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Vision emerges for final building at Glenwood Park neighborhood Josh Green Mon, 10/14/2024 - 10:40 More than 20 years after construction began on drab, former industrial land next to Interstate 20, the final piece of celebrated New Urbanism neighborhood Glenwood Park is coming into focus.

The last available lot at the Ormewood Park project will see a four-story, mixed-use office building take shape with a throwback design and scale that recalls Atlanta architecture from a century ago in places such as Broad Street downtown.

That’s according to a thoughtful report this month from Congress for the New Urbanism titled “Wrapping up a landmark new urban neighborhood” that chronicles Glenwood Park’s transition from a 28-acre, abandoned concrete recycling plant to an organically walkable neighborhood beginning in 2003.

The final development site in question is a grassy corner at 415 Bill Kennedy Way, situated across the street from the Beltline’s in-street Southside Trail section buffered away from vehicles (or what will soon be called the Southeast Trail). It’s next to Fuqua Development’s Kroger-anchored Glenwood Place, immediately south of a (too) popular Chick-fil-A known for clogging the area with drive-thru traffic.

The Bill Kennedy Way corner lot in question, looking north, with the Beltline shown at right. Google Maps

How the final Glenwood Park building (bottom right) would fit with existing development where Ormewood Park meets Grant Park. Historical Concepts; via CNU

Architecture firm Historical Concepts tells CNU the traditional new office structure will include no additional parking spaces because sufficient, shared parking was baked into Glenwood Park’s masterplan. Beltline and MARTA bus connectivity also provide the area with commuting alternatives.

The building's site plan took three years of engagement between a Beltline traffic engineer, MARTA, Atlanta Public Works, Georgia Department of Transportation, and neighborhood groups, per the architects.

Apart from the office proposal and another four-story, traditional mixed-use building that was finished in 2020 diagonal from it, all components of Glenwood Park were finished in 2015. (Historical Concepts officials tell CNU the finished office building, which counts a Pedego Electric Bikes location on its ground floor, houses 45 employees today, and nearly 1/3 of them arrive by foot or bicycle.)

Construction on the final Glenwood Park building is scheduled to start sometime next year, according to architects, though building permit records show no activity for the Bill Kennedy Way site in recent years. Designs call for terraces and balconies to be located on the north façade

Four-story facade with a retail base planned for 415 Bill Kennedy Way. Historical Concepts

Glenwood Park, originally planned by TSW and Dover, Kohl & Partners, won a Charter Award for its planning in 2003 and was named the EarthCraft House Development of the Year two years later. The latter award lauded the project’s “progressive site design, high-performance homes, residents’ involvement in community life, and [prowess in] connecting the development to transportation and business districts.”

Beyond the homes, greenspaces, and public bocce, Glenwood Park’s previously flood-prone, postindustrial blight was replaced with more than a thousand trees and a rainwater harvesting system that collects nearly two million gallons annually, supplying the neighborhood’s parks and street trees.

Glenwood Park developer Charles Brewer noted in the CNU report that a second new office building will increase affordability in the neighborhood by allowing residents to also work there, without shouldering the expense of vehicle ownership.

Location of 415 Bill Kennedy Way SE, immediately south of a Chick-fil-A. Historical Concepts

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• Ormewood Park news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta) 

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The Bill Kennedy Way corner lot in question, looking north, with the Beltline shown at right. Google Maps

How the final Glenwood Park building (bottom right) would fit with existing development where Ormewood Park meets Grant Park. Historical Concepts; via CNU

Location of 415 Bill Kennedy Way SE, immediately south of a Chick-fil-A. Historical Concepts

Four-story facade with a retail base planned for 415 Bill Kennedy Way. Historical Concepts

Subtitle Throwback, infill corner proposal overlooking Atlanta Beltline calls for zero new parking spaces

Neighborhood Glenwood Park

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Near Savannah’s River Street, 36-acre island project in works Josh Green Fri, 10/11/2024 - 14:00 A sizable, waterside residential community is in the pipeline with hopes of capitalizing on downtown Savannah's cachet and city growth that’s recently been described as “explosive.”

National residential developer Trilogy Investment Company has partnered with Atlanta-based real estate investment firm Kingdom Estates to acquire a 36-acre parcel on Hutchinson Island in Savannah’s River District for $17 million.

The property is set across the Savannah River from the city’s famed River Street, virtually in the shadow of the Talmadge Memorial Bridge. It’s described by project leaders as being a five-minute drive—or short ferry ride—from Savannah’s downtown Historic District.

Plans call for rebranding and redeveloping a project previously planned for the site called The Reserve at Savannah Harbor, which counts a few large homes and infrastructure in place.

The revised name hasn’t been revealed, and project reps tell Urbanize Atlanta no renderings or other images for the project are available yet.

According to Trilogy officials, plans now call for building 198 townhomes and single-family houses on Hutchinson Island across multiple phases. Several “acclaimed builders” including Southern Coastal Homes will be brought in to develop the housing, per Trilogy.

