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First look: 31-home project in Old Fourth Ward is full speed ahead Josh Green Tue, 10/01/2024 - 15:11 Old Fourth Ward’s trend toward denser housing in blocks west of Boulevard is continuing near a popular greenspace.

Nearly all site development work is nearing completion for a 31-townhome infill project at 407 Linden Ave., with vertical construction on pace to start by the end of 2024, project officials tell Urbanize Atlanta.

The site is located a block south of North Avenue and immediately west of Central Park, a city greenspace and rec sports hub where Shaky Knees Music Festival has been held for years. Boulevard is about two blocks to the east.

PacificPoint Realty; designs, TaC Studios

The 407 Linden Ave. site's proximity to Central Park, Ponce de Leon Avenue (above), and other eastside landmarks. Google Maps

The project—currently unnamed—is being developed by PacificPoint Realty. The Atlanta firm's recent work includes the Freedom Townhomes in Poncey-Highland and the posh 1204 on the Park project overlooking Piedmont Park, where townhomes sold for as high as $2.1 million.

The Old Fourth Ward project is designed by TaC Studios, an Atlanta architecture firm with a portfolio of modern houses and townhome ventures (several in partnership with PacificPoint Realty) dotted across the eastside.

According to broker Allen Snow, Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty vice president of developer marketing and sales, the townhomes are expected to come to market in the first quarter of 2025.

Pricing has yet to be finalized, but Snow expects prices to range from roughly the high $700,000s to low $800,000s.

All 31 options on Linden Avenue with have three bedrooms and three and ½ bathrooms spread across roughly 2,000 square feet. Each home will stand three stories.  

“Many of the homes will have views of the downtown and Midtown skylines,” Snow noted via email. “[Pricing] will be commensurate with their high quality of construction and finishes, as well as the O4W townhome market.”

A draft elevation for the 31-home development in O4W. PacificPoint Realty; designs, TaC Studios

The 407 Linden Ave. property in question, at center, prior to construction in January 2023. Google Maps

Snow describes the section of Old Fourth Ward in question as “Forth Ward West” and points to “transformational projects” in the pipeline nearby that could be selling points.

Those include the mixed-use redevelopment vision for Atlanta Medical Center, a block-sized proposal in the 200 block of Ponce de Leon Avenue (just east of Mary Mac’s Tea Room), and the revitalization of Cosby Spear Towers, among others, according to Snow.

“[Those projects] will make a home purchase in this community a great investment for future homeowners,” said Snow.

Find more context and all available visuals for the 407 Linden Ave. project, including floorplans, in the gallery above.  

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407 Linden Ave. Old Fourth Ward Development Atlanta Townhomes Atlanta Development Atlanta Construction Old Fourth Ward Townhomes O4W Allen Snow Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby's International Realty TaC Studios Central Park Boulevard Central Park Atlanta Pacificpoint Realty Infill Infill Development Townhouses townhomes Infill Housing Fourth Ward West Cosby Spear Towers

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The 407 Linden Ave. site's proximity to Central Park, Ponce de Leon Avenue (above), and other eastside landmarks. Google Maps

The 407 Linden Ave. property in question, at center, prior to construction in January 2023. Google Maps

PacificPoint Realty; designs, TaC Studios

A draft elevation for the 31-home development in O4W. PacificPoint Realty; designs, TaC Studios

Floorplans for one of four options at the 407 Linden Ave. project. This is considered Unit A. PacificPoint Realty/TaC Studios

Floorplans for Unit B.PacificPoint Realty/TaC Studios

Unit C.PacificPoint Realty/TaC Studios

Unit D. PacificPoint Realty/TaC Studios

Subtitle Unnamed Linden Avenue development forecasts vertical construction this year

Neighborhood Old Fourth Ward

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Mall West End sells for redevelopment. For real this time, city says Josh Green Tue, 10/01/2024 - 13:25 According to city leadership, the fourth time will be a charm for storied but ailing Mall West End, in terms of large-scale redevelopment plans that have popped up but ultimately burst in recent years.

The City of Atlanta has officially acquired the 12-acre Mall West End site in partnership with Atlanta Beltline Inc. and Atlanta Urban Development Corporation, a local nonprofit entity with a goal of developing underused public land into mixed-income housing.

City officials revealed today the 1970s mall’s mixed-use redevelopment will be led by both residential housing developer BRP Companies and commercial development firm The Prusik Group.

Those companies, both based in New York City, had unveiled plans in 2022 and worked with neighborhood leaders for turning the West End economic and cultural hub into a new-construction blend of hundreds of housing units and commercial spaces, possibly with a hotel in the mix.

But by October last year, those plans were declared D.O.A.

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

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

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

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

City officials didn’t disclose the purchase price for the mall property in an announcement today, and public sales records aren’t yet available. We’ve asked for clarity on sales details and will update this post with any additional information that comes.

Buying the mall is considered the first step toward transforming the property into a mixed-use and mixed-income development, with a goal of creating affordable housing and spaces for legacy small businesses by way of “inclusive commercial space for a diverse business community,” per the city announcement. It’s expected to take multiple years to fully pull off.

“This is a long-awaited new era for the West End,” Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said in a statement. “This is not just a redevelopment of the Mall West End—this is fulfilling a commitment to a community.”

The sale marks "the moment the West End community—and all of District 4—have been working towards for years,” added Atlanta City Councilmember Jason Dozier, who represents District 4.

The city and its partners plan to gather input from legacy business owners, area residents, and other stakeholders before moving forward with transforming the mall property.

Key facets of the redevelopment are set to include roughly 125,000 square feet of retail with a grocery store, local boutiques, a fitness center, and food-and-beverage options. At least 10,000 square feet of commercial space that leases at affordable rates will also be in the mix for qualified local small businesses, along with 12,000 square feet of medical office space, per the city.

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

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

Construction at Mall West End is slated to begin in 2025, with the first phase being delivered sometime in 2026, city officials said today.

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

The Prusik Group and BRP Companies' vision for Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard revealed in 2022. Prusik Group & BRP; via West End Neighborhood Development Inc./FB

An overview of the Mall West End property just south of Interstate 20, with the adjacent MARTA line shown at right.Google Maps

Mall West End’s ownership group has been exploring options to offload the property for several years. The mall is dotted with vacancies but counts Planet Fitness, Foot Locker, Journey’s, and food-and-beverage options such as American Deli as primary attractions today.

With its location near MARTA’s West End station, the Beltline’s Westside Trail, and Atlanta University Center within a quick jaunt of downtown, the mall property has had no trouble attracting developer interest in recent years.

But each of three earlier visions fell apart.

Last fall, The Prusik Group and BRP terminated a contract for a mall redevelopment deal. Tentative plans had called for splitting the property into four blocks and creating two new streets, allowing for better access and flow to buildings with a maximum height of a few stories—unlike the glassy towers in previous proposals. With that plan, the site could have seen up to 1.5 million square feet of new construction, per the developers, with between 650 and 900 mixed-income apartments and up to 250,000 square feet of “necessity-based retail.”

