News Archives

Comcast Southeast Headquarters Plans Metro Atlanta Expansion

December 11, 2014 by Thom Abbott

Comcast Southeast Headquarters is looking for a new home which might include the addition of some 200 corporate-level positions. The company’s current office location is at Courtyards Drive in Norcross. A Google Map and directions (shown below) shows about a 20 mile commute from Midtown Atlanta to the current office location.

Comcast Southeast Headquarters employees that are looking for a more urban, walkable community will want to consider Midtown Atlanta. While a majority of the housing options consist of condominiums and townhomes, there are single family home neighborhoods close by.

The map below shows an outbound commute time at 6pm, NOT an 8am or so time that you might be headed OUT to Norcross from the Midtown Area. At this time of the evening, your inbound commute from Norcross way still take in the neighborhood of 40 minutes, as you will encounter most of your rush hour traffic at the GA400/I-85 merge coming into Midtown.

If you are looking for condominium-type living closer to the Norcross office location, Norcross will offer townhome communities, but not much in the way of actual condominiums. The future re-development of the General Motors site in Doraville (at I-285 and I-85) will most likely offer some options, but those will be a couple years in the making…at least.

If you are looking for a single family neighborhood close to the Comcast Southeast Headquarters, there will be numerous options for you to choose from!

We look forward to helping you find just the right place to call home when you relocate to Atlanta!

The technology and media company could be scouting for about 150,000 square feet of office space. The Fortune 50 company could also locate a data center and call center operation in metro Atlanta.

Source: www.bizjournals.com

See on Scoop.it – Midtown Atlanta Conversations and Condos

Electric Car Ride And Drive Midtown Atlanta November 22 10-2pm

November 19, 2014 by Thom Abbott

Ever wondered if the hype about an electric call is all it’s….well hyped up to be?

Is an electric car an option for you? How do you charge them? How do they drive?

Hey Midtown Atlanta, hows about an Electric Car Ride and Drive?

This Saturday, November 22, from 10am – 2pm you can stop by the Atlanta Civic Center, at 395 Piedmont Avenue (corner of Ralph McGill Blvd and Piedmont Avenue and find out for yourself!

Electric Car Ride And Drive Midtown Atlanta

The event will have electric cars from BMW, Chevrolet, Nissan and Tesla! You will be able to learn more about the technology, finance and lease options, and current tax credits and dealer incentives. And my all important question, How to get a charging station installed at home.

Back in my days on the Midtown Neighbors’ Association Board of Directors, as all the new condo buildings were being developed, the Design Review Committee (DRC) of the Midtown Alliance would waive the requirement for developers to install electric car charging stations. They were not at all that popular in 2005-2009…..and now here we are! I’ll be doing a follow up on condo buildings and looking to see if the Board’s have any plans to go back and install these charging systems, or if the residents are even asking for them.

Hope to see you” on the road” at the Civic Center on Saturday for the Electric Car Ride and Drive!

Super Shuttle Arrives in Midtown Atlanta

November 15, 2014 by Thom Abbott

We all know that living in Midtown Atlanta and traveling are a nice combination! Why? Well first off, we have THREE MARTA stations to pick from to use for mass transit to the Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson International Airport. (Think we can make that name any longer?)

But, not everyone wants to take the train. Maybe you are leaving early, early, or coming in late, late. Well now you will have another shuttle service option with the Atlanta arrival of Super Shuttle. The service will start on Monday, November 17 and will service Downtown, Midtown and Buckhead initially. (Sorry you OTP peeps….out of luck…for now.)

A check of the website shows an Airport-to-Midtown one way fare at $18.50. That is for a “shared-ride van” which means there could be stops before you get to your Midtown Atlanta condo. When I used to travel on business and did not need or want a rental car, I used Super Shuttle and it always worked well.

It just nice to know you have options, from MARTA, Uber and Super Shuttle to get to the airport. Oh, and there is a cab…..

