New lofts expand artsy district downtown
By JULIE B. HAIRSTON
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 07/27/07
A craggy patch of barren urban land will soon become the site for a marriage between the city core's edgy, artsy heart and its sophisticated uptown evolution.
Poised on a rise defined by the intersections of Centennial Olympic Park Drive, Nelson Street and Chapel Street, Castleberry Point is the first new mixed-use development in Atlanta's premier loft district. The 108-unit project created by Castleberry Hill pioneer developers Bruce Gallman and Jerry Miller will overlook Philips Arena, the Georgia Dome and Centennial Olympic Park.
Its vantage point has already proved a strong draw for buyers, with the developers reporting contracts on more than half of the units.
"It's the first of its kind in that neighborhood," said Brenda Isaac, 56, who bought a two-bedroom, two-bath unit on the top floor for $299,900. "The strategic place where it sits gives it great city views."
Castleberry Point, now under construction, creates a gateway between downtown's new entertainment district and Castleberry Hill's established creative community.
Gallman, who created Castleberry's first lofts in 1982, noted the neighborhood, initially an urban colony of artists, craftsmen and adventurous young professionals, now has 1,500 residents. With that many people, the area is ripe for an infusion of retail activity that the ground floor of Castleberry Point will accommodate, he said.
Miller and Gallman worked closely with neighborhood residents and city officials to make Castleberry Point the kind of development that would reflect, enhance and serve the landmark district.
"Everybody wanted retail on the ground floor," Gallman said. "That's what makes a community walkable."
A number of Castleberry Point lofts, priced from the low $200,000s to more than $750,000 for units ranging in size from 748 square feet to more than 2,500 square feet, sold before the project broke ground earlier this summer.
Currently, 57 of 108 units are under contract, Gallman said.
Downtown officials are excited about the project, too.
"It's got some really interesting architecture that makes it fit in with that artsy heart [of the city]," said A.J. Robinson, president of Central Atlanta Progress and the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District. "And the retail also makes it quite interesting."
Castleberry Point already has a commitment from Apres Diem restaurant. Gallman said negotiations also are well along for a salon, a personal trainer, a pet store and a grocery/deli in its street-level spaces.
The availability of restaurants, entertainment and other amenities within walking distance was a strong draw for empty-nesters Kevin and Diana Reis Sheldon, 51 and 53, respectively. The couple plans to leave the six-bedroom Alpharetta home where they have reared their nearly grown, blended brood of four to live in a two-bedroom, 1,800-square-foot loft when the project is completed next year.
"We think of ourselves as city people," said Diana, creative director for Diana Reis Designs, a marketing and advertising firm. "I'm from D.C. and my husband lived in Manhattan. We want to be someplace where we can walk around."
Gallman said Castleberry Point is benefitting from the new impetus for intown living and the migration of some empty-nesters back to the inner city. Most of the earlier buyers in Castleberry Hill were young singles or couples, he said.
Jerry Miller, Gallman's partner in the project, said loft living has evolved along with its market with Castleberry Point incorporating the amenities and design elements experienced buyers have come to expect in a high-density project.
"The level of sophistication and number of amenities have ratcheted up," Miller said. "I see a real range, a whole gamut of people coming into the market now."
The common elements he sees in loft shoppers is an inclination to creativity and a yen for engaging social activities. Some of the empty-nesters now returning to the loft district are those who once lived among the loft pioneers and migrated to the suburbs to raise families, Miller said.
Inside a facade that mimicks the sturdy midrise character of nearby storefronts, factories and warehouses, Castleberry Point will feature an inner courtyard, a rooftop pool, a fitness center and community clubhouse.
Isaac initially bought her unit as an investment, but found the promised lifestyle too compelling to resist. A retiree involved in international humanitarian work, Isaac is looking forward to not having to worry about who will mow her grass or pick up her mail when she travels.
"I'm gone a lot and it doesn't make sense to stay in this [Inman Park] place with all its upkeep when I can have a turnkey lifestyle," Isaac said.
City officials are encouraged by the level of success and acceptance Castleberry Point has enjoyed. They are hoping it will spread east through the new Railroad District and west toward Northside Drive to expand downtown's amenities and population.
"This is not unbridled growth. This is evolution," said Atlanta City Councilman Kwanza Hall, whose district includes Castleberry Hill. "It's like watching your kid grow from a child to a teen. And there's more to come."
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