Another Mall West End redevelopment deal on a much larger scale—with an estimated pre-inflation price tag of $400 million—involving Beltline visionary Ryan Gravel and venture capitalist Donray Von, a West End native, collapsed in 2021.

New York-based real estate giant Tishman Speyer also backed out of another mall contract.

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

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

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

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

Mall West End's most recent redevelopment concepts called for a mix of retail and residential uses at a much smaller scale than previous proposals. Prusik Group & BRP

The Prusik Group and BRP Companies' vision for Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard revealed in 2022. Prusik Group & BRP; via West End Neighborhood Development Inc./FB

Subtitle Atlanta mayor: 12-acre deal marks "long-awaited new era for the West End"

Neighborhood West End

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ATL (reportedly) lands another Super Bowl. What will downtown be then? Josh Green Tue, 10/01/2024 - 08:10 Perhaps you missed it in the torrent of frankly more important news around Atlanta lately, but it appears the fourth Super Bowl in city history is on the horizon—in a part of Atlanta experiencing massive, if not fundamental, changes.

The National Football League and Falcons brass haven’t confirmed, but according to a report in Sports Business Journal, the NFL is expected to award the second Super Bowl in Mercedes-Benz Stadium history—Super Bowl LXII in February 2028—to Atlanta when team owners meet here later this month.

Maybe it’s not the World Cup—and certainly not the Centennial Olympic Games. But for anyone who recalls Atlanta hosting Super Bowl LIII in 2019 (or in 1994 and 2000, for that matter), the big game is a really big deal, both economically and in terms of global exposure.

For the 53rd Super Bowl five years ago, the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce pegged the city's Super Bowl windfall at $400 million (some argued it was much lower), with bars (allowed to operate until 4 a.m. that week), restaurants, and hotels packed across town. An entire, temporary arena was erected at Atlantic Station for a Run the Jewels/Foo Fighters concert. Downtown streets were electric for a solid week. 

Yeah, a big deal.

Mercedes-Benz Stadium decor before the big game on Feb. 3, 2019. Shutterstock

The Gulch was more of a lifeless parking lot in the lead up to 2019's Super Bowl. Shutterstock

Host cities are already set for the next three Super Bowls, those being New Orleans next year, Santa Clara (home of the 49ers, in 2026), and Los Angeles (2027). 

But with several large-scale redevelopment projects channeling billions of investments into downtown Atlanta, does any NFL stadium location stand to change as much between now and 2028?

The Sports Business Journal report notes as much, after pointing out that Atlanta’s last stab at hosting the Super Bowl earned “good reviews” from the legions of sports industry types assembled here in 2019:

“The city is walkable, with ample hotel and hospitality inventory. By 2028, three major hotels and the Centennial Yards mixed-use development—none of which was there in 2019—will have been completed in the immediate vicinity of the stadium. It is a proven host to major events, such as the annual SEC Football Championship and Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. The city also recently won the 2031 NCAA Men’s Final Four.”

But then, a couple of digs:

“For all its considerable strengths, Atlanta is not necessarily an obvious choice. It’s far enough north that winter weather can be a concern—ice storms were a problem at the 2000 game there—and its desirability as a glamour destination is a step down from classic hosts such as Miami, L.A., New Orleans, and now Las Vegas.”

All of which begs a few fun questions:

Construction progress in May on Centennial Yards' first ground-up new tower to top out, The Mitchell apartments. Urbanize Atlanta

If the Super Bowl indeed makes its way back to ATL in ’28, how do you hope downtown will have evolved by then?

Or what will downtown actually be, in your humble opinion, if there’s a difference?

And can Atlanta ever be, uh, a “glamour destination,” if we even want that?

Centennial Yards' proximity to downtown stadiums, as seen in May. Urbanize Atlanta

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Downtown Development Super Bowl Atlanta Super Bowl Mercedes-Benz Stadium Centennial Yards South Downtown Atlanta Ventures State Farm Arena Georgia World Congress Center CIM Group Downtown Atlanta Downtown Atlanta Projects Sports Business Journal

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Construction progress in May on Centennial Yards' first ground-up new tower to top out, The Mitchell apartments. Urbanize Atlanta

Centennial Yards' proximity to downtown stadiums, as seen in May. Urbanize Atlanta

The Gulch was more of a lifeless parking lot in the lead up to 2019's Super Bowl. Shutterstock

Mercedes-Benz Stadium decor before the big game on Feb. 3, 2019. Shutterstock

Subtitle Because three and 1/2 years is an eternity down here

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Gwinnett's 300-acre, mixed-use office park redo takes steps forward Josh Green Mon, 09/30/2024 - 16:16 The planned conversion of a Gwinnett County corporate campus into a hub of housing, retail, and industrial uses has recently taken significant steps toward beginning construction, marking what project leaders call a win for the county and State of Georgia.  

Two years ago, Foxfield LLC and global real estate manager AEW Capital Management bought nearly 300 acres just south of where Ga. Highway 316 meets Sugarloaf Parkway, west of downtown Lawrenceville and two miles east of Interstate 85 in central Gwinnett.

The mixed-use project has been dubbed Sugarloaf Logistics Hub.

The site today is home to a six-building corporate office setting that spans 740,000 square feet. But Foxfield and AEW envision a master-planned campus with more than 2.2 million square feet, blending up to 800 residences with seven new buildings (ranging from 120,000 to more than 600,000 square feet) for industrial, warehouse, and logistics uses.

Overview of mixed-use plans at the Sugarloaf Logistics Hub. Courtesy of Foxfield LLC, AEW Capital Management; designs, Pieper O'Brien Herr Architects

Project officials announced Monday that food distributor Souto Foods—a Gwinnett-based subsidiary of Alex Lee, specializing in products from Latin America and the Caribbean—has signed a lease for a roughly 200,000-square-foot building at the Sugarloaf campus.

Souto Foods plans to invest $28 million in the site and hire 70 new employees in the county, rooting a significant portion of its Southeastern base at the facility.

The Sugarloaf Logistics Hub team has also sold more than 13 acres of the site to Atlanta-based housing developer Westplan Investors.

According to Foxfield and AEW reps, the land deal will set the stage for about 330 multifamily units to be built near one edge of the campus along Sugarloaf Parkway and Cruse Road. The thinking goes that Sugarloaf Logistics Hub employees will also be attracted to renting on site.

“Surrounded by abundant employers, amenities, and demand drivers, this well-located opportunity aligns perfectly with our strategy of developing high-quality multifamily residences across Sunbelt growth markets,” Kenny Budd, Westplan regional development partner, said in a prepared statement.

