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Developer: New apartment building over I-75 renting like crazy Josh Green Thu, 10/24/2024 - 13:47 Anyone who’s driven Interstate 75 between Midtown and Vinings recently may have noticed the white-painted stack of apartments and glass-walled amenities lording over the freeway near Howell Mill Road.

According to project developers, plenty of new renters have taken note as well.

Five months after it debuted, the 212-unit The Howell project is exceeding leasing expectations for its apartments as its street-level retail space has also been filled, according to developers SHR Resi, a subsidiary of commercial real estate firm Songy Highroads. 

More than 50 percent of the building’s units have been rented, while Athens-based, high-end salon Sugar Polish Nail Bar has signed on to take the building’s 3,000 square feet of retail at ground level, project officials report this week. (As an incentive, the building is currently offering up to two and ½ months of free rent through mid-November.)

The building's stance and street retail along Howell Mill Road. thehowellatl.com

Amenity spaces at The Howell building overlooking Interstate 75 today. Courtesy of Songy Highroads

The lease-up rate, according to SHR Resi, is ahead of market expectations, despite no shortage of competition farther south on Howell Mill Road and in nearby Midtown. But the location is also unique, in that no other sizable, luxury-grade multifamily project has delivered in the northern reaches of booming Howell Mill Road (with its quick interstate access and Buckhead proximity) during the current development cycle.

“We knew the Upper Westside was primed for a project like this, but the early response from residents and high-quality retailers has surpassed even our own projections,” Todd W. Nocerini, a Songy Highroads founding partner, said in a project update Wednesday.

The Howell’s 2.65-acre parcel constitutes the northwest corner of Howell Mill Road’s intersection with Interstate 75, a highly visible location in Buckhead’s Collier Village section. It broke ground there in summer 2022.

Apartments ranging from one to three bedrooms count nine to 12-foot ceilings, with quartz countertops and walk-in closets, and some offer balconies described as oversized, per developers.

The least expensive unit listed to date—one bedroom and one bathroom in 664 square feet—is renting for $1,890 monthly.

Courtesy of Songy Highroads

Communal lounge area at The Howell. Courtesy of Songy Highroads

Meanwhile, The Howell’s priciest options start at $3,941 monthly (though none of those are currently available). That rents three bedrooms and three bathrooms in 1,488 square feet.

A distinguishing feature of the building is its open-air resident lounge on the seventh floor, with sweeping views of Midtown and downtown skylines, according to SHR Resi.

Other perks include coworking space, a resort-style pool and deck with cabanas overlooking the interstate, a clubhouse, pet run, and pet spa. Gables Residential is The Howell’s on-site management company.

Quick access to neighborhoods such as Wildwood and Springlake—and entry into Buckhead’s Morris Brandon Elementary School district—are also cited as locational perks.

The Howell's largest three-bedroom floorplans start at nearly $4,000 monthly—but they're all currently rented. thehowellatl.com

The project's 1850 Howell Mill Road location, just north of Interstate 75 in Collier Hills. Google Maps

Prior to becoming apartments, the site is where Atlanta’s first food truck park operated for a decade, before closing in late 2021 and uprooting with a tweaked concept to Jonesboro.

Find more project context and images in the gallery above.

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1850 Howell Mill Road NW The Howell SHR Residential Healey Weatherholtz Properties Upper Westside Community Improvement District Cooper Carry Upper Westside Interstate 75 Howell Mill Road Buckhead Songy Highroads Collier Village Atlanta Food Truck Park Atlanta Development Atlanta Construction Mixed-Use Development Walton Street Capital Ameris Bank Reeves Younge Rivers Residential Gables Residential Sugar Polish Nail Bar Renting in Atlanta Atlanta apartments

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The project's 1850 Howell Mill Road location, just north of Interstate 75 in Collier Hills. Google Maps

Amenity spaces at The Howell building overlooking Interstate 75 today. Courtesy of Songy Highroads

Communal lounge area at The Howell. Courtesy of Songy Highroads

The building's stance and street retail along Howell Mill Road. thehowellatl.com

thehowellatl.com

thehowellatl.com

Courtesy of Songy Highroads

Courtesy of Songy Highroads

The smallest floorplans currently offered span 664 square feet. thehowellatl.com

The Howell's largest three-bedroom floorplans start at nearly $4,000 monthly—but they're all currently rented. thehowellatl.com

The Howell's pool deck level and general stance next to I-75. thehowellatl.com

The Howell's facade and forthcoming retail portion along Howell Mill Road. thehowellatl.com

The site as construction began in summer 2022. Courtesy of SHR Residential

Subtitle Retail space at The Howell project also now filled, five months after building debut

Neighborhood Collier Hills

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The Howell

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Images: Multibuilding downtown Roswell project adds new dimension Josh Green Thu, 10/24/2024 - 08:13 Eight years in the making, a multifaceted development near Roswell’s Canton Street that’s been called transformative and cognizant of historical design is ready for its closeup.

Spread across a former strip mall’s 4 acres, the Southern Post mixed-use project has delivered offices, apartments, and 10 new retailers and restaurants (so far) to 1037 Alpharetta St., as showcased during a grand opening block party this week.

The City of Roswell bought the former 1960s strip mall on site—called Southern Skillet Plaza for a popular restaurant located there—back in 2016 and vetted developer ideas for several years.

Now, the 260,000-square-foot development by Virginia-based Armada Hoffler is situated two blocks east of historic Canton Street, a regional dining destination. It borders two more projects of significant scale (a boutique hotel and shopping center redo) in the Fulton County city’s downtown pipeline. 

Southern Post was designed to be a new social hub and active dimension for downtown, with an aesthetic that blends modern materials with traditional ones such as brick as a nod to city history.