The project's location (circled) in relation to downtown Savannah and the city's airport. The Reserve At Savannah Harbor

View of Savannah's River Street from Hutchinson Island. Shutterstock

The initial phase, slated to begin construction in January, will see 90 homes total—a mix of townhomes, villas, and single-family dwellings. Trilogy’s schedule calls for delivering that in the third quarter of next year.

Some homes will count city views of downtown Savannah, while others will be situated on Hutchison Island’s golf course and terrace, per the developer.

Planned amenities call for formal and vegetable gardens, a tennis and pickleball facility with a shaded viewing area, and a large pool with cabanas and daybeds.

Trilogy officials say the deal continues their goal of building needed housing throughout the Sunbelt, both for-sale and rent.

“We were drawn by the market’s demand for higher-end residential and Hutchinson Island’s prime location,” said Jason Joseph, Trilogy’s CEO and managing partner, in an announcement this week. “[The project] allows us to further the area’s redevelopment and offer a new dimension in housing options within Savannah’s urban core.”

View of the Talmadge Memorial Bridge's connection to Hutchinson Island. The new community will be located to the right. Shutterstock

Hutchinson Island’s primary attraction today is the Savannah Convention Center and Westin Hotel, with 18-hole the Club at Savannah Harbor golf course next door. Also on the island, the 35-acre, mixed-use Savannah Harbor project is taking shape with residences, retail, and greenspace.

Elsewhere on Hutchinson Island, the IGY Savannah Harbor Marina—featuring 100 berths for all types of vessels, including more than 1,000 linear feet for deep-draft superyachts—is set to open near the convention center next spring, per Trilogy.

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The project's location (circled) in relation to downtown Savannah and the city's airport. The Reserve At Savannah Harbor

View of Savannah's River Street from Hutchinson Island. Shutterstock

View of the Talmadge Memorial Bridge's connection to Hutchinson Island. The new community will be located to the right. Shutterstock

Subtitle River District community with nearly 200 homes bound for Hutchinson Island

Neighborhood Savannah

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Photos: How new Beltline-linked pathway is coming together Josh Green Fri, 10/11/2024 - 11:32 Following several years of planning, fundraising, and construction, a connective multipurpose trail dubbed “The Spur” has arrived. It’s just not technically open yet.

Snaking for about ¾ of a mile in Howell Station, the Westside Paper Spur Trail extends north from the Westside Beltline Connector, providing a protected multi-use trail link between downtown and hundreds of residences and new businesses along the West Marietta Street corridor.

But despite its barricade-free appearances, The Spur remains under construction and isn’t open to the public, according to Pete Pellegrini, PATH Foundation project manager.

“The contractor is in some of the final stages of construction and believes this segment should be open by the year’s end,” Pellegrini wrote via email this week. 

That would mean The Spur is delivering ahead of schedule. Initial projections when the project broke ground in March forecasted the trail’s opening as late as May next year.

Approaching the recently installed 65-foot-long bridge in the Howell Station neighborhood. Contributed photo

At the south end, The Spur starts where the Westside Beltline Connector meets Joseph E Lowery Boulevard. It passes directly next to the Puritan Mill district, expanded QTS data center facilities, and the new mixed-use Westside Paper district—a remake of 1950s warehouses—before ending near King Plow Arts Center.

In between, a 65-foot-long bridge that’s necessary for steep topography between properties has also been installed.

The Spur is considered a collaborative effort between the City of Atlanta, Upper Westside Community Improvement District, and PATH. Adjacent property owners donated all of the necessary easements for trail construction, according to project leaders.

The Spur has been on the radar of Atlanta alternate-transportation enthusiasts since 2020, when business owners, stakeholders, and nearby residents pinpointed it as a priority for boosting the area’s multimodal infrastructure. The Upper Westside CID also incorporated the trail into its Upper Westside Masterplan that year.

How the new Westside Paper Spur Trail passes behind the mixed-use district (at left) of the same name today, with QTS' expanded data center at right.Contributed photo

The Spur may seem open, but it's technically closed to the public for now, per PATH Foundation officials. Contributed photo

The Upper Westside CID hopes to eventually expand the pathway so that it ties into the Brady Avenue cycletrack and the mainline Beltline loop, located just to the west, officials have said. The CID group picked Hasbun Construction to build The Spur following a public bidding process last year.

Funding for The Spur was sourced from the $750-million Moving Atlanta Forward program approved by voters two years ago, the Howell Station Neighborhood Association, the Upper Westside CID, and other sources.

Greta DeMayo, PATH executive director, has called The Spur part of a project portfolio her agency is aiming to deliver by 2026 to improve off-street connections and vibrancy around the city.

Head up to the gallery for a quick tour (via reader-submitted photos) of The Spur’s current construction progress—no pedaling required.

