51 replies to this topic

[Andrea]

Highrise towers tend to garner more attention, but there's also a phenomenal increase in the number of lowrise buildings, townhomes and single family homes inside the city.  I don't know the statistics, but I would have to guess that the combined value of these projects easily equals what's happening with highrise projects.

There's just a tremendous amount of infill, conversion and rehabbing, and it's happening all over the city.  In my neighborhood we've seen many hundreds (probably a few thousand actually) of new townhomes and single family residences.  The vast majority have represented quite substantial investments by new homeowners, with prices almost always over $500,000 and frequently well into the $1 million+ range.  Within a mile I can readily think of dozens of new homes in that category.  

And I see similar things going on in many parts of town.  It's happening in the close in areas of DeKalb County, too -- the areas around Brookhaven and Johnson Ferry are quickly becoming wall to wall.  This tells us that people are committing to the city in a big way.  So it's not only the density that's increasing, it's the level of investment in the future as well.   I think this quiet revolution is going to have an enormous impact on the city in the years to come.

[ironchapman]

I have to agree with your assessment Andrea. So long as current trends continue, we will indeed see a new city within the next couple decades. Will it be NYC or Chicago (layout wise)? No, but it will be a better place to live and work.

[Martinman]

Well Ive read a lot of articles about the boom in mixed-use intown projects but we certainly tend to get a lot more excited about highrises on these forums.  Actually I think we used to discuss those projects a lot more when there were fewer highrise projects to keep up with and we had the early stages of BIG projects like Glenwood Park, Inman Park Village and Atlantic Station.

Edited by Martinman, 24 September 2006 - 07:50 PM.

[teshadoh]

^  I agree with you, I think what is happening in the East Atlanta area, Inman Park, Marietta St corridor or other infill areas bordering established neighborhoods will influence the changing face of the city.  The City Hall East project alone dwarfs many skyscraper projects in terms of size & significance.

[Scraper Enthusiast]

I think it's good news to see the infill in the city.  Atlanta's skyline is being bolstered, and the street level environment is definitely improving.

[Pillsbury]

teshadoh, on Sep 25 2006, 02:25 PM, said:

^  I agree with you, I think what is happening in the East Atlanta area, Inman Park, Marietta St corridor or other infill areas bordering established neighborhoods will influence the changing face of the city.  The City Hall East project alone dwarfs many skyscraper projects in terms of size & significance.

City Hall East is the old Sears on Ponce right?  Man that place is massive!!!

[LizellaJacket]

One of my best friends lives in the Metro Pointe Lofts just off of Marietta St.  Wow.  You can just see this area is about to boom.  There are tons of new stores and apartments going up along side the street.  Every single abandoned building on the street has a brand new shiny for sale sign on it.  Someone is buying up all this property because they can see whats about to happen.

[adelosky]

I can't wait for the area around CentOly Park to get built up.  Allen Plaza going up is helping but just a little too far away.  A big complaint of a lot of NFL fans that come to games is that there are enough restaurants in that area.  It is getting much better, but somewhere I remember seeing a development around the Chamber of Commerce.  Was that right?

I wish Underground would clean up its act a little.  I haven't been down there since they changed the laws in Buckhead and a lot of the bars moved there.  It would be really nice to have Underground mixed into Five Points MARTA mixed into Marietta Street mixed into the GWCC/Dome/Philips area mixed into Centennial Olympic Park mixed into Allen Plaza.

[pksiv]

Pillsbury, on Sep 27 2006, 09:04 AM, said:

City Hall East is the old Sears on Ponce right?  Man that place is massive!!!

I really hope this project takes shape. It'll really improve that entire area.

http://www.poncepark.com

[Andrea]

I visited some friends yesterday in White Oak Hills.  Now that's a totally charming neighborhood that's really taking off.

How about some other intown neighborhoods that you see catching on fire?  They're all over town!

[shanthemanatl]

Andrea, on Oct 1 2006, 12:46 PM, said:

I visited some friends yesterday in White Oak Hills.  Now that's a totally charming neighborhood that's really taking off.

How about some other intown neighborhoods that you see catching on fire?  They're all over town!

Where is White Oak Hills, Andrea?

[davesm]

shanthemanatl, on Oct 3 2006, 09:18 AM, said:

Where is White Oak Hills, Andrea?

"White Oak Hills neighborhood is at the southeast corner of Memorial Drive and Candler Road, extending south to Glenwood and east to Line Street."

It is across Candler road from East Lake, but it is not in Atlanta or Decatur.  It is in unincorporated Dekalb County in the 30032 zip code next to Belvedere Park neighborhood.

