Intown Non-Highrise Development

[Andrea]

Originally Posted by Atlriser

Bidding today is 565 Boulevard NE located at Boulevard & Boulevard Place.

Yay!

I love these low and midrise developments. I'd rather cover 8 blocks with well executed 5 story buldings than one block with a 40 story tower.

With the 8 block plan, you'd also get 35 or so street facades, rather than just 4 with the tower.

[daharris80]

Agreed. But, it's nice to have a central city area with high-rises. The problem, I find with Atlanta's development in the 90s is that the high-rises moved away from the city. This is a result, I'm afraid, of multi-jurisdictional zoning. The city couldn't control what wasn't built in the city- and still can't. I properly zoned city, IMO, includes a central city high-rise district, surrounded by low-rise developments. This enables the density required to make public transportation feasible. The "Atlanta" model is great for building towers- but bad for density- it leads to circles of growth only accessible by car. Our only "hope" now is for the city to grow into it-self- which is why low-rise, high-density is good to see. (Unfortunately, the zoning problems Atlanta Metro has will never be solved- the city/region missed many opportunities in the 60s/70s/80s to form a more modern form of multi-jurisdictional government. The backlash to this missed opportunity, IMO is the urbanization of suburban Atlanta, as seen in Sandy Springs, John's Creek, Milton.)

[tomtheastronomer]

i read this page all the time, but rarely post. but i have a question for those who are more architecturally savvy than me -

i see lots of midrise buildings going up, like those at atlantic station, and lindbergh, and along ponce, and in capitol gateway, and in bunches of these projects here that have this funny, brightly colored, multilevel blocky style...almost like they were designed with legos, or were normal buildings cut up and put back together oddly. (i hear a lot of people on here complain about it as too fake or silly looking, but as an artist/designer, i really like them.)
i don't travel much (at all) but the few places i have been don't have developments like this. is this part of a bigger architectural trend happening around the country, or is it somewhat local?

[alleystreetindustry]

i am in love with the ponce park development. but for starters, take a drive down dekalb avenue and watch it grow. i find it depressing to see the old industry be demolished from the area though.

[ATLskyline]

Alright I added it to the list. I'm still thinking about how to do a map since these projects are spread over such a large area. Maybe like 3 or 4 smaller maps. Any suggestions?

[Mitko]

Great thread! I live in a townhome in Inman Park Village, so I can see many of these projects just outside of my front door (N. Highland Steel Lofts, IPV Lofts, 870 Inman, Grinnell Lofts). It's pretty incredible the amount of construction that's happening within a block of Highland and Elizabeth in Inman Park in just over two years since I moved to my place. By the way, the rendering for Inman Crescent is not correct. That rendering is merely the final phase of the original group of townhomes along the park. Inman Crescent is a 40-unit townhome phase that's going on vacant land between the Inman Alley development (new Kevin Rathbun Steak restaurant) and the current IPV. The "crescent" refers to a group of townhomes built in a semi-circular shape, similar to the famous buildings in Bath, England. Should be pretty unique once finished.

When N. Highland Steel Lofts and Grinnell Lofts get finished this summer, the whole place should start to take on a little Va-Hi feel, especially with all the street-level retail we're getting. We've heard about Parish, the new Cajun concept from Bob Amick (One Midtown Kitchen, Trois) and the reopening of Sotto Sotto and Inman Perk in new digs.

I also heard from our developer that the land across the street from Fritti and Grape (currently home to Dad's Garage) was bought and will be redeveloped into a mixed-use project with an upscale grocery tenant. We're crossing our fingers for another Trader Joe's!

While Glenwood Park gets all the press for being a new urbanist community, I think Inman Park Village/N. Highland will be just as good in a MUCH better location!

I'll post some pictures here soon of the 'hood.

[Chris Creech]

Great Post -

Yeah, I think that these sort of things get pushed aside by the buzz on midtown condo highrises - but these probobably represent (as a % of population) much more of the current movement back into town than the highrises.

I see you listed 626 Dekalb Ave., there's actually about 5-6 similiar developments going on all up and down Dekalb Ave. I guess it wasn't considered that desirable a location (you have that view of the MARTA tracks) but all those vacant lots and old shops and warehouses are giving way fast.

I should go out and take some pictures on Moreland - there's lots of intown townhouse development going on. Also there's lot going on around the new Edgewood Retail district.

Has anyone seen the new townhouses going up on the north side of ponce near Biarcliff (between Briarcliff and the Majestic. It's a pretty radical deconstructionist modern design, very sculptural, then just recently most of the front wall was covered with copper panels. I REALLY love it. (I'll have to take a picture.)

I also need to take some more pics at Glenwood. I don't know if anyone has been by lately. But after construction of new homes and properities, sort of ground to a halt (never really stopping though) it's now picked up a lot. The whole section along I-20 has mostly been developed. There's single home, more townhomes, and even a new 5-6 story sort of traditional looking apartment looking building. Before long, I guess there's going to be houses all around the pond.

And for those familiar with the area. There's a really seedy old apartment complex that has been a neighborhood eyesore and source of a lot of crime, etc. It's up against I-20 neighboring the Glenwood Park property and even has acces to Moreland. That has now been approved for redevelopment into new condos. It will be a much denser development than the 50s urburban style garden apartments. It includes a nested parking garage, and larger much nicer townhome buildings.