The cleared shopping center site on Alpharetta Street in January 2021.Google Maps

The Southern Post project's frontages along Alpharetta Street today.Courtesy of Armada Hoffler

The scope includes 137 luxury-grade apartments (a few with townhome-style layouts), 40,000 square feet of retail space, and 90,000 square feet of loft-style offices. Elsewhere, 600 parking spaces in a new deck were also included, developers have said.

Leasing across the property was described as “highly successful” in a ribbon-cutting announcement this week.

Ninety percent of the retail space has been claimed by tenants that include Azotea Cantina, Belux Coffee, BODYROK, Bey Mediterranean Kitchen + Bar, Watch Your Wrist, Cavina Wellness, Silla Del Toro, Grana, and Da Vinci’s Donuts, among others.

Meanwhile, the multifamily portion, Chandler Residences, counts about 100 residents in one to three-bedroom units a few months after leasing began, per developers. 

Courtesy of Armada Hoffler

A Chandler Residences communal lounge space. Courtesy of Armada Hoffler

Current rents start at $1,945 monthly for a one-bedroom, one-bathroom floorplan with 699 square feet.

The priciest option is a three-level townhome floorplan (1,719 square feet) with three bedrooms and two and ½ bathrooms for $5,599 monthly. Six weeks of free rent is being offered as an incentive.

“We have carefully curated a blend of primarily local retailers and restaurants and premier office tenants, forming an extension of downtown Roswell and a new gathering place for the area,” noted Chelsea Forrest, Armanda Hoffler’s vice president of corporate communications and investor relations.

The location of Southern Post (in red) in relation to Roswell's Canton Street dining district, at left. Google Maps

In the summer of 2019, Armada Hoffler had hoped to begin building Southern Post early the following year, but that schedule didn’t fully materialize. A ceremonial groundbreaking was held just days before COVID-19 lockdowns (and delays) began.

S.J. Collins Enterprises, developer of Atlanta’s Interlock, had been a partner in the Roswell project until Armada Hoffler bought them out in 2020.

Swing up to the gallery for more Southern Post context and images.

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1037 Alpharetta Street Belux Coffee Armada Hoffler Construction Company OTP Azotea Cantina Suburbs Historic Roswell Armada Hoffler Properties Southern Post Louis Haddad Development Dynamik Design Roswell Plaza Chandler Residences Amorino BODYROK Bey Mediterranean Kitchen + Bar Watch Your Wrist Sweathouz Cavina Wellness Silla Del Toro Grana Da Vinci’s Donuts Roswell Development Roswell Construction Roswell Apartments Roswell Shops Atlanta Suburbs

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The cleared shopping center site on Alpharetta Street in January 2021.Google Maps

The location of Southern Post (in red) in relation to Roswell's Canton Street dining district, at left. Google Maps

The Southern Post project's frontages along Alpharetta Street today.Courtesy of Armada Hoffler

A Chandler Residences communal lounge space. Courtesy of Armada Hoffler

Courtesy of Armada Hoffler

Courtesy of Armada Hoffler

Distant King and Queen building views in Sandy Springs (and Buckhead beyond) from the Chandler Residences’ rooftop pool deck. Courtesy of Armada Hoffler

Example of interiors at Chandler Residences. Courtesy of Armada Hoffler

Courtesy of Armada Hoffler

A Chandler Residences communal lounge space. Courtesy of Armada Hoffler

As seen in initial renderings, plans for the 260,000-square-foot development at the fringes of downtown Roswell. Armada Hoffler Properties; renderings, Dynamik Design

Frontage along a main Roswell street, as seen in renderings. Armada Hoffler Properties; renderings, Dynamik Design

Subtitle After years in pipeline, Southern Post replaces strip mall, claims leasing success

Neighborhood Roswell

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Southern Post - 1037 Alpharetta Street

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Fresh visuals, details emerge for Stitch highway-capping project Josh Green Wed, 10/23/2024 - 15:15 Project leaders behind the only highway-capping proposal left on the table in downtown and Midtown revealed today new insights into how the ambitious, multi-phase project could look, function, and be paid for.

An executive summary for the Stitch project hosted by Central Atlanta Progress, Atlanta Downtown Improvement District, and other members of the development team provided fresh renderings and news that the project’s master plan calls for a special tax district to be created to fund later phases and upkeep. The tax would apply to commercial and multifamily property owners in the area.

Current projections call for 14 acres of new public space being created over the downtown Connector—finishing in roughly 12 years, or sometime in 2036, pending funding.

The more encouraging news is that Stitch’s initial phase (now envisioned as 5.7 acres) has secured about $200 million needed to build it, mostly from a federal Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods grant.

Engineering work continues, and the forecast calls for breaking ground in 2026, capping the highway between Peachtree and Courtland streets and upgrading connections to existing street corridors.

Courtesy of CAP/ADID

Section of the park to begin construction first. Courtesy of CAP/ADID

The initial phase, as fresh renderings shared by CAP and ADID officials illustrate, is envisioned as the green heart of the project, with pathways, native gardens, a plaza, shade structures, restrooms, and other features where a gash in downtown’s urban landscape exists today. Current plans call for roughly a four-year construction schedule for phase one, the AJC reports.

Phases two and three, tentatively scheduled to begin construction in 2029 and 2033, respectively, will require a variety of additional funding sources.

According to project leaders, those could include state and federal grants, commitments from the City of Atlanta, philanthropy, and “real estate value capture.”

Courtesy of CAP/ADID

Courtesy of CAP/ADID

An urban forest section, a great lawn, kiosks, a stage, urban gardens, playgrounds, and other draws would be included in later phases. The goal is to create “a matrix of hardscape and softscape areas” that would support large events, festivals, or daily use by all Atlantans year-round, per today’s presentation.