According to project leaders, Sugarloaf Logistics Hub is being designed to embrace the site’s natural features, including a lake, creeks, streams, tributaries, and walking paths.

Sugarloaf Logistics Hub's location where Ga. Highway 316 meets Sugarloaf Parkway, in relation to Interstate 85 and downtown Lawrenceville. Google Maps

On the residential front, plans call for 700 to 800 units to eventually be built, blending single-story flats apartments and townhomes. Elsewhere, five retail pad sites will be situated along Sugarloaf Parkway, an important traffic corridor around the central section of Georgia’s second-largest county.

Project heads say the location, situated close to I-85, is well-suited for light manufacturing, last-mile logistics, and food uses that can take advantage Gwinnett’s growing population and labor base.

Construction of Sugarloaf Logistics Hub is scheduled to start in the second quarter of 2025. 

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Sugarloaf Parkway at Ga. Highway 316 Sugarloaf Logistics Hub Gwinnett County Gwinnett County Development Foxfield AEW Capital Management Souto Foods JLL OnPace Partners NAI Brannen Goddard Westplan Investors Lawrenceville OTP Gwinnett Sugarloaf Parkway Ga. Highway 316 Pieper O'Brien Herr Architects Alex Lee

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Sugarloaf Logistics Hub's location where Ga. Highway 316 meets Sugarloaf Parkway, in relation to Interstate 85 and downtown Lawrenceville. Google Maps

Overview of mixed-use plans at the Sugarloaf Logistics Hub. Courtesy of Foxfield LLC, AEW Capital Management; designs, Pieper O'Brien Herr Architects

Subtitle Sugarloaf Logistics Hub campus project calls for up to 800 homes, distribution centers, more

Neighborhood Gwinnett County

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Images: Latest Chosewood Park residential venture comes into focus Josh Green Mon, 09/30/2024 - 14:54 As construction on its first phase enters the home stretch, more details have come to light for a townhome project in rapidly growing Chosewood Park that’s been billed as a less expensive alternative to other options in Beltline neighborhoods.

Atlanta-based real estate firm P. René Estat​es and Associates is listing a new pocket of housing called Three Points at Chosewood Park at 310 McDonough Boulevard. Like Toll Brothers’ nearby blend of condos, townhomes, and standalone houses called Nolyn Pointe, the 31-unit project is coming together near Chosewood Park’s southwestern boundary.  

The site is located east of Interstate 85, about four miles south of downtown Atlanta.

The first move-ins at Three Points at Chosewood Park are expected to begin this fall, according to developer Growth Homes. All options stand three stories (with three and ½ bathrooms) over the intersection of three streets: McDonough Boulevard, Grant Street, and Milton Avenue. All floorplans have either one or two-car garages.

Construction progress and landscaping today where McDonough Boulevard meets Hill Street and Milton Avenue. Courtesy of Growth Homes

The 310 McDonough Boulevard site in relation to Interstate 85, Grant Park, Chosewood Park, Atlanta's federal penitentiary, and other southside landmarks. Google Maps

The initial phase includes 14 townhomes (two of them models). The smaller three-bedroom floorplans have been named the Horizon (1,538 square feet), and the Harmony (1,854 square feet).

The largest four-bedroom option, the Unity plan, counts 2,366 square feet.

The first dozen units listed for sale range from $474,990 to a corner unit priced at $559,900. (Listings put the monthly HOA fees at $175 monthly.)

Up to $30,000 in buyers’ incentives are being offered with the developer’s preferred lenders, per listings.

According to the development team, in-home perks include Everluxe cabinetry, Moen fixtures, Ply Gem windows, “spa-like” primary bathrooms, and pre-wiring for smart-home automation.

Courtesy of Growth Homes

Examples of decks off the backs of main living levels at Three Points at Chosewood Park. Courtesy of Growth Homes

Three Points townhouses are striving to blend “classic Atlanta charm” with modern sensibilities and design, promising “a way to become a homeowner without breaking the bank,” according to marketing materials. 

Like the Beltline’s future Boulevard Crossing Park up the road, developer Growth Homes is bullish on the prospects of the nearly 40-acre Sawtell development site across the street.

Developer Kaplan Residential filed plans with the city in September last year to start building the Sawtell project’s first phase—to include 734 apartments and nearly 48,000 square feet of restaurant, retail, and amenity space, among other components—but more recent inquiries for construction updates haven’t been returned.

The full 31-home site plan for Three Points at Chosewood Park. P. René Estates and Associates

Swing up to the gallery for the first interior glimpses of Three Points units and more context.

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310 McDonough Boulevard Three Points at Chosewood Park Pamela René P. René Estates & Associates PReneEstates.com GROWTH Homes Game of Drones Atlanta Townhomes Atlanta Development Atlanta Construction Southside McDonough Boulevard Atlanta Homes for Sale For sale in Atlanta United States Penitentiary Atlanta Sawtell The Ron Clark Academy Ply Gem Everluxe Moen

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The 310 McDonough Boulevard site in relation to Interstate 85, Grant Park, Chosewood Park, Atlanta's federal penitentiary, and other southside landmarks. Google Maps

Construction progress and landscaping today where McDonough Boulevard meets Hill Street and Milton Avenue. Courtesy of Growth Homes

Examples of decks off the backs of main living levels at Three Points at Chosewood Park. Courtesy of Growth Homes

Courtesy of Growth Homes

Courtesy of Growth Homes

Courtesy of Growth Homes

Courtesy of Growth Homes

The full 31-home site plan for Three Points at Chosewood Park. P. René Estates and Associates

Photography by Game of Drones; courtesy of P. René Estates and Associates

Subtitle Three Points project details floorplans priced from $400Ks in growing neighborhood

Neighborhood Chosewood Park

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Developer: High Street project rapidly adding residents, retailers Josh Green Mon, 09/30/2024 - 12:41 Eight months after it started delivering new apartments, the first nine-building phase of Dunwoody’s massive High Street project has seen hundreds of residents move in, as its retail lineup continues to grow, according to developers.

GID, a national developer building the Central Perimeter district, reports more than 300 people are residing on the transit-connected High Street property now, and that a Miami-based bakery and premium massage concept have joined the mixed-use tenant roster.

The project’s first two apartment buildings—Windsor Brompton and Windsor Avery—opened early this year, with 598 units total. The rentals are situated over retail space and around a central park that’s designed for seasonal events, such as yoga in warmer months and ice-skating in winter. 

The retail signings mean High Street has leased about 86,000 square feet—or more than half of the initial phase’s 150,000-square-foot retail component. Multiple openings are expected to continue in coming months.

How communal spaces between High Street's residential buildings have come together. High Street; courtesy of GID

Aerial showing how High Street's initial phase has come together in Central Perimeter. High Street; courtesy of GID

The newest food concept, Rosetta Bakery, is described as an authentic Italian eatery known for baked goods (sandwiches, pizza, focaccia, croissants, and “famous” Bombolone) and artisanal coffee. It’ll have grab-and-go options, plus indoor and outdoor seating, and will be open at High Street from morning to night.

