Midtown Photos Archives -

How do Buildings in Midtown Get Developed?

June 15, 2022 by Thom Abbott

Midtown Owners Manual for Developers

I’ve been selling real estate in Midtown Atlanta since 2004. I’ve seen some pretty dramatic changes to the landscape over those years…and I think there may still be a few exciting new things in the future. As you walk down the street, you might be wondering, how some decisions were made with regard to a particular building. And you are having an interaction with that building as you look at it, or even visit a retail establishment or enter the actual lobby of the building. And it could be a residential (condominium) building, a student-focused apartment building (think University House, SQ5, The Mark) or one of the numerous office towers that dot the skyline.

Atlanta has not had much of a flair to make their skyline stand out. Sure, you can pick up various buildings in various locations, but that’s the thing…they are all over the place. You have Downtown, Midtown, Buckhead, the Perimeter ( think Perimeter Mall area) and then the Cumberland/Galleria area. If all the buildings from those areas were grouped together say Downtown to Midtown, you could have a pretty cool looking skyline. But developers in Atlanta seem to like the 4 squares of glass. Many of the newer construction buildings are lack-luster…in my opinion. Go to a city like Miami and the skyline will blow you away. It’s like each developer it trying to outdo the last one. Sure, they have oceans and bays for views, so they have amazing balconies on all the buildings. (If you notice, in Atlanta, balconies are often pretty small…almost an after thought. 1010 Midtown and Plaza Midtown are an exception)

But all of this goes through a pretty extensive design review process through the City of Atlanta, and in Midtown specifically, you have the Midtown Alliance and their Design Review Committee (DRC). And they have a pretty good road map for any developer to follow….but they don’t really say “hey, would you make something that will WOW us?” Mind you, I’m a residential real estate broker, not a developer or builder. So I will be the first to admit I’m lacking in knowledge on this type of construction and all that goes into it. But, I can say, if I was building a building, I’d want it to be one that people driving on the Downtown Connector would go, WOW, WHAT BUILDING IS THAT!

But to help you understand some of the guidelines that the DRC works with, and expects developers to follow, take a look at the Midtown Owners Manual for Developers. It’s a pretty cool online book that will give you some insight into the design goals for Midtown Atlanta.

And maybe, just maybe one day, you’ll see that 40 story building go up, be it residential or office…and you will go WOW! I know I’m waiting.

Another Midtown Parking Lot Soon To Be Gone

January 15, 2018 by Thom Abbott

Parking in Midtown Atlanta is going to be a premium…..more so as the surface lots getting “eaten up” by new construction buildings. And Another Midtown Parking Lot Soon To Be Gone!

Another Midtown Parking Lot Soon To Be Gone

A 14-story dual brand hotel has been proposed for the parking lot just across Ponce de Leon Avenue from the Fox Theater. The hotel will consist of 154 rooms under the Marriott Courtyard flag and another four floors with 128 rooms in the Marriott Element brand. The hotel floors sit above five levels of parking with 185 spaces that will be accessible to the public. Automobile access to the building will be provided off Ponce with a circular drop-off area and internal ramps to the deck above. The developer proposed a ground floor restaurant and lounge/bar at the corner with a second floor terrace overlooking this iconic intersection which is anchored by the Fox Theatre, Georgian Terrace and Ponce Condos.

Of course, many of the residents of Windsor Over Peachtree with North facing views will have….no more view. In fact, they will be looking right at a parking garage for those first 6 or so floors, depending on how the garage lays out. And the remaining floors will either be looking at the garage or the guest rooms of the hotel. Hmmmm.

I always work with my clients when showing Midtown Atlanta condos, and mention any possibilities of what could happen to a view, along with the statement, “no view is ever guaranteed.” And it’s true. Now, if a newer building has just been built, you may know what your view will be for awhile…but anything low-rise could be subject to a sale and a tear down.