On the residential front, the Stitch’s master plan calls for 30 percent of existing and new-construction housing within a half-mile of the project to qualify as affordable. The area has the capacity to handle 16,000 new housing units, according to the master plan, that would be offered to residents at a variety of income levels.

Informational walking tours near the Stitch site are scheduled to continue through Dec. 14 this year. The full 400-page master plan is expected to be released for public comment later this month.

Another highway-capping proposal, the Connector Park concept in Midtown, officially bowed out of the running for local, federal, and philanthropic funding in July. Meanwhile, design and fundraising work for Buckhead’s highway-topping HUB404 project is ongoing. 

Historical perspective for the Stitch site included in today's CAP/ADID presentation. Courtesy of CAP/ADID

Courtesy of CAP/ADID

Courtesy of CAP/ADID

Courtesy of CAP/ADID

Fresh overview of how the Stitch's nearly 17 total acres could function.Courtesy of CAP/ADID

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Stitch The Stitch U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock Beltline Atlanta BeltLine Southside Trail Multi-use Trails Southside Downtown Connector Downtown Atlanta Parks and Recreation Atlanta Regional Commission Central Atlanta Progress Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act Flint River Trail Lovejoy Stitch

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Historical perspective for the Stitch site included in today's CAP/ADID presentation. Courtesy of CAP/ADID

Fresh overview of how the Stitch's nearly 17 total acres could function.Courtesy of CAP/ADID

Section of the park to begin construction first. Courtesy of CAP/ADID

Courtesy of CAP/ADID

Courtesy of CAP/ADID

Courtesy of CAP/ADID

Courtesy of CAP/ADID

Courtesy of CAP/ADID

Courtesy of CAP/ADID

Subtitle Renderings, plans lend clearest idea to date how phased downtown greenspace could function

Neighborhood Downtown

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First Beltline trail with direct MARTA station access enters pipeline Josh Green Wed, 10/23/2024 - 13:50 The first connector trail to provide direct access between the mainline Atlanta Beltline and a MARTA transit station is officially moving forward, with a goal of providing mobility options and more equitable access to the popular, growing multi-use trail loop.

Atlanta Beltline Inc. has opened the Request for Qualifications process to find qualified engineering and design firms for a spur project called the “Murphy and Oakland City Connector Trail” in Southwest Atlanta.

The forked connector trail will span a total of 1.31 miles in the Oakland City and Capitol View neighborhoods, branching off the Southside Trail’s Segment 1 access point near Allene Avenue and junction of the Westside Trail.  

One .86-mile trail section will provide an off-street, direct link to the Oakland City MARTA station from the Beltline.

That longer piece, dubbed the Oakland City segment, will span from Allene Avenue, cross over Sylvan Road, and end at the MARTA hub. According to ABI, survey and design work will determine that segment’s exact, most effective alignment.

Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

The other trail section, the .45-mile Murphy Connector, will run between two important properties owned by the Beltline before ending at Murphy Avenue.

Those properties include the 20-acre Murphy Crossing redevelopment site, where more than 1,100 new residential units, 180,000 square feet of commercial space, and more high-density development could eventually take shape, beginning next year.

The Murphy Connector would also run next to a 9-acre industrial site called Avon the Beltline owns.

The connector trails will each be 12-feet wide with two-foot soft shoulders. Security cameras, lighting, connections to adjacent streets, storm drainage with green infrastructure, and more components will be included. The project is currently funded up to its design stage, per Beltline officials.

Qualification from interested companies are due Nov. 14, or a little more than three weeks from today.  

The most detailed image released to date for Murphy Crossing's potential scope and connectivity to the Beltline and MARTA. Culdesac; Urban Oasis Development; Atlanta Beltline Inc.

Bigger picture, the Beltline reports that 10.4 miles of the 22-mile mainline loop and 10.3 miles of connector trails have been completed so far.

The pace of construction has accelerated, however, and 85 percent of the project is either finished or under construction today, totaling 17.5 miles, according to Beltline leadership.  

Murphy Crossing's 1050 Murphy Avenue site (bottom, left) in relation to downtown Atlanta. Google Maps

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Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

Subtitle SW Atlanta spur project to be called “Murphy and Oakland City Connector Trail”

Neighborhood Oakland City

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Record swath of storied Buckhead land acquired for new Atlanta park Josh Green Wed, 10/23/2024 - 08:26 Greenspace advocates of Atlanta—it’s time to rejoice!

A scenic, creekside, 30-acre slice of Buckhead that neighbors have feared could be subdivided and redeveloped into palatial homes will instead be preserved as a new City of Atlanta park, officials tell Urbanize Atlanta.

The Conservation Fund’s $13.5 million acquisition of the estate formerly owned by the late and beloved philanthropist, photographer, and arts community supporter Lucinda Bunnen officially closed Tuesday.

The deal sets two high-water marks: It’s the highest residential land sale in Atlanta in 2024—and by far the largest park addition TCF has notched in Buckhead over two decades of adding greenspaces to the city’s parks portfolio.

Stacy Funderburke, TCF’s regional vice president and Georgia state director, said the acquisition will protect mature tree canopy “in the most intensely developed part of Atlanta” by eventually creating a nature preserve named for Bunnen that honors her legacy.

Larger than downtown’s Centennial Olympic Park and Woodruff Park combined—and marketed as a “once in a lifetime opportunity”—the 3910 Randall Mill Road property is set among Buckhead estates just east of Interstate 75 and south of I-285.