Rosetta Bakery is scheduled to open next spring, marking the second metro Atlanta location behind a forthcoming one at Two Buckhead Plaza. 

The other new signing, The Now Massage, plans to open its fifth location in metro Atlanta this winter, specializing in “approachable luxury” and three Swedish-inspired massage styles, according to an announcement.

Businesses that have recently debuted at High Street include the third metro Atlanta location of Velvet Taco, luxury menswear store Allen Edmonds, med spa SkinSpirit, Ben & Jerry’s, and the first Atlanta-area location of celebrated South African flame-grilled chicken concept Nando's PERi-PERi.  

GID senior vice president Ian Ward said High Street is seeing “a vibrant resident population and a continuous stream of visitors,” with more retailers on tap to open throughout 2024 and into next year.

“By carefully curating a diverse range of restaurants, service providers, and entertainment options,” noted Ward in a statement, “we are bringing a distinctive experience to the Perimeter area.”

Fresh rendering depicting a raised terrace at Dunwoody's High Street offices.High Street; courtesy of GID

High Street; courtesy of GID

Previously announced High Street offerings will include Atlanta’s second Puttshack (a 26,000-square-foot fusion of mini golf and nightlife), plus The Hampton Social (a costal-inspired restaurant), Agave Bandido (a Mexican and tequila bar), Cuddlefish (a sushi concept led by the James Beard-nominated team behind Brush and Momonoki), Sugarcoat (a boutique beauty salon), and eatertainment concept Jaguar Bolera.

The first High Street phase includes nine buildings, with 90,000 square feet of loft offices mixed in amongst the apartments and retail jewel boxes. GID’s goal is to create a bustling town center within a few minutes’ walk of the Dunwoody MARTA station. 

The project broke ground in November 2021 on what had been a sea of asphalt parking lots. It’s expected to eventually cost $2 billion, consuming 36 acres and 10 blocks.

Swing up to the gallery for more High Street context and the latest images.

The overarching vision for High Street calls for 672,000 square feet of Class A offices, a 400-key hotel, plus 400,000 square feet of shops, eateries, gyms, and more. Some 3,000 residential units are also in the cards, per developers.GID Development Group; designs, Dwell Design Studio

Plans call for eventually redeveloping the equivalent of 10 city blocks, or 36 acres, near Perimeter Mall and Dunwoody’s MARTA station.GID Development Group; designs, Dwell Design Studio

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Perimeter Center Parkway at Hammond Drive GID Development Group Perimeter Center Parkway Hammond Drive Dwell Design Studio Dunwoody MARTA Station JLL 10Twelve Central Perimeter Puttshack High Street JLL Capital Markets Brasfield & Gorrie Site Solutions Elkus Manfredi Sandy Springs Atlanta Development Atlanta Construction Windsor Communities The Brompton Jaguar Bolera Nando’s Peri-Peri Velvet Taco Allen Edmonds Skin Spirit Windsor Brompton Windsor Avery Rosetta Bakery The NOW Massage

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Fresh rendering depicting a raised terrace at Dunwoody's High Street offices.High Street; courtesy of GID

Aerial showing how High Street's initial phase has come together in Central Perimeter. High Street; courtesy of GID

How communal spaces between High Street's residential buildings have come together. High Street; courtesy of GID

High Street; courtesy of GID

High Street; courtesy of GID

An example of the latest artist renderings for High Street's central green and nine-building first phase. Courtesy of GID Development Group; designs, Dwell Design Studio

Courtesy of GID Development Group

Courtesy of GID Development Group

Courtesy of GID Development Group

Courtesy of GID Development Group

Subtitle Hundreds have moved in to new Dunwoody district, as bakery, health concept join mix, GID reports

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Construction barrels ahead for Moxy hotel on Marietta Street Josh Green Mon, 09/30/2024 - 08:05 Construction is barreling ahead on a Marietta Street project that will continue a wave of new and proposed lodging options across downtown Atlanta, from near the Gold Dome to the former Gulch and the heart of the tourism district.

Developers have demolished a low-rise building at 329 Marietta St. and begun infrastructure work to set the stage for intown’s second Moxy by Marriott hotel, according to project contractors Winter Construction.

The 183-room lodge will rise next to Hyatt Place hotel, a location walkable to Centennial Olympic Park, the Georgia Aquarium, Georgia World Congress Center, and Mercedes-Benz Stadium, among other attractions.

The hotel’s development team of Nexera Capital and Emerge Hospitality Group has previously said they hope to build the project as soon as possible, with downtown set to host FIFA World Cup matches in summer 2026. (Note the soccer mural on the lone available rendering.)  

Recent construction progress at the Marietta Street site. Winter Construction

Building permits indicate the hotel will stand 10 stories—a reduction of three stories from earlier plans with different designs, especially for base levels and the roof. The room count, however, remains the same.

An updated Elevate Architecture Studio rendering shows plans for multi-story, lighted signage wrapping a corner of the building over entries have also been subtracted.

Designs do call for a rooftop lounge, a bar at street level, a speakeasy, and several other gathering spaces around the property.

Current designs for the 239 Marietta St. project. Moxy by Marriott; designs, Elevate Architecture Studio

Previous building on the 329 Marietta St. property, with downtown's Hyatt Place shown to the left and behind. Google Maps

Marriott opened its other Atlanta Moxy hotel—a dual-branded fusion of Moxy and its European-inspired AC Hotel brand—on 14th Street in Midtown just before for another epic event: Atlanta's 2019 Super Bowl.

The hotel giant bills the Moxy concept as more “playful, affordable, and stylish” than more upscale brands under its flag. More than 125 locations operate around the world.

The Moxy concept will join numerous hospitality ventures recently delivered or in the works near downtown’s signature park.

The 22-story Margaritaville resort condo building by Wyndham Destinations, also fronting Centennial Olympic Park Drive, opened in 2022 with 200 suites and two floors of retail near SkyView Atlanta. The Signia by Hilton project delivered almost 1,000 hotel rooms earlier this year, marking Atlanta’s tallest new hotel in four decades. And Centennial Yards expects to finish its 229-room Anthem hotel next year, with another 230-room lodge under construction as part of that project’s entertainment and sports district.

Elsewhere in South Downtown, adaptive-reuse The Origin Hotel Atlanta, a Wyndham Hotels and Resorts property, is scheduled to open this fall.

Meanwhile, near the northeast edge of Centennial Olympic Park, a proposed Residence Inn by Marriott would rise 14 stories. And earlier this month, plans came to light for a 260-room hotel that would include the Motto by Hilton brand at 524 West Peachtree St., where the 1920s Rosser Building was demolished six years ago.