PATH Foundation/Upper Westside CID

Looking north, an overview of the .73-mile multi-use pathway, with the Westside Paper district ahead at right. PATH Foundation/Upper Westside CID

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• Howell Station news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta) 

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Broader context of The Spur's location near Westside Park, due west of Midtown. Google Maps

How the new Westside Paper Spur Trail passes behind the mixed-use district (at left) of the same name today, with QTS' expanded data center at right.Contributed photo

Approaching the recently installed 65-foot-long bridge in the Howell Station neighborhood. Contributed photo

The Spur may seem open, but it's technically closed to the public for now, per PATH Foundation officials. Contributed photo

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Looking north, an overview of the .73-mile multi-use pathway, with the Westside Paper district ahead at right. PATH Foundation/Upper Westside CID

PATH Foundation/Upper Westside CID

Closer view of the bridge component. PATH Foundation/Upper Westside CID

Subtitle Westside Paper Spur Trail project, a key connecting piece, is ahead of schedule

Neighborhood Howell Station

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Final buildings at towering Fourth Ward project move forward Josh Green Fri, 10/11/2024 - 09:18 A high-rise injection of hundreds of more living options could be in the cards between Historic Fourth Ward Park and the Atlanta Beltline’s most popular stretch.

A two-pronged proposal described as the “final phase” of New City Properties’ towering Fourth Ward project is set to come before the Atlanta Beltline Design Review Committee with a list of requested site variations that developers feel are necessary to make the project viable.

The parcels in question—identified as D and E—span almost 4 acres collectively, tucked between Fourth Ward project’s existing four towers and Ralph McGill Boulevard.

Today the properties include surface parking, low-rise offices, the former Venkman’s restaurant and live music venue, and a building where New City currently houses its offices. The developer previously succeed in having the properties rezoned to MRC-3-C, a designation that allows for high-density residential and commercial uses.  

According to the Oct. 16 agenda for the Beltline DRC’s monthly meeting, each of the two parcels could see a new residential building standing up to 20 stories. (For context, Fourth Ward’s project’s first residential component, the Overline Residences apartment building, stands 18 stories immediately to the north.)

Overview of Fourth Ward Project's parcel's D and E along Ralph McGill Boulevard, with the Beltline corridor shown at right. Google Maps

Each of the new structures would also have three levels of parking underground, community spaces, and podium retail, according to the meeting agenda for Beltline DRC, an advisory group charged with making recommendations to the city and ensuring Beltline overlay district regulations are met.

A bridge structure from the new buildings’ amenities level would be placed over North Angier Avenue to connect to an elevated section of Fourth Ward project’s office buildings known as Three Tree Hill Plaza, according to the agenda.

Final designs for that connection—like the last phase overall—are pending.

According to New City's team, one goal of the new buildings will be to maintain connectivity to Historic Fourth Ward Park, an adjacent greenspace designed to capture floodwaters, as it succeeded in doing during Hurricane Helene’s recent deluge.

New City filed plans with the city’s Office of Zoning and Development in summer 2023 to bring both parcels into its master plan for new construction. Both were added to the developer’s holdings in the area after the company had bought 12 acres of former parking lots and low-rise offices from Georgia Power Company for $34 million seven years ago.

The project's last phase will include about 460 feet of frontage on Ralph McGill Boulevard, about a block west of the Beltline’s popular Eastside Trail, per earlier filings. 

Jim Irwin, New City president, told Urbanize Atlanta last year his company had hired Berlin-based architecture firm Barkow Leibinger to “bring European sensibility” and design “incredibly special” architecture to act as the project’s southwestern-most front door.

The properties in question along Ralph McGill Boulevard, as seen in January 2023. Google Maps

The 2023 rezoning application called the parcels “underdeveloped and underutilized” today, with “large, paved parking areas that are eyesores.” The application promised to incorporate new connective streets, bicycle parking, sidewalks, and public spaces to help link the property and neighborhood with the nearby park and Beltline.

Elsewhere around the Fourth Ward project, the stair-stepped, 359-unit Overline Residences building debuted a year ago, followed by the adjacent, 16-story Forth Atlanta hotel and restaurant concept this past summer.

Earlier this year, email marketing company Mailchimp moved into its 360,000-square-foot headquarters fronting the Beltline.

A third, taller office tower just south of Mailchimp’s new HQ was expected to be under construction in 2023 but has yet to break ground amidst the city’s slumping office market. Irwin has previously told Urbanize Atlanta that project remains in an “any-minute-now position” and is prepared to start excavation work at any time.

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• Old Fourth Ward news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta) 

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760 Ralph McGill Blvd NE New City Properties Three Tree Hill Plaza New City Historic Fourth Ward Park Old Fourth Ward Development Atlanta Development Atlanta Construction Beltline Atlanta BeltLine Atlanta BeltLine Design Review Committee Eastside Trail Jim Irwin Atlanta Architecture Atlanta Design

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The properties in question along Ralph McGill Boulevard, as seen in January 2023. Google Maps

Overview of Fourth Ward Project's parcel's D and E along Ralph McGill Boulevard, with the Beltline corridor shown at right. Google Maps

Subtitle Proposal calls for two structures standing up to 20 stories each in Old Fourth Ward

Neighborhood Old Fourth Ward

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Church conversion to homes near Beltline rounding into shape Josh Green Thu, 10/10/2024 - 14:48 Atlanta’s latest remake of a former church property is rounding into shape at a location with enviable Beltline proximity.