Looking southeast toward Midtown and downtown, the 30-ace property is shown with Interstate 75 at right. Ansley Real Estate/Christie’s International Real Estate

Driveway to the Randall Mill property's main home structure. Ansley Real Estate/Christie’s International Real Estate

Bonneau Ansley of Ansley Real Estate Christie’s International, who represented the Bunnen family in the sale, called the deal “historic” in an announcement, noting “there hasn’t been anything like this available in decades, and it’s not likely we’ll ever see this much land available [again] in this area.”   

According to TCF officials, an additional $3.4 million in funding needs to be secured before the Bunnen property can be protected permanently as a city nature preserve. The organization is planning to work with city officials and other partners in coming months to achieve that.

The property originally listed a year ago for $15 million, offering a rare undeveloped swath of Buckhead larger than a few acres.

A scene on the property beside Nancy Creek. Submitted

The 3910 Randall Mill Road property's proximity to central Atlanta and the Interstate 75/285 junction near Truist Park. Google Maps

Bunnen, the “godmother of Southern photography” who helped build the High Museum of Art’s photo collection, died in 2022 at age 92.

In 1956, Bunnen and her husband Bob commissioned Cecil Alexander, architect of Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium and many other iconic local buildings, to create a family home inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright’s work on 5 acres. That eccentric, throwback-modern structure still stands, surrounded by a swimming pool, a tennis court, and so many trees. (Two houses were included in the sale, totaling seven bedrooms, six bathrooms, and more than 7,000 square feet.)

According to Ansley Real Estate, famous Atlantans who played tennis on the grounds or swam in the pool included Andrew Young, Dick Rich (of Rich’s department story), tennis great Nancy Richey, and early Braves owner Warren Hellman, among others.

Inside the 1950s home on site today. Ansley Real Estate/Christie’s International Real Estate

Courtesy Bonneau Ansley/Ansley Real Estate

As the decades unfolded and Bunnen’s photography career took off (the downstairs photographic darkroom installed in 1970, where she developer her technique, became her sanctuary), the owners continued to buy contiguous land, eventually expanding to roughly 30 acres.

Around the year 2000, Bunnen installed a two-mile trail around the property for soaking in nature, walking dogs, hiking, and yes, taking photos of it all.

“When you’re there, you don’t even feel like you’re in Atlanta—it’s a slice of the mountains,” Atlanta resident Nick Stinnett, who’s hiked his dogs many times along the property's creek, told Urbanize last year.

At the time, Stinnett worried the property would be redeveloped as residential, which he called “sad… because it would be an incredible nature park.” 

In the gallery above, have a closer look at TCF's property today (including residential properties on site), no hiking boots required.

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The 3910 Randall Mill Road property's proximity to central Atlanta and the Interstate 75/285 junction near Truist Park. Google Maps

Looking southeast toward Midtown and downtown, the 30-ace property is shown with Interstate 75 at right. Ansley Real Estate/Christie’s International Real Estate

Ansley Real Estate/Christie’s International Real Estate

Driveway to the Randall Mill property's main home structure. Ansley Real Estate/Christie’s International Real Estate

Inside the 1950s home on site today. Ansley Real Estate/Christie’s International Real Estate

Ansley Real Estate/Christie’s International Real Estate

Google Maps/submitted

Courtesy Bonneau Ansley/Ansley Real Estate

Courtesy Bonneau Ansley/Ansley Real Estate

Courtesy Bonneau Ansley/Ansley Real Estate

Courtesy Bonneau Ansley/Ansley Real Estate

Courtesy Bonneau Ansley/Ansley Real Estate

Courtesy Bonneau Ansley/Ansley Real Estate

Courtesy Bonneau Ansley/Ansley Real Estate

Courtesy Bonneau Ansley/Ansley Real Estate

Courtesy Bonneau Ansley/Ansley Real Estate

A scene on the property beside Nancy Creek. Submitted

Plat showing positioning of the main home structure and Nancy Creek on the 30-acre site. Ansley Real Estate/Christie’s International Real Estate

Subtitle Buyers: Lucinda Bunnen Estate purchase marks highest residential land sale in city this year

Neighborhood Buckhead

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Boutique hotel signs on for mixed-use Medley redevelopment Josh Green Tue, 10/22/2024 - 16:14 A boutique hotel concept is officially bound for Medley, a sizable office park redevelopment in the tony north OTP suburb of Johns Creek.

The Johns Creek City Council on Monday unanimously approved plans for the 175-key hotel as brought forward by Toro Development Company, which is hoping to replicate the successful blueprint set by its hospitality component at Avalon, The Hotel at Avalon.

Plans for The Hotel at Medley call for a restaurant linked to both the lobby and an adjacent new plaza, 5,000 square feet of meeting space, outdoor gathering spaces, and amenities described by TDC officials as “resort-quality.”

Like the Avalon lodge, the hotel’s target demographic will basically be everybody—business travelers, locals with out-of-town guests, birthday parties, girls getaways, plus weddings and special events, according to TDC. It’s expected to be one pillar of the 43-acre, mixed-use venture TDC is developing at the corner of McGinnis Ferry Road and Johns Creek Parkway.

How the 175-key boutique hotel is expected to relate to a Medley greenspace and retail. Courtesy of Toro Development Company

TDC head Mark Toro said his company is currently “in the process of identifying potential development and brand partners who understand the high-quality hospitality experience we seek to deliver at Medley” in a project announcement.

TDC’s construction forecast calls for breaking ground on Medley later this year, with a grand opening scheduled for the third quarter of 2026.    

Beyond the hotel, Medley’s initial phase is set to include roughly 180,000 square feet for retail, restaurant, and entertainment spaces, a 25,000-square-foot plaza, and 100,000 square feet of offices. Residential plans call for 133 townhomes and 340 apartments in phase one.

An existing four-story office building on site is also being renovated and woven into the master plan for a workplace TDC officials call “commute-worthy.”