How the .35-acre plot is slotted along Marietta Street—shown prior to demolition and infrastructure work. The site sold for $4 million in summer 2022, per property records. Fulton County Government/Board of Assessors

Earlier designs for the Moxy-branded downtown hotel, with parking levels more transparent and a bolder roofline. Moxy by Marriott; designs, Elevate Architecture Studio

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Previous building on the 329 Marietta St. property, with downtown's Hyatt Place shown to the left and behind. Google Maps

How the .35-acre plot is slotted along Marietta Street—shown prior to demolition and infrastructure work. The site sold for $4 million in summer 2022, per property records. Fulton County Government/Board of Assessors

Recent construction progress at the Marietta Street site. Winter Construction

Current designs for the 239 Marietta St. project. Moxy by Marriott; designs, Elevate Architecture Studio

Earlier designs for the Moxy-branded downtown hotel, with parking levels more transparent and a bolder roofline. Moxy by Marriott; designs, Elevate Architecture Studio

Subtitle Downtown project with modified designs aims to debut in time for Atlanta's World Cup

Neighborhood Downtown

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North of Atlanta, new office (yes, office) project almost fully leased Josh Green Fri, 09/27/2024 - 13:47 Developers are calling a transit-connected, adaptive-reuse project in Dunwoody a blueprint for how new office ventures can thrive in a post-pandemic world of hybrid working and high vacancies—so long as the location and amenities are on point.

The initial phase of Campus 244 has almost fully leased its adaptive-reuse office building in Central Perimeter by signing Marketware, a growth marketing agency that will take 17,395 square feet on the project’s fifth floor, the top level.

According to co-developersGeorgetown Company, Beacon Capital Partners, and RocaPoint Partners, the signing means Campus 244’s phase one—dubbed the Palladium building—is now 90 percent occupied. About 46,000 square feet of space remains available on the top floor.

Rendering depicting office amenities and a plaza space at Campus 244's first phase. Courtesy of RocaPoint Partners/Georgetown Company; designs, S9 Architecture

Campus 244's location on Perimeter Center Parkway in relation to Interstate 285, Perimeter Mall, and other area landmarks. Google Maps

The Class A project repurposed a 1970s building that had stood three stories, creating a 405,000-square-foot project with a two-story addition built with heavy timber. The property previously functioned as the headquarters for Gold Kist, but the poultry company had vacated the building a decade prior to construction.

Brook MacLean, Marketware CEO, called her company “an in-person agency” that thrives “on the environment of being together.” She saw in the Dunwoody project “a place where our team can grow, be inspired, and create something meaningful in the years to come,” said MacLean in a statement.

Other major tenant commitments at the phase-one Palladium building include Insight Global and Beon.  

Eventually, Campus 244 is expected to encompass 1.3 million square feet of mixed uses spread across 12 acres next to MARTA’s Dunwoody station and Interstate 285. It’s considered an important component of a subdistrict that’s making strides toward improved walkability.

Campus 244’s initial phase also includes the Element by Westin Atlanta Perimeter, a 145-key hotel that topped out in February.

The Westin is slated to include two food-and-beverage offerings: a new boutique cocktail lounge concept called The Spruce Social House, and a first for metro Atlanta, Stäge Kitchen & Bar.

Plans for The Spruce Social House call for a large, four-sided indoor-outdoor bar that abuts an expansive outdoor seating area, all located at the base of the hotel. Codeveloped by Georgetown and Vision Hospitality Group, the lounge is envisioned as a hub for Campus 244 employees, nearby residents, and guests.

Stäge, meanwhile, is expected to include a large outdoor patio and a seasonal menu focused on steaks, sushi, seafood, and pasta. Both are scheduled to open in 2024, project leaders said earlier this year.

Campus 244’s second phase, which is being developed by The Georgetown Company and RocaPoint Partners, will see a new Class AA, 300,000-square-foot tech office and life science building.

Phase two plans for The Stacks building, a 300,000-square-foot, Class-AA office space, and an adjoining parking garage. Today's phase one is shown at left. Courtesy of RocaPoint Partners/Georgetown Company; designs, Skidmore Owings & Merrill

Courtesy of RocaPoint Partners/Georgetown Company; designs, Skidmore Owings & Merrill

That facet is scheduled to deliver in 2027, claiming what was previously vacant land.

Find more context and a closer look at what’s on tap for Campus 244 in the gallery above.

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244 Perimeter Center Parkway NE Main Street Advisors Georgetown Company RocaPoint Partners Campus 244 Central Perimeter Gold Kist Element Hotel S9 Architecture Marriott Bonvoy AC Hotel by Marriott Atlanta Perimeter Dunwoody MARTA Station MARTA Adaptive-Reuse Atlanta Development Vision Hospitality Group Yenser Co. Pill Hill State Farm Perimeter Mall Office Space Atlanta Hotels Atlanta Offices SOM Skidmore Owings & Merrill Element by Westin Atlanta Perimeter Insight Global Beon The Spruce Social House Stäge Kitchen & Bar CT Cantina & Taqueria Marketwake

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Campus 244's location on Perimeter Center Parkway in relation to Interstate 285, Perimeter Mall, and other area landmarks. Google Maps

The 1970s structure and its 12-acre site as seen beside MARTA tracks (left) and Interstate 285 prior to construction. Courtesy of S9 Architecture

Rendering depicting office amenities and a plaza space at Campus 244's first phase. Courtesy of RocaPoint Partners/Georgetown Company; designs, S9 Architecture

Shown prior to the Marketwake signing, the only remaining office space available in Campus 244's phase one. The Georgetown Company/Campus 244; designs, S9 Architecture

Renderings showing interiors and amenities at Campus 244's first office building. The Georgetown Company/Campus 244; designs, S9 Architecture

A closer look at Campus 244 phase-two offices (left) and the adaptive-reuse offices with timber elements in the initial phase. The Georgetown Company/Campus 244; designs, S9 Architecture; SOM

Courtesy of RocaPoint Partners/Georgetown Company; designs, S9 Architecture

Courtesy of RocaPoint Partners/Georgetown Company; designs, S9 Architecture

Courtesy of RocaPoint Partners/Georgetown Company; designs, S9 Architecture

Courtesy of RocaPoint Partners/Georgetown Company; designs, S9 Architecture

Phase two plans for The Stacks building, a 300,000-square-foot, Class-AA office space, and an adjoining parking garage. Today's phase one is shown at left. Courtesy of RocaPoint Partners/Georgetown Company; designs, Skidmore Owings & Merrill

Courtesy of RocaPoint Partners/Georgetown Company; designs, Skidmore Owings & Merrill

Courtesy of RocaPoint Partners/Georgetown Company; designs, Skidmore Owings & Merrill

Courtesy of RocaPoint Partners/Georgetown Company; designs, Skidmore Owings & Merrill

The Campus 244 site plan for full buildout. The Georgetown Company/Campus 244

Subtitle Initial, adaptive-reuse phase of Dunwoody's Campus 244 adds marketing agency to tenant mix

Neighborhood Dunwoody

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Trashy, idle Buckhead Village development site rankles neighbors Josh Green Thu, 09/26/2024 - 15:29 In the spring of 2023, New York-based developer Tidal Real Estate Partners brought plans before Buckhead’s design arbiters for a posh new apartment tower studded with public art, with an impressive motor lobby and small village of vibrant retail at the base.

