Atlanta,Aquarius tower project, 14th street tower project ,and 50 Allen plaza project

[RandyWatson13]

Originally Posted by mapwizard

14th street tower

Wow that looks fantastic....

[brent6969]

Originally Posted by mapwizard

50 Allen plaza

This building needs to be redesigned though.

[po-boy]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Oh, I think a lot of good things will continue to happen. Hopefully it will involve the increasing infill and density that makes a city really happen. Skyscrapers are fun and we may get a few, but let's be honest -- what we need far more than that is block after block of quality low and midrise buildings with a strong street presence.

We've grown up, now let's fill in.

I agree completely. Skyscrapers look cool and make for nice photos, but what Atlanta needs is more 5-15 story buildings that have street level retail, restaurants, etc.

The cost ratio probably isn't really 1 to 1, but I'd much rather Atlanta get a handful of buildings (say fifteen, ten, ten, five and five stories each) than one 45-50 story tower. Atlanta has several great looking skyscrapers, but it could use some improvement in density/walkability. Surface parking lots should be the first thing to go and after that any abandoned buildings that cannot be rehabbed and/or non-historic 1-2 story buildings.

Edit: Also high on the list would be rehabbing any existing older buildings that are currently abandoned and/or underutilized.

[Febtober]

Originally Posted by NTATL

Any news on these projects? I am particularly interested in the Allen Plaza project.

Well Mr. Plaza dropped out of the deal, however Parsons Capital Inc. bought out his share and the new venture will be known as the Allen Parsons Project..... () () ()

Ugh....

In any case, skyscrapers are great and they're what really makes a skyline stand out, but when it comes to creating a nice pedestrian vibe, I think that the key is nicely maintained low to mid rises with attractive exteriors.

[testa50]

I'm sorry, but I think the city is plagued with hideous 5 story stick built apartments. There are even some within Midtown. For every nice lowrise (and there are some AWESOME ones) there are a dozen awful ones and street corners that will be dead spaces forever more.

I say rid our city of these ugly, disposable buildings. 10 stories should be bare minimum in a place like Midtown--something where the people living above the building actually stand half a chance of supporting the retail on the bottom floor. Quality lowrise development is fine, but developers too often can't fight the urge to just throw something up: jam some units around a parking deck and a pool and call it a day. In neighborhood areas such as Inman Park it's obviously going to differ.

If someone builds a really crappy and pedestrian unfriendly tall building, well, at least it doesn't take up too much space and at least there will be a concentration of people living there to support nearby shops. Take 1280 west peachtree, for instance--that's WAY better than the sort of junk that sits on Peachtree Walk in terms of creating a nice, developed neighborhood, despite it not being lined with street-level shops.

Tall pedestrian friendly > lowrise pedestrian friendly >> highrise pedestrian unfriendly >>>> lowrise pedestrian unfriendly

imo of course

[po-boy]

Originally Posted by testa50

I'm sorry, but I think the city is plagued with hideous 5 story stick built apartments. There are even some within Midtown. For every nice lowrise (and there are some AWESOME ones) there are a dozen awful ones and street corners that will be dead spaces forever more.

I say rid our city of these ugly, disposable buildings. 10 stories should be bare minimum in a place like Midtown--something where the people living above the building actually stand half a chance of supporting the retail on the bottom floor. Quality lowrise development is fine, but developers too often can't fight the urge to just throw something up: jam some units around a parking deck and a pool and call it a day. In neighborhood areas such as Inman Park it's obviously going to differ.

If someone builds a really crappy and pedestrian unfriendly tall building, well, at least it doesn't take up too much space and at least there will be a concentration of people living there to support nearby shops. Take 1280 west peachtree, for instance--that's WAY better than the sort of junk that sits on Peachtree Walk in terms of creating a nice, developed neighborhood, despite it not being lined with street-level shops.

Tall pedestrian friendly > lowrise pedestrian friendly >> highrise pedestrian unfriendly >>>> lowrise pedestrian unfriendly

imo of course

I hear what you are saying, but I'm not sure about a ten-story minimum. Right now there are surface parking lots in some of those areas, and I think even a mid-quality five story building is preferable to those things. Maybe your thinking is that once something like that goes up it will stay up, whereas if we wait long enough the lots will be replaced with good quality buildings...if so (don't want to put words in your mouth) I can see that...

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by testa50

I'm sorry, but I think the city is plagued with hideous 5 story stick built apartments.

I'm a big fan of low and midrise buildings, but stick built apartments (of any size) lack a sense of permanence.

[testa50]

Originally Posted by po-boy

I hear what you are saying, but I'm not sure about a ten-story minimum. Right now there are surface parking lots in some of those areas, and I think even a mid-quality five story building is preferable to those things. Maybe your thinking is that once something like that goes up it will stay up, whereas if we wait long enough the lots will be replaced with good quality buildings...if so (don't want to put words in your mouth) I can see that...

I'm a patient fellow, I guess. I'd rather Midtown add 5,000 people each decade by building out a fraction of its surface lots than add 5,000 in a decade by building out all of its surface lots in low/midrises and calling it a day. I can bear the surface lots, if one day there is going to be something fantastic there.

And my standards aren't super high--I like 20 story buildings just fine. And near the park, lower rise structures are appropriate--the building at Juniper and 8th is an awesome project.

I see Midtown improving more and more every day. No need to rush the process.

[L.A.F.2.]

I totally agree about making Atlanta denser. I think the main three roads to do this on would be 75, 85, and Peachtree. I do give plenty of reps for Bank of America Tower, however, because being so big, it brings Downtown and Midtown together. The Atlantic was also a nice touch last year expanding Midtown West of 75. In my opinion, they could use two or three 500,600,700 foot buildings to link Buckhead in with Downtown and Midtown, considering it's going through a major skyscraper boom.