ATLANTA | Construction Thread V

[N830MH]

Originally Posted by hamster

Wow! They built a new bank, huh? Unreal!

[jddar]

I'm not sure if that bank pic is a joke, insult, or simply a naive newby post.

[bigstick]

Originally Posted by jddar

I'm not sure if that bank pic is a joke, insult, or simply a naive newby post.

Yes, things like this do not need to be in the Atlanta forum, more like Fargo.

[DPC]

Originally Posted by simms3_redux

The Lawrence is now open in 903 Juniper. Same guys as Top Flr. Had a chance to stop in and meet them, and they are really nice and excited for the new restaurant, and the buildout looks absolutely fabulous! Haven't had a chance to try it yet.

http://www.thelawrenceatlanta.com/

Interior reminds me of a cross between Bistro Niko (white porcelain tiles) and West Egg and some places I've seen in other cities.


I live in 1280 West so I walked by the Arts Center today and noticed what looked like a PR/media firm in one of the spaces and potentially something else going in next door? I'll investigate.

Also over the past week everyone has crawled out of the woodwork. Midtown has been BUSTLING. Really makes me proud to be a resident when I see all the people walking about, all the construction, the new businesses, and all of the progress going on. Every year gets better and better, and I suspect the 3 new developments will do their parts to add even more people to the streets.

The new Mediterranean restaurant next to Arden's Garden is rumored to go 24 hour. (Cafe Agora Midtown). He has made a lot of progress on the suite and will open soon.

Oh AND I think the Beltline was doing construction on its overpass over Ponce, just like it wrapped up Ralph McGill a couple weeks ago. Amazing progress there and the Art on the Beltline series is coming up!

I really think the first place in the south that will resemble a neighborhood like River North/Streeterville in Chicago will be Midtown Atlanta. And I'm just happy to see all the infill absorbing. 1010 has been selling like crazy from what I hear - and that is with prices that are coming back up. The place near Piedmont Park that has remained unfinished for years now is going to finally open as rentals.

While I'm happy for progress in cities like Houston, I laugh when I see their Midtown Houston construction/area pics. It's nice to see infill wherever it goes, but really there is no comparison for urbanity in Houston to intown Atlanta. Midtown Atlanta, second only to Midtown Manhattan and one of the only 2 real Midtowns in the country, is truly shaping up to be something to be proud of. The energy has been incredible now that the sun is out and temps are way up. Restaurants are doing major business and all the outdoor seating has been filled to the brim. Lots of vehicular traffic, lots of typical honking (love honking in the city), of course lots of taxis (I can't think of many cities in the country with more taxis), and now lots of people walking about shopping and exploring! Dogwood Festival is coming up and marks the start of festival season in Atlanta, which will mean a ton of foot traffic for downtown and midtown and all the intown neighbs. Employment numbers are up. The city is currently unstoppable (we'll see).

I saw some photographers out today, too, catching the filming taking place on West Peachtree, Spire condos, etc.

You have great information. Are you a developer? I love what is happening in Midtown Atlanta. It's so great to have a place to come where I can keep up with all the amazing things happening around me. Keep up the good work. I visited Washington DC last years and I have this dream that one day, Midtown will be as dense an urban as the neighborhoods up there in DC. It's like a different world up there. When all the open lots are completely filled in Midtown, it will be an amazing place. I just wish there were more neighborhoods around Atlanta urbanizing like Midtown. These photos are wonderful you have provided on this site.

[skapunkskatedude]

http://www.usg.edu/regents/documents...da_2012_04.pdf

A little bit of news for Downtown. Check out page 49. Tearing down the building and both parking decks at 60 Peachtree Center Ave to make room for the new humanities and law buildings at GSU.