Instead, according to concerned neighbors, all that’s been created to date is a wasteland of idleness and potential safety hazards.

Tidal’s approved plans call for a 21-story luxury high-rise at 321 Pharr Road, which would top out at 225 feet, the maximum height allowed in Buckhead Village. Its 406 apartments would continue a surge of new residential options—both under construction and proposed—from developers banking on walkability to luxury shopping and a multitude of eateries as selling points.

A Buckhead Development Review Committee gave Tidal’s plan their blessing a year and ½ ago. Numerous businesses shuttered in subsequent months. 

Encompassing nearly a full block, the site is home to an array of smaller buildings where School of Rock, Mediterranean restaurant Lily White, a cleaners, a salon, and other businesses operated. It’s located a block from Jamestown’s Buckhead Village district, between the Alexan Buckhead apartments and landmark restaurant Atlanta Fish Market. Prime Atlanta real estate, in other words. 

“It seems like a huge shame that so many local businesses were displaced for this project, only for the developers to turn around and leave the property in horrible shape,” nearby resident Adam Crisp wrote to Urbanize Atlanta via email. “[The site] is now derelict, attracting squatters, and generally making the neighborhood unattractive.”

As a recent visit proved, some of the site’s boarded-up buildings are dotted with graffiti and collapsing awnings, while the overgrown property was speckled with garbage, uprooted political campaign signs, and a least one toppled trash receptacle. It’s an urban ghost town—and a stark contrast to manicured Buckhead Village streets where Dior, Hermès, and Billy Reid do business a short walk away. 

The Pharr Road development site, at left, has been idle for nearly a year, as a host of Buckhead businesses moved out. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The block is part of Buckhead’s Garden Hills, a leafy, quiet residential neighborhood that extends south toward Midtown. According to Crisp, it’s been boarded-up, locked, and idle since about January.

Multiple inquiries to Tidal officials seeking development updates and phone interviews have not been returned. City of Atlanta permitting records show no activity for the site since December.

According to Crisp, measures to keep people out of the vacant buildings, such as plywood, have been compromised, and he fears the structures could become fire hazards in colder months ahead.

“As the season changes, I’m sure the buildings will become more attractive to people who need a warm place to sleep,” said Crisp. “This is a huge piece of land, and the lack of maintenance will have a big impact on the area's appearance.”

Where low-rise buildings are boarded up in Buckhead Village across nearly a full block.Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Crisp has reached out with concerns to District 7 Atlanta City Council member Howard Shook’s office. Shook’s office directed inquiries to Atlanta Police Department’s Code Enforcement Section. An official with that department said an Atlanta Municipal Court hearing has been scheduled for Nov. 18 to address housing code violations at the 321 Pharr Road site.

According to plans Tidal brought to Buckhead officials last year, rents at the Pharr Road project would range from about $2,800 to north of $5,000 monthly, with no small studio apartments in the mix. 

Renderings indicate the 18,540 square feet of planned retail would be separated into four slots along Pharr Road and North Fulton Drive around the corner—activating two streets. The 17,000 square feet of public space would nearly double what the district requires with a development of such scale, project leaders have said.  

Tidal reps said last year they hoped to deliver the building in 2025, but having not broken ground, that won’t be possible now.

The latest perspective on the proposal's Pharr Road frontage. Tidal Real Estate Partners; designs, Earl Swensson Associates; Long Engineering

Tidal Real Estate Partners; designs, Earl Swensson Associates; Long Engineering

Crisp worries that any fines the city levies for the property’s condition would be considered part of a large out-of-state developer’s business plan and a minor inconvenience as the site accrues value. In the short term, he’d like to see the property fenced, and the empty structures razed.

“The developer is charging for parking, so they’re deriving some income from the land that could be used for maintenance,” Crisp wrote. “A friend unknowingly parked there recently and incurred a $75 ticket.”

Find more context and images for 321 Pharr Road in the gallery above. 

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Portion of the Pharr Road block in question, excluding a Chevron on the corner. Google Maps/Urbanize Atlanta

Looking north, where the 321 Pharr Road building would rise in relation to Jamestown's Buckhead Village and other landmarks. Google Maps

The Pharr Road development site, at left, has been idle for nearly a year, as a host of Buckhead businesses moved out. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

A former multi-tenant commercial building fronting Pharr Road. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Where low-rise buildings are boarded up in Buckhead Village across nearly a full block.Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Conditions along North Fulton Drive, a side street, earlier this month. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The latest perspective on the proposal's Pharr Road frontage. Tidal Real Estate Partners; designs, Earl Swensson Associates; Long Engineering

Tidal Real Estate Partners; designs, Earl Swensson Associates; Long Engineering

Tidal Real Estate Partners; designs, Earl Swensson Associates; Long Engineering

Tidal Real Estate Partners; designs, Earl Swensson Associates; Long Engineering

Tidal Real Estate Partners; designs, Earl Swensson Associates; Long Engineering

Breakdown of street-level spaces at the Tidal Real Estate proposal. Tidal Real Estate Partners, via Buckhead DRC; designs, ESa architects

Plans for third-floor amenities over retail. Tidal Real Estate Partners, via Buckhead DRC; designs, ESa architects

Subtitle New York developer's Pharr Road proposal has yet to take off—to the detriment of those living nearby

Neighborhood Buckhead

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In Sweet Auburn, tweaked mixed-use build set for groundbreaking Josh Green Thu, 09/26/2024 - 13:41 A historic but ailing Sweet Auburn corner is weeks away from seeing the beginnings of new construction, developers tell Urbanize Atlanta.

The changes will come as part of a two-phase project called Sweet Auburn Grande that aims to revive corners located on the southwest and southeast sides of where Auburn Avenue meets Jesse Hill Jr. Drive.

The corners in question are currently dead zones of boarded-up, historically significant buildings and surface parking lots.

The Invest Atlanta Board of Directors last week approved a $28.3 million tax exempt loan for one facet of the project the agency says will save a historic site and incorporate more than 90 units of affordable housing in Sweet Auburn.

For phase one, revised Sweet Auburn Grande plans call for building 109 multifamily residences along Auburn Avenue, located at the southeast corner of the Jesse Hill Jr. Drive intersection.

Roughly 8,700 square feet of commercial space (2,000 square feet less than previously planned) will be included at street level, along with structured parking, per Invest Atlanta.

