Midtown Atlanta News and Events Archives

Midtown to Add New Art Experiences

April 6, 2017 by Thom Abbott

You have to love a neighborhood/community like Midtown! Always something about something, and new things coming for all angles. Now, let’s look a Midtown to Add New Art Experiences….

Spinning Rock to Spin Out of Town

The big spinning rock at the corner of 10th and Peachtree is about to make it’s exit to head Out West! For the last three years, the corner has been a constant source of curiosity and amusement for all who discovered the 22,000 pound boulder that spins with a push. A new sculpture will arrive in June….no indication of what it will be…but it too will have a 3-year residency.

Colony Square and the Creative Hive Experience

Leave it to North American Properties and it’s leader (Midtown resident Mark Toro) to take a space and shake it up! I’ve often thought that the Food/Retail Court of that building was so underused. Of course, we know that North American Properties has big plans for a remake of this iconic Midtown space. But until then, enter The artist community Hambidge Center.

Colony Square and Hambidge are providing artists twelve empty retail spaces to turn into art studios and performance spaces. Totally awesome!!!! Check out their website for what’s coming to this space!

New Stuff at Arts Center Porch

Last year, Midtown Alliance worked in collaboration with the High Museum of Art, their artist-in-residence Jaime Hayon and MARTA to enhance its plaza-turned-“Porch” at Arts Center Station. Through the partnership, Midtown Alliance commissioned site-specific art inspired by exhibit “Tiovivo”, and added a public piano, seating, additional lighting, a bike repair station and Little Free Libraries. Building on The Porch’s success, Midtown Alliance is working again with the High Museum to bring Hayon’s new “Merry Go Zoo” piazza installation from The Woodruff Arts Center campus to Arts Center Station. Hayon is creating a custom, interactive “Shadowmaker” sculpture, featuring a bench base and topped with a hooded figure holding an umbrella-like shade. The sculpture will be installed in June, providing a whimsical focal point in the plaza as well as more seating and shade. Check here for updates on the new installation + events throughout the summer that will be hosted at “The Porch.”

(This paragraph is directly from the Midtown Alliance)

Come on out and see what Midtown is all about….and if you’d like to call Midtown Atlanta home…..

Total System Services to expand in Midtown Atlanta

March 29, 2017 by Thom Abbott

Total System Services, the Columbus, GA based company that allows for online payments on probably many of the sites you use, is expanding in Midtown Atlanta!

A global provider of payment services, Total System Services (TSYS) plans to lease about 10,000 square feet — or half a floor — at One Atlantic Center, according to a report in the Atlanta Business Chronicle. One Atlantic center is the building with the point on top in the drawing to the right.

Eventually, about 30 people will be based out of the space that will primarily serve as meeting space for TSYS employees from offices in Kennesaw, Alpharetta and McDonough. Potential clients will find access from the Atlanta airport to the Midtown office via MARTA waaaaay easier than reaching any of the aforementioned locations!~

There space will be about 1/2 of a floor in the Midtown highrise, located at 14th and West Peachtree Streets. This corner of Midtown Atlanta is seeing lots of activity with the addition of The Atlantic House Apartment building, along with construction by Northside Hospital and the up-and-coming Apogee apartment building.

Those 30 some employees might want to look at Midtown Atlanta, or the surrounding areas as a living option! We can certainly help them find a rental apartment, or even put firmer roots in Midtown with a home purchase!

CODA Building Breaks Ground in Midtown Atlanta

January 9, 2017 by Thom Abbott

Georgia Tech and Portman have broken ground on an exciting new addition to the GATech campus, particularly Tech Square and Midtown Atlanta. A forgotten corner at 4th and Spring Streets will eventually be home to the new high performance computing center.

The building will be 21-stories, and is incorporating the historic Crum & Forester Building that stands on the corner of Armstead Place and Spring Street. The name was shortened from the High Performance Computing Center to Coda. The developer hopes to finish the building in 2019.

Plans call for the building to be home to some 2,400 workers, including Tech researchers as well as staff and employees from private sector firms. The project is estimated to cost $375 million.

This section of Spring Street is finally seeing some changes after having been in the shadows of the rest of Midtown Atlanta. Across the street from Coda, is a new student housing building going up that is being built by developer Selig Enterprises. The GATech Hotel and Conference Center is just across Spring Street.

The entire complex will total about 1 million square feet. About 750,000 square feet will be office, retail and data center space. Georgia Tech will occupy and lease from Portman, who will own the tower, about half of the office floor space, while the rest will be leased to major companies and startups.

Here is a short video from the Ground Breaking event in December, 2016.

There are certainly many living options nearby Coda for people looking to live in Midtown Atlanta that will be working in this building. Obviously it’s a couple years from delivery, but we will we watching and waiting to help new employees find place to live in Midtown Atlanta near Coda.

If There is a Vacant Lot Out Your Window, Buyer Beware!

January 7, 2017 by Thom Abbott

I love working with Buyers for condos in Midtown, Buckhead and other areas of the city! I think my knowledge is very helpful when they are trying to make a decision on where to live, and more specifically, which condo to buy.

As we are standing on a balcony, or looking out a window, I’m often asked, “What is going to happen with that vacant lot?” Ahhhh…..

If There is a Vacant Lot Out Your Window, Buyer Beware!