A Reynoldstown building that previously operated as Free Gospel Interdenominational Church at 955/957 Wylie St. is undergoing a conversion to rental housing about a block from the Beltline’s Eastside Trail and popular trailside pitstop Breaker Breaker.

The Wylie Street project will see the church converted into six apartments with new doors and windows and a repaired exterior, according to building permit records.

The project's east facade along Wylie Street today. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Overview of the former Free Gospel Interdenominational Church property and Beltline, at left, in February 2023. Fulton County Board of Assessors

The current owners are listed as an LLC called CDW Partners. They bought the .33-acre property from the church in summer 2021 for $800,000, according to Fulton County tax records. (Free Gospel Interdenominational Church has relocated to another church building on McWilliams Road in Lakewood.)

When the project might deliver and what rents might be isn’t yet known.

Attempts to reach developers for more information were not successful this week, and the apartments have yet to be listed for rent.

A well-connected neighborhood source called the project’s construction phase “a marathon” this week and said the delivery schedule isn’t clear.

Prior to construction, the property had been a source of code complaints dating back to 2019 involving overgrowth, accumulated trash, and other issues, property records show.

Windows and facades when construction began along Wylie Street in spring 2023. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Entry beside the former church to Lang-Carson Park, a tucked-away Reynoldstown greenspace. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Two doors down, another small Reynoldstown church, the 1920s Bearden Temple AME Church, was remade into a duplex called Wylie Chapel Lofts.

Both projects continue a years-long trend around intown neighborhoods that has seen numerous churches adaptively reused as offices, housing, and now a celebrated art gallery, while many others were razed.

In the gallery above, see where the church conversion stands today—and how it relates to the Eastside Trail and sprawling Hulsey Yards across the street.

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Overview of the former Free Gospel Interdenominational Church property and Beltline, at left, in February 2023. Fulton County Board of Assessors

Windows and facades when construction began along Wylie Street in spring 2023. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Progress on the former Free Gospel Interdenominational Church's Wylie Street facade today. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Entry beside the former church to Lang-Carson Park, a tucked-away Reynoldstown greenspace. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The project's east facade along Wylie Street today. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The .33-acre property's proximity to the under-construction Stein Steel mixed-use project and sprawling Hulsey Yard across the street. Google Maps

Subtitle Stone's throw from Eastside Trail, building was previously Free Gospel Interdenominational Church

Neighborhood Reynoldstown

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955 Wylie Street

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First look: Creekside project claiming empty land in 'Upper Westside' Josh Green Thu, 10/10/2024 - 09:33 Flaunting access to natural amenities, a variety of multi-use trials, and a growing number of restaurant and retail options, an infill project in Atlanta’s so-called “Upper Westside” is taking shape on formerly vacant land.

The six-building, 2269 Marietta Road development by Kinglett Homes is called Whetstone Cove for its proximity to adjacent Whetstone Creek. It’s situated in the Bolton neighborhood, just south of where Marietta Road meets Bolton Road.

According to listing agent Keith Sharp of Keller Williams Buckhead, two of the townhome venture’s eventual six buildings are standing now, with one of those finished.

Three townhomes have sold to date, and two more are available in current inventory, according to Sharp.

Construction on the second, five-unit Whetstone Cove building is nearly finished, with closings expected in December (three of those homes are without pending contracts now).

“We’re breaking ground on the next building in November,” Sharp relayed via email this week.

Recent exterior progress on facades of Whetstone Cove townhomes. Photography by Jim Johnson/Home Tour America, courtesy of Keller Williams Buckhead

The project's 2269 Marietta Road location in relation to the Chattahoochee River, Crest Lawn Memorial Park, and other northwest Atlanta landmarks. Google Maps

The project’s two floorplan options start at $650,000, for plans called the Tidwell and Adams.

That buys three bedrooms and three and ½ bathrooms across 2,200 square feet, with main living levels described as “massive” with attached balconies. (One Tidwell plan has four bedrooms, and the Adams offers an option for elevators, Sharp notes.)

Meanwhile, the larger Carlton floorplan (priced at $750,000) gets four bedrooms, three and ½ bathrooms, an optional elevator, and a 400-square-foot rooftop terrace, per Sharp.

Recent site plan at the Whetstone Cove project. Courtesy of Keller Williams Buckhead

Sample interiors at Whetstone Cove. Photography by Jim Johnson/Home Tour America, courtesy of Keller Williams Buckhead

According to sellers, perks of the location include walkability to The Champion restaurant, with Publix and Westside Village’s six dining options nearby, including new American eatery The Woodall.

Additional selling points include walkability to the Whetstone Creek Trail, with its connection to the Silver Comet Trail (under construction) and planned extension to the Atlanta Beltline, according to Sharp.

In the gallery above, find a closer look at Whetstone Cove today.