This location will certainly be helpful to out-of-town visitors in for an event at the Fox Theater, as well as the Emory Crawford Long Hospital is just two blocks South of this location. Access to the hotel without a car, will be easy as the North Avenue MARTA station is in the same block as the hotel. The address of the parking lot is 640 Peachtree Street and is shown on the map below.

Search Midtown Atlanta Condos For Sale HERE!

MIDTOWN GARDEN DISTRICT MASTER PLAN ADOPTED

November 23, 2017 by Thom Abbott

As you may know from visiting this website, we primarily focus on the condo living options of Midtown Atlanta. Alas, but there IS another option in Midtown…and that is the Historic or Garden District!

MIDTOWN GARDEN DISTRICT MASTER PLAN ADOPTED

Tucked in the trees, and away from the hustle of Peachtree Street is the Midtown Garden District. Here, tree-lined streets lead to historic homes built in the 1920’s to the 40’s. There are the occasional small apartment complexes and even some condo conversions tucked in…but it’s mostly these stately homes.

The Midtown Neighbors’ Association has long been the residents voice for ALL of Midtown Atlanta. Not just Peachtree Street. And not just the Garden District. It has listened to, and addressed many concerns from the neighbors, who’s challenges can vary based on where they live. Peachtree Street residents have dealt with rowdy clubs, and the Garden District has dealt with safety (the need for more street lights) as well as preserving the unique character of the area.

Enter the Midtown Garden District Master Plan.

On Monday, November 6, 2017, the Atlanta City Council adopted legislation to include the Midtown Garden District Master Plan into the Comprehensive Development Plan for the City of Atlanta. It sets forth the development vision, policies and an implementation plan for the City and its neighborhoods for the next 20 years.

The Midtown Garden District is bounded by 10th Street, Ponce de Leon Avenue, Piedmont Avenue and Lakeview Avenue. The district is characterized by early twentieth-century historic homes, mid-century apartment buildings, a compact street grid, rolling topography and extensive mature tree canopy. In 1999, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

The Midtown Garden District continues (and will continue to) see increased development pressures, traffic impacts and aging infrastructure issues. By creating a master plan, it will help ensure that future neighborhood growth meets the vision of today’s neighbors. The process was about building consensus around what the neighborhood wants to see in the future. Neighborhood residents came together to collaborate in dozens of public workshops and focus group meetings and participated in a two-month online survey. The Strategic Planning Committee and Planners also held countless smaller more intimate conversations with residents to hear their concerns.

Food Halls and Apartments – Can Atlanta BE Creative?

October 24, 2017 by Thom Abbott

NOTE: This is an editorial-type blog post….with my thoughts.

Food Halls and Apartments – Can Atlanta BE Creative?

I have numerous sources of information that I review daily. I find articles that I think MY readers will find of interest, and I use social media to share them….Facebook, Facebook Business, Instagram and Twitter. It’s not all about real estate, but about the lifestyle in the markets or communities I serve. I want you to know that I’m knowledgeable, but also that I can share with you the cool things about why you should, or would want, to live there.

And I look at the big picture. Like the Midtown Skyline with its square buildings. Seriously!! Look at most of the buildings being built now. Square, glass blocks. Nothing creative. Well maybe NCR. But the rest of them. Certainly nothing to drewl over. Gosh, if I was a developer, I’d be asking my architect to design me a building that when people were driving the Downtown Connector and looking at the skyline, they would be saying, “WOW…look at that building!”

Currently, Atlanta (in general) is all about Food Halls and Apartments. It’s our rage, if you will. A Food Hall will anchor the redevelopment of Colony Square. A Food Hall will be part of the CODA building near GATech. A food hall even way out in Alpharetta at some development who’s name escapes me at the moment.

Everywhere you look…you see those cranes? 90% of them are building FOR RENT apartments, not anything you can buy. I always wonder what that does to a community? So many residents with no “roots?” Do you HAVE to own a home or condo to have roots in a community? I suppose not, but I certainly think you have a more vested interest in a community when you “own” a part of it.

