An urban Midtown/Downtown

[jurban8]

Kunstler does downtown...and he's not impressed -
http://www.kunstler.com/Grunt_Atlanta%20Tour.html - The Horror of Downtown Atlanta

[Pompuss]

Originally Posted by jurban8

Kunstler does downtown...and he's not impressed -
http://www.kunstler.com/Grunt_Atlanta%20Tour.html - The Horror of Downtown Atlanta

You know, he's right, he's an asshole but he's right.

[smArTaLlone]

Originally Posted by Pompuss

You know, he's right, he's an asshole but he's right.

Yeah I don't think there's anything shocking about anything he said. In fact I cringed when it was reported that the Congress of New Urbanism was meeting here.

[cybele]

Well, here is a man who says the key to making downtown a urban center is getting more people to live there.

Before he retires, CAP executive Paul Kelman talks about the future of downtown Atlanta

More people living downtown is key to creating a vibrant center city for the Atlanta region.

That is the view of Paul Kelman, executive vice president of Central Atlanta Progress, who recently announced his retirement effective July 16 after 22 years with the downtown business organization.

Kelman is the longest-serving employee in CAP’s 70-year history — providing continuity for the organization through at least seven different presidents, and even filling in as interim president during one of its transition periods.

[smArTaLlone]

CAP/ADID is pleased announce that construction will begin in August 2010 on the planned sidewalk and roadway improvements.


The project area includes the sidewalks and intersections along the approximately 6/10 of a mile along Marietta Street between Peachtree Street and Park Avenue West (f.k.a Foundry Street) and Centennial Olympic Park Drive between Marietta Street and Luckie Street.

Sidewalk Improvements

• Replacing existing concrete and decorative paver sidewalks and making granite curb improvements
• “Greening” the corridor with new raised planters, in-ground planters, additional flower baskets, additional street trees and tree well plantings
• Adding decorative fencing at medians and in-ground planters
• Adding new pedestrian lighting and refurbishing the existing street light poles
• Removing existing newspaper boxes and consolidating papers in “condos”
• Installing new trash cans

Intersection Safety Improvements

• Providing ADA-compliant sidewalks and ramps on deficient streets
• Re-painting high-visibility crosswalk markings at all crosswalks

Street Improvements

• Creating well marked loading zones and bus stops
• Creating consistent and continuous vehicle lanes
• Creating a new median west of Centennial Olympic Park Drive
• Milling and re-paving the street

[L41A]

Originally Posted by smArTaLlone

CAP/ADID is pleased announce that construction will begin in August 2010 on the planned sidewalk and roadway improvements.


The project area includes the sidewalks and intersections along the approximately 6/10 of a mile along Marietta Street between Peachtree Street and Park Avenue West (f.k.a Foundry Street) and Centennial Olympic Park Drive between Marietta Street and Luckie Street.

Sidewalk Improvements

• Replacing existing concrete and decorative paver sidewalks and making granite curb improvements
• “Greening” the corridor with new raised planters, in-ground planters, additional flower baskets, additional street trees and tree well plantings
• Adding decorative fencing at medians and in-ground planters
• Adding new pedestrian lighting and refurbishing the existing street light poles
• Removing existing newspaper boxes and consolidating papers in “condos”
• Installing new trash cans

Intersection Safety Improvements

• Providing ADA-compliant sidewalks and ramps on deficient streets
• Re-painting high-visibility crosswalk markings at all crosswalks

Street Improvements

• Creating well marked loading zones and bus stops
• Creating consistent and continuous vehicle lanes
• Creating a new median west of Centennial Olympic Park Drive
• Milling and re-paving the street

Good News!

[Chris Creech]

Originally Posted by smArTaLlone

CAP/ADID is pleased announce that construction will begin in August 2010 on the planned sidewalk and roadway improvements.


The project area includes the sidewalks and intersections along the approximately 6/10 of a mile along Marietta Street between Peachtree Street and Park Avenue West (f.k.a Foundry Street) and Centennial Olympic Park Drive between Marietta Street and Luckie Street.

Sidewalk Improvements

• Replacing existing concrete and decorative paver sidewalks and making granite curb improvements
• “Greening” the corridor with new raised planters, in-ground planters, additional flower baskets, additional street trees and tree well plantings
• Adding decorative fencing at medians and in-ground planters
• Adding new pedestrian lighting and refurbishing the existing street light poles
• Removing existing newspaper boxes and consolidating papers in “condos”
• Installing new trash cans

Intersection Safety Improvements

• Providing ADA-compliant sidewalks and ramps on deficient streets
• Re-painting high-visibility crosswalk markings at all crosswalks

Street Improvements

• Creating well marked loading zones and bus stops
• Creating consistent and continuous vehicle lanes
• Creating a new median west of Centennial Olympic Park Drive
• Milling and re-paving the street

Though you know I've been here in Atlanta like 25 years and every 5-10 years someone cmoes out this almost this exact same list of cosmetic improvements. Notice a lot of the list just falls under "routine maintenance and updates" or some items are just coming up to code or meeting federal compliance.