[NYbyWAYofGA]

Originally Posted by DPC

You have great information. Are you a developer? I love what is happening in Midtown Atlanta. It's so great to have a place to come where I can keep up with all the amazing things happening around me. Keep up the good work. I visited Washington DC last years and I have this dream that one day, Midtown will be as dense an urban as the neighborhoods up there in DC. It's like a different world up there. When all the open lots are completely filled in Midtown, it will be an amazing place. I just wish there were more neighborhoods around Atlanta urbanizing like Midtown. These photos are wonderful you have provided on this site.

Yea, I was thinking what a major asset Simms is to this forum. He always has such in-depth and current info. I continue to look forward to his input.

[testarossa50]

Originally Posted by skapunkskatedude

http://www.usg.edu/regents/documents...da_2012_04.pdf

A little bit of news for Downtown. Check out page 49. Tearing down the building and both parking decks at 60 Peachtree Center Ave to make room for the new humanities and law buildings at GSU.

There was a rendering/sketch of that posted at some point in the past, but I cannot find it anymore. If memory serves, it is ~10 stories and built right up to the edge of the lot. Definitely a worthy addition to the urban fabric and a major improvement over the parking garage.

[ChrisInmanPark]

Updates on several apartment projects in Buckhead. Buckhead is starting to come back to life.

http://buckheadview.blogspot.com/201...ces-ferry.html

[skapunkskatedude]

Originally Posted by testarossa50

There was a rendering/sketch of that posted at some point in the past, but I cannot find it anymore. If memory serves, it is ~10 stories and built right up to the edge of the lot. Definitely a worthy addition to the urban fabric and a major improvement over the parking garage.

Yeah i recall that. Anyone know where i can find that? (not that it's likely to actually be representative of the finished project)

[testarossa50]

Originally Posted by ChrisInmanPark

Updates on several apartment projects in Buckhead. Buckhead is starting to come back to life.

http://buckheadview.blogspot.com/201...ces-ferry.html

A nine floor apartment building for Buckhead? That's awesome! 210 units on 2.4 acres is not bad. There will be a lot more people living in the Buckhead village area in the not-too-distant future.

I would love to see more of these smaller highrise buildings, instead of the usual 5 story stick-built affair.

[echinatl]

Originally Posted by skapunkskatedude

http://www.usg.edu/regents/documents...da_2012_04.pdf

A little bit of news for Downtown. Check out page 49. Tearing down the building and both parking decks at 60 Peachtree Center Ave to make room for the new humanities and law buildings at GSU.

Definitely a very positive change for that area. Will the new buildings front the park? Will additional parking be part of the project? Seems like they could get a ton of student parking (maybe underground?) with additional classroom space.

[GNofAtlanta]

Here you go, http://law.gsu.edu/news/7300.html

Originally Posted by skapunkskatedude

Yeah i recall that. Anyone know where i can find that? (not that it's likely to actually be representative of the finished project)

[ChrisInmanPark]

Originally Posted by testarossa50

A nine floor apartment building for Buckhead? That's awesome! 210 units on 2.4 acres is not bad. There will be a lot more people living in the Buckhead village area in the not-too-distant future.

I would love to see more of these smaller highrise buildings, instead of the usual 5 story stick-built affair.

It is great news about a new tower and a lot more apartments in Buckhead. There seems to be a mad rush to build apartments and I wonder how this will affect the demand for the new towers in Midtown.

Personally I'd rather live in Midtown for the one simple fact. Close to a MARTA station. The Buckhead Village is still very car centric. Hopefully one day the Peachtree Streetcar will become a reality. But not anytime soon.

[boomtown]

Interesting numbers for this past year for the core counties.....good news.

http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/r...-news-for.html

[DPC]

Originally Posted by NYbyWAYofGA

Yea, I was thinking what a major asset Simms is to this forum. He always has such in-depth and current info. I continue to look forward to his input.

