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30-story tower at Underground Atlanta; Beltline rail update; more! Josh Green Wed, 09/18/2024 - 16:07 DOWNTOWN—There’s good news afoot this week for Atlantans who believe the solution to downtown’s ills begins with the addition of more people living there.

Underground Atlanta owner Lalani Ventures is partnering with Exact Capital, a New York City-based real estate firm, on plans to build a 30-story mixed-use tower that would lord over the plazas where Atlanta’s famed Peach Drop is traditionally held.

As Bisnow Atlanta reports, Lalani Ventures is asking the city’s economic development arm, Invest Atlanta, for a $40-million incentive to help develop 405 apartments that would climb 30 stories from street level at 76 Wall St., where a one-story retail building stands today. Those residences would include a mix of housing types—student, market-rate, and income-restricted—while other facets of the tower project would see retail, public spaces, and art incubators.

Invest Atlanta

Planned location of the 30-story Underground Atlanta residential tower, next to main plazas and fountains. Google Maps

Lalani Ventures CEO Shaneel Lalani told the website the transit-connected project would cost $160 million total, with 163 apartments reserved for renters earning 60 percent of the area median income or less (those rents: $971 for a studio, up to $1,225 for two-bedroom units), equaling a win-win for all involved. Nearby, Lalani is also planning to convert two-thirds of the One Park Tower he owns at 34 Peachtree St. into housing.  

The 30-story building would mark Lalani’s first ground-up new development since purchasing Underground for $31.6 million four years ago. Invest Atlanta’s Urban Residential Finance Authority is scheduled to hear Lalani’s proposal Thursday, and Lalani told Bisnow the search for construction financing will commence once the incentive is approved.

Early timelines call for a two-year construction phase with delivery in 2027.

As seen in July, the 76 Wall St. building where the residential tower is planned at Underground Atlanta's northern edge. Google Maps

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CITYWIDE—Heads up, ATL transit buffs: Atlanta Beltline officials have scheduled a Citywide Conversation next week to shed light on the ongoing Beltline Transit Study, an analysis of plans for nearly 14 miles of mobility possibilities that kicked off a year ago.   

An announcement for the virtual meeting includes a thought-provoking new rendering of a light-rail vehicle on a grassy lawn track along the Southside Trail near Pittsburgh Yards—or what Beltline rail proponents might call transit porn, and opponents a gross distortion of the truth.

Transit-rich future for the Beltline's Southside Trail? Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

The meeting is planned from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Sept. 26, with project leaders promising the latest updates on possible transit station locations, preferred routes, equitable transportation solutions, and more.

“Your engagement is essential to the success of the study and delivering on its goals and objectives of connectivity, sustainability, equity and inclusion, and future implementation and operations,” reads a meeting announcement.

Register for the 90-minute meeting right here.

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CITYWIDE—In relevant government news, the Development Authority of Fulton County—aka, Develop Fulton—has appointed a familiar name to a top leadership position.

Former U.S. Congressman Kwanza Hall, also a longtime Atlanta City Council member, was unanimously elected Develop Fulton’s new chairman at a specially called meeting Thursday. Hall previously served as the agency’s vice chairman and will replace outgoing Chairman Georgia Sen. Brandon Beach in the lead role, according to an announcement today.

Hall, a Southwest Atlanta native who attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has been “a driving force behind initiatives in economic inclusion, workforce development, urban design, and the arts,” according to Develop Fulton officials. He previously served as the U.S. representative for Georgia’s 5th Congressional District. 

“Expanding Fulton County’s diverse, resilient, and thriving business community is at the heart of our mission,” said Hall, who will be sworn in as chairman next week, in a prepared statement. “We’re focused on job creation and expanding our tax base with quality development emerging from leading growth industries including logistics, clean tech, biomedical, manufacturing, fintech, and more.”

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ATL News Roundup Underground Atlanta BeltLine Rail BeltLine Rail Now! Better Atlanta Transit Beltline Transit Transit Atlanta BeltLine Beltline Kwanza Hall Fulton County Development Authority Develop Fulton Downtown Development (42348) Fulton County Pittsburgh Yards Bisnow Atlanta Bisnow Lalani Ventures Exact Capital Exact Capital Group Affordable Housing

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As seen in July, the 76 Wall St. building where the residential tower is planned at Underground Atlanta's northern edge. Google Maps

Planned location of the 30-story Underground Atlanta residential tower, next to main plazas and fountains. Google Maps

Invest Atlanta

Transit-rich future for the Beltline's Southside Trail? Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

Subtitle Real estate, architecture, and urban planning news from around Atlanta this week

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Images: Sweet Auburn historic gem is being meticulously restored Josh Green Wed, 09/18/2024 - 13:45 Clearly (and unfortunately), they don’t make ’em like this anymore.

An adaptive-reuse restoration project that aims to help lift up Atlanta’s chronically homeless population is making strides at the Odd Fellows Building, a 250 Auburn Ave. structure that preservationist nonprofit Easements Atlanta describes as one of Sweet Auburn’s most important commercial buildings.

Behind scaffolding erected earlier this summer, restoration work is preserving the abundance of architectural features—terra cotta medallions, cast grotesques, and diapering among them—at the 1912 Odd Fellows Building designed by the Edward & Sayer firm in the Jacobean Revival style.

Plans call for turning the Odd Fellows Building into a range of stable housing and the headquarters of Georgia Works, a donor-funded nonprofit that helps homeless men transition into becoming more productive members of society. The renovation will also see four retail spaces at street level with below-market leasing rates, an effort to increase Auburn Avenue’s vibrancy and help local businesses. 

Georgia Works currently operates at the Gateway Center on Pryor Street, housing its program participants in converted jail facilities.

The Odd Fellows Building is located at the northwest corner of Auburn Avenue and Bell Street, about a block west of the Connector, in the historic Sweet Auburn district. The restoration project is estimated to cost $13.3 million overall, with the bulk of funding sourced from grants.

Previous condition of the 1912 landmark building where Auburn Avenue meets Bell Street. Georgia Works, via Invest Atlanta

Expected look of the Odd Fellows Building's facade after renovations. Georgia Works, via Invest Atlanta

The main Odd Fellows structure opened in 1912, followed by an annex with an auditorium the next year. The complex became an important landmark for Black Atlanta society in subsequent decades, hosting dances and myriad social functions. It underwent an extensive renovation in the 1980s but more recently slipped into disrepair, project officials have said.

Once renovated, the Odd Fellows Building will house all of Georgia Works’ operations under one roof, including the nonprofit’s offices and programming space.

Other sections will house up to 164 men at any given time, including 40 spaces for Georgia Works program participants, plus transitional housing for 124 recent graduates of the program. Those men will live in 60 shared apartments, each with two or three beds, according to Invest Atlanta.