Projected look of Medley's repurposed office building, next to a standalone restaurant and central plaza. Courtesy of Toro Development Company

Medley’s phase one will include the first suburban locations of Fadó Irish Pub and Little Rey, a Mexican concept by chef and restaurateur Ford Fry.

Other announced tenants include CRÚ Food & Wine Bar, 26 Thai Kitchen and Bar, Five Daughters Bakery, Summit Coffee, Lily Sushi Bar, Knuckies Hoagies, Cookie Fix, Sugarcoat Beauty, BODY20, and AYA Medical Spa, among other concepts.

TDC completed the $44-million purchase of land needed to build Medley in March. The company previously razed an outdated, 350,000-square-foot office building to prep the site for construction. 

All told, Medley is expected to create 900 residences deemed luxury-grade (all townhomes and apartments), another 20,000 square feet of retail, and an Avalon-style central greenspace designed for community events and gatherings. Plans call for hosting 200 events per year, ranging from live music and outdoor wellness classes to art festivals and watch parties.

Courtesy of Toro Development Company

Eventually, Medley is planned to become just one facet of Johns Creek’s 192-acre Town Center, a blend of housing, hotels, offices, lakes, and greenspace about the size of Piedmont Park.

Swing up to the gallery for more context and project images.

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The Medley site's location in Johns Creek, in relation to Atlanta's north OTP cities. Google Maps

How the 175-key boutique hotel is expected to relate to a Medley greenspace and retail. Courtesy of Toro Development Company

Projected look of Medley's repurposed office building, next to a standalone restaurant and central plaza. Courtesy of Toro Development Company

Courtesy of Toro Development Company

Courtesy of Toro Development Company

The 43-acre Medley will be the first new section of Johns Creek's Town Center concept. Toro Development Company; designs, Nelson Worldwide

Toro Development Company; designs, Nelson Worldwide

Previous demolition wok at the 11650 Johns Creek Parkway site. Courtesy of Toro Development Company

Part of the 43-acre property, as seen along Johns Creek Parkway, while still actively used by State Farm in 2017. Google Maps

Overview of the Medley site's two mid-rise office buildings formerly occupied by State Farm Insurance Co. The building at bottom is being incorporated into the new project. Google Maps

Subtitle 43-acre Johns Creek project on pace to break ground this year, per developers

Neighborhood Johns Creek

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First look: West End residential conversion project enters pipeline Josh Green Tue, 10/22/2024 - 13:20 A unique warehouse conversion and expansion project is in the work for a section of Southwest Atlanta that’s become a hotbed for investment on potentially transformative scales.

Officials with Wisconsin-based developer Gorman & Company confirm to Urbanize Atlanta a mixed-income proposal is moving forward at 715 Whitehall St. in West End that could create nearly 200 housing options at the doorstep of a MARTA station where none exist today.

The transit-oriented proposal, called “The Residences at West End,” would keep a one-story, brick structure in place along Whitehall Street for use as commercial spaces, residential amenities, and parking.

Five additional stories would be built above that for 175 apartments with between one and three bedrooms, according to developers.

Draft designs call for a modern-style, linear project overlooking two active rail lines next door to MARTA’s West End station. However, all aspects of the project, including Gorman’s purchase of the circa-1930 warehouse property, are contingent on tax incentives at the state level.

Preliminary designs for the 715 Whitehall St. building's facade and massing. Courtesy of Gorman & Company

The Whitehall Street building today in relation to Mall West End and the Met Atlanta (at right). Google Maps

Following earlier meetings with Invest Atlanta, NPU-T, and neighborhood groups, Gorman officials on Friday submitted the proposal to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs for consideration for tax credit funding. The Georgia DCA is expected to make its decision this winter or in spring of next year, according to Gorman officials.

Gorman, a national firm focused on building affordable housing in seven core markets, including Atlanta, would be the Residences at West End project's developer, construction company, architect, and property manager, per officials.

The 1.1-acre property in question stands about two blocks south of the Mall West End, which city leaders recently purchased to build some 1.7 million square feet of development in coming years, costing to the tune of $450 million, alongside New York City-based developers.

An earlier proposal for the Whitehall Street warehouse complex called “WestLine Studios” did not come to fruition.

The project’s estimated cost is $73.5 million. The bulk of that—or more than $38 million—would be sourced from a tax-exempt bond from the Georgia DCA, according to preliminary numbers in the NPU presentation.

View of the proposal looking north, opposite MARTA tracks, according to draft designs. Courtesy of Gorman & Company

Gorman & Company/NPU-T presentation

The Residences at West End would rent apartments at rates capped for tenants earning between 30 and 80 percent of the area median income, with a small portion (tentatively nine) renting for market rate. About half of the apartments would rent at 50 percent AMI, per the earlier presentation.

Access to the airport, downtown, and ground-floor retail are cited as perks of the project.

The site is roughly five blocks north of the BeltLine’s Westside Trail and the Lee + White food, beverage, and office district.

Directly across the MARTA tracks in Adair Park is sprawling former warehouse complex the Met Atlanta, now a hub for makers and artists, that was bought for $70 million last month by a Charlotte-based subsidiary of healthcare company Atrium Health.

Location of the 715 Whitehall St. SW site in relation to downtown, the Beltline's Westside Trail, and other landmarks. Google Maps

Elsewhere in Atlanta, Gorman plans to break ground in coming weeks on a mixed-use project called Sweet Auburn Grande in the shadow of downtown.

The company has also completed projects Hamilton Hills across the street from MARTA’s westernmost station and the Residences at Westview, a 60-unit affordable housing complex near Westview Cemetery. Development officials said during the latter project’s ribbon-cutting in February they expect to deliver 350 new housing units across Atlanta within the next couple of years.