At some point there has to be an effort to not only enforce design rules and zoning to improve things going forward, but to go back and correct some of these horrendous leftovers from the downtown as fortress concept, seen so much especially around Peachtree Center. Can't there be code rules put in place that when renovation work is done, the building be brought up to new codes? There's that one corner at the Hyatt, and as noted that blank box of the plaza that need some serious work.

I love the Kunstler comments, especially "Darth Vader Modern" and all the comments about the habitrails. It seems like if you could code out the habitrails you'd force street improvments, but Ptree Cntr would argue that you can't force people out of their AC.

[smArTaLlone]

Originally Posted by Chris Creech

Though you know I've been here in Atlanta like 25 years and every 5-10 years someone cmoes out this almost this exact same list of cosmetic improvements. Notice a lot of the list just falls under "routine maintenance and updates" or some items are just coming up to code or meeting federal compliance.

At some point there has to be an effort to not only enforce design rules and zoning to improve things going forward, but to go back and correct some of these horrendous leftovers from the downtown as fortress concept, seen so much especially around Peachtree Center. Can't there be code rules put in place that when renovation work is done, the building be brought up to new codes? There's that one corner at the Hyatt, and as noted that blank box of the plaza that need some serious work.

I love the Kunstler comments, especially "Darth Vader Modern" and all the comments about the habitrails. It seems like if you could code out the habitrails you'd force street improvments, but Ptree Cntr would argue that you can't force people out of their AC.

These cosmetic improvements are MUCH needed and will be a huge improvement. And don't forget that entirely new zoning codes were done for the entire downtown area in the last couple of years with the goal of improving what can be developed in downtown going forward.

I've often thought about your second point of improving existing structures and I would love to see CAP AND the city partner on some kind of downtown improvement incentive to spur urban reno's. I don't think these private organizations can accomplish everything on their own.

[Terminus]

Originally Posted by Chris Creech

At some point there has to be an effort to not only enforce design rules and zoning to improve things going forward, but to go back and correct some of these horrendous leftovers from the downtown as fortress concept, seen so much especially around Peachtree Center. Can't there be code rules put in place that when renovation work is done, the building be brought up to new codes? There's that one corner at the Hyatt, and as noted that blank box of the plaza that need some serious work.

There is a concept in zoning called "legal non-conformity" which says that something that is inconsistent with current regulations (i.e. non-conforming) is legal and can continue to exist as long as it was legal at the time of construction. As a result, modifications can be made to the existing structure that would be illegal under current regulations as long as they do not increase the degree of non-conformity.

Thus, the Hyatt was entitled to replace an existing blank wall because the degree of non-conformity remained the same, even though the blank wall is illegal. However, an existing storefront could not be replaced with a blank wall, because the degree of non-conformity would increase.

[Chris Creech]

Originally Posted by Terminus

There is a concept in zoning called "legal non-conformity" which says that something that is inconsistent with current regulations (i.e. non-conforming) is legal and can continue to exist as long as it was legal at the time of construction. As a result, modifications can be made to the existing structure that would be illegal under current regulations as long as they do not increase the degree of non-conformity.

Thus, the Hyatt was entitled to replace an existing blank wall because the degree of non-conformity remained the same, even though the blank wall is illegal. However, an existing storefront could not be replaced with a blank wall, because the degree of non-conformity would increase.

I'm just reminded though that in many areas (I'm remembering when I lived in FL), if a building did ANY work that required a permit at all. Then they had to bring the building up to ALL current standards. I'm sure people might argue that would have a dampening affect on people ever doing renovations and improvements; however, they could still go through a repeal process if needed, and there were provisions for historic preservation etc.

It would be better though if there was some positive reinforcement and actual incentive in place for bringing a building up to new standards. Maybe a waving of fees, or tax break.

Maybe one of the downtown groups that could at least make a target list of the more serious offenders, and visit each one in turn and see just what could be done by the city/landlord/design committees working together.

I'm just reminded too that if you could take the 10 worst eyesores and turn each one into a pilot project and turn each into a success story. You could leapfrog eyesores into true gems.

Maybe a design competition?

[cybele]

Well, it looks like the Dew is back in the game. And what is the legend on the Campanile thing, does it just go way back or something.


Dewberry snaps up legendary Campanile

[Fiorenza]

"back in the game"...I love it.

[Chris Creech]

Originally Posted by cybele

Well, it looks like the Dew is back in the game. And what is the legend on the Campanile thing, does it just go way back or something.


Dewberry snaps up legendary Campanile

It is a nice building, I used to work on one of the top floors for years. Maybe they'd restore and actually start playing the campanile in the roof again.

[smArTaLlone]

Central Atlanta Progress/Atlanta Downtown Improvement District and Midtown Alliance seek a professional design firm or team of firms to develop a creative, innovative, and visionary, yet implementable improvement plan for the I-75/85 Connector from the I-75/I-85 merge on the north end of Midtown Atlanta to the I-20 interchange at Turner Field south of Downtown Atlanta. The goal and purpose of the planning and implementation effort is to significantly improve the visual appearance and experience of the Connector.