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The project's 2269 Marietta Road location in relation to the Chattahoochee River, Crest Lawn Memorial Park, and other northwest Atlanta landmarks. Google Maps

Recent site plan at the Whetstone Cove project. Courtesy of Keller Williams Buckhead

Recent exterior progress on facades of Whetstone Cove townhomes. Photography by Jim Johnson/Home Tour America, courtesy of Keller Williams Buckhead

Photography by Jim Johnson/Home Tour America, courtesy of Keller Williams Buckhead

Photography by Jim Johnson/Home Tour America, courtesy of Keller Williams Buckhead

Sample interiors at Whetstone Cove. Photography by Jim Johnson/Home Tour America, courtesy of Keller Williams Buckhead

Photography by Jim Johnson/Home Tour America, courtesy of Keller Williams Buckhead

Photography by Jim Johnson/Home Tour America, courtesy of Keller Williams Buckhead

Photography by Jim Johnson/Home Tour America, courtesy of Keller Williams Buckhead

An early rendering depicting creekside units off Marietta Road. Whetstone Cove; Kinglett Homes; Keller Williams Buckhead

Whetstone Cove; Kinglett Homes; Keller Williams Buckhead

Whetstone Cove; Kinglett Homes; Keller Williams Buckhead

Subtitle Six buildings planned adjacent to Whetstone Creek in Bolton community

Neighborhood Bolton

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Piedmont Park seeks input from Atlantans as growth phase nears Josh Green Wed, 10/09/2024 - 14:45 The agency charged with protecting and enhancing Atlanta’s marquee greenspace is asking the general public to take a couple of minutes to contribute 2 cents—before it’s too late.

To celebrate its 35th anniversary, the Piedmont Park Conservancy has been raising funds and developing a Comprehensive Plan this year in an effort to enhance and expand the 120-year-old greenspace as significant changes are being implemented around it.

Now, the conservancy is asking Atlantans and fans of the park to share ideas one of two ways: Through an interactive online platform, or at an in-person, public feedback session scheduled for 9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 16 at the park’s Green Market (near the 12th Street and Piedmont Avenue gate entrance).

The latter gathering will be the final chance to weigh in in-person before the conservancy unveils Piedmont Park’s Comprehensive Plan in February. That document is described as being “a roadmap for the park’s growth, ensuring it remains a vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable space for all.”  

Timeline for finalizing planned changes to Piedmont Park in coming months. Piedmont Park Conservancy

Options for commenting online include a short survey related to the overall park experience and a map feature where suggestions for upgrades to specific places in Piedmont Park can be logged. (The interactive map lets you chime in about additions of new trails, playgrounds, bridges, cafes, drinking fountains, and other facilities and programs, while giving input about current buildings and places that could use some work.)

Earlier this year, the nonprofit launched the Piedmont Park Conservancy 35th Anniversary Appeal, a campaign to raise $3.5 million for a masterplan to add new greenspace and acreage, implement enhancements and needed improvements, and generally help reimagine the park’s more than 200 acres.

A series of celebrations throughout 2024 has been ongoing to boost fundraising efforts.

January volleyball this year in Atlanta's marquee greenspace. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The conservancy's plans call for extending the park’s boundaries to Monroe Drive and Piedmont Avenue in places, coinciding with both the Beltline Northeast Trail’s arrival in the park this year and the planned expansion of Atlanta Botanical Garden.

The conservancy describes public input as being “integral” to the current planning phase for “Atlanta’s gathering place.”

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Timeline for finalizing planned changes to Piedmont Park in coming months. Piedmont Park Conservancy

January volleyball this year in Atlanta's marquee greenspace. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Urbanize Atlanta

Piedmont Park Conservancy

Subtitle Chances to chime in dwindling, as Comprehensive Plan for famed greenspace to be unveiled in February

Neighborhood Midtown

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Morehouse College takes step to protect oldest building on campus Josh Green Wed, 10/09/2024 - 13:10 One of the most iconic and historically rich buildings on Atlanta University Center campuses is poised to stay protected across coming decades.

Morehouse College and Easements Atlanta announced a partnership today designed to conserve Samuel T. Graves Hall, the oldest and most distinctive building on Morehouse’s campus, as other parts of the AUC district undergo expansions and updates.  

Described as Morehouse college’s “ultimate multi-purpose space,” Graves Hall has functioned as a chapel, classrooms, dormitory, lab, library, and kitchen over the past 135 years.

The building, in fact, once housed the entire Morehouse campus when it uprooted from Augusta to Atlanta. (Fun fact: The hall was once the tallest building in Atlanta.) It's named for Morehouse's second president. 

Following a series of significant interior alterations over the years, Graves Hall serves as an honors residence for more than 115 Morehouse students today. Further rehabilitation work funded by the National Parks Service is in the pipeline now.   

The iconic four-story facade and dark-red brick of Samuel T. Graves Hall's facade. Morehouse.edu

The building's location on campus in relation to Interstate 20 and downtown Atlanta. Google Maps

The partnership between the school and Easements Atlanta has created a preservation easement for Graves Hall. That’s a voluntary legal agreement that ensures Graves Hall remains “protected from incompatible alterations [and] that the property retains its historic character” in the future, according to a joint announcement.