At street level, most of the discounted retail spaces have been spoken for, officials said last summer. Georgia Works has secured letters of intent from nutrition provider Open Hand to operate a convenience store that will serve fresh, prepackaged meals; Atlanta nonprofits Civil Bikes and Bearings Bike Works plan to share a retail space; elsewhere, existing tenants The Skate Shop and Lee’s Boutique are expected to consolidate into a single storefront.

A restaurant concept is planned to occupy the fourth retail space.

Georgia Works, via Invest Atlanta

Since its founding a decade ago, Georgia Works has graduated more than 1,000 men from its program, with 80 percent of them remaining in their apartments and original jobs thereafter, earning average wages of $12 per hour, according to an Invest Atlanta update last year.

Today, the nonprofit’s housing division provides stable living options for graduates in 16 single-family houses dotted in neighborhoods around Atlanta, each leased by Georgia Works. In addition to housing, Georgia Works provides GED classes, job-placement services, help in obtaining drivers licenses, workforce training, and other services.

Georgia Works purchased the tower portion of the Odd Fellows complex with a $5-million grant from the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget last year. Invest Atlanta contributed an additional $1.25-million Eastside TAD Ascension Fund grant to assist with financing.

Other partners in the project include Lord Aeck Sargent architects, Landmark Preservation, MetroGreen Construction, the Atlanta Preservation Center, DSM Real Estate Partners, Easements Atlanta, and Matt Mitchell Designs.  

Georgia Works’ plans call for opening the Auburn Avenue facility in early 2025.

Find more context and renderings for the Odd Fellows Building project in the gallery above. Below are descriptions and images depicting current work, as provided by Easements Atlanta, a nonprofit formed in 1984 by a partnership between Atlanta Preservation Center, the City of Atlanta Urban Design Commission, and Atlanta History Center.

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Scaffolding at the 250 Auburn Ave. structure (left, below) was erected earlier this summer as Landmark Preservation rehabilitated windows, masonry, cast stone, and terra cotta. At right is a view of the building’s cast grotesques during rehabilitation:

Courtesy of Easements Atlanta

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Decorative spandrels were repaired and then carefully coated with a uniform color, ensuring they don’t look “too new,” per Easements Atlanta officials:

Courtesy of Easements Atlanta

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As viewed through a restored window, here’s an example of a fifth-floor Odd Fellows Building space with plenty of natural light:

Courtesy of Easements Atlanta

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On the Bell Street façade, an example of a terra cotta medallion surrounded by what’s called masonry diapering:

Courtesy of Easements Atlanta

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Before/after views of the historic 1912 windows after being restored and put back in. “With assistance from Atlanta Preservation Center student intern Jaylon Butler,” notes Easements Atlanta, “the green paint color was determined by looking at vintage photographs and informal paint analysis of the historic windows.” -->

Courtesy of Easements Atlanta

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• Sweet Auburn news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta) 

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250 Auburn Avenue NE Odd Fellows Building Georgia Works DSM Real Estate Partners Invest Atlanta Adaptive-Reuse Adaptive-Reuse Development Governor’s Office of Planning Eastside TAD Atlanta History Open Hand Civil Bikes Bearing Bike Works Atlanta Nonprofits Lee’s Boutique The Skate Shop Homelessness Historic Architecture Sweet Auburn AEMI Atlanta Emerging Markets Affordable Housing Landmark Preservation MetroGreen Construction Atlanta Preservation Center DSM Matt Mitchell Designs Lord Aeck Sargent Easements Atlanta Atlanta Preservation Edward & Sayer

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Previous condition of the 1912 landmark building where Auburn Avenue meets Bell Street. Georgia Works, via Invest Atlanta

Expected look of the Odd Fellows Building's facade after renovations. Georgia Works, via Invest Atlanta

Georgia Works, via Invest Atlanta

Prior interior conditions at the Odd Fellows Building. Georgia Works, via Invest Atlanta

Georgia Works, via Invest Atlanta

Georgia Works, via Invest Atlanta

Georgia Works, via Invest Atlanta

Floorplan for the Odd Fellows Building's street level. Georgia Works, via Invest Atlanta

Georgia Works, via Invest Atlanta

Georgia Works, via Invest Atlanta

Original detailing of the Odd Fellows Building. HABS collection at the Library of Congress.

Courtesy of Easements Atlanta

Courtesy of Easements Atlanta

Courtesy of Easements Atlanta

Courtesy of Easements Atlanta

Courtesy of Easements Atlanta

Subtitle Odd Fellows Building conversion to include homeless housing, offices, retail spaces at street level

Neighborhood Sweet Auburn

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Images: Veil lifts on indoor farmers market bound for Atlanta Josh Green Wed, 09/18/2024 - 08:06 Plans are coming into focus for an adaptive-reuse concept in Underwood Hills that’s billing itself as not just another Atlanta food hall—and not a food hall at all.

Upper West Market, billed as an authentic and indoor farmers market, is bound for a vacant office and warehouse complex at 1385 Collier Road, in an industrial district west of Interstate 75 and Buckhead.

ATL foodies might recognize the location as being around the corner from Mexican restaurant staple Nuevo Laredo Cantina and down the street from Hankook Taqueria.

The initial phase calls for two buildings being remade around a large surface parking lot, according to developers Robles Partners.

Upper West Market's planned 1385 Collier Road location in Underwood Hills, west of Buckhead. Google Maps

UWM; designs, ASD/SKY

Building A will feature a 33-stall, open-air vendor area spanning about 9,000 square feet on the first floor, with 13,000 square feet of offices above. All stalls will be reserved for local producers, and other local brands in that building will include an eatery by James Beard award-winning and Michelin-recognized chef Anne Quatrano called Summerland Café.

Other signed tenants will include sustainable farm White Oak Pastures, Dips Kitchen, and familiar names Honeysuckle Gelato and HopCity, the latter planning a wine bar.

In the other building, Novare Events is planning to build out an events space with an outdoor garden, according to Robles Partners.

The 1385 Collier Road property, as seen in June, where Stream Realty Partners had planned a mix of new apartments and offices three years ago. Google Maps

Planned Upper West Market layout around 33 stalls. UWM; designs, ASD/SKY

The market’s goal is to bring “outside freshness” intown with local produce and unique goods and products, with seasonal events, cooking classes, and more tenants also in the offing, per project leaders. 

The space—designed by architecture firm ASD/SKY and Genesis Engineering—is being called America’s first indoor farmer’s market (which means air-conditioning), with inspiration from the likes of Borough Market in London and Pike Place Market in Seattle.  

The timeline calls for Upper West Market to open next summer.