Yes, from reading this thread, he seems to really know what is going on behind the scenes. Let me ask you, what do you think it will take to increase demand in living downtown instead of just Midtown? After visiting DC, I think downtown may actually be our biggest chance to develop a massive urban area. I didn't realize how sparsely developed Midtown or Downtown was for that matter till I took that trip to DC. It was truly an eye opener to what Atlanta can be. I think development in downtown is our biggest chance though. Development can then expand north into Midtown, but in a denser environment. I know these things are market driven and Midtown is the flavor of the day, but I have always thought Atlanta was built pretty dense till I visited DC. It's too bad we can't dictate where developers build. We will get there though. We are in the middle of a mini boom again.

[boomtown]

Originally Posted by DPC

Yes, from reading this thread, he seems to really know what is going on behind the scenes. Let me ask you, what do you think it will take to increase demand in living downtown instead of just Midtown? After visiting DC, I think downtown may actually be our biggest chance to develop a massive urban area. I didn't realize how sparsely developed Midtown or Downtown was for that matter till I took that trip to DC. It was truly an eye opener to what Atlanta can be. I think development in downtown is our biggest chance though. Development can then expand north into Midtown, but in a denser environment. I know these things are market driven and Midtown is the flavor of the day, but I have always thought Atlanta was built pretty dense till I visited DC. It's too bad we can't dictate where developers build. We will get there though. We are in the middle of a mini boom again.

Interesting that Midtown is a narrow slot wedged between the connector, Ga Tech, the park and the residential neighborhoods, but it probably has a couple of decades of growth room left. Downtown has plenty of room to grow and is doing so - towards O4W and to the west around Cent Park. Its good to see Atlanta finally getting some girth, away from Peachtree Street.

[drakon29]

Originally Posted by GNofAtlanta

Here you go, http://law.gsu.edu/news/7300.html

I don't think the rendering on that webpage represents the final design. Here is some more information:

http://law.gsu.edu/agora/page/view/c.../building/home

Just from looking at the preliminary physical layout of the building, it looks like the new law school will look alot like GSU's new science building on the corner of Decatur and Piedmont.

[simcityaustin]

Originally Posted by DPC

Yes, from reading this thread, he seems to really know what is going on behind the scenes. Let me ask you, what do you think it will take to increase demand in living downtown instead of just Midtown? After visiting DC, I think downtown may actually be our biggest chance to develop a massive urban area. I didn't realize how sparsely developed Midtown or Downtown was for that matter till I took that trip to DC. It was truly an eye opener to what Atlanta can be. I think development in downtown is our biggest chance though. Development can then expand north into Midtown, but in a denser environment. I know these things are market driven and Midtown is the flavor of the day, but I have always thought Atlanta was built pretty dense till I visited DC. It's too bad we can't dictate where developers build. We will get there though. We are in the middle of a mini boom again.

As an Atlantan living in West Midtown and working in midtown....for me downtown has more crime, is at times less pedestrian friendly, touristy, and less accessible to amenities like grocery stores etc....it's not bad but it has a long ways to go.

[scania]

Originally Posted by simcityaustin

As an Atlantan living in West Midtown and working in midtown....for me downtown has more crime, is at times less pedestrian friendly, touristy, and less accessible to amenities like grocery stores etc....it's not bad but it has a long ways to go.

I disagree. After living in Plaza Midtown for three years, I totally understand the idea and principle about the urbanity downtown offers. IMO, downtown is more pedestrian friendly and probably has more restaurants. I know most of the people on this forum have this love for Midtown being the best. I myself moved from Buckhead to Midtown, but if you visit DC, NY, and for those of you that don't know the stats and the history of San Francisco, which is the epic of mass urban besides NY, Midtown has much further to go in comparison to Downtown as far grid, buildings, and how buildings engage the street.

[TarHeelJ]

Originally Posted by simcityaustin

As an Atlantan living in West Midtown and working in midtown....for me downtown has more crime, is at times less pedestrian friendly, touristy, and less accessible to amenities like grocery stores etc....it's not bad but it has a long ways to go.

I think the point is that downtown is the most densely-built environment we have and our best chance at urban living.

I'm not so sure downtown has more crime...if you look at the crime statistics they are usually very low, but the perception of downtown crime is very high.