A grant from the National Park Service’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities program made the initiative possible. Per the grant, the terms of the easement will last for 20 years.

With its dark red brick, terra cotta accents, and nods to Romanesque Revival and Queen Anne-style architecture, four-story Graves Hall anchors the western end of Morehouse’s campus and was locally landmarked by the City of Atlanta in 1991. It’s part of the AUC Historic District, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

According to Morehouse leadership, the Easements Atlanta partnership is a step toward preserving historic buildings across campus while continuing to build a modernized “campus of the future.” 

“Working with Easements Atlanta,” Morehouse president Dr. David A. Thomas said in a prepared statement, “we are safeguarding the architectural and historical significance of our most distinct building, a landmark holding a profound placement and countless memories among our alumni, students, and the broader Morehouse community.” 

Where Samuel T. Graves Hall is situated on the HBCU campus. Google Maps

Added Sarah Borcherding, Easements Atlanta’s executive director: “As the building undergoes rehabilitation with funding from the National Park Service, we look forward to helping ensure the future of this landmark structure.” 

In many ways, Graves Hall is a stark contrast to the historical ruins at nearby AUC campus Morris Brown College, where the latest grand plans for preservation still have yet to move forward.

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The building's location on campus in relation to Interstate 20 and downtown Atlanta. Google Maps

The iconic four-story facade and dark-red brick of Samuel T. Graves Hall's facade. Morehouse.edu

Where Samuel T. Graves Hall is situated on the HBCU campus. Google Maps

Subtitle Samuel T. Graves Hall, the historic college’s “ultimate multi-purpose space,” dates to 1880s

Neighborhood Westside

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Photos: East Atlanta church reborn as sleek, spartan art gallery Josh Green Wed, 10/09/2024 - 01:55 From Decatur offices, an Old Fourth Ward improv comedy club, a Reynoldstown duplex, and a proposed English Avenue brewery, former church properties around Atlanta are being refashioned into new uses at an accelerating clip, as available land diminishes and property values climb.

But in terms of sheer creativity, this latest example in East Atlanta Village could take the cake.

Following a three-year renovation process plagued by typical construction hurdles, design issues, and delays, Atlanta-based artist Greg Mike, founder of ABV Gallery + Agency, unveiled his contemporary art gallery, studio, event space, and retail store last month at a former 1206 Metropolitan Ave. church he owns. Mike’s uniquely playful, colorful, eye-catching murals dot Atlanta and many other cities.

The 1980s building, situated near the funky heart of EAV, previously operated as Holy Temple Deliverance Church. The black-clad redesign was led by Atlanta firm Kronberg Urbanists + Architects.

Mike’s previous studio and gallery was located on Auburn Avenue—in a space six times smaller than the light-filled, 8,500-square-foot former church structure. 

Stark black facade of the 1206 Metropolitan Ave. facility today. Photography by Dave Roland; designs, Kronberg Urbanists + Architects

ABV Gallery's airy main interior space where the "Chapter New" show is being held until Oct. 19. Photography by Dave Roland; designs, Kronberg Urbanists + Architects

The new ABV location is set among dive bars, local eateries, and boutique shops in a neighborhood long known for subversive creativity. The Marley EAV apartment complex (formerly Alexan EAV) stands across the street, while a long-shuttered Long John Silver’s where a specialized Starbucks was formerly planned is immediately to the west.  

ABV Gallery, founded in 2010, showcases both established and emerging artists from around the world and in the process has established itself as a cornerstone of Atlanta’s arts scene. Mike has traveled the world the past 15 years painting murals—most emblazoned with his iconic “LOUD” characters—while working as a creative director for clients and brands.

The new space, ABV leaders have said, will exponentially increase their capacity for bringing artists’ work to the public.

Vestiges of the church, such as stained-glass windows, remain. Photography by Dave Roland; designs, Kronberg Urbanists + Architects

Inside ABV Gallery's office section. Photography by Dave Roland; designs, Kronberg Urbanists + Architects

This month, the new gallery is hosting “Chapter New,” Mike’s first solo exhibition in Atlanta in a decade. Alongside original paintings, prints, and apparel, the show includes large-format sculptures of Mike characters built from metal and fiberglass.

“With so much more room to work with, I felt inspired to think bigger—both literally and creatively,” Mike said in a project announcement. “I was able to create larger-scale pieces that take advantage of the gallery's high ceilings and expansive walls.”

Construction on the former church was led by Bayard Builders. Records indicate the .3-acre property sold for $875,000 in 2021.

The church property in 2021, located just east of Moreland Avenue with the Marley EAV apartments at right. Google Maps

The Metropolitan Avenue facade. Photography by Dave Roland; designs, Kronberg Urbanists + Architects

Examples of current pieces for sale (and prices) are here. Mike’s show runs until Oct. 19, and the gallery is open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.), and on Saturdays (11 a.m. to 7 p.m.) at 1206 Metropolitan Ave. SE.

Find more context and a photographic tour of the sleek, spartan, and unique adaptive-reuse venture for EAV in the (website) gallery above.