[Robin22]

See article in Midtown Patch

http://midtown.patch.com/articles/mi...for-short-sale

See the offering sheet

http://www.bullrealty.com/xtras/brochure/3460-4538.pdf

[smArTaLlone]

[ATL Urbanist]

Those Marietta Street photos are nice -- I've really enjoyed seeing these improvements. We've lived downtown long enough to experience both the 'before' and 'after' walking experience here and it's definitely a much nicer place to walk now.

Now if only we could get some of those surface lots nearby developed so that there's more cool stuff to walk to!

[atlwarrior]

Doug SamsCommercial Real Estate Editor - Atlanta Business Chronicle noble Investment Group has bought the former Hotel Midtown and will rebrand it a Hyatt, a sign of growing confidence in Atlanta’s market.

Noble, the company behind the W hotels in Buckhead and Midtown, closed on the hotel at 10th and Peachtree in November for $15 million, according to Databank Inc., an Atlanta firm that tracks real estate transactions.

Noble plans to put $21 million toward redeveloping the project and will open the hotel as the 191-room Hyatt Atlanta Midtown in early 2013.

It will become Hyatt Hotels Corp.’s (NYSE: H) first hotel in Midtown.

It marks Noble Investment’s third hotel in Midtown, along with its Residence Inn at 17th and Peachtree streets and the W hotel at 14th and Juniper streets.

Midtown is the only submarket in the United States where Noble has three hotels, a testament to the strength of the arts, entertainment and legal hub that Midtown has become, said Noble CEO Mit Shah.

“Midtown is a special market,” Shah said, citing Georgia Tech, Emory University Hospital Midtown and the corporate headquarters of The Coca-Cola Co. , Equifax Inc. and Invesco as major draws to hotel investors. “In hotel markets, we are looking for stability of demand, and few provide it to the same level as Midtown.”

It’s also the only Atlanta market where a new hotel, a Hilton Garden Inn/Homewood Suites by Hilton, is under construction. The site is at 10th and Williams streets, and the project is scheduled for completion in 2013.

Noble joins other investors that are seeking to buy struggling properties in prime locations on or near Peachtree Street at prices well off their peaks from several years ago, and then repositioning the buildings as the market recovers.

Hotel Midtown had gone back to the lender last year. CW Capital Asset Management, which represents the bondholders of commercial mortgage-backed securities, foreclosed on the debt secured by the hotel July 5.

An affiliate of Dewberry Capital Corp. , which owned the hotel at 10th and Juniper, bought the building for $21 million in 2003.

CW Capital foreclosed on it for $17.2 million, according to Databank.

Noble’s move comes as the Atlanta hotel market is poised to build upon gains it made in 2011, observers said. The market recorded a 2 percent increase in revenue per available room (RevPAR) in the past year, according to the December 2011-February 2012 edition of PKF Hospitality Research’s “Hotel Horizons” market report.

Midtown is among the most active hotel markets because of its influx of new investment from owners including Cousins Properties Inc. (Promenade) and CBRE Global Investors and North American Properties, which are repositioning the office and retail components of Midtown’s largest mixed-use development, Atlantic Station.

“Midtown is a trendy market,” said Linda Wilson, president of Key Advisors Inc. , a hospitality consultant. “It’s also a strong hotel submarket because of all the office development.”

New corporate tenants in the heart of Midtown are fuel for hotel stays.

One example is renowned Manhattan ad agency Ogilvy & Mather consolidating its Atlanta operations into Midtown’s Atlantic Station — making the city an international showcase for its expanded digital marketing platform.

The new office occupies the 21st floor of Atlantic Station’s 271 17th Street.

Daniel Corp. and Selig Enterprises Inc. landed the new Midtown office of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP , viewed as a national recruitment tool for the firm.

Dewberry has also refocused his capital on buildings such as Campanile.

Dewberry last year leased several floors to SunTrust Bank.

Hotel Midtown is one of more than $350 million in real estate investments over the past 12 months that Noble has made, increasing its portfolio by 14 hotels. Noble also recently acquired the Holiday Inn Memphis East.

It hasn’t escaped the downturn unscathed.

Noble faced foreclosure on its W Buckhead Atlanta hotel last year, but restructured the debt and completed a new loan with Prudential. The restructuring was a sign that lenders had growing confidence in the recovery of the hotel market and the strength of Noble’s resources and investment platform, observers said

[smArTaLlone]

http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/r....html?page=all

The potential owner of a long-struggling Underground Atlanta project has been in talks with the operator of a sorely needed downtown amenity — a grocery store.

Mount Pleasant, S.C.-based real WRS Inc. has a commitment from a grocery chain to help anchor Underground Atlanta, said Atlanta Chief Operating Officer Michael Geisler. He made announcement during the today's city finance and executive committee meeting.

[smArTaLlone]

As exciting as all of the new development is, I really wish we knew how to build more of this in our city.


https://www.instagram.com/p/BP0tEVggnH6/