So when will Atlanta hit the “apartment crash?” I mean, it really has to be coming. It’s not like we have an Amazon moving to Atlanta every month….and so many jobs to provide the people to fill all these apartments? But, I guess the developers know better than I, right? Ah…not so fast.

I can remember standing on Peachtree Street looking North and saying, “all this construction is great, but where are all the people coming from to buy all these condos?” And a year or so later…well…you know how that story ended.

How come we can’t create something unique? I read once that Yumbi was going to open a restaurant in a shipping container....never saw it happen. Are we becoming a boring place to be? I’d like to think not…with all the cool tech start-ups and all that are happening in Midtown.

I just wonder where the next Food Hall or apartment building will be.

Colony Square Announces Plans for Main and Main

THE COLLECTIVE, ATLANTA’S LATEST FOOD HALL

Midtown and the Midtown Alliance

August 28, 2017 by Thom Abbott

As I’m on the streets of Midtown Atlanta daily, and especially when I’m on a balcony of a high-rise building, I can certainly look back and remember when __________(fill in the blank) was a vacant lot. But when you talk with a prospective buyer who has never been in Midtown before, they may not realize just how much it’s changed.

Midtown Alliance and the Midtown Improvement District

Just like train or a car that need an engine to power them, so does economic development. One of the ways this can happen is through a community improvement district (CID). Midtown happens to call theirs the Midtown Improvement District. What’s so important about this?

A CID is a mechanism whereby the property owners agree to self-tax themselves in order to fund infrastructure improvements to a certain area. They establish the boundary and then work to improve that area. (This is a very simplistic explanation of what a CID is. (The Midtown Alliance has more information on their website)

What Has The Midtown Alliance Done in Midtown?

Hmmm…

1000+ new street trees
15+ miles of sidewalk improvements
Keeping Midtown Clean and Green
$9M of public improvement projects
New public art
3,500 light poles

The list goes on, and on.

And there are social events to engage the residents. Active social media presence on Facebook and Instagram to keep tabs on what’s going on!

In just a 1.2 square mile where the Improvement District functions, look at all that has happened…

Thanks Midtown Alliance!

15th Street Extension Midtown Atlanta Seeks Engineers

June 16, 2017 by Thom Abbott

As Midtown Atlanta grows, and grows….and grows, it’s a simple fact that not everyone that works in Midtown will LIVE in Midtown. (Sad, but true!) And getting around on the streets is a big factor. Enter the 15th Street Extension.

This gap in the Midtown Street grid from West Peachtree Street to Williams Street might not seem like a big deal..but with all the development happening now along West Peachtree Street, this is a street that is needed!

15th Street Extension

This map does not show the new AMLI Midtown apartment building that is about to open on the parking lot with all the cars in it. (See the star) Overall, this extension will be MOST helpful to many residents and Midtown workers alike to get to Williams Street, an one-way Northbound that helps commuters gain access to I-75 North.

The project will include new traffic signals, sidewalks, streetscaping and bike lanes. You can see the Arts Center MARTA station in the upper right. Also, long, long term plans call for another bridge across the Downtown Connector, with 15th Street adding additional connectivity to West Midtown.

Nothing happens quickly with road construction however. According to Kevin Green, Midtown Alliance President and CEO, the environmental studies for the project could take two years, followed by 12-18 months of construction. That sounds about like 2021, right? Sigh.

While we try to keep up with all that is Midtown Atlanta…and there is plenty happening these days….you might want to check out the Midtown Alliance website for LOTS of things that are Midtown Atlanta!

Midtown Owners Manual for Developers

Another Midtown Parking Lot Soon To Be Gone

MIDTOWN GARDEN DISTRICT MASTER PLAN ADOPTED

Food Halls and Apartments – Can Atlanta BE Creative?

Midtown Alliance and the Midtown Improvement District

What Has The Midtown Alliance Done in Midtown?

15th Street Extension

PalmerHouse Properties