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The church property in 2021, located just east of Moreland Avenue with the Marley EAV apartments at right. Google Maps

Location of the former church and its Flat Shoals Avenue parking lot, in relation to EAV restaurants and bars. Google Maps

Stark black facade of the 1206 Metropolitan Ave. facility today. Photography by Dave Roland; designs, Kronberg Urbanists + Architects

A Mike mural on the building's exterior. Photography by Dave Roland; designs, Kronberg Urbanists + Architects

ABV Gallery's airy main interior space where the "Chapter New" show is being held until Oct. 19. Photography by Dave Roland; designs, Kronberg Urbanists + Architects

Vestiges of the church, such as stained-glass windows, remain. Photography by Dave Roland; designs, Kronberg Urbanists + Architects

Large-format sculptures at the center of the 8,500-square-foot space. Photography by Dave Roland; designs, Kronberg Urbanists + Architects

The gallery's merch area.Photography by Dave Roland; designs, Kronberg Urbanists + Architects

Photography by Dave Roland; designs, Kronberg Urbanists + Architects

Inside ABV Gallery's office section. Photography by Dave Roland; designs, Kronberg Urbanists + Architects

Photography by Dave Roland; designs, Kronberg Urbanists + Architects

Photography by Dave Roland; designs, Kronberg Urbanists + Architects

Photography by Dave Roland; designs, Kronberg Urbanists + Architects

Photography by Dave Roland; designs, Kronberg Urbanists + Architects

Photography by Dave Roland; designs, Kronberg Urbanists + Architects

Photography by Dave Roland; designs, Kronberg Urbanists + Architects

Photography by Dave Roland; designs, Kronberg Urbanists + Architects

The Metropolitan Avenue facade. Photography by Dave Roland; designs, Kronberg Urbanists + Architects

Subtitle Artist Greg Mike's ABV Gallery enlivens Metropolitan Avenue space in village

Neighborhood East Atlanta

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Photographer Dave Roland

Transit-connected, affordable housing venture officially opens Josh Green Tue, 10/08/2024 - 15:41 The City of Atlanta’s quest to create more affordable housing options in transit-connected locations took a step forward this morning.

A grand opening celebration led by Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens was held for a project called Hamilton Hills in the Harland Terrace neighborhood, located about five miles west of downtown.

The 2576 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive project is situated across the street from MARTA’s Hamilton E. Holmes station—MARTA’s westernmost transit station, near the Interstate 285 loop—where a 22-acre, mixed-use redevelopment is in planning stages.

Hamilton Hills was developed by Gorman and Company, a Wisconsin-based firm with expertise in building affordable housing across the country, in partnership with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs.

The project features 52 apartments, ranging from one to three bedrooms. Additional facets include a community garden, playground, and other outdoor gathering spaces.

Facade of the 52-unit project in Atlanta's Harland Terrace neighborhood today. Courtesy of Gorman & Company

The 2576 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive site in question, as shown prior to construction across the street from MARTA's Hamilton E. Holmes station. Google Maps

According to Gorman officials, Hamilton Hills rentals will be reserved for households earning 50 to 60 percent of the area median income.

That means rents will start at $904 monthly for one-bedroom options. Two-bedroom apartments will start from $1,085 monthly, and three-bedroom units from $1,253.

Total development costs were $17.4 million, according to Gorman.

Financing, design, and development partners included the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, Truist, Berkadia, Gorman General Contractors, Gorman Architecture, and Gorman Property Management, per officials.

Rendering depicting one facet of Hamilton Hills included in today's announcement. Courtesy of Gorman & Company

The Hamilton Hills site, about five miles due west of downtown Atlanta. Google Maps

The project joins a growing roster of affordable-housing initiatives Gorman is putting together across the city.

Gorman completed the Residences at Westview, a 60-unit affordable housing complex near Westview Cemetery, early this year.

And project officials recently told Urbanize Atlanta construction is expected to launch on the first phase of Gorman’s Sweet Auburn Grande project in the shadow of downtown in coming weeks. That calls for 109 multifamily residences along Auburn Avenue with retail at the base and a historically significant office building woven in.

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The 2576 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive site in question, as shown prior to construction across the street from MARTA's Hamilton E. Holmes station. Google Maps

Facade of the 52-unit project in Atlanta's Harland Terrace neighborhood today. Courtesy of Gorman & Company

Rendering depicting one facet of Hamilton Hills included in today's announcement. Courtesy of Gorman & Company

The Hamilton Hills site, about five miles due west of downtown Atlanta. Google Maps

Subtitle Hamilton Hills project in shadow of MARTA station caps rents at 60 percent AMI

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Photos: What a million-dollar new Atlanta playground looks like Josh Green Tue, 10/08/2024 - 13:43 Kids of Atlanta have an exceptionally awesome new reason to get off the couch, stop squabbling with their siblings, and put the electronic devices away.

Following six months of construction, a new $1-million playground debuted this month in Candler Park that project leaders say raises the bar in terms of functional, climbable, slide-able structures in the city. (And we thought Chastain Park’s might stand as the ATL Playland Mount Olympus forever.)