Gorman’s tentative timeline in West End, should financing pan out, calls for finalizing designs in late 2025 and breaking ground early the following year. The building could start leasing in summer 2027 if the project stays on that track, per the developer.

Find more context and images for this latest West End proposal in the gallery above.

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715 Whitehall St. SW Residences at West End Gorman & Company Gorman and Company Georgia Department of Community Affairs The Met Southwest Atlanta SW ATL West End Development West End Projects Adaptive Reuse Adaptive-Reuse Development Adaptive-Reuse MARTA West End MARTA Station The Mall West End Transit-Oriented Development TOD TODs

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Location of the 715 Whitehall St. SW site in relation to downtown, the Beltline's Westside Trail, and other landmarks. Google Maps

The Whitehall Street building today in relation to Mall West End and the Met Atlanta (at right). Google Maps

Preliminary designs for the 715 Whitehall St. building's facade and massing. Courtesy of Gorman & Company

View of the proposal looking north, opposite MARTA tracks, according to draft designs. Courtesy of Gorman & Company

Gorman & Company/NPU-T presentation

Gorman & Company/NPU-T presentation

Gorman & Company/NPU-T presentation

Subtitle Venture called "Residences at West End" planned near MARTA station, mall redevelopment

Neighborhood West End

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Mayor unveils plan to spur affordable housing in high-growth areas Josh Green Tue, 10/22/2024 - 08:18 With affordable housing (or lack thereof) perpetually in headlines around Atlanta, the mayor’s office is taking a step it calls a proactive means of encouraging development of more attainable living options in some of the city’s fastest-growing, job-rich, and most desirable areas to live.

Mayor Andre Dickens on Monday announced a new policy meant to spur the creation of affordable housing in what’s referred to as “high-growth” sections of Atlanta by way of an updated density bonus program.

Those areas include Midtown, quickly growing neighborhoods around the Beltline loop, and other places with commercial zoning.

The new legislation—created in partnership with Midtown Alliance, and sponsored by District 1 Atlanta City Councilmember Jason Winston—will aim to incentivize developers to bake less-expensive housing into new projects by allowing for increased density in exchange for units set aside as affordable options, per the mayor’s office.

The incentives will apply to Mixed Residential Commercial, or MRC-3, zoning districts, and sections of Midtown where the recently revised Special Public Interest zoning ordinance, or SPI-16, has taken effect.

Getting a foot in the door at the new Loria Ansley building (pictured at center) costs $1,546 monthly right now. That rents a studio with 470 square feet. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

As proposed, the changes to the city’s current density bonus programs would increase the amount of developable square footage that can be built in certain areas in exchange for affordable units.

The existing density bonuses, the mayor’s office concedes, have not lived up to expectations. (Anecdotally, the northern blocks of Midtown alone have seen three new high-rise apartment towers debut within the past year with nearly 1,000 residences—all of them renting for market-rate. Those buildings stand 28, 31, and 33 stories.)

The legislation’s creators say it will result in more affordable living options being developed for people with all income levels in areas with transit access, job growth, and generally high demand.

For developers, the city’s new policy would offer “flexibility by providing multiple ways…to contribute to affordability while also reducing costs and increasing rewards for those who participate,” reads a city announcement.  

Dickens called the proposed changes another tool in this administration’s goal of building or preserving 20,000 affordable housing units in the city by 2030.

“By leveraging density bonuses,” said the mayor in a prepared statement, “we are creating pathways for more affordable housing in some of the most vibrant parts of our city.”

Winston, the legislation’s sponsor, added that more density bonuses would meet a need for “proactive measures to ensure affordability in high-demand areas... especially as we approach the completion of the Atlanta Beltline.”

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Affordability Affordable Housing affordable housing affordability Atlanta Affordable Housing Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens Mayor Andre Dickens Jason Winston Midtown Atlanta BeltLine Beltline BeltLine Development Eastside Trail Midtown Alliance SPI-16

Subtitle Density bonus program targets Midtown, Atlanta Beltline, other zones around city

Neighborhood Citywide

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Photos: DeKalb County's first building with electricity goes solar Josh Green Mon, 10/21/2024 - 16:05 After more than 130 years, the first and still most recognizable building at historic Agnes Scott College has officially entered a new phase of life this semester—and most of it is powered by the sun.

Agnes Scott officials cut the proverbial ribbon on what’s described as a “remarkable transformation” of the Decatur campus’ most iconic building, Main Hall, during a ceremony attended by roughly 200 alumni and guests earlier this month.

Topped with a bell tower, the High Victorian Gothic-style structure was built in 1891 as the first building in DeKalb County to have electricity, and it’s held a dear place in generations of Scotties’ hearts since.

A solar array installed on a parking deck about half a block from Main Hall instead of on the roof (thereby preserving the classic aesthetics) now enables almost 60 percent of the five-story building’s power to be supplied from solar, according to project officials.

Facade of Agnes Scott College's iconic Main Hall today. Courtesy of Agnes Scott College

Placement of solar panels that help power Main Hall on a nearby parking garage. Courtesy of Agnes Scott College

The Main Hall makeover is part of broader, multiphase, $30-million renovations at the 100-acre campus that aim to bring Agnes Scott to a goal of carbon neutrality by 2037.

The restoration set out to preserve Main Hall’s inimitable character while infusing the property with cutting-edge upgrades. (Fun fact: The building has housed dorms for many decades but has never had air-conditioning until now.)

Following renovations, Main Hall includes three floors of student housing, Agnes Scott’s Office of the President, and a new Career Exploration Center, all situated along East College Avenue.

