News Archives

Will History Be a Part of Midtown Atlanta…or will it be just….History?

March 17, 2015 by Thom Abbott

Most of my blogging is directed at real estate…helping visitors to this site, as well as other potential real estate clients learn about Midtown Atlanta, its housing options, its lifestyle. Most of my posts related to lifestyle are about where to eat, or what to do, or festivals in Midtown and surrounding areas. But there are other things that add to the lifestyle of Midtown Atlanta.

Midtown Atlanta History

Its history. Or maybe we should call it “The Disappearing History of Midtown.”

We all know about progress. Without progress, things would never change. We all get that. But not always, is change a good thing. Especially when it comes to history. I recently just spent 3 weeks in Hawaii. If you’ve never visited the Big Island, I strongly recommend it. But, what I found there, was so many historic and sacred places that were marked and preserved. And people were asked to respect it.

“Care for the things of the past. Once altered, they are gone forever.”

Midtown Atlanta is again experience a renaissance of sorts with new construction. Apartment buildings are literally going up on every corner! But at what cost to the history of Midtown? Much of the construction IS going into (or on) vacant land or parking lots. But the recent razing of a beautiful historic Midtown home at 6th and Juniper brings into question, are we caring for things of the past? Or is it all about progress and the development dollar.

Here is a link to a GREAT story written by Maria Saporta in the SaportaReport. It pretty much says it all.

I recently saw a thread on Facebook and the outcry from many that they could not believe this home had been torn down. Well, people, it is up to us, or certainly the residents/property owners that live in these areas to decide if they want to preserve their neighborhood, or let it continue to be the bullseye of the wrecking ball.

The Midtown Neighbors’ Association will host a meeting with preservation experts on Thursday, March 19th from 7-8PM at the Grace United Methodist Church. You can find more information here!

A big shout out and thanks to Maria Saporta for this story and her photos we have shown here.

PLANS FILED FOR 25-STORY AZURE ON THE PARK APARTMENT TOWER NEAR PIEDMONT PARK

March 4, 2015 by Thom Abbott

Well, it looks like Midtown Atlanta is going to see another high rise building. But condo buyers….not so fast!

PLANS FILED FOR 25-STORY AZURE ON THE PARK APARTMENT TOWER NEAR PIEDMONT PARK

Located at 1020 Piedmont Avenue, the building will rest between 10th and 11th Streets with a residential units wrapped around a five-story parking structure and a 25 story tower. A total of 330 homes. There will be a minimal 2,100 square feet of retail space.

Atlanta Realty Partners filed a building permit with the City of Atlanta and will spend some $2,500,000 to ready the site for construction. That would most likely include the demolition of older apartment buildings on the site.

At this time, MyMidtownMojo.com does not have any “before” photos but will capture them next week.

Shep’s Midtown Ace Hardware Store a Welcomed Addition!

March 1, 2015 by Thom Abbott

You know how it is. There you are in your Midtown Atlanta condo, ready to hang that totally awesome painting or art work you just picked up at the Dogwood Art Festival. What? We don’t have any picture hangers? Or Nails? So, down the elevator you go, into the car, out of the garage, down Peachtree Street, left on Ponce and all the way to Home Depot at Midtown Promenade on Ponce. Remember that trip?

Remember no more?

Shep’s Midtown Ace Hardware Store

Midtown now has a totally cool, urban hardware store…and you can w-a-l-k to it! A big welcome to The Midtown Ace Hardware Store. It’s located on the corner of Juniper and 7th Streets. That would be on the back side of Viewpoint Midtown and just down the block from the under construction Seventh Midtown.

We’ve already been in the store twice for light bulbs and an HVAC filter. Zach Stafford, the owner is sure to greet you when you arrive or certainly before you leave! The team is attentive, and if there is something you need and they don’t have it, they will get it in stock. They are all about knowing what their customers want in the store!

It’s a full hardware store, just scaled down. Paint, no problem. Hardware, no problem. Lawn and Garden, not only no problem but the store will have a “First For Midtown” outdoor garden center along the side of the store on 7th Street. We can hardly wait to see what they bring in there!

Also unique to the store is a smoothie bar that will open in the next couple months. Hey, get that boost of energy before you start on your next condo project. Residents of Historic Midtown will enjoy the convenience of this store as well, since they too have to make the same trek to the Home Depot!

In speaking with the owner, he will be working with the various Midtown condominium HOA’s to offer Community Discount nights for specific buildings. Now when did you ever hear of Home Depot doing something like THAT!

