Downtown Macy’s retail space has a new owner (Atlanta: shops, Whole Foods)

[gt6974a]

Originally Posted by JPD

Business hours are any hours a business is open, but if by "business hours" you mean 9-5 then I completely disagree. Peachtree Center Mall is basically nothing more than a food court. Thousands of college students now live in the new GSU dorms a few blocks from the Macy's building, and the number of people who reside full time in downtown has grown in recent years. These folks need somewhere to buy clothing, groceries, home (or dorm) furnishings, bed/bath supplies, etc., and they need access to it all day, not just 9-5, which is how most downtown retail operates.

If this new development caters only to the people who work downtown, it will be a failure.

But that's the only people who live in that area, GSU students w/o much money to blow. Most residential areas are in Midtown, South of the Capitol, West of the Stadium. If you go East you have Ponce area.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by gt6974a

But that's the only people who live in that area, GSU students w/o much money to blow.

That's wrong on two levels.

1. Hundreds if not thousands of people live in the Healey, the William Oliver, Muses, and other buildings close to the Macy's building, and the number is growing.

2. Dorm residents might be low on cash, but they have credit cards, and they use them. A lot. Granted, it's not a wise to live off of credit cards, but it is an economic reality which helps keep retailers in business.

[Atlantasfinest]

You have a HUGE Hotel district/convention area as well smack dab in the middle of it so I think that has to count when you think of population in that area. Especially since the people who stay in those hotels and are visiting and attending conventions and seeing sites in the area are spending alot of money dining and shopping.

[gt6974a]

Well, I work at PeachTree Center, and if I leave after 7 the area is completely dead.

If y'all think it'll work fine, I'm just saying I don't think it will.

[Atlantasfinest]

One of the main reasons it is somewhat dead is because there are no grocery stores(Publix/Target) that keeps the area buzzing all times of the day. And most of the people visiting the hotels just go to Buckhead/Midtown/VaHI for evening pursuits for the most part. The Hard Rock Cafe/Hooters/Daileys and some other places around there do well and the area seems