UWM; designs, ASD/SKY

UWM; designs, ASD/SKY

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1385 Collier Road Upper West Market ASD/SKY Genesis Engineering Nuevo Laredo Cantina Atlanta Farmers Market Farmers Markets White Oak Pastures HopCity Wine Bar Dips Kitchen Honeysuckle Gelato Novare Events Summerland Cafe Anne Quatrano Atlanta Food Halls Food Halls Farmers Market Upper Westside Bolton Robles Partners

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Upper West Market's planned 1385 Collier Road location in Underwood Hills, west of Buckhead. Google Maps

The 1385 Collier Road property, as seen in June, where Stream Realty Partners had planned a mix of new apartments and offices three years ago. Google Maps

UWM; designs, ASD/SKY

UWM; designs, ASD/SKY

Planned Upper West Market layout around 33 stalls. UWM; designs, ASD/SKY

UWM; designs, ASD/SKY

Subtitle Upper West Market concept to feature chef Anne Quatrano restaurant, events space, more

Neighborhood Underwood Hills

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Gwinnett Place clears 'significant milestone' in redevelopment quest Josh Green Tue, 09/17/2024 - 16:22 The long quest to transform Gwinnett Place Mall from an outdated retail graveyard into a vibrant, urban-style communal hub marked a “significant milestone” this week, according to project leaders.

As a key step toward breaking ground, the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners today OK’d the purchase and sale of 23 acres of the mall property that’s home to Macy’s department and furniture stores. It’s an effort to cobble together more of the site and bring it under county ownership for an eventual overhaul.

The commissioners’ approval will allow the Urban Redevelopment Agency of Gwinnett County to pay $16.5 million for the Macy’s sites, which are home to more than 293,000 square feet of retail buildings at the largely deserted mall property.

Plans call for the county to lease the buildings back to Macy’s, allowing for store operations to continue through early 2025, according to Gwinnett officials. (Macy's announced plans in March to close 150 stores by the end of 2026; we've asked for clarification on whether that includes the anchor Gwinnett Place Mall spaces and will relay any additional information here that comes.) 

The deal will bring Gwinnett URA’s holdings to 76 total acres at Gwinnett Place, following the acquisition of 39 acres in 2021. The purchase of Macy’s properties is scheduled to close in November.

Commissioners also approved the issuance of bonds to fund the latest purchase through the URA.  

The overarching concept for new construction, with existing big-box stores as standalone retail islands and greenspace woven throughout, per 2022 plans. Gwinnett Place CID/ARC/GwinnettPlaceToBe.com

Over the past two decades, Gwinnett Place Mall has slipped from a multi-state attraction into a magnet for unfortunate headlines that was empty enough for Netflix’s Stranger Things to transform its interiors into 1980s-style mall sets for two seasons. An economic analysis prepared by KB Advisory Group last year found the mall has hemorrhaged 87.6 percent of its collective appraised tax value over the past two decades—dropping from $167 million in 1999 to just $20.6 million—despite the county’s population swelling around it.

But brighter days could be ahead.

Nicole Love Hendrickson, Gwinnett County Chairwoman, called the acquisition of Macy’s properties “a pivotal step forward” in the mall’s redevelopment process and the county’s goal of creating “a national—and possibly international—model for equitable and impactful transformation,” according to an announcement today.

Earlier this year, Gwinnett officials announced a partnership with international real estate services firm CBRE to refine development plans and help push them forward.

Two public input studies in recent years have helped inform general goals for the mostly vacant mall.

More than 2,000 Gwinnett residents chimed in during an eight-month process that produced what’s called the Equitable Redevelopment Plan, which boiled down five key areas for preservation and growth: housing, jobs, neighborhood services, small businesses, and a cultural activity center.

Another market analysis that included 6,000 community surveys—the Gwinnett Place Mall Site Revitalization Strategy, a joint effort between Gwinnett County, the Gwinnett Place CID, and Atlanta Regional Commission—produced a concept called Global Villages. That calls for housing, office space, an international community cultural center, and retail spaces situated around a central park.

Gwinnett Place CID/ARC/GwinnettPlaceToBe.com

Gwinnett Place Mall's oval-shaped property, as seen from thousands of feet above in 2022. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Should current plans come to fruition, county leaders expect to issue a Request for Proposals to formally open the search for a Gwinnett Place Mall development partner in the first quarter of 2025.

All construction timelines will remain TBD until that developer is selected and plans approved, officials said today.

In the gallery above, find more context and a quick recap of Gwinnett Place Mall redevelopment concepts the county selected in 2022.

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Gwinnett Place Mall Gwinnett Place Community Improvement District Gwinnett Place CID Atlanta Malls OTP North OTP Gwinnett Shopping Malls KB Advisory Group Duluth Dying Malls Interstate 85 Macy's Global Village Project Global Villages Orchid Grove Pleasant Hill Road CBRE Urban Redevelopment Agency of Gwinnett

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Current state of the 1980s mall property off Interstate 85 in Duluth, with Stone Mountain in the distance. Gwinnett Place CID; KB Advisory Group

Overview of big-box departures and tenants at Gwinnett Place Mall. Gwinnett Place CID; KB Advisory Group

Gwinnett Place CID; KB Advisory Group

The overarching concept for new construction, with existing big-box stores as standalone retail islands and greenspace woven throughout, per 2022 plans. Gwinnett Place CID/ARC/GwinnettPlaceToBe.com

Overview of the concept preferred by the majority of 2,500 people quizzed about the mall property's future, according to project leaders. Gwinnett Place CID/ARC/GwinnettPlaceToBe.com

Gwinnett Place CID/ARC/GwinnettPlaceToBe.com

Gwinnett Place CID/ARC/GwinnettPlaceToBe.com

Gwinnett Place CID/ARC/GwinnettPlaceToBe.com

Gwinnett Place CID/ARC/GwinnettPlaceToBe.com

Gwinnett Place CID/ARC/GwinnettPlaceToBe.com

Gwinnett Place CID/ARC/GwinnettPlaceToBe.com

Gwinnett Place CID/ARC/GwinnettPlaceToBe.com

Gwinnett Place CID/ARC/GwinnettPlaceToBe.com

A weedy main entrance to Gwinnett Place Mall as seen in 2020. Shutterstock

Gwinnett Place Mall's oval-shaped property, as seen from thousands of feet above in 2022. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Subtitle Gwinnett County authority green-lights purchase of 23-acre Macy’s department, furniture store properties

Neighborhood Gwinnett County

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Major expansion in works for West End's lively warehouse district Josh Green Tue, 09/17/2024 - 13:36 The makers of West End’s popular Lee + White warehouse district have set their sights on a significant expansion that would create more mixed-use options along several blocks of Beltline corridor in Southwest Atlanta, according to recent filings.

The warehouse and office building in question, 1200 White St., is located just north of the existing Lee + White district, on the opposite side of Lawton Street, which bridges over the Beltline corridor.