Georgia Fall Festivals and Events

October 12, 2014 by Thom Abbott

When it comes to the Fall, Festivals and Georgia, we are NOT lacking for something to do! In fact, you will easily find yourself either “overbooked” one weekend or having to toss a coin as to which one you will be going to!

Most of these are easy day trips from Midtown Atlanta! Maybe grab that picnic basket and your favorite bottle of wine and enjoy!

Georgia Fall Festivals and Events

Oktoberfest –Helen (through November 2)

the 44th Annual Oktoberfest in Helen is their biggest celebration. You will be hard pressed to resist the oompah rhythms in this quaint Bavaria village in the Appalachian Mountains. German music, dancing, food and drinks. And some shopping I’m sure! the festival runs daily September 18 – November 2. Click on the link for more info about times and admission.

Georgia Peanut Festival — Sylvester — October 18

I have to admit, I had to look up where Sylvester, Georgia was! West of Tifton, or South on I-75 from Atlanta and take Exit 82 (Ashburn) and follow Highway 112 (Sylvester Road) to….well.

The festival’s largest sponsor is ConAgra Foods, the maker of Peter Pan Peanut Butter. This festival set a special world record in 1987 with the largest peanut butter sandwich…some 12 feet by 12 feet! Yikes! Come celebrate this regional Georgia crop, sample a fried peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a huge arts and crafts festival as well.

Gold Rush Days — Dahlonega — October 18-19

This is a special one, according to the Southeast Tourism Society, which named Gold Rush Days a Top 20 Event in the Southeast! This festival commemorates the 1828 discovery of gold in northeast Georgia. Thousands come to see fall colors peaking and celebrate Dahlonega’s 1828 discovery of gold. Over 300 art and craft exhibitors gather around the Public Square and Historic District in support of this annual event, and it is estimated that a crowd of over 200,000 visit over the weekend to join in the fun and excitement. Check the website link for information about times for craft and food booths, a parade and the Saturday night Concert.

Mossy Creek Barnyard Festival — Perry — October 18-19

The 66th Festival is located deep in the woods of Middle Georgia…or so the event site says! The festival brings the artistry of tradition, functional crafts center stage! Live demonstrations range from glass blowing to broom making! (Ah, just in time to get you a new broom for Halloween….nice!) For a $5 admission, check out nationally acclaimed folk artists at work! Enjoy traditional fair food, all made and sold by local community groups!

Autumn Leaf Special on the Tennessee Valley Railroad — Chattanooga to Summerville, GA

October 18, 19, 25, 26 and November 1

Now if you want to see the North Georgia Fall Colors from a whole different view, then this might be your ticket! Ride a vintage train round-trip from Chattanooga to Summerville, departing at 9am and returning at 6pm. Spend a 1.5 hour layover in summerville and explore the town. The train also has a dining car as well as a new Premium Observation class seating in a round-end tail car. Sounds pretty awesome to me. And remember, this is something you can do throughout the year, if you miss a fall color tour!!

Georgia Apple Festival — Ellijay — October 18 & 19

Held at the Lions Club Fairgrounds (1729 South Main Street) the festival is Saturday, 9-6pm and Sunday 9-5pm. Admission is $5 for adults and kids under 10 are… FREE!

In it’s 43rd year, the festival celebrates apples along with over 300 vendors with hand-crafted items, many with on-site demonstrations! No pets allowed, so be sure to leave Fido at home!

Click on the link for more information about parking, vendors and other events.

WHAT did I tell you? We finally get to leave the weekend of October 18 and head on to other things!

I’m not including Halloween activities in this post, I’ll get those posted in another post.

Zombie Run Escape — Perry — October 25

Well we all know how popular the series, The Walking Dead is…and it’s filmed right here in the Atlanta area! Well, now I guess you can go run around and try and escape from your favorite zombies! Located in the epicenter of the Walking Dead story line and built on the bones of a cold-war era nuclear missile plant lies an incredible 840 acre disaster preparedness training facility.

This facility boasts a multi-story 75 acre urban cityscape, over 300 vehicles, a dual rail subway system and a built-to-DOT-specification interstate highway. And this is the location of Zombie Run Escape on October 25, 2014.

