All Midtown Fans

[Andrea]

If you love Midtown you should get a print copy of this week's Atlanta Business Chronicle. The front page article is about Selig and Daniel Corp. (two very deep pockets) buying up another full block for condos.

There's also another entire section on the massive new development, including retail, that's planned for Midtown, and how this part of town has been totally transformed in the last 20 years.

[Martinman]

If you love Midtown you should get a print copy of this week's Atlanta Business Chronicle. The front page article is about Selig and Daniel Corp. (two very deep pockets) buying up another full block for condos.

There's also another entire section on the massive new development, including retail, that's planned for Midtown, and how this part of town has been totally transformed in the last 20 years.

20 years? I think its been totally transformed in about 10 years and Im amazed at how fast it continues to change. I think the Daniel Corp development could be HUGE if they include some "destination" retail outlets which would be HUGE in transforming Peachtree into a "boulevard".

[Andrea]

20 years? I think its been totally transformed in about 10 years and Im amazed at how fast it continues to change.

Oh, yeah, things are definitely changing rapidly but lots of the buildings in Midtown -- 999 Peachtree, Colony Square, the Campanile, the Mayfair, One Atlantic Center, the Michael Graves building, 1100 Peachtree, the Promenade, the Peachtree, etc. -- are 1970s and 80s vintage, if I recall correctly.

My personal sense is that what really ignited the growth in Midtown was One Atlantic Center (which I still want to call the IBM Tower), which was completed around 1986-87, I believe.

[teshadoh]

I wasn't around in Atlanta during the 80's, but from my understanding the 20 year transformation is much more significant than the past 10 years. A lot has changed in the past 10 years, but - Andrea, please correct me - Midtown wasn't even considered a business district until the 80's.

[Andrea]

I wasn't around in Atlanta during the 80's, but from my understanding the 20 year transformation is much more significant than the past 10 years. A lot has changed in the past 10 years, but - Andrea, please correct me - Midtown wasn't even considered a business district until the 80's.

Midtown was a well-established part of the city, of course, but yes, Brad, I think your assessment is basically right. When Colony Square was built in the mid-70's it was considered very ambitious, and many doubted that major businesses would be interested in locating "that far out." If I'm not mistaken, the project struggled in the early years and even went into bankrupcty.

Here's an article from the ABC which sheds a little light on what was going on back then.

[Dale]

Actually, I can remember when Colony Square was the cock-of- the-roost. Is the Houlihan's still there ?

[Martinman]

Midtown was a well-established part of the city, of course, but yes, Brad, I think your assessment is basically right. When Colony Square was built in the mid-70's it was considered very ambitious, and many doubted that major businesses would be interested in locating "that far out." If I'm not mistaken, the project struggled in the early years and even went into bankrupcty.

Here's an article from the ABC which sheds a little light on what was going on back then.

I do remember reading stories about Colony Square struggling for many years. It was after all a mixed-use project at a time when words like smart-growth were nowhere to be heard.

I can understand the significance of the changes in MIdtown in total from what it was 20 years ago. I wasnt around to see that. But I was just thinking of the fact that even just a few years ago several areas of Midtown were not places anyone wanted to frequent.

[Andrea]

Colony Square pioneered mixed-use in Midtown

[ryanmckibben]

What really started the developmnent boom in Midtown in the last couple of years has been the creation of the Midtown Alliance and the "Blueprint Midtown" adopted by the Alliance and ultimately the city of Atlanta. The creation of SPI-16 and SPI-17 (Special Purpose Inclusionary zoning) was the largest single rezoning of land in Atlanta's history.

The Business chronicle always does the Midtown market report this time of year. It coincides with the Alliance's annual meeting which is coming up at the Fox. If anyone is interested in finding out what is going on in Midtown, this is a great event to attend.

[Andrea]

The creation of SPI-16 and SPI-17 (Special Purpose Inclusionary zoning) was the largest single rezoning of land in Atlanta's history.

Ryan, I have also heard of Special Public Interest District zoning in various parts of town referred to as "SPI-1" or "SPI-19". Is this similar to what was done in Midtown?

[Martinman]

What really started the developmnent boom in Midtown in the last couple of years has been the creation of the Midtown Alliance and the "Blueprint Midtown" adopted by the Alliance and ultimately the city of Atlanta. The creation of SPI-16 and SPI-17 (Special Purpose Inclusionary zoning) was the largest single rezoning of land in Atlanta's history.

The Business chronicle always does the Midtown market report this time of year. It coincides with the Alliance's annual meeting which is coming up at the Fox. If anyone is interested in finding out what is going on in Midtown, this is a great event to attend.

And this is what I consider to be the turning point... .a comprehensive vision for the area was created.

This happened in what '97?

[ryanmckibben]

Andrea...don't really know, I'm not familiar with any other SPI districts.

Blurprint Midtown was created in 1997 and updated in 2002.

Martinman, I couldn't agree with you more. We have actually had developers tell us that they love knowing what the community wants , this way they know that if their development includes x,y,and z they will face no community opposition.