Main Hall's renovated interior corridors (now with air-conditioning). Courtesy of Agnes Scott College

View from the High Victorian Gothic-style structure's bell tower. Courtesy of Agnes Scott College

Example of a new dormitory student lounge at Main Hall. Courtesy of Agnes Scott College

“Preserving the past while driving progress toward a future written by Scotties we haven't even met yet, Main Hall represents both cherished memories and boundless aspirations,” said Agnes Scott president Leocadia I. Zak in a project announcement.

Have a closer look in the gallery above.

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141 East College Avenue Decatur Agnes Scott Hall Main Hall Agnes Scott College Atlanta Colleges Decatur News Decatur Development Decatur Construction Agnes Scott Scotties Solar Power Atlanta Solar Solar Energy Solar Projects The Campaign for Main DeKalb County

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Facade of Agnes Scott College's iconic Main Hall today. Courtesy of Agnes Scott College

Main Hall's renovated interior corridors (now with air-conditioning). Courtesy of Agnes Scott College

How the Office of the President turned out at Main Hall. Courtesy of Agnes Scott College

A modernized kitchen for Scotties in Main Hall. Courtesy of Agnes Scott College

Example of a new dormitory student lounge at Main Hall. Courtesy of Agnes Scott College

Ribbon-cutting at Main Hall's official unveiling earlier this month. Courtesy of Agnes Scott College

Courtesy of Agnes Scott College

View from the High Victorian Gothic-style structure's bell tower. Courtesy of Agnes Scott College

Placement of solar panels that help power Main Hall on a nearby parking garage. Courtesy of Agnes Scott College

Agnes Scott College/YouTube

Subtitle Agnes Scott College project melds historic preservation with future-focused upgrades

Neighborhood Decatur

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Significant chunk of well-known Buckhead street hits open market Josh Green Mon, 10/21/2024 - 14:26 A potential land deal described as a rare opportunity for intown development in an upscale part of Atlanta is afoot near Chastain Park.

The end result could be three standalone homes becoming 10 near a bustling, north-south retail corridor.  

Atlanta-based real estate advisory firm terra alma is marketing the 10-home residential development proposal at 320 W. Wieuca Road. The asking price for 4.91 acres—three lots with adjacent woods for future walking trails and a park—is $3.1 million.

The properties are tucked just east of Roswell Road, between central Buckhead and Sandy Springs. Chastain Park is located roughly a mile and ½ away to the west.

The 320 W. Wieuca Road site location (at right) in relation to Roswell Road (in dark blue) and Chastain Park. Google Maps

Existing home properties in question along West Wieuca Road, as seen in July. Google Maps

According to terra alma officials, the property owner has received a land development permit that’s ready to be assigned to a developer.

The “shovel-ready” land in question is fully entitled and zoned PDH, a classification that allows for Planned Development Housing, according to sellers.

Today it’s home to three vacant houses with 220 feet of frontage along West Wieuca Road. Behind that is land set for a future park as part of Atlanta’s masterplan for creating more greenspaces and pocket parks throughout the city.  

Courtesy of terra alma

The location is described as being walkable to Chastain Park, a Fresh Market, Publix, and a Trader Joe’s that's set to soon take over a former Sprouts Farmers Market space at 4600 Roswell Road, marking the company’s eighth Georgia outpost.

Proximity to Lenox Square and Phipps Plaza malls is also being called a selling point.  

How a 10-home project could be arranged along West Wieuca Road, as pictured at bottom. terra alma

terra alma

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320 W. Wieuca Road Land for Sale Buckhead Land for Sale Buckhead Home Development Buckhead Development Buckhead Homes Buckhead Residential Buckhead News terra alma Chastain Park

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The 320 W. Wieuca Road site location (at right) in relation to Roswell Road (in dark blue) and Chastain Park. Google Maps

Existing home properties in question along West Wieuca Road, as seen in July. Google Maps

Courtesy of terra alma

How a 10-home project could be arranged along West Wieuca Road, as pictured at bottom. terra alma

terra alma

Subtitle Sellers: Approved plans call for 10-home development near Chastain Park

Neighborhood Buckhead

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Reynoldstown duplex project undergoes major price slices Josh Green Mon, 10/21/2024 - 12:48 A duplex project that, in several ways, is emblematic of Reynoldstown's infill residential trends in recent years is renewing its long quest to land homebuyers, following significant price adjustments.

Once marketed as the “epitome of luxury living in Reynoldstown,” the duplexes make a three-story statement where Reynoldstown meets Edgewood. They initially came to market in the spring, priced at $1.32 million, which would have set the neighborhood record for private home sales.

Both units were re-listed Friday for $221,000 less at $1.09 million—an 18 percent asking price decrease.

The corner in question is the northwest quadrant of the intersection where Moreland Avenue meets Boulevard Drive and Hosea Williams Boulevard, a few blocks south of Little Five Points.  

The area’s been flush with new modern-style townhomes and duplexes for more than a decade, but with their trendy black-meets-stained-wood aesthetic and sprawling rooftop hangouts, the three-level A and B options at 10 Moreland Ave. do stand out. (Larger duplex units on nearby Cleveland Street have listed for a little more than the initial prices on Moreland Avenue—$1.35 million—with one of them under contract.)

The corner's previous state in 2021 as two neighboring 1920s bungalows came to market. Both have since been replaced with large, modern-style duplexes. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

How the two three-level, semi-detached units replaced a vacant bungalow where Boulevard Drive meets Moreland Avenue. Photos by 3CL Photography; courtesy of Coldwell Banker Realty

Designed by Rawlings Design architects and built by Kimball Homes, each unit includes five bedrooms and four and ½ bathrooms in 2,713 square feet, with two-car garages.