[davesm]

I'm new to this board, but I'm a City of Atlanta resident and spent almost 2 years recently house hunting and learned about almost all of the distinct neighborhoods in this beautiful city.  There are a couple neighborhoods that I find myself getting the most excited about.

West End
There is a quiet BOOM going on there.  Beautiful Victorian and Craftsman homes are being renovated around the neighborhood.  The neighborhood is bordered by the Beltline on the South and West, North by I-20, and has Marta Station and Metropolitan Loft Art District (formerly called Candler-Smith) to the East.  Talk about access!

Also West End's Northeastern neighbor...

Castleberry Hill
"Real" Lofts, Art Galleries, independent restaurants, independent shopping...  I could go on and on.

These two Atlanta neighborhoods have a rhythm that I love.  As gentrification moves west I hope these neighborhoods maintain their diversity and distinctness.

Viva La Atlanta!!!

[Martinman]

the Atlanta Intown newspaper had a story on the surge of development along Dekalk Avenue


Reviving DeKalb Avenue

DeKalb Avenue crosses through some of Intown’s hottest – and up and coming – neighborhoods as it winds its way along the southeastern edge of Downtown. The roughly five-mile stretch begins as Decatur Street in Downtown and becomes Howard Avenue in Decatur. It’s a main point of entry for Cabbagetown, Inman Park, Reynoldstown, Little Five Points, Edgewood, Candler Park, Kirkwood, Lake Claire and East Lake.

Quote

Like much of Intown’s forgotten industrial areas, DeKalb Avenue is making a comeback in a big way. It was – and still is – a quick link from Downtown to Decatur (on a Sunday afternoon you can leave Inman Park and be on the square in about 10 minutes). The three-lane road (it has reversible lanes to help the morning and evening flow of traffic) is now lined with funky townhouses, lofts, businesses and restaurants. And more are on the way.

Dwellings Real Estate co-founder Mark Jones said he believes the Edgewood Retail District – located just off DeKalb Avenue with Target, Lowe’s, Kroger and specialty stores – helped spur much of the new growth along the corridor.

"Before Edgewood, there was nowhere to shop, no viable services south of Ponce de Leon Avenue," Jones said. He also said Inman Park, Candler Park and Lake Claire had become "destination neighborhoods" with their eclectic mix of restaurants, galleries, shopping and restaurants.

"There’s no doubt DeKalb Avenue and the neighborhoods around it are one of the hottest places to live in Atlanta right now," Jones said. "People want that urban experience and to be able to walk or jump on MARTA."

These are a few of the developments underway or recenty complete along the corridor.

626 Dekalb


Axis on Dekalb


Skyline @ Edgewood


Townhomes @ Candler park

Edited by Martinman, 24 November 2006 - 04:22 PM.

[Andrea]

Martinman, thanks.  I really like what's happening on DeKalb Avenue.  I was talking with a realtor friend over there recently, and she thinks the Sembler shopping center at Edgewood has been a major boon to development.  I know many people aren't crazy about Sembler's developments, but that area has lacked services for a long time.

[teshadoh]

^  Except for Inman Park & Candler Park, the southwest Atlanta neighborhoods were universally in praise of a new shopping center.  It did make a big difference to us, we no longer had to drive to Buckhead or the crowded Midtown or Ponce grocery stores.  I truly doubt it made any major negative impact on Little Five Points or East Atlanta as feared, except perhaps Best Buy due to cd sales.

Plus, as for shopping centers, it wasn't too bad of a design, thanks to SSP's Terminus.

[Andrea]

Just wanted to say I was at an NPU meeting this evening, and there is SO much infill going on in Atlanta.  There have to have been thousands and thousands of new homes added in the past several years.

[ryanmckibben]

Andrea, on Jan 30 2007, 11:39 PM, said:

Just wanted to say I was at an NPU meeting this evening, and there is SO much infill going on in Atlanta.  There have to have been thousands and thousands of new homes added in the past several years.

Were you attending the NPU-B meeting?

[Andrea]

ryanmckibben, on Jan 31 2007, 01:32 AM, said:

Were you attending the NPU-B meeting?

Ryan, yes, but just the Zoning Committee.  How are things with your NPU these days?  Swamped, I'm sure.

[Martinman]

I'm an un-reformed skyscraper fan but I'm really excited about a lot of the non-highrise residential development going on around the city.

Armour Lofts

Eon at Lindbergh

Renaissance Walk at Sweet Auburn

752 Moreland

Oakland Park Lofts

Plexus on Ponce

870 Inman

The Lofts at Inman Park Village

Castleberry Point

Tribute Lofts

Edited by Martinman, 31 March 2007 - 08:54 AM.