—to be reserved for qualifying, low-income families, according to DHA officials. Specific rents have yet to be specified.

How the Village at Legacy community center will meet the central green. Preserving Affordable Housing Inc./DHA

Breakdown of phase one components at Legacy Park's southernmost edge. Preserving Affordable Housing Inc./DHA

A later component situated toward the opposite end of the park, North Housing Village, will have a similar scope but different design, per DHA.

Site plans for phase one show 11 residential buildings situated around a greenspace commons and U-shaped parking lot, with a community center in the middle.

All but three of the new residential structures would stand three stories, the others two stories. 

The PATH Foundation’s 1.2-mile East Decatur Greenway trail runs alongside the phase one construction site, providing an off-street link to the Avondale MARTA station on College Avenue.

The Village at Legacy project has been about seven years in the making.

The City of Decatur bought the park (the former United Methodist Children's Home property) in 2017 and launched a planning process that resulted in a master plan and affordable housing goals for Legacy Park. That process was concluded in late 2019.

The first Village at Legacy buildings under vertical construction this week along Katie Kerr Drive. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Planned look of phase one's community center. Preserving Affordable Housing Inc./DHA

Two years later, following the COVID-19 pandemic, Decatur leaders brought on DHA and its nonprofit housing developer, Preserving Affordable Housing Inc., or PAHI.

That Intergovernmental Agreement calls for DHA and PAHI to develop, own, and operate the South Housing Village’s affordable housing. Meanwhile, the city will continue to own Legacy Park’s land.

Beyond access to Decatur schools, jobs, and health services, perks of the Legacy Park project will eventually include a running track, orchard, community garden, inclusive playground, and new greenspaces, per site plans. DHA plans to implement its services program to help all residents as well.

The Georgia Department of Community Affairs awarded the project Low Income Housing Tax Credits to help bring both phases to fruition, with additional financing sourced from the city and DHA.

According to DHA, phase one's equity and debt investment is being provided by Hudson Housing Capital, Advantage Capital, and Bank of America.

DHA’s project website states Village at Legacy’s first phase is scheduled to open next summer, with the second phase kicking off construction late this year.

Head to the gallery above for more Legacy Park context and construction progress pics.

Location of Legacy Park at 500 S. Columbia Drive in relation to downtown Decatur and Avondale Estates. Google Maps

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Location of Legacy Park at 500 S. Columbia Drive in relation to downtown Decatur and Avondale Estates. Google Maps

Breakdown of phase one components at Legacy Park's southernmost edge. Preserving Affordable Housing Inc./DHA

Planned look of phase one's community center. Preserving Affordable Housing Inc./DHA

How the Village at Legacy community center will meet the central green. Preserving Affordable Housing Inc./DHA

Example of three-story, garden-style apartments in phase one. Preserving Affordable Housing Inc./DHA

Overview of full scope of changes planned at Legacy Park and existing perks such as passive greenspace and walking trails. Preserving Affordable Housing Inc./DHA

The first Village at Legacy buildings under vertical construction this week along Katie Kerr Drive. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Entry to the Lubin Enterprises construction site today. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Proximity of the phase-one construction site to PATH's 1.2-mile East Decatur Greenway trail. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Subtitle First phase of long-planned Village at Legacy project calls for blended housing types, abundant nature

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Photos: Beltline concept in remade 1890s building opens Monday Josh Green Fri, 10/25/2024 - 08:09 The latest incarnation of the formerly abandoned, 1890 Atlanta Pipe and Foundry Company terminal building along Inman Park’s stretch of the Beltline is set to debut Monday.

Painted Park, a dining and entertainment concept with an inventive way of tapping into the Beltline’s popular Eastside Trail, has finished construction in the former Brasserie and Neighborhood Cafe at Parish space at 240 N. Highland Avenue.

Described as a “recreational place of assembly, greenspace, and a private events venue,” the adults-only Painted Park marks the fourth entertainment-focused venture for Atlanta-based Painted Hospitality.  

The concept includes a new tunnel designed to safely shuffle patrons between its outdoor lawn hangout space and the main building, beneath a driveway preserved for condos next door. That “park” space, screened by landscaping from sweaty joggers, features a gazebo bar, fire pits, and outdoor TVs.

Elsewhere, expect a new building addition overlooking the Eastside Trail, a lower-level gaming parlor, two interior bars, a dance floor, a floating DJ booth, and two covered patios.

Revised interiors off the main North Highland Avenue entrance. Courtesy of Painted Hospitality

Courtesy of Painted Hospitality

The menu by Thomas Collins, Painted Hospitality’s executive chef, leans into snackable foods such as nostalgic sandwiches, frites, bowls, salads, and weekend brunch.