The 1200 White St. property, owned by Lee + White developers Ackerman & Co., spans almost 13 acres. Two sides of it—the south and east faces—front on-street sections of the Westside Trail corridor. It’s currently zoned for industrial purposes (I-1).  

According to plans submitted to the Atlanta Beltline Design Review Committee, the redevelopment calls for creating a new mix of retail, office, and other commercial spaces (but no housing) within the existing 208,400-square-foot warehouse facility. Other changes would include new ADA-complaint access points from the parking lot and Beltline, parking lot updates, plus new storefront openings along the north, south, and west facades of the structure.

Project leaders are scheduled to present for the first time Wednesday to the Beltline DRC, an expert advisory group tasked with ensuring Beltline Overlay District regulations are implemented with new projects.

Proximity of the 1200 White St. facility in relation to existing Lee + White buildings and the on-street Westside Trail corridor. Google Maps

Planned revisions for the 1200 White St. building laid out in marketing materials. Ackerman & Co.

The plans are being brought by Atlanta architecture firm Studio SOGO, whose recent work in the area includes designs for a Westview firehouse conversion, plus the Edgewood building beside a MARTA station where Bona Fide Deluxe and wine shop Vin ATL now operate.

A block to the south, the 23-acre Lee + White eating, drinking, and working hub opened its long-planned food hall earlier this year and has tallied a number of recent leasing successes, the most recent being Atlanta Golf & Social and Texas-based Ogle School, a cosmetology and esthetics school.  

As is, the 1200 White St. warehouse features 22-foot ceilings and eight loading docks. There’s 284 surface parking spaces onsite today, with the potential to add 159 more, according to marketing materials.

Property records indicate the 1962 warehouse and offices were purchased by Ackerman’s team for $24 million in 2021.

Potential look of the 1200 White St. building along the future Beltline corridor. Ackerman & Co.; Studio Sogo

Ackerman & Co.

No plans for expanding the Westside Trail through the area’s former railroad corridor have been outlined as part of the 22-mile Beltline loop’s current growth spurt. That section is referred to in 1200 White St. marketing materials as the Beltline’s “natural trail.”  

Head up to the gallery for more context and images.

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1200 White St. SW Ackerman & Co. MDH Partners Lee + White Atlanta BeltLine Westside Trail Smith Dalia Architects 929 Lee Street SW Cushman & Wakefield Carter Hill Commercial Real Estate Advisors Studio Sogo Adaptive Reuse Adaptive-Reuse Development Adaptive-Reuse Atlanta Warehouses Atlanta Adaptive-Reuse

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Proximity of the 1200 White St. facility in relation to existing Lee + White buildings and the on-street Westside Trail corridor. Google Maps

Potential look of the 1200 White St. building along the future Beltline corridor. Ackerman & Co.; Studio Sogo

The 1200 White St. office and warehouse building's facade today. Ackerman & Co.

Overview of the property along White Street, at left. Ackerman & Co.

Planned revisions for the 1200 White St. building laid out in marketing materials. Ackerman & Co.

Current interior conditions in 1200 White St. offices. Ackerman & Co.

The building's warehouse portion today.Ackerman & Co.

Layout of the facility's main spaces today. Ackerman & Co.

The 1200 White St. facility's current surface parking breakdown. Ackerman & Co.

Ackerman & Co.

Subtitle Situated along Atlanta Beltline, Lee + White proposal calls for another 208K square feet of mixed uses

Neighborhood West End

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Details come to light for Bowen Homes redevelopment's first stages Josh Green Mon, 09/16/2024 - 16:07 Plans are coming into clearer focus for the redevelopment of a long-vacant public housing site on Atlanta’s Westside that secured a significant boost of federal funding last year.

Invest Atlanta officials recently relayed phase-one development plans and a rendering for what’s called “Bowen Homes I,” the initial phase of a mixed-income community with more than 150 residences and a greenspace component included.

Fifteen years ago, Bowen Homes became the last of Atlanta’s major family housing projects to be razed, and the site has been abandoned since. The 74 acres in question are located just inside the Interstate 285 Perimeter, near the intersection of James Jackson Parkway and Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway.

Invest Atlanta’s Board of Directors has authorized a $1.5 million Hollowell/M.L. King Tax Allocation District grant, in addition to $1.5 million in Series 2021 Housing Opportunity Bonds, to help finance the Bowen Homes development.

Planned look of two buildings totaling 114 units in Bowen Homes' initial phase. McCormack Baron Salazar, via Invest Atlanta

Agency leaders predict the project will transform the surrounding Brookview Heights neighborhood and revitalize “a historically neglected and environmentally stressed area… into a place of natural, social, and economic regeneration,” according to an Invest Atlanta project update.  

Multi-building plans at Bowen Homes I call for 151 apartments total. Of those, 48 will be reserved for households earning 30 percent of the area median income, while 49 will be capped at 60 percent AMI. The rest will rent at market-rate, according to Invest Atlanta.

The Bowen Homes initiative was one of five affordable housing resolutions Invest Atlanta’s Board approved last month. So far in 2024, the agency has closed on financing for 735 affordable housing units, with expectations of that number exceeding 2,000 units by year’s end, according to agency leaders.

In summer 2023, theU.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced a $40 million federal grant to kickstart Atlanta’s Bowen Choice Neighborhood program, a revitalization effort for the former Bowen Homes and surrounding Westside properties. The HUD grant aims to help the City of Atlanta eventually transform the bones of Bowen Homes into more than 2,000 housing units for renters and homebuyers, officials said at the time.

The acreage in question in relation to Interstate 285, at left, and Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway. Google Maps

Other aspects of the redevelopment call for a Community Resources Center and Innovation Hub that will offer Bowen Homes’ residents job-training opportunities and affordable commercial space. In late 2022, Atlanta Housing selected a redevelopment team called Bowen District Developers—led by The Benoit Group and McCormack Baron Salazar real estate companies—to bring the area back to life.

Backed by U.S. Senators Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock and Congresswoman Nikema Williams (GA-05), Atlanta Housing and officials with Mayor Andre Dickens administration formally applied in early 2023 for HUD’s Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grant. The project’s scope calls for rebuilding the Bowen Homes site and next-door neighborhood Carey Park, along with a section of Almond Park.

An Atlanta Housing presentation from 2021 showing the former Bowen Homes site in relation to housing deemed in good condition (green) and poor condition (red), with color-coded variations between. Atlanta Housing

Bowen Homes was built in the early 1960s as a model multifamily community in what was then considered Atlanta’s western suburbs, counting its own library, school, and eventually some 4,000 residents.