Finalized plans call for 109 apartments, with 92 of them reserved for residents earning 80 percent of the area median income or less.

The revised vision for Sweet Auburn Grande phase one, with the early 1900s office building preserved. Gorman & Company, via Invest Atlanta

The project is being led by Gorman & Company, a Wisconsin-based developer with expertise in building affordable housing.

Joel Reed, Gorman’s Southeast market president, tells Urbanize Atlanta the project’s refined phase one has received building permits and is ready to move forward. Reed expects to close on the property next month and begin construction in November. 

The schedule calls for 23 months of construction, which would put the roughly $56-million project’s opening in October 2026.

The project will incorporate—as opposed to demolish, as earlier plans had called for—the historic but long-vacant 229 Auburn building (Atlanta Life Insurance Building). That ailing structure once housed pioneering Black businesses during the district’s heyday, including Atlanta State Savings Bank, the first Black-owned bank in the city and Georgia’s first state-chartered Black bank.

The building was constructed in 1908 and more recently housed the Butler Street Community Development Corporation, according to Invest Atlanta.

Earlier plans had called for fewer affordable housing units (57 total) but with a deeper affordability threshold (50 percent AMI) for those rental options.

Meanwhile, across the street, the Sweet Auburn Grande project’s second phase calls for restoring two more historic structures: the 1920 former Butler Street YMCA-JD Winston Branch and the Walden Building. An attractive, functional public greenspace would also be added at the corner, at the base of the iconic John Lewis HERO Mural.

Breakdown of Auburn Avenue Grande's two-story phase one plans, and at left, phase two across the street. Invest Atlanta

The Butler Street CDC, which owns the 219 Auburn Avenue property that’s currently a parking lot, rechristened that corner “Good Trouble John Lewis Memorial Park” in 2022.

Gorman officials have said development costs are expected to come in around $18 million for that phase, but restoration work on the former YMCA building would have different funding sources.

A timeline for construction has yet to emerge as complex financing deals are worked out, but Reed previously said a late-2025 start date for moving phase two forward isn’t out of the question.

Plans for a circular greenspace to activate the parking lot, to be called the Good Trouble John Lewis Memorial Park. Central Atlanta Progress/Invest Atlanta/SCAD

Elsewhere in Atlanta, Gorman completed the Residences at Westview, a 60-unit affordable housing complex near Westview Cemetery. Development officials said during that project’s ribbon-cutting in February they expect to deliver 350 new housing units across Atlanta over the next two years.

In the gallery above, find more context and imagery pertaining to the vision for these important corners of Sweet Auburn. Below is a before-after preview of phase one:

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229 Auburn Ave. Sweet Auburn Grande Invest Atlanta Gorman & Company Gorman and Company Affordability Affordable Housing Sweet Auburn Auburn Avenue Adaptive-Reuse Adaptive-Reuse Development Adaptive-Reuse Project Atlanta Life Insurance Building Alonzo Herndon Building The Former Butler Street YMCA-JD Winston Branch

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State of the southeast corner of Auburn Avenue and Jesse Hill Jr. Drive today, with the historic office building in question at center. Google Maps

The revised vision for Sweet Auburn Grande phase one, with the early 1900s office building preserved. Gorman & Company, via Invest Atlanta

Breakdown of Auburn Avenue Grande's two-story phase one plans, and at left, phase two across the street. Invest Atlanta

Breakdown of two development phases on either side of Jesse Hill Jr. Drive. Gorman & Compay; via SR, 2023

State of the 1920 Butler Street YMCA today, once known as "Black city hall" for its importance in the community. Invest Atlanta

The current parking lot and building conditions at the corner of Jesse Hill Jr. Drive and Auburn Avenue, beneath the 65-foot Lewis mural. Google Maps

Plans for a circular greenspace to activate the parking lot, to be called the Good Trouble John Lewis Memorial Park. Central Atlanta Progress/Invest Atlanta/SCAD

Beside the greenspace, plans have called for outdoor workstations and free Wi-Fi. Central Atlanta Progress/Invest Atlanta/SCAD

Phase two calls for restoring the Walden Building, named for Austin Thomas Walden, a prominent Black Atlantan who had an office there until his death in the 1960s, per Atlanta History Center. Central Atlanta Progress/Invest Atlanta/SCAD

Subtitle Auburn Avenue project to incorporate historic—but long-vacant—Atlanta Life Insurance Building

Neighborhood Sweet Auburn

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11 images: Atlanta Opera’s $45M development plans on Beltline trail Josh Green Wed, 09/25/2024 - 16:16 Today, pitstops along the 22-mile Atlanta Beltline corridor include myriad restaurants, greenspaces, breweries and watering holes, and scenic overlooks. In about three years, that list will also include—yes—opera.

The Atlanta Opera, an internationally recognized opera house founded in 1979, unveiled plans this week for a $45-million, adaptive-reuse project that will bring a multidisciplinary arts center to the doorstep of the Beltline’s Northwest Trail, on a looping segment completed a few years ago in Buckhead.

Plans call for vastly expanding and modernizing the former Bobby Jones Clubhouse, a Grecian revival structure that dates to the early 1900s at 384 Woodward Way, with the multi-use Beltline pathway and revised Bobby Jones Golf Course in its backyard.

Opening the facility will make Atlanta Opera the first arts organization to be headquartered on the Beltline’s loop around the city.

Scope of the 4.7-acre site in question, with the adjacent Beltline trail and links shown just to the south. Google Maps

Courtesy of Atlanta Opera; designs, Post Loyal

Situated between Northside Drive and Peachtree Road, the project will span 4.7 acres of new construction, greenspaces, and parking.

Atlanta Opera’s arts center facility will expand the current 17,000-square-foot clubhouse into a 56,000-square-foot complex, with its exterior on Woodward Way designed to blend with the surrounding, tony neighborhood, while a cutting-edge contemporary facility will face the Beltline around back, according to Post Loyal architects, an Atlanta-based firm leading designs.

Features around the new building will include a “nature-inspired” 200-seat recital hall (with greenspace views), an immersive theater venue, a film studio, a rehearsal hall, costume shop, administrative offices, and gardens, according to project heads.

Plans for the recital and theatrical spaces call for hosting a “variety of performances and community engagement focusing on the arts, including recitals, jazz, cabarets, immersive chamber operas, and more,” according to an announcement this week. Theater Projects and A’kustiks LLC are leading development of the recital hall.

Courtesy of Atlanta Opera; designs, Post Loyal

The Bobby Jones Clubhouse's 384 Woodward Way location, in relation to the rest of the revised golf course, with commercial Peachtree Road shown at right. Google Maps

The opera’s current rehearsal space doubles as a storage warehouse next to an active railroad line along Northside Drive in Loring Heights, which officials say the company has outgrown. Main-stage productions of the Atlanta Opera will continue to be housed at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center.  