Justin Amick, Painted Hospitality president and CEO, describes the location as being among the best on the Eastside Trail—and a full-circle opportunity, in that he and several employees were part of the Concentrics Restaurants team owned by his family that opened Parish 15 years ago.

Initial plans called for opening Painted Park in January, and then June.

Courtesy of Painted Hospitality

Courtesy of Painted Hospitality

New landscape screening installed between outdoor seating and the Eastside Trail. Courtesy of Painted Hospitality

In April, Painted Hospitality debuted another concept in a converted old building that will eventually be a stone’s throw from the mainline Beltline loop.

The Painted Pickle claimed warehouse space at 279 Ottley Drive in Armour Yards, a former industrial district near the Northeast Trail (see interior photos here.) The company also operates the Painted Pin in Buckhead andthe Painted Duck in West Midtown.  

Painted Park will be 21 and over at all times (sorry, kiddos), and the outdoor park portion will close Sunday to Thursday at 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday at 10 p.m. to be respectful of neighbors, according to Painted Hospitality.

Hours for the interior portion: Monday to Thursday, 5 p.m. to midnight; Friday, 3 p.m. to 2 a.m.; Saturday 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.; and Sunday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Head up to the gallery for a closer look at what’s in store for Inman Park.

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Entry to outdoor section off the Eastside Trail in Inman Park. Courtesy of Painted Hospitality

New landscape screening installed between outdoor seating and the Eastside Trail. Courtesy of Painted Hospitality

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Courtesy of Painted Hospitality

Revised interiors off the main North Highland Avenue entrance. Courtesy of Painted Hospitality

Courtesy of Painted Hospitality

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As seen in May, construction progress on the longtime, circa-1890 Parish restaurant building, with the new tunnel entry shown near the Beltline at right. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

How the Painted Park's tunnel entry meets the existing building, as shown when under construction. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

How Painted Park's tunnel component was designed to look and function, per an early rendering. Painted Hospitality/W. Jay George Design

Subtitle Adaptive-reuse Painted Park entertainment venture includes new tunnel to Eastside Trail

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Analysis: Atlanta is top 5 best baseball city in U.S. Josh Green Thu, 10/24/2024 - 15:13 The world recognizes Atlanta as a mecca for college football and colossal events such as the Centennial Olympic Games and multiple Super Bowls. But the ATL as a baseball powerhouse?

That appears to be the case, according to an in-depth analysis by personal finance website WalletHub, released as the 2024 World Series approaches.

According to the 2024 Best Baseball Cities study, Atlanta ranks fourth overall and third among large cities—or those with populations greater than 300,000—when it comes to enjoying great baseball experiences for reasonable prices at NCAA, Minor League (MiLB), and MLB levels.

The top two finishers—New York (No.1) and Los Angeles, respectively—just happen to be playing each other in this year’s World Series. St. Louis finished third, meanwhile, among more than 330 cities studied across the U.S.

Cities analyzed have at least one college or professional baseball team. The findings apply to actual cities (the Braves technically play with an Atlanta address) and not metro areas.

Atlanta shined when it comes to the recent performance of MLB teams, with the Braves and their home city—and 2021 World Series title, followed by a wild parade—finishing No. 1 in that category.

That metric, it should be noted, was calculated by dividing the number of wins by the total number of games played over the past three MLB seasons, per WalletHub.

WalletHub

Another highpoint for Atlanta (No. 4 overall) came in the category of MLB fan engagement. Cringingly or not, that measured the number of MLB teams’ Facebook likes and Twitter followers per capita.

Atlanta also fared well, relatively speaking, when it comes to the average price of an MLB game.

Here’s how Atlanta stacked up against more than 300 other cities:

Baseball Fandom in Atlanta (1=Best; 167=Avg.):

• 1st*– Performance level of MLB team(s)*
• 64th*– Performance level of MiLB team(s)*
• 101st*– Performance level of college baseball team(s)*
• 15th*– Avg. ticket price for MLB game*
• 27th*– Min. season ticket price for MiLB game*
• 108th*– Min. season ticket price for college baseball game*
• 4th*– MLB fan engagement*
• 88th*– MiLB fan engagement*
• 187th*– College-baseball fan engagement*

Sources for the study included the NCAA, U.S. Census Bureau, MLB Advanced Media, Minor League Baseball, and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, among other resources, per WalletHub.

Several other Georgia cities also made the cut, including Statesboro (115), Kennesaw (136), Athens (155), Macon (180), Rome (270), and Augusta (294). Curiously, Lawrenceville—home of the AAA Gwinnett Stripers—is absent from the list.

Here's a quick look at the top 15 baseball towns in America right now, according to WalletHub's findings:

WalletHub

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Subtitle On eve of World Series, ATL appears to hit home run among 330 cities studied

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