Welcome Midtown Ace Hardware. Ace IS the place of the helpful hardware man!

Mercedes Benz Selects Sandy Springs Site for 12-Acre Campus

February 23, 2015 by Thom Abbott

Mercedes Benz Selects Sandy Springs Site for 12-Acre Campus

Mercedes Benz, the well-known German luxury auto maker has selected a site in Sandy Springs off of Abernathy Road and GA400 as the site for their new Atlanta headquarters.

The land is part of two larger tracts that straddle Abernathy road and Glenridge Road. According to the Atlanta Business Chronicle, both tracts are being purchased by Ashton Woods Homes, and they will in turn sell back the 12 acre parcel to Mercedes. It’s a headquarters district for sure….Mercedes Benz neighbors include United Parcel Service and Newell Rubbermaid. Mercedes will locate on the southern side of Abernathy Road.

If they were looking for a location close to MARTA for that “techy, urban” kind of employee, they have a stretch with this site. Abernathy Road is a busy, busy automobile street, and there are no sidewalks on the South side of Abernathy leading to the MARTA station at Mt. Vernon Highway and Perimeter Center Parkway. Not to mention that walk goes along side a stretch of undeveloped land (nothing exciting to engage the pedestrian there….) and then crossing Peachtree Dunwoody Road to get to the station Entrance. Here is a map indicating the location of the campus and the MARTA station.

Driving? Abernathy road/GA400 is another ‘ground zero” for traffic bottle necks, and with the pending construction/re-design of the GA400 and I-285 Interchange just to the south of here….well, maybe they can grab an extra coffee and if they have a company Mercedes…just sit back..and wait.

But, for those Mercedes Benz employees that are inclined to want that urban life style, we can help them find a great location in Midtown Atlanta for condominium living, and near the Buckhead MARTA station Skyhouse Buckhead and Cyan are luxury apartment options. Nearby 10 Terminus and Realm Condominiums are options here as well.

We look forward to helping Mercedes Benz employees feel right at home in Midtown Atlanta and beyond.

Twitter and Industrious Look to Ponce City Market For Space

January 30, 2015 by Thom Abbott

Industrious, a Chicago-based office/work space company is looking to lease 30,000 sq. ft at Ponce City Market for a design-focused co-working membership space. The company currently has space in the “Silhouette” Building on Peachtree Street in Midtown.

And Twitter…you’ve heard of them, right? Twitter is looking to lease nearly 10,000 sq.ft at Ponce City Market as the social media/networking guys look to expand their sales and marketing peeps in Atlanta!

Ponce City Market is quickly looking to be another high-techy place to be with Mail Chimp, athenahealth, Cardlytics and HowStuffWorks.

Ponce City Market is the baby of Jamestown Properties as they redevelop and position this massive building into a collection of unique retailers, restaurants and offices.

NCR Corporation to Build Midtown Atlanta Headquarters

January 14, 2015 by Thom Abbott

NCR Corporation announced on January 13 that they will build a new corporate headquarters on a 4 acre site in the heart of Midtown Atlanta, at 8th and Spring Streets. Our photo below indicates the site, across the street from Plaza Midtown and right next to SQ5 which is under construction.

NCR Corporation to Build Midtown Atlanta Headquarters

In a story in the Atlanta Business Chronicle, it was reported that Atlanta is considering some $3.2 million in incentives to get NCR to bring the headquarters to Midtown. NCR has reported they will spend some $260 million to build on the site, which they have an agreement to buy.

The relocation would be huge for Atlanta and Midtown with some 3,600 employees being in the innovation/think tank area of Technology Square and Centergy.

The move is also a change for the company which first relocated from Ohio to suburban Duluth (Gwinnett County) some six years ago. “NCR is making a play for the Millennial workforce, which prefers the entertainment and cultural amenities of the city and rejects the long commute to the suburbs,” the Atlanta Business Chronicle reported.

Often times, a relocation of a corporate headquarters in the same city might not see many residential changes, but there may be many people that will now have much longer commutes from the suburbs of Atlanta and might want a change.

MyMidtownMojo.com is ready and waiting to welcome NCR Corporation to Midtown Atlanta and help you find your piece of Mojo (also known as a condo, townhome or single family home!)

Midtown Atlanta History

PLANS FILED FOR 25-STORY AZURE ON THE PARK APARTMENT TOWER NEAR PIEDMONT PARK

Shep’s Midtown Ace Hardware Store

Mercedes Benz Selects Sandy Springs Site for 12-Acre Campus

NCR Corporation to Build Midtown Atlanta Headquarters

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