By 2008, the 650 apartments spread across 102 buildings had devolved into a sore spot of crime and a magnet for the drug trade—typifying the ills of the American public housing experiment. According to Atlanta Housing, Bowen Homes experienced 168 violent crimes in just a six-month period that year, including five murders.

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James Jackson Pkwy NW & Donald Lee Hollowell Pkwy NW Bowen Homes U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Almond Park Carey Park Andre Dickens U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams Atlanta Housing Federal funds Brookview Heights Affordable Housing The Benoit Group McCormack Baron Salazar Councilmember Dustin Hillis Invest Atlanta Board of Directors

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Planned look of two buildings totaling 114 units in Bowen Homes' initial phase. McCormack Baron Salazar, via Invest Atlanta

The acreage in question in relation to Interstate 285, at left, and Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway. Google Maps

The 74-acre site's proximity to Westside neighborhoods. Atlanta Housing

An Atlanta Housing presentation from 2021 showing the former Bowen Homes site in relation to housing deemed in good condition (green) and poor condition (red), with color-coded variations between. Atlanta Housing

Subtitle Initial phase at long-abandoned Westside site calls for 150 residences, most reserved as affordable

Neighborhood Westside

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Exclusive: Beltline mountain bike park scores $8M gift, refines plans Josh Green Mon, 09/16/2024 - 13:33 A mountain bike park with connectivity to the Atlanta Beltline that’s being called world-class, remarkably inclusive, and a “game-changer” for the city’s Westside is several million steps closer to happening today, as project leaders exclusively tell Urbanize Atlanta.

Atlanta Beltline Partnership has secured an $8 million donation for the Westside Park project from the Chestnut Family Foundation, a charitable organization led by billionaire Mailchimp cofounder and former CEO Ben Chestnut and his wife Teresa.  

Chestnut, a noted mountain biking enthusiast, stepped down as CEO of Intuit Mailchimp for a business advisory position two years ago, following Intuit’s acquisition of the Atlanta-based e-marketing giant.

Atlanta Beltline Partnership leaders are calling the $8 million pledge "transformative" and a significant milestone toward creating “one of the most unique and inclusive biking facilities in Atlanta,” which will offer a new recreation experience like nothing else in the metro today, according to an announcement.

The official name of the project is now Bike Park at Westside Park.

An overview of Bike Park at Westside Park with a legend. Courtesy of Atlanta Beltline Partnership

The Chestnut Family Foundation partners with nonprofits that strive to improve access and choices for children—and the Chestnuts envision the bike park as an entrée into the world of mountain biking for numerous Atlanta communities.

“Westside Park is the perfect place to create new opportunities for residents to explore and enjoy the outdoors,” said Ben Chestnut in a prepared statement, “fostering a love for biking in communities that previously didn’t include unique trails like this.”

Beltline designers relayed in a planning meeting in August last year the mountain bike park will be installed across roughly 45 wooded acres at the northeast corner of Westside Park. The 280-acre greenspace—considered the largest in Atlanta—opened its first phase three years ago.

The design process has been ongoing throughout the past year, and exactly what the park will offer once fully funded and built has come into sharper focus.  

The bulk of the project will see 2.25 miles of mountain biking trails that designers say will be catered to all skill levels—all minutes from the urban settings of Midtown and downtown.

Those will include beginner and intermediate routes with bridges, boardwalks, natural obstacles, rollers, berms, and switchback trails.

For more experienced (and daring) riders, a steeper gravity trail will be designed to challenge, with large rocks, tight switchbacks, technical rock gardens, steep drops, and other natural and built obstacles, according to the partnership.

That section will also see more serene hiking trails weaving through the forest at various levels of difficulty. Designs call for protecting the area’s mature tree canopy, minimizing environmental impact, and keeping bikers and hikers separate for safety, Beltline officials have said.

Other planned features of the park are described as follows:

• Start area and overlook: The park will feature a dual-purpose start area integrated with an overlook, providing a stunning view of the bike park and surrounding landscape. This area will serve as a starting point for adventures and a spot for relaxation and social interaction.
• Bicycle playground: Tailored for beginners, particularly children, this area will feature low-risk elements such as balance beams, small rollers, and gentle turns to help new riders build confidence and basic bike handling skills.
• Jump lines: A range of jump lines will be available, from beginner-friendly to advanced, featuring clear signage for difficulty levels and safe landing zones to encourage progression and skill development.
• Skills course: This area will present technical challenges such as narrow bridges, rock gardens, and tight switchbacks, designed to simulate real trail conditions and help riders of all levels improve their technical skills.
• Pump track: Available for a variety of wheeled sports, this state-of-the-art asphalt pump track is designed for riders of all skill levels to practice momentum, balance, and agility. The track includes berms and rollers, allowing riders to refine their technique and bike control without pedaling.

The Atlanta Beltline Partnership has taken on the role of raising money for the bike park, while Atlanta Beltline Inc. will build it.

Zooming in to plans for the park's bike playground and other sections. Courtesy of Atlanta Beltline Partnership

Design work remains in progress now, and according to current schedules, the initial phase of bike park construction is expected to begin at the end of 2025. Exactly how large that first phase will be is contingent on more funding coming in (additional fundraising measures are ongoing).

We’ve asked Beltline reps for information on the total project cost of the park as envisioned, and we’ll update this story with any additional details that come.

Atlanta Beltline Partnership executive director Rob Brawner said in the announcement an additional $6 million is being sought to “fully bring this ambitious design to life,” and that the Chestnut Family Foundation gift “serves as a powerful call to action for other donors.”

MTB Atlanta, the Atlanta Chapter of Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association, is also a partner in the bike park’s development.

Brett Davidson, MTB Atlanta executive director, called the Westside Park location ideal “due to its central location, bike connectivity, outstanding amenities, forest canopy, and unique topography,” he said. “This park will serve as a crucial hub for learning, inclusivity in cycling, and passive outdoor recreation right in the heart of the city.”

The scope of the Westside Park corner in question, situated between a hilltop greenspace (left) and the park's reservoir. Atlanta BeltLine Inc.

For inspiration, Beltline designers have looked to Bentonville, Arkansas—aka, the “Mountain Biking Capital of the World”—where Walmart heirs who are mountain-biking enthusiasts have helped turn the city into something of a mecca for the sport.

Beltline president and CEO Clyde Higgs predicted the bike park will be “game-changer” for the Westside and critical component of the Beltline’s overall mission to boost the city's health by way of inclusive recreation opportunities.

“It’s not just about physical activity,” said Higgs, “but about creating a community hub that will create a passion for a sport that many people will enjoy for decades.”

