Giant South Downtown Project Taking Shape (Atlanta, Mitchell: apartment, lease, lofts)

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by Atlwarrior

I wonder if its includes that large vacant building across from Five Points on the back side of the station across from McDonalds?

Are you talking about the old Atlanta Constitution building? No, I have not heard any mention of this group buying that yet. But the city does have an RFP out on it to get it redeveloped.

[HH82]

Originally Posted by jsvh

Are you talking about the old Atlanta Constitution building? No, I have not heard any mention of this group buying that yet. But the city does have an RFP out on it to get it redeveloped.

Any word on whether or not any of the surface parking desert around Garnett MARTA will be up for redevelopment any time soon? I've seen the concept map, but no news on plans or land acquisition.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by westender

222 Mitchell was the Citizens and Southern Bank back office before the mergers that created NationsBank and Bank of America. I used to work in that building (ours was one of the last business units to vacate), and all of the BofA branch "banking center" client-server technology was still managed from there as recently as 2003.

The basement and sub-basement housed the Atlanta Federal Reserve cash unit -- where all of the actual cash from Dixie was processed (old bills destroyed, fresh currency introduced, and everything packaged for distribution all across the South). I think the presence of that critical Fed function is why BofA stayed so long in the building, as a favor to the Fed. We moved to Midtown around the time that Macy's closed in early 2003. There was an old-school Southern lunch spot behind Mitchell Street, where the Enterprise Rent-a-car is now located, across from the enormous Norfolk Southern building. Old timers and good food, lots of nice memories.

The Garnett MARTA station (which was almost always empty) made an easy commute to Hartsfield. I commuted to Atlanta from Boston at the time for BofA.

Thanks for those recollections, westender.

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by HH82

Any word on whether or not any of the surface parking desert around Garnett MARTA will be up for redevelopment any time soon? I've seen the concept map, but no news on plans or land acquisition.

I think some of the northern edges of those blocks are under contract by Newport. But regardless, I expect a lot of those lots will get included in this coming south downtown redevelopment wave.

[arjay57]

This should be good for you, jsvh. Didn't you recently buy some property in south downtown?

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by arjay57

This should be good for you, jsvh. Didn't you recently buy some property in south downtown?

Yep. I worry when big developers come in buying up entire blocks at a time. Think you can get a "too many eggs in one basket" and monopolistic-type effects. Or even worse, they bulldoze everything and build inward facing mega projects. But I am optimistic this will turn out to be a great thing. So far it seems like they have good people on their team.

[samiwas1]

Great for the area. I think the entire area between Peachtree and the railroad tracks, and south of Mitchell down to Memorial/Ted Turner is ripe for massive development. It's right on MARTA and walking distance to Philips, the new football stadium, and the GWCC. It should be jam packed with multi-story multi-use development.

[tikigod311]

Originally Posted by jsvh

Yep. I worry when big developers come in buying up entire blocks at a time. Think you can get a "too many eggs in one basket" and monopolistic-type effects. Or even worse, they bulldoze everything and build inward facing mega projects. But I am optimistic this will turn out to be a great thing. So far it seems like they have good people on their team.

Definitely understand the concern and I think your optimism is grounded in reality. The brains behind PCM are involved here and those brains obviously have an penchant for understanding the history of property and preserving it in a really (modern) functional way.

But with that said, I am really interested to see what their concept is for the area. Honestly, they are starting with a sort of blank slate. Yes there are buildings there, but nothing defines south downtown, they alone as developers could define the area. So a close eye should be kept. It seems odd that it would swing hard to attract the suburban/Buckhead crowd that PCM does.

At this time, this is the most interesting development in the A, IMO.

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by tikigod311

Definitely understand the concern and I think your optimism is grounded in reality. The brains behind PCM are involved here and those brains obviously have an penchant for understanding the history of property and preserving it in a really (modern) functional way.

But with that said, I am really interested to see what their concept is for the area. Honestly, they are starting with a sort of blank slate. Yes there are buildings there, but nothing defines south downtown, they alone as developers could define the area. So a close eye should be kept. It seems odd that it would swing hard to attract the suburban/Buckhead crowd that PCM does.

At this time, this is the most interesting development in the A, IMO.

Yep, I feel like they have been trying to operate mostly under the radar while they buy up properties. I think I will like whatever plans they ultimately deliver but cautiously optimistic until then.

[bryantm3]

my dad worked for C&S in the 70s and used to eat at a sandwich place across the street owned by a couple named pete & sherry. the restaurant is still there and it looks the same on the inside, but i don't think they own it anymore. if you look inside the front of the old C&S building there is a big mural on the wall you can spot— i hope they keep that, and the general architecture of the building itself. and this time, it would be great if we get something more locally oriented and not designed to pull in heavy spenders.