The NPU was asking they make sure it was not a gated development, and they said they'd never even considered it. They're looking to make it something to complemetn and be in the spirt of Glenwood Park.

[Terminus]

Originally Posted by Mitko

I also heard from our developer that the land across the street from Fritti and Grape (currently home to Dad's Garage) was bought and will be redeveloped into a mixed-use project with an upscale grocery tenant. We're crossing our fingers for another Trader Joe's!

Don't count on a grocer anymore. The land is too expensive, the height limit too low, and the other site restraints too small to allow for one.

[Tombstoner]

Originally Posted by Chris Creech

I see you listed 626 Dekalb Ave., there's actually about 5-6 similiar developments going on all up and down Dekalb Ave. I guess it wasn't considered that desirable a location (you have that view of the MARTA tracks) but all those vacant lots and old shops and warehouses are giving way fast.
...
Has anyone seen the new townhouses going up on the north side of ponce near Biarcliff (between Briarcliff and the Majestic. It's a pretty radical deconstructionist modern design, very sculptural, then just recently most of the front wall was covered with copper panels. I REALLY love it. (I'll have to take a picture.)

The new low-rises along Dekalb Ave. are fine, but I think it's a real shame that so little retail is along this thoroughfare. For folks in the Lake Claire, Kirkwood, Upper Oakhurt, W. Candler Park areas you'ver really got to get into a car to do everything.

But I LOVE those townhouses on Ponce that you mention. VERY cool and edgy without being a parody of 'cool and edgy.'

[Atlriser]

daharris80 - I don't think what you are referring to has anything to do with Atlanta's zoning. Houston has no zoning and it's the same. Northern cities have strict zoning and they are the same. That's a function of land costs and the automobile in our time. Cities throughout history show the development style to which you are referring. There are so many variables that contribute to the development of cities and zoning as we have today is a relatively modern day issue pretty much and honestly doesn't affect what you are describing IMO.

Developers and people decide where and what to develop outside of just the zoning ordinances in cities. Yes they tie together but much less so than your implications dictate.

[ATLskyline]

Originally Posted by Chris Creech

Has anyone seen the new townhouses going up on the north side of ponce near Biarcliff (between Briarcliff and the Majestic. It's a pretty radical deconstructionist modern design, very sculptural, then just recently most of the front wall was covered with copper panels. I REALLY love it. (I'll have to take a picture.)

I saw a rendering of it last night on Metroscape forum. It looks good.

[Trae]

One of our members was taught by the architect of that building I believe. I agree with one of our members, in that it looks more like an art museum than a condo/townhome project.

[shanthemanatl]

Originally Posted by Tombstoner

The new low-rises along Dekalb Ave. are fine, but I think it's a real shame that so little retail is along this thoroughfare. For folks in the Lake Claire, Kirkwood, Upper Oakhurt, W. Candler Park areas you'ver really got to get into a car to do everything.

But I LOVE those townhouses on Ponce that you mention. VERY cool and edgy without being a parody of 'cool and edgy.'

I love the copper panels, too---nice touch.

Can those panels be treated in some way to retain the coppery finish, or will they turn green like the crown on One Atlantic Center? I kinda like them the way they are.

[Atlriser]

I saw the copper over the weekend! Looks great but in less then a week it will be hideous trust me unless it's sealed already some how.

We put copper gutters around the house and few days later the hand prints were nasty looking where installed. Then the 1st rain and they were ugly sh*t brown and have slowly looked a little better every year. Now 5 years later they are finally beginning to look good again and getting the green hues that reflect the copper aging.

I think they do make a sealant you can apply to keep the copper look because I've considered doing my gutters but you have to make sure it's very clean and apply immediately before any pollutants get under the sealant I believe. Anyone else know about keeping that new copper look outside?

[smArTaLlone]

That one is called Plexus on Ponce
website




and one more

Ansley on the park
website

[SteveD]

Great new thread!! There's a smallish but nice looking group of townhomes nearing construction completion at the intersection of Moreland and Ormewood Aves, sort of across the street from where I live. Interesting architecture (at least in my opinion!) and built for street level office for the resident, if desired. I'll try to take a pic and post it in here...

That makes two of the four corners of this intersection redeveloped with two more to go!

[(four 0 four)]

Originally Posted by smArTaLlone;2691487
and one more

Ansley on the park
[URL="http://www.ansleyonthepark.com/"

website[/URL]

There already is an 'Ansley Above the Park' and now 'Ansley on the Park'...could 'Ansley Adjacent to the Park' be next? How about 'Ansley Sittin' Here at the Park' or 'Ansley Down the Road a Piece from the Park'?

Nice thread, BTW!

[smArTaLlone]

Originally Posted by ATLskyline

I saw a rendering of it last night on Metroscape forum. It looks good.

These are the same architects for 752 Moreland which should be completed by now.

[SteveD]

Yes, that's the development I was referring to in my post a couple posts above, at the intersection of Moreland and Ormewood Aves (2nd photo above). It is about finished..a couple folks have moved in already...

[Terminus]

I like the Moreland one, but the Ponce development is awful for that site (and I say this as somebody who LOVES modern design). It just sticks out like a sore thumb. They should have at least matched the materials of the adjacent homes in some way, even if the building retained the same form.