The planned $45-million facility, considered a key piece of the opera’s new $110-million comprehensive campaign, has secured core funding, with title naming rights and donor announcements in the pipeline, according to company officials.

The timeline calls for it to be finished and open in the summer of 2027.

Condition of the former Bobby Jones Clubhouse and its proximity to the park and golf course today. Google Maps

Courtesy of Atlanta Opera; designs, Post Loyal

The opera “has become known not only as one of the finest opera companies in the U.S., but also as a well-managed and financially sound business,” Rhys Wilson, Atlanta Opera board chair, said in an announcement this week. “The open and welcoming design of this [proposed] building emphasizes the same values we held during the pandemic and that we will always espouse—of being a skillfully managed organization dedicated to making beautiful music available to everyone, everywhere.”

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

The full, official Northwest Trail route that will link the Lindbergh/Uptown area with Atlanta's Westside. Atlanta Opera's project will be located near the loop at top. Courtesy of Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

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The Bobby Jones Clubhouse's 384 Woodward Way location, in relation to the rest of the revised golf course, with commercial Peachtree Road shown at right. Google Maps

The full, official Northwest Trail route that will link the Lindbergh/Uptown area with Atlanta's Westside. Atlanta Opera's project will be located near the loop at top. Courtesy of Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

Condition of the former Bobby Jones Clubhouse and its proximity to the park and golf course today. Google Maps

Landscaping and architecture revision plans along Woodward Way. Courtesy of Atlanta Opera; designs, Post Loyal

Courtesy of Atlanta Opera; designs, Post Loyal

Courtesy of Atlanta Opera; designs, Post Loyal

Courtesy of Atlanta Opera; designs, Post Loyal

Courtesy of Atlanta Opera; designs, Post Loyal

Courtesy of Atlanta Opera; designs, Post Loyal

Scope of the 4.7-acre site in question, with the adjacent Beltline trail and links shown just to the south. Google Maps

The Bobby Jones Clubhouse's 384 Woodward Way location. Google Maps

Subtitle Esteemed opera house to transform Buckhead's historic Bobby Jones Clubhouse

Neighborhood Buckhead

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Decatur Square's first overhaul in 40 years enters development phase Josh Green Wed, 09/25/2024 - 14:02 Historic Decatur Square’s first makeover since the early 1980s has officially entered its development phase. But for fans of the walkable, transit-connected community hub, there’s still time to weigh in on exactly how it will evolve.

The first phase of Decatur’s Town Center 2.0 Plan project, an initiative put together by the city and its Downtown Development Authority, is in the process of collecting the final round of input from the public at large.

That includes the five-question Decatur Square Transformation Community Survey, which will be open until Monday, Sept. 30.

The questionnaire allows Decatur residents and visitors to weigh in on very specific aspects of design, from roofs to steps and new playground offerings.

Current conditions of the core Historic Downtown Decatur area in question, with McDonough Street shown at right. City of Decatur/Decatur DDA

Overview of new greenspaces and other changes in the latest Town Center 2.0 Plan. City of Decatur/Decatur DDA

Called “Decatur Town Center Plan 2.0,” the initiative marks Decatur’s first new masterplan for its core downtown area since 1982. It calls for improving sidewalks and signage, adding a performance stage, and implementing more active spaces to open up zones between the DeKalb County Courthouse, Decatur’s underground MARTA station, and landmark businesses such as Eddie’s Attic and Brick Store Pub.

City officials plan to finalize phase-one designs in the remaining months of 2024, and then open the bidding process to construction companies early next year.

The construction timeline calls for work to begin in earnest in the second quarter of next year, and to finish in time for FIFA World Cup matches in June 2026. (An earlier facet of the project included a new John Lewis sculpture unveiled near the courthouse last month.)

Exactly how the Decatur Square revisions will initially move forward has come to light since the City Commission adopted the overall plan in June last year.

Phase-one improvements, geared toward creating a more welcoming and vibrant city core, will include: construction of a modernized new performance stage and public restrooms, replacing the current blue-topped bandstand; expansion of the square into North McDonough Street, near the Eddie’s Attic performance venue, with greenspace and infrastructure; and upgrades to the existing plaza that will include play equipment, outdoor furnishings, and landscaping and hardscape work.

A play area and plaza improvements in the works for the easternmost end of the square, near a MARTA entrance. City of Decatur/Decatur DDA

A revised look at the Town Center 2.0 Plan’s new performance stage. City of Decatur/Decatur DDA; designs by MKSK

City officials say additional improvements to the Decatur Square could be carried out in future phases, but no timeline has been specified.

The effort to revamp Decatur’s downtown first emerged as an action item in the 2020 Decatur Strategic Plan.

Project leaders have previously said Decatur’s downtown population is expected to nearly double by 2030, adding 3,000 new residents and necessitating the need for more usable greenspaces.

Previously, a planning team heard from “more than 1,000 Decatur voices” as part of a communal envisioning process that spanned 10 months and included three steering committee meetings, plus three community meetings and other events ending in summer 2023, city officials have said.

Overview of planned alterations in the initial phase. City of Decatur/Decatur DDA

City of Decatur/Decatur DDA

The plan for Decatur’s downtown revamp is being led by MKSK, a planning, urban design, and landscape architecture firm with offices across the eastern U.S., including in Atlanta, that specializes in reimagining urban spaces.

Find more context and an updated look at what’s in store for Decatur’s celebrated downtown core in the gallery above.

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Decatur Square Transformation Community Survey Downtown Decatur Decatur City Commission Decatur Development Atlanta Parks MARTA Decatur Station Decatur Town Center Decatur Design MKSK Historic Decatur Square Decatur History Eddie's Attic Atlanta Downtown Centers Metro Atlanta Downtowns

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Current conditions of the core Historic Downtown Decatur area in question, with McDonough Street shown at right. City of Decatur/Decatur DDA

An illustration showing sore spots in today's urban experience near Decatur's MARTA station and courthouse. City of Decatur/Decatur DDA

A revised look at the Town Center 2.0 Plan’s new performance stage. City of Decatur/Decatur DDA; designs by MKSK

Overview of new greenspaces and other changes in the latest Town Center 2.0 Plan. City of Decatur/Decatur DDA

Overview of planned alterations in the initial phase. City of Decatur/Decatur DDA

A play area and plaza improvements in the works for the easternmost end of the square, near a MARTA entrance. City of Decatur/Decatur DDA

Revisions planned for McDonough Street, near Eddie's Attic music venue. City of Decatur/Decatur DDA

City of Decatur/Decatur DDA

City of Decatur/Decatur DDA

Overview of changes that could eventually come as part of the Decatur Town Center Plan 2.0 in the future. City of Decatur/Decatur DDA

Subtitle Downtown's Town Center Plan 2.0 seeks final public input

Neighborhood Decatur

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