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An overview of Bike Park at Westside Park with a legend. Courtesy of Atlanta Beltline Partnership

Zooming in to plans for the park's bike playground and other sections. Courtesy of Atlanta Beltline Partnership

Subtitle With donation from Mailchimp cofounder and former CEO, Westside Park project to break ground next year

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Major component of Georgia Tech growth spurt inches forward Josh Green Mon, 09/16/2024 - 08:12 After its development slate was wiped almost fully clean last year (to the chagrin of Atlanta armchair preservationists), a mixed-use project that would continue Georgia Tech’s westward expansion is showing signs of life.

Plans were recently filed with the Atlanta City Council Zoning Committee for the redevelopment of the former Randall Brothers Construction Materials headquarters, a century-old complex located near the western fringes of campus between 665 and 693 Marietta Street.

According to city filings, Georgia Tech is seeking a Special Use Permit to build a hotel and dormitory on the 7.3-acre site, which also counts 294 feet of frontage on North Avenue near Coca-Cola’s headquarters. But first the property needs to be rezoned from a classification for light industrial uses to mixed-use residential and commercial.  

Exactly what the site’s redevelopment could look like isn’t yet clear. A Georgia Tech representative wrote via email, “There’s really nothing new on this yet,” when asked for specifics.

How the 7-acre property long owned by Randall Brothers Construction Materials related to Marietta Street, Coca-Cola's complex, and campus.Google Maps

Eastward views from the site to Midtown. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The property is located where North Avenue meets Marietta Street, a few steps north of downtown and directly west of Bobby Dodd Stadium. Georgia Tech officials previously said an arts-focused redevelopment will replace the longstanding building supply company, and earlier filings described those plans generally as “multifamily, dormitory, hotel, office, and commercial uses.”

For now, the site is idle and vacant, apart from large concrete slabs and one old brick structure that was mothballed, as project leaders put it in demolition permit paperwork, for future adaptive-reuse purposes. Eight commercial buildings totaling 101,000 square feet were razed last year.

The redevelopment would continue Georgia Tech’s growth spurt on the western rim of campus and beyond, where the university’s first new student housing since 2005 is planned and the Science Square project debuted earlier this year.

Brickwork on a main warehouse structure along Marietta Street that was demolished last year. Google Maps

Looking north, the lone century-old structure that remains standing at the former Randall Brothers Construction Materials headquarters. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Randall Brothers initially put the Marietta Street property up for sale in early 2018, citing the area’s post-Olympics boom and rise in property value during the current long development cycle. In November that year, Georgia Tech Foundation paid $36 million for the property, noting that its bones and adaptive-reuse potential echoed two success stories on the flipside of downtown: Ponce City Market and Krog Street Market.

After selling the Marietta Street property, Randall Brothers relocated its Atlanta facility to an overhauled headquarters building overlooking Atlanta Road near Interstate 285.

Find more context and current site photos in the gallery above.

General overview of how ongoing redevelopment projects in the area west of Georgia Tech's main campus could come together over the next few years. Georgia Tech

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The 665 Marietta St. warehouse site in relation to Georgia Tech, the downtown Connector, and other landmarks. Google Maps

How the 7-acre property long owned by Randall Brothers Construction Materials related to Marietta Street, Coca-Cola's complex, and campus.Google Maps

Prior to demolition, the 7-acre cluster of warehouses, at left, with downtown ahead in the distance. Google Maps

Brickwork on a main warehouse structure along Marietta Street that was demolished last year. Google Maps

Looking north, the lone century-old structure that remains standing at the former Randall Brothers Construction Materials headquarters. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Northernmost section of the 665 Marietta St. site today. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Eastward views from the site to Midtown. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Frontage along Marietta Street today. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

General overview of how ongoing redevelopment projects in the area west of Georgia Tech's main campus could come together over the next few years. Georgia Tech

Subtitle Zoning efforts underway for new mixed-use district on western fringes of campus

Neighborhood Georgia Tech

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Images: Serenbe's Victorian-inspired section ready for closeup Josh Green Fri, 09/13/2024 - 15:45 A year and ½ after breaking ground, Serenbe’s nod to the classic homes of Inman Park and San Francisco’s Painted Ladies is rounding into shape.

Serenbe’s Overlook Hamlet is the first district at the growing New Urbanist community outside Atlanta to incorporate Victorian-inspired architecture, a popular Southern vernacular with its gingerbread detailing and functional, wraparound porches.  

The 40-home Overlook community, named for its views across nearby Cedar Creek, is taking shape between existing mixed-use hamlet Mado and a future one called Spela.

Twenty-nine of Overlook’s 40 houses will have custom designs, while 11 lots are being made available for people to create “dream homes” from the ground up, per Serenbe officials.

Arrangement of Overlook's 40-home site plan. The Cottage featured here is Lot 727, and the larger home lot 713.Serenbe Real Estate

A recent aerial of Overlook's construction progress at Serenbe. Serenbe Real Estate

Serenbe Real Estate listings indicate a half-dozen Overlook properties are under contract today, and a Serenbe rep described the project as “a great success” in an email to Urbanize Atlanta.

Two Overlook houses ready for move-ins now illustrate a variety in sizes and style. Both are advertised as being within walking distance of every amenity at Serenbe—including more than 24 miles of soft-surface nature trails in protected forests.

The larger of the two—a three-level offering called the “Overlook Victorian”—is asking $1.79 million for four bedrooms and five and ½ bathrooms in 3,850 square feet, with a sprawling porch raised off the street on the main level. On the opposite end of that level is a two-car garage.

It was designed by Serenbe Planning and Design and built by South Haven Builders, with interior finishes by Mister + Mrs. Sharp.

Example of an Overlook Victorian-style listing. 11509 Serenbe Lane is asking $1.79 million for a four-bedroom floorplan with 3,850 square feet across three levels. Photography by Daniel Stabler; courtesy of Serenbe

Photography by Daniel Stabler; courtesy of Serenbe

Meanwhile, a smaller offering called “Victorian Cottage” by McKinney Builders is asking $1.14 million in Overlook. That buys five bedrooms and five bathrooms across 2,700 square feet, with multiple porches, a finished loft, and pad parking behind the house.

“As you approach,” reads the listing, “the cottage’s exterior exudes Victorian grace with intricate detailing, ornate trim, and a welcoming front porch adorned with delicate railings.”

As for the color schemes, Serenbe founder Steve Nygren told Urbanize last year that having neutral exterior tones for the community’s first example of the Victorian vernacular was important. Like another nearby neighborhood called Crossroads, all Overlook homes will be painted white, as opposed to colorful schemes typically associated with Victorian dwellings.

This Overlook “Victorian Cottage” seeks $1.14 million for a five-bedroom plan in 2,700 square feet. Photography by Daniel Stabler; courtesy of Serenbe

Photography by Daniel Stabler; courtesy of Serenbe

But Overlook’s aesthetic isn’t lacking variety. The Victorian-style residences are being clustered around eight large, modern townhomes—denser properties that aim to provide visual contrast to the district and a contemporary-traditional mashup found on many of Serenbe’s streets.  