Bostwick Cotton Gin Festival — Bostwick — November 1

Just outside the historic town of Madison, Georgia ( worth a trip all its own!) is Bostwick and the Cotton Gin Festival, celebrating the year’s cotton harvest. Complete witha a 5K run, parade of tractors and antique cars and cotton ginning, the festival is stuffed full of fun! Consider this one a weekend trip and tie in a visit to Madison with it’s unique shops and restaurants that have earned it a place on Budget Travel magazine’s “Most Picturesque Villages in the World” list.

For more information about Madison click here!

Highland Culinary Weekend — Highlands, North Carolina — November 6-9

Ok, this might be a notch about an arts and crafts festival…..The entire town of Highlands comes together to celebrate food and friendship during this popular weekend event. Wander between restaurants in the “downtown” area for special menus and workshops, from wine and beer-paring dinners to farm-to-table demonstrations. You’ll want to check out the popular Friday and Saturday night Sip and Stroll tours that show off the city’s distinct retail shops and boutiques on a wine tasting crawl. (I’m loving the sound of this one!) The Sip and Stroll is first come, first served and is $35 per person. HIGHLY recommended that tickets be purchased in advance!

Many of the events prices range from $125 to $175 per person!

Well that should keep us on the road and busy for the next few weekends!!

Could The Atlanta Civic Center Become a Film and Television Center?

August 10, 2014 by Thom Abbott

It’s been languishing there for sometime…with quite the name to follow….Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center. But times have changed since 1967. I remember going to see the Lion King here and would miss much of the show because if you did not have a dead center seat, the show was off to the side.

Now, imagine….Film and television studios surrounded by a performing arts center, a hotel, along with residential, office and retail could transform the downtown Civic Center property into a regional tourist destination. The site is actually in what is often called no-mans land, since the Downtown CID and the Midtown CID don’t cover the area.

But the location certainly IS close enough to draw off either visitors/residents of Midtown Atlanta as well as visitors in the Downtown Atlanta area attending conventions and visiting other tourist attractions like the Football Hall of Fame, World of Coke and the Aquarium.

The city is in the initial process of getting a real estate broker in place and issuing a RFP (request for proposal) as to what the site could be turned into.

In the Atlanta Business Chronicle, Carter is the one proposing such an exciting change to the site.

Bob Peterson, Carter’s chairman and CEO, said the firm is putting together a team that specializes in entertainment-oriented developments and movie-television production facilities. “The idea of studios with pre-production and post-production facilities, live TV and live audiences is not unique, but seeing that conceptually in Atlanta is new,” Peterson said.

Carter officials have had “a number of conversations” with a potential studio operator that he described as capable, reputable and financially sound.

The potential redevelopment of such a site (some 19 acres in fact) just shows there is still room for some exciting projects to come to live in Midtown Atlanta and the surrounding area. Keep in mind, the Civic Center MARTA station will also help this be a transit-oriented development…something we certainly need in Atlanta.

I’ll be keeping an eye on this project for sure!

SalesLoft to add 55 Atlanta Positions

August 8, 2014 by Thom Abbott

SalesLoft, a start up company that helps businesses find new customers has received some impressive financial muscle and will add some 55 positions to the company in the next two years.

Tom Noonan, a serial entrepreneur who sold Internet Security Systems Inc. to IBM Corp. for about $1.6 billion, recently invested $800,000 in SalesLoft.

The company headquarters is located in the Technology Building located at Piedmont Road and The Buckhead Loop. While housing opportunities exist in the area, SalesLoft employees might want to consider Midtown Atlanta as a great living option. Employees could even ride MARTA to the Buckhead Station and stroll through the Terminus development to their office building.

We look forward to helping these future SalesLoft employees find awesome places to live in Midtown Atlanta!

Electric Car Ride And Drive Midtown Atlanta

Georgia Fall Festivals and Events

WHAT did I tell you? We finally get to leave the weekend of October 18 and head on to other things!

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