According to the Candler Park Conservancy, the Perkins + Will-designed playground boasts the longest hill slides in Atlanta, in addition to a sky-high webbed climbing tower, shade sails, a mountainous stack of boulders for climbing or sitting, and smaller stuff for tykes.

An early rendering (an accurate one, at that) for the Candler Park project. Candler Park Conservancy

Slides and massive stacks of boulders/steps built into a Candler Park hillside. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Revised landscaping and a new water fountain and bottle-filler round out the greenspace project, which was unveiled earlier this month in time for the Candler Park Fall Festival.

The project replaces a 20-year-old playground with dated equipment that was demolished last spring. (The author, in fact, once received a tremendous black eye from helping a child across the old playground’s heavy, swinging, metal trapeze rings—and taking the equivalent of a punch to the face.)

The conservancy describes the upgraded playground as “a go-to place for children across the city and beyond to play and explore” that’s designed to last for decades.

Scope of the $1-million playground project as seen during the Candler Park Fall Festival. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Towering climbing and slide structure at the center of the playground renovation. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Donations helped cover the playground’s $1 million cost. Agencies such as Park Pride, The Waterfall Foundation, Candler Park Neighborhood Organization, in addition to the Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation and the Atlanta Bond Fund are cited as contributors to the project.

Head up to the gallery for a closer look—no chaperone required.

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An early rendering (an accurate one, at that) for the Candler Park project. Candler Park Conservancy

Scope of the $1-million playground project as seen during the Candler Park Fall Festival. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Towering climbing and slide structure at the center of the playground renovation. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Slides and massive stacks of boulders/steps built into a Candler Park hillside. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Subtitle Spoiler alert: It's bananas

Neighborhood Candler Park

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New Atlanta Beltline section unveiled for abandoned rail corridor Josh Green Tue, 10/08/2024 - 08:14 There’s good news on the horizon for Westside Trail patrons who’ve been irked by a gap in the Atlanta Beltline near a popular food, drink, and work destination in West End.

According to Atlanta Beltline Inc.’s latest construction update, a new section of the multi-use pathway called Westside Trail-Segment 6 has entered planning phases for an abandoned rail corridor just north of Lee + White, a mixed-use district that’s debuted a food hall and recently notched office leasing success.

The project will build a .6-mile trail connection in the rail corridor between Lawton Street (where the Westside Trail currently ends with a ramp at Lee + White) up to another existing Westside Trail stretch near Gordon-White Park and Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard.

The gap in paved, in-corridor trail has existed (and confounded some first-time users) since the three-mile, $43-million Westside Trail debuted seven years ago. It’s required Beltline users to exit the Westside Trail corridor and zigzag up and down ramps and follow an adjacent sidewalk path to continue using the Beltline.

The paved Segment 6 would be more of a straight shot and much simpler.

Base image via Ackerman & Co.

It would pass between the 1295 West Apartments (formerly Donnelly Gardens) and a large warehouse and office structure where Lee + White owners Ackerman & Co. are planning to build out another 208,000 square feet of mixed uses.

According to Beltline officials, Westside Trail-Segment 6 is moving toward being ready for the solicitation process that will seek a partner firm.

The design phase is scheduled to last through early 2026. Beltline officials are aiming to complete the project in 2027, with landscaping work to follow the opening.

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Northeast Trail progress

Meanwhile, on the flipside of town, a milestone Atlanta multi-use trail enthusiasts have long pined for has finally come: The paved Beltline now extends fully through Piedmont Park. (But construction fences remain up, so it’s off-limits to the public).

The Westside Trail section in question (bottom left) and location of current work next to Piedmont Park. Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

The latest progress is a fully poured concrete trail that extends from Monroe Drive near Park Tavern, alongside the park’s gravel parking lot, and up to Evelyn Street, an entry point to Atlanta Botanical Garden.

A new ADA-accessible ramp down to Piedmont Park’s main meadows and a stairway linking to the park’s popular dog park remain under construction, as cameras and lighting are being installed. That section is considered phase two.

Looking south on the new Beltline Northeast Trail segment in Piedmont Par, with Park Tavern ahead on the right. [Note: This section remains closed to the public.] Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Phase three—safety upgrades where the Beltline meets Monroe Drive—also remains a work-in-progress.

That includes new traffic signals at Monroe Drive and nearby Kanuga Street, a raised pedestrian crossing, and an upgraded bike lane on 10th Street near the intersection that links into the Beltline.

All three phases of the Northeast Trail segment between Monroe Drive and the northern reaches of Piedmont Park remain on pace to officially debut later this fall, according to Beltline officials.

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Looking south on the new Beltline Northeast Trail segment in Piedmont Par, with Park Tavern ahead on the right. [Note: This section remains closed to the public.] Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Base image via Ackerman & Co.

The Westside Trail section in question (bottom left) and location of current work next to Piedmont Park. Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

Subtitle Plus, Northeast Trail pieces through Piedmont Park near completion

Neighborhood West End

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