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

After erecting its first house in 2004, Serenbe now counts several neighborhoods and well north of 700 homes—ranging from industrial-style apartments to distinctive houses priced at more than $2 million—and hundreds of full-time residents, mostly in southern Fulton County’s Chattahoochee Hills.

Another notable aspect of Overlook is that it marks Serenbe’s first homes actually located in Coweta County. That provides access to public school options, plus services from the nearby City of Chattahoochee Hills.

Swing up to the gallery for a quick tour of the two finished Victorian-inspired Overlook homes and more context.  

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Arrangement of Overlook's 40-home site plan. The Cottage featured here is Lot 727, and the larger home lot 713.Serenbe Real Estate

A recent aerial of Overlook's construction progress at Serenbe. Serenbe Real Estate

Example of an Overlook Victorian-style listing. 11509 Serenbe Lane is asking $1.79 million for a four-bedroom floorplan with 3,850 square feet across three levels. Photography by Daniel Stabler; courtesy of Serenbe

Photography by Daniel Stabler; courtesy of Serenbe

Inside the finished terrace level at 11509 Serenbe Lane.Photography by Daniel Stabler; courtesy of Serenbe

Photography by Daniel Stabler; courtesy of Serenbe

Photography by Daniel Stabler; courtesy of Serenbe

Photography by Daniel Stabler; courtesy of Serenbe

Photography by Daniel Stabler; courtesy of Serenbe

Rear two-car garage entry at 11509 Serenbe Lane. Photography by Daniel Stabler; courtesy of Serenbe

This Overlook “Victorian Cottage” seeks $1.14 million for a five-bedroom plan in 2,700 square feet. Photography by Daniel Stabler; courtesy of Serenbe

Photography by Daniel Stabler; courtesy of Serenbe

Photography by Daniel Stabler; courtesy of Serenbe

Photography by Daniel Stabler; courtesy of Serenbe

Parking arrangement behind the Cottage offering at Overlook. Photography by Daniel Stabler; courtesy of Serenbe

Subtitle Finished homes hit market in Serenbe’s 40-lot, “picturesque” Overlook Hamlet

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Photographer Daniel Stabler

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How $1K in supplies and 2 hours made this Atlanta street safer Josh Green Fri, 09/13/2024 - 13:39 Editor's note: Anyone with a passing interest in today’s urban environments has probably heard the phrase “tactical urbanism.” But what is that—and what's it look like in a practical application?

In the following Letter to the Editor, Hugh Malkin, an Atlanta tech entrepreneur, lays out how two hours of volunteer efforts and $1,000 worth of paint and flex posts from Home Depot calmed down a Midtown “drag strip.” The changes were installed a month ago, and they're working—at least for now.

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Atlantais covered with “crosswalks” across multi-lane roads. SUVs race by with no concern for timid pedestrians who are unwilling to play chicken with speeding 4,000-pound vehicles. A particularly dangerous crosswalk is the Monroe Drive crossing at Greenwood Avenue in Midtown.

This 44-foot crosswalk is in the middle of Midtown’s longest section of road between stoplights. Car parts and smashed telephone poles regularly decorate the sides of this half-mile drag strip.

Making matters worse, drivers in both directions know that on the other side of the crosswalk, the road transitions from one to two lanes. So if a lucky pedestrian gets a driver to stop for them to cross, a driver approaching the stopped car would regularly speed up, illegally cross over the double yellow and aim for the free lane on the other side of the crosswalk.

The pedestrian would never know what hit them. 

A car crash along the stretch of Monroe Drive in question prior to grassroots changes. Contributed

Conditions at the Monroe Drive intersection before. Contributed

This obvious safety concern is why this crossing tops the Midtown Neighbors’ Association’s infrastructure priority list. In 2017, the Atlanta Department of Transportation also recognized this hazard and shared a safer design of the crosswalk with a lane reduction to one lane in either direction and a concrete pedestrian haven in the middle of the crossing. That was part of the Monroe Complete Street Project.

This new design reduces pedestrians’ exposure to cars by 50 percent (22 feet) without impacting cars traveling on Monroe. Since then, MNA has worked with city councilmembers (Alex Wan and Amir Farokhi) and ATLDOT to further increase the safety of this design with a Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon, or PHB, that creates a temporary traffic stoplight.

Unfortunately, this much safer crosswalk along with the Monroe Complete Street Project are still in the design phase, set to be complete in September 2028. 

Atlanta Department of Transportation's 2017 plan. Contributed

Revised plans for making the stretch of Monroe Drive safer to cross. Contributed

Instead of waiting many years for the pre-construction, procurement, and construction to be completed, MNA proposed a short-term fix that simulates ATLDOT’s design using just $1,000 worth of flex posts and paint from Home Depot that could be installed in less than two hours. 

This kind of low-cost, short-term project was not possible before 2020, when (after being pushed by PropelATL) ATLDOT and the Department of City Planning created the Tactical Urbanism Program to empower neighborhood groups like MNA to lead, fund, and implement design changes on our streets through project review and approval from the city.

Through the tactical urbanism initiative, MNA worked with ATLDOT for five months to:

1. Refine designs
2. Create safe installation and maintenance plans
3. Find and secure the unique commercial liability insurance required (only one company has this insurance)
4. Gain support from immediately adjacent neighbors through direct outreach
5. Gain support from the neighborhood at large through open committee and community meetings culminating in a vote by the MNA Board, and
6. Convince city councilmembers, who provided letters of support.

Through this process, concerns were shared about increasing car traffic and the ability of drivers, particularly those of large vehicles like school buses, to make turns at the intersection. These concerns were eased because tactical urbanism projects are only temporary and could be removed at any time if they don't work out.

The result, quite simply, is one of the ATLDOT Tactical Urbanism Program’s most impactful projects.

The tactical Monroe Drive crew in action this past summer.Contributed

Contributed

The 50 percent reduction in pedestrian exposure to cars is still achieved and vehicle travel is not negatively impacted. Pedestrians only have to look for a break in traffic in the nearest lane then cross to the pedestrian haven in the middle of the road and wait for a break in traffic in the opposite direction. No more surprise vehicles coming on the wrong side of the road.

Drivers are also more willing to stop because both the pedestrian and the crosswalk are more visible. 

This project is a great example of how ATLDOT’s Tactical Urbanism Program allows communities to come together to enhance the safety and livability of their streets, and not necessarily have to wait years to see improvements from larger infrastructure projects. ATLDOT and the community can experience a version of the future design and make modifications if needed. 

The revised stretch of Monroe Drive in action today. Contributed

MNA raised enough money from the community to purchase the required commercial liability insurance and buy the materials needed. This insurance covers MNA for any tactical urbanism project which will greatly reduce the cost of future projects.

