Re-imagining Downtown Atlanta
By Kathy Vogeltanz
In the late 1980s and early ’90s, living, working and playing Downtown seemed like nothing more than wishful thinking. As businesses closed shop and headed north to Midtown, Buckhead and the suburbs, Downtown became deserted after 5 p.m. No one wanted to be there.
The 1996 Olympic Games began to bring the luster – and people – back to Downtown, and now ambitious improvements to the city’s infrastructure, creative adaptive uses and new condos and lofts have brought new energy back to the district.
The most recent example of Downtown’s new magnetism is Cousins Properties’ purchase of the One Ninety One Peachtree tower, where it will relocate its headquarters from Cobb County rather than to the Terminus 100 building in Buckhead, which Cousins is building. Cousins has also lured the national headquarters of the American Cancer Society to the Inforum building in Downtown. (Atlanta INtown is owned by Nonami Enterprises, a Cousins family interest unrelated to Cousins Properties.)
In early August, Diplomat Companies announced a plan to convert 218 Peachtree Street – former home of Planet Hollywood – into a boutique hotel with two large restaurants.
These are recent examples of the more than $3 billion in development under way in Downtown with the goal of bolstering Atlanta’s reputation as an international city, open 24/7, according to the Atlanta Downtown Neighborhood Association.
Of course, some forward thinkers have made their homes in the area for quite some time, using spaces no one else wanted to claim, like warehouses and office buildings. When the Olympics came and attracted more people to the city, the community of residents began growing. The trend has continued and is escalating.
“Atlanta residents are discovering the vibrant life in Downtown and the benefits of high-rise living,” said A.J. Robinson, president of Central Atlanta Progress (CAP). This is no accident; CAP, Atlanta Downtown Improvement District (ADID), the City of Atlanta government and other organizations have been working to draw people back from the suburbs by creating a community that blends neighborhood comfort with the glitz of city life.
The Imagine Downtown Capital Improvements Program is a visionary plan of CAP and ADID. It lists several objectives including:
• Building pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods near Centennial Hill.
• Reestablishing Peachtree as a premier street.
• Invigorating Auburn Avenue.
• Supporting the Centennial Olympic Park district.
• Uniting Downtown and Midtown in a revitalized neighborhood called SoNo (for South of North Avenue).
Probably the most apparent, and heralded, new draw Downtown has been the Georgia Aquarium. “The new Aquarium and the World of Coke are creating a buzz – and it’s a permanent buzz; these are not short term projects,” Robinson said.
The Georgia Aquarium opened last November and attracted more than 2 million visitors within six months. Also adjacent to Centennial Olympic Park, the new World of Coca-Cola has been under construction since June of 2005. Expected to open next summer, the attraction will be part of a 20-acre renovation that includes the aquarium, as well as surrounding walkways and green space.
According to Robinson, the World of Coca-Cola and Georgia Aquarium development have been a huge boost, but that’s only a contributing factor to Downtown’s present explosion. “Georgia State University is booming and bringing a lot of people – especially young people – into the Downtown community,” he said. “New condo projects are under way, and there’s unprecedented activity of infrastructure building and renovation, partially paid for by Downtown property owners.”
The Ivan Allen Jr. Boulevard corridor project redesigns and connects three streets – Jones, Simpson and Alexander – into one road to improve east-west traffic in northern Downtown. More than 250 attractive and informative “way-finding” signs are going up throughout Downtown and Midtown. GSU is improving Decatur and Piedmont streets with resurfacing, as well as adding trees, landscaping, benches and lighting fixtures.
Peachtree Street is a special focus of Imagine Downtown; redevelopment is expected to extend along the entire corridor and run two to three streets wide. Currently, the Peachtree Street Task Force is researching housing, streetscapes and even a possible trolley service.
Robinson believes the spotlight on Downtown is so bright now because of strong support from the City and the cooperative spirit shared by the involved organizations. “We’ve never seen this much activity in so many areas at one time. It’s great – and really helps attract developers,” he said.
“Downtown is benefiting as a major part of the mayor’s development plan and from the leadership at City Hall. The mayor, City Council and administration are all integral to our improvement and success.”
Coming Soon:
Along with the already under construction or recentlycompleted Twelve Centennial Park, Liberty Park, Tribute Lofts, DUO Condos and Fair & Walker Lofts, here's a few other projects on Downtown's horizon:
A $50 million Millard-Martinique LLC project, the 29-story Atlantis condo tower and adjoining 12-story Atlantis Lofts will stretch from 300 to 360 Luckie Street, facing the Georgia Aquarium. Twenty levels of residences, priced from the $225s to $450s, will be joined by a ground-level, upscale restaurant and eight floors of parking. Atlantis is expected to be completed in 2007.
Centennial Park East continues the development of Centennial Place, just to the north. A mixed-use project of the Integral Group LLC, the building will go up at the intersection of Alexander Street and Centennial Olympic Park Drive. More than 210,000 square feet is slated for 200 housing units on seven levels. The project also includes more than 400 parking spaces and more than 31,000 square feet of retail space anchored by an urban grocery store.
For more information about the loft projects in Downtown Atlanta, pick up a copy of the September issue of Atlatna INtown today!
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