Status of Midtown Square?

[vandynole]

For what seems like five years, there was a sign at the corner of 10th and Peachtree advertising a development called Midtown Square (I think). It was right in front of Jocks & Jills. It looked like they were going to tear down that entire NE corner for this project. The sign has been gone for at least a year ... does anyone know what ever happened to that project?

[teshadoh]

Dewberry finally killed the project. The entire block would have been leveled, in fact they did level an apartment building behind Taste of India in preperation.

Personally I'm glad they scrapped the plan - I would like the commercial row be preserved on Peachtree. They can tear down everything else though.

[vandynole]

I agree that strip of retail should be preserved; it's historically important. However, I do wish they'd do something with that corner. Amazing there's so much open space back there.

[UrbanAtl]

That block and the two north of it are ripe for a new colony square / Peachtree Center sized development. It will be interesting to see if someone tries to develope those three at once. IMO it's a long shot but who knows.

[LizellaJacket]

Dewberry? As in John Dewberry, former Tech qb?

[ryanmckibben]

Economically, there is no way those stores will stay, nor should they. 10th and Peachtree is one of Midtowns most prominant intersections, along with North, Ponce, 14th and now 17th. All of the other cross streets are rather small.

I like the way 14th is coming along, with the addition of 1180. Ponce and Peachtree has everything perfect except for the SW corner (parking lot I think). North is rather disappointing, not in spite of the BOA tower but because of it. How can such a beautifull building to look at relate to the street as unbelievably horrible as this one does? But it is tenth that has dissapointed me the most. The Federal Reserve should never have built it's new bank HQ there. That corner should be occupied by something larger and MUCH closer to the street, the Fed just isn't engaging enougth to warrent such a prime spot. The Margarete Mitchell house is a wonderfull piece of history. Unfortunately, that isn't really her house. Her house burned to the ground years ago. They rebuilt it and...it burned to the ground again. She did not pen GWTW in this location, and there are a couple of other locations Mrs. Mitchell resided, I know one is off Ponce. Anyway, to me, the house has always been such a waste of prime real estate. Pick up the house and move it to one of the other locations she lived. And the plaza that sits beside 999 Peachtree and in front of the Wyndham is horrible.

That leaves the "Midtown Square" block. This is the one block left with a pretty good chance of redevelopment. 999 P'Tree isn't going anywhere. Damm sure the Fed isn't leaving anytime soon, and preservasionists would go absolutely bezerk at the proposal of knocking down Mitchell's house. What ever is built in that location should reflect the value of that intersection. It's the last chance to build something worthy of that intersection.

The stores are quaint, but not practical and hold no real historical meaning.

[teshadoh]

Maybe - but those row of buildings provide Midtown with something that is largely lacking - character. I'm tired of the mega-block mentality of developers & I'm hoping Novare's job of building "in-fill" on the Backstreet block will influence others.

[UrbanAtl]

I get what you're saying about character but those buildings could be worth sacrificing if what is built adds more character. Mega John Portman Jr walls of concrete at street level I hope are a thing of our past. If a Sembler project was proposed... well that would be as bad as just paving the entire block for surface parking. But if a row of storefronts topped with balconies of condos are proposed then I say let the buildings go.

[Andrea]

Mega John Portman Jr walls of concrete at street level I hope are a thing of our past.

That certainly doesn't appear to be the case. Portman was neither the last nor the most prolific builder of concrete slabs at street level.

The Federal Center (1997), the Georgia Aquarium (2005), the BOA Tower (1992), Georgia Pacific (1981), 191 Peachtree (1990), not to mention the Dome, the World Congress Center, Phillips Arena and nearly all MARTA stations -- show that the MCSSL (Massive Concrete Slab at Street Level) is an enduring feature of Atlanta architecture.

[UrbanAtl]

I actually like Portman's style but he wasn't great at giving the street it's props. He didn't invent the anti street movement, he was just reflecting the times and taste of his clients. Many have done far worse. Andrea, you sighted some perfect examples but non of those architects emboby it as well as our beloved Portman.

[Andrea]

I actually like Portman's style but he wasn't great at giving the street it's props. He didn't invent the anti street movement, he was just reflecting the times and taste of his clients. Many have done far worse. Andrea, you sighted some perfect examples but non of those architects emboby it as well as our beloved Portman.

No, I don't think Portman has ever been anybody's favorite architect. However, whoever did the Aquarium and the Allen Boulevard streetscape seems to be out to set new records for slab at the street architecture:

[teshadoh]

I think it's the little buildings wedged between the monolithic skyscrapers are what give a city character. There is no reason why a developer couldn't build surrounding the half block commercial row on Peachtree & 11th. If Novare was able to preserve the Starbucks & apartment building behind it...

[Topped Out]

Andrea,

This picture of the aquarium you posted is an angle I have never seen before. Now I know why I've never seen it in the newspaper. This is really unaesthetically pleasing. Some landscaping (trees/fencing/whatever) is in desperate need to hide such a publicly ugly view.

[teshadoh]

^ The big problem is that they did landscape the street to hell - on the other side of Allen Blvd all of those street lights (& does anyone need that many street lights) are smack in the middle of the sidewalk (which is the smallest they could build legally). There may be trees later, but most likely they will be on the right side of the sidewalk, and my guess they would be pathetic Bradford Pears.

Ivan Allen Blvd IS a highway.

[Hotlanta]

[dixiecupdrinking]

What is THAT? It's hard to believe that they're still blowing opportunities THIS big to bring some positive street life to the area, however tourist-oriented it would be. NO ONE will want to look at this if they don't have to, and that is a huge problem.

[catlike]

What is THAT? It's hard to believe that they're still blowing opportunities THIS big to bring some positive street life to the area, however tourist-oriented it would be. NO ONE will want to look at this if they don't have to, and that is a huge problem.

That's the parking garage, loading docks and the back-end operations of the aquarium that no one sees, which I imagine would be kinda tough to hide. Fortunately, there's nothing there right now in that area that part of the building faces that would be of interest to any pedestrians.

[Andrea]

That's the parking garage, loading docks and the back-end operations of the aquarium that no one sees, which I imagine would be kinda tough to hide. Fortunately, there's nothing there right now in that area that part of the building faces that would be of interest to any pedestrians.

Yes, that's the view from Allen Boulevard, which I assume is intended to be one of the showcase avenues for downtown Atlanta.

It is tough to hide service entrances and parking decks, and that's one of primary things Portman has been mostly strongly criticized for not addressing. That doesn't mean it's impossible, however. Facades don't have to be this slab-like. Nor is it any big deal to put retail at the street level of a parking deck, or to provide a more pedestrian friendly streetscape. Perhaps these isssues will be addressed at some point down the road, although one would hope that 45 years after the Mart these aspects of design would be intrinsic to a marquee development such as the Aquarium.

[catlike]

^^^

I agree about the concerete slab part. Even just a snazzy, colorful mural would make it a bit more inviting.

[Hotlanta]

It looks too mismatched too me.