Anytime there is either a vacant lot, or even a low rise building (say 6 stories or less) I caution a buyer that the view could most definitely change. In fact I always say, “You can NEVER guarantee the view.” (Now you know, you are never supposed to say never…but in this case……)

Unless a brand new building is there, or a high rise is already in place, there is always the potential that the view can change. Take this photo to the right…..it is taken off of a balcony at Viewpoint Midtown. That lot is at the corner of 7th and Juniper and runs up to Peachtree Street. It actually does not look like that anymore, as a 36-story apartment building is now under construction on that site! See what I mean!

Another case in point is in West Midtown at White Provision Condominiums. This building is not that tall, so certainly has the potential to have something rise in front of it. I’ve known that the area in front of the building on the corner of 14th and Howell Mill Road is owned by GATech. Well, it seems they may be ready to do something with it!

Georgia Tech is now looking for a developer for the 11 1/2 acre site where everything from a hotel, to apartments, office and retail space could rise! They have indicated they would like to include housing that is aimed at being affordable for junior faculty, grad students and others that might want to live near campus.

On the map above, the YELLOW star is the White Provision Condominium building. So, those facing Howell Mill with a nice skyline vista of Midtown proper…..well…..enjoy it while you can.

If There is a Vacant Lot Out Your Window, Buyer Beware!

Callanwolde Arts Festival January 21-22, 2017

January 5, 2017 by Thom Abbott

You know Atlanta loves its festivals! Spring and Fall…you can hardly catch them all! (Like that?) But who says you HAVE to wait till April for the Dogwood Festival? (Which BTW is April 7-9, 2017!)

The Atlanta Foundation for Public Spaces is proud to announce the 4th Annual Callanwolde Arts Festival coming to the Callanwolde Fine Arts Center January 20^th thru 22^nd in Atlanta, Georgia.

What is the Callanwolde Arts Festival?

The Callanwolde Arts Festival is a two-day indoor festival located in one of the most distinctive historic properties in Atlanta. This event will feature approximately 80 painters, photographers, sculptors, metalwork, glass artists, jewelers and more! The Festival will also offer artist demonstrations, live acoustic music, plus gourmet food trucks with healthy alternatives.

The festival will also feature a VIP Reception January 20^th from 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. in which visitors can tour the mansion and shop before the festival opens to the public. Guests will be treated to adult beverages, live music, VIP access to the festival, and hors d’oeuvres. The 27,000 square foot mansion is centered around a large enclosed courtyard nestled in historic Druid Hills, part of metro Atlanta just minutes from major interstates and central Midtown Atlanta.

Times:

Sat., January 21, 2017 from 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Sun., January 22, 2017 from 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Music: Acoustic Music only

Attendance: $5 admission – benefits CFAC

Parking: Free

For more information about the festival, please visit www.callanwoldeartsfestival.com.

Where is the Callanwolde Mansion?

Location:

Callanwolde Fine Arts Center

980 Briarcliff Rd., NE, Atlanta, GA 30306

WHAT is Callanwolde?

The following is from the Callanwolde website:

Callanwolde, the magnificent Tudor Revival style home of the Charles Howard Candler family, was completed in 1920. Howard Candler, the oldest son of Asa Griggs Candler (founder of The Coca-Cola Company), was the President of The Coca-Cola Company from 1916 to 1923. Callanwolde was the home of the family of Charles Howard Candler (1878-1957) from 1920 until 1959.

The estate is located in the Druid Hills neighborhood of Atlanta, which was planned by the firm of Frederick Law Olmsted, designer of Central Park in New York City and the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC. Of the estate’s original 27 acres, approximately 12 remain intact. The grounds, which consist of sculptured lawns, formal gardens, nature trails and a rock garden, have been partially restored by the DeKalb County Federation of Garden Clubs and The Callanwolde Foundation, and are maintained by DeKalb County.

Designed by Henry Hornbostel, who also designed Emory University, Callanwolde’s plan is one of openness. Most rooms adjoin the great halls located on each floor, and the entire 27,000 square foot mansion is centered around a large, courtyard that has recently been enclosed. The attention to fine detail is evident in the excellent craftsmanship of the walnut panelling, stained glass, bronze balustrades, the artistry of the delicate ceiling and fireplace reliefs, and the pierced tracery concealing the Aeolian organ chambers.

Callanwolde remained the Candlers’ home for 39 years. In 1959, two years after Mr. Candler’s death, and nine years prior to her own death, Mrs. Candler donated the estate (including many of the original furnishings) to Emory University.

Atlanta Passes Historic Transit Referendum

December 3, 2016 by Thom Abbott

Not since 1971 when MARTA was first created, has the City of Atlanta sent a message that transit is what we want!

This is GREAT news for the City, and we can only hope it will one day trickle out to the burbs. It’s just a shame that the Metro Atlanta region is so limited with transit options when you compare us to other cities.

First off, click on the photo below to read the latest newsletter from Citizens For Progressive Transit, a grass-roots transit organization in Atlanta.

And here is an interesting study we found regarding the economic benefits of investing in transit.

Click on the photo below to read the report

Spinning Rock to Spin Out of Town

Colony Square and the Creative Hive Experience

New Stuff at Arts Center Porch

If There is a Vacant Lot Out Your Window, Buyer Beware!

If There is a Vacant Lot Out Your Window, Buyer Beware!

What is the Callanwolde Arts Festival?

Where is the Callanwolde Mansion?

WHAT is Callanwolde?

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