Learn more about the Midtown project detailed above in this document—and how to support similar efforts here.

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The tactical Monroe Drive crew in action this past summer.Contributed

A car crash along the stretch of Monroe Drive in question prior to grassroots changes. Contributed

Atlanta Department of Transportation's 2017 plan. Contributed

Contributed

Revised plans for making the stretch of Monroe Drive safer to cross. Contributed

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The revised stretch of Monroe Drive in action today. Contributed

Conditions at the Monroe Drive intersection before. Contributed

Subtitle Writer: Grassroots project on Midtown "drag strip" is easy, impactful “tactical urbanism"

Guest Author(s) Hugh Malkin

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In south Decatur, 125 affordable rentals bound for old YMCA site Josh Green Fri, 09/13/2024 - 08:18 On a DeKalb County property where people have worked out and worshipped for decades, an affordable housing initiative is set to move forward as a means of helping lift up households struggling to pay rent in one of America’s fastest-growing cities.

Project leaders have scheduled a groundbreaking Saturday morning for a $37-million senior housing venture called Solace Grove on 2nd Avenue in unincorporated Decatur. 

The corner lot in question, situated where Second Avenue meets Tilson Road, is the site of a former YMCA that’s more recently served as a place of worship. The property is just north of Interstate 20 and a Walmart Supercenter, about two miles directly south of East Lake Golf Club.

Solace Grove plans call for 125 new affordable housing options total, plus greenspace, walking paths, and raised-bed gardens.

Plans for parking and Solace Grove's three-story main building, as shown in the lone available rendering. Courtesy of Vecino Group

The 2318 2nd Ave. location in unincorporated Decatur, southeast of Atlanta.Google Maps

The main structure will be a three-story new building with 89 apartments, plus amenities that include a fitness area, community room, computer room, and spaces for arts and crafts.

Elsewhere on site, six single-story triplexes with six units each are in the works. All rentals will have either one or two bedrooms.

The development team includes Missouri-based national developer Vecino Group, healthcare and wellbeing partner UnitedHealth Group, and community partners Gresham Park CDC and First Baptist Church Gresham Road.

All of Solace Grove’s 125 units will be reserved for seniors (ages 62 and older) whose income is at or below 60 percent of the area median income, according to project officials.

Funding the project is a $15 million investment via Low-Income Housing Investment Tax Credits from UnitedHealth Group, plus other tax credit support from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs and Dekalb County, per its leadership.

Former YMCA on the 2nd Avenue site in question, at right, in 2022. Google Maps

Elsewhere in metro Atlanta, Vecino Group’s recent projects have included an affordable housing complex in Grove Park built in partnership with Atlanta rapper T.I., along with the $24-million renovation of the Aya Tower, a formerly vacant nine-story building near East Point’s MARTA transit station.

According to company officials, the developer has built more than 3,000 units of affordable housing to date—including 600 units of permanent supportive housing—across a dozen states.

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The 2318 2nd Ave. location in unincorporated Decatur, southeast of Atlanta.Google Maps

Plans for parking and Solace Grove's three-story main building, as shown in the lone available rendering. Courtesy of Vecino Group

Former YMCA on the 2nd Avenue site in question, at right, in 2022. Google Maps

Subtitle $37M Solace Grove senior complex to include greenspace, trails

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Images: Buckhead Village tower's vertical climb fully underway Josh Green Thu, 09/12/2024 - 16:53 The Crane Watch development tracker takes us this week to the streets of Buckhead (not that Streets of Buckhead), where vertical construction is making real progress along East Paces Ferry Road on a project that’s been more than half a decade in the making.  

After razing a low-rise commercial building and condo complex last year, Chicago-based CA Ventures is remaking a corner site in Buckhead Village for its next Atlanta high-rise at 340 East Paces Ferry Road.

Plans call for a 22-story building containing 483 luxury apartments, with amenities placed on the 10th floor and a valet-style drop-off area for residents below. The project has risen about 1/3 of its eventual height today.  

The site is immediately west of the Kimpton Sylvan hotel at the corner of East Paces Ferry Road and Grandview Avenue, about a block northeast of the Buckhead Village retail and dining district.

Where the 22-story building's retail is expected to meet East Paces Ferry. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

View along Grandview Avenue, with Peachtree Road at left. Submitted/YouTube

According to architectural plans submitted back in 2019, the building will top out at 225 feet, the maximum height allowed in the village.

CA Ventures initially brought blueprints before Buckhead design review committees in 2018 for an upscale complex at the northeast corner of East Paces Ferry Road and Grandview Avenue, before years of delays ensued.

In the meantime, the company completed two towers in Midtown, the 903 Peachtree luxury apartments and HERE Atlanta student housing building.

Also in the works is 17,000 square feet of retail space along East Paces Ferry Road, according to the project’s designers, Atlanta architecture firm Niles Bolton Associates. One unique component is more than 100 parking spaces for electric vehicles in the building, including some specially designed and reserved for Tesla models, per the architecture firm.

Broader view of the project's positioning at East Paces Ferry Road and Grandview Avenue, where two smaller buildings previously stood. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The tower's planned retail component along East Paces Ferry Road. Niles Bolton Associates

Directly across East Paces Ferry Road, another company based in greater Chicago, Harbor Bay Ventures, advanced plans last year for an eye-catching, 20-story mixed-use tower that would be partially constructed of mass timber.

As a site visit proved this week, that fenced-off property is still being used as surface parking, with no signs of active construction. That's also the case with other high-rise proposals in nearby blocks.

Find updated construction pics and more context for the 340 East Paces Ferry Road project in the gallery above.

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The corner in question in relation to Jamestown's Buckhead Village district and other landmarks. Google Maps

The CA Ventures project (at right) in relation to a parking lot where a 20-story tower with timber construction is planned. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Where ground-floor retail spaces and building entries will meet Grandview Avenue. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Vertical construction progress along East Paces Ferry Road in Buckhead Village this week. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The project's stance along East Paces Ferry Road today. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Where the 22-story building's retail is expected to meet East Paces Ferry. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Broader view of the project's positioning at East Paces Ferry Road and Grandview Avenue, where two smaller buildings previously stood. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

The corner properties in question, as seen in January 2023 along East Paces Ferry Road, prior to demolition. Google Maps

The tower's planned retail component along East Paces Ferry Road. Niles Bolton Associates

View along Grandview Avenue, with Peachtree Road at left. Submitted/YouTube

How the building's expected to rise next to the Kimpton Sylvan hotel, at right. Submitted/YouTube

Subtitle Chicago developer's apartment, retail venture replaces low-rise commercial, condo buildings

Neighborhood Buckhead

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