Both offerings are flush with outdoor hangout spaces, counting four patios and balconies, including a screened porch and kitchen on the roof. Other perks include a chef’s kitchen with quartz countertops and Brighton tech, five-inch wood flooring throughout, programmable Lutron dimmers, and a flex-space bedroom on the base level, per listings.

Previously, two 1920s bungalows had stood at the corner; by 2021, when both properties came to market, those houses had been shuttered and graffiti-strewn for a couple of years.

The location carries a strong 88 Walk Score, while the Bike Score (65) and Transit Score (60) could be called surprisingly low, given the area’s alternate transportation options and Beltline proximity.

According to listings, the open floorplan "seamlessly blends contemporary design with timeless charm." Photos by 3CL Photography; courtesy of Coldwell Banker Realty

Photos by 3CL Photography; courtesy of Coldwell Banker Realty

Directly across the street is One Moreland, a restored commercial building that’s home to Whoopsie’s restaurant (formerly Hodgepodge Coffeehouse), Feminine Funk, Cutters Lounge, and Project: Body ATL.

The section of the Beltline's Eastside Trail that includes Breaker Breaker restaurant is about a half-dozen blocks to the west. 

Swing up to the gallery for a closer look.

Location of the duplex project where Moreland Avenue meets Boulevard Drive. Google Maps

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The corner's previous state in 2021 as two neighboring 1920s bungalows came to market. Both have since been replaced with large, modern-style duplexes. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Location of the duplex project where Moreland Avenue meets Boulevard Drive. Google Maps

How the two three-level, semi-detached units replaced a vacant bungalow where Boulevard Drive meets Moreland Avenue. Photos by 3CL Photography; courtesy of Coldwell Banker Realty

One of three outdoor spaces with Unit A, situated at the corner. Photos by 3CL Photography; courtesy of Coldwell Banker Realty

According to listings, the open floorplan "seamlessly blends contemporary design with timeless charm." Photos by 3CL Photography; courtesy of Coldwell Banker Realty

Interiors at 10 Moreland were designed by Jones Design Associates. Photos by 3CL Photography; courtesy of Coldwell Banker Realty

Photos by 3CL Photography; courtesy of Coldwell Banker Realty

Photos by 3CL Photography; courtesy of Coldwell Banker Realty

The chef's kitchen is described as a "culinary masterpiece."Photos by 3CL Photography; courtesy of Coldwell Banker Realty

Photos by 3CL Photography; courtesy of Coldwell Banker Realty

Photos by 3CL Photography; courtesy of Coldwell Banker Realty

Photos by 3CL Photography; courtesy of Coldwell Banker Realty

Photos by 3CL Photography; courtesy of Coldwell Banker Realty

Photos by 3CL Photography; courtesy of Coldwell Banker Realty

Photos by 3CL Photography; courtesy of Coldwell Banker Realty

Photos by 3CL Photography; courtesy of Coldwell Banker Realty

Photos by 3CL Photography; courtesy of Coldwell Banker Realty

Subtitle Large dwellings on Moreland Avenue corner count 10 total bedrooms—but no sales this year

Neighborhood Reynoldstown

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14 Moreland Ave

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Westside's cherished 'the Yellow Store' set for mixed-use rehab Josh Green Mon, 10/21/2024 - 08:08 New life is on the horizon for a century-old structure that served as a communal hub for decades during English Avenue’s heyday.

Colloquially known as “the Yellow Store,” the two-story Westside structure at 500 James P. Brawley Drive will be preserved and renovated in a way that echoes its original uses, with “neighborhood retail” at street level and residences above, according to project leaders with Invest Atlanta, the city’s economic development arm.

The Invest Atlanta Board of Directors recently approved a $750,000 Westside Tax Allocation District grant for the English Avenue project as part of a round of funding for initiatives that aim to lift up lower-income neighborhoods.

The front of the brick structure, facing east toward downtown. Westside Future Fund

The building's 500 James P Brawley Drive location in English Avenue. Google Maps

Additions to the building will include an outdoor canopy behind it where seating will be placed for a local food service tenant. No timeline for construction was included in the project announcement.

Five years ago, local nonprofit Westside Future Fund purchased the building for $600,000 from longtime family owners to eventually redevelop it into a communal gathering place with housing.

According to Saporta Report, the corner building had housed a soda shop and ice cream parlor, a shoe store, a grocery, and a record store downstairs, with four apartments above. Its renovation was pinpointed as a top neighborhood priority in the Westside Land Use Framework Plan.

Inside a typical upstairs unit today. Westside Future Fund

Westside Future Fund

According to Westside Future Fund, the two-story building appears in the 1911 Sanborn Map for that section of Atlanta, and its size of 6,000 square feet listed on the original permit remains unchanged. It was built of blonde multi-wythe brick masonry, per the organization.

Today, the location is about four blocks west of the Westside Beltline Connector trail that links downtown Atlanta to the mainline Beltline loop.

Current state of commercial spaces. Westside Future Fund

Westside Future Fund

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500 James P Brawley Drive NW The Yellow Store Invest Atlanta Invest Atlanta Board Westside Westside BeltLine Connector Goodr Be On Edgewood City of Refuge Adaptive Reuse Adaptive-Reuse Adaptive-Reuse Development Atlanta Mixed-Use Mixed-Use Development Westside Future Fund Westside Land Use Framework Plan

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The building's 500 James P Brawley Drive location in English Avenue. Google Maps

The two-story structure in June this year. Google Maps

Current state of commercial spaces. Westside Future Fund

Inside a typical upstairs unit today. Westside Future Fund

The front of the brick structure, facing east toward downtown. Westside Future Fund

Westside Future Fund

Westside Future Fund

Subtitle Vacant, century-old structure to blend retail, residential following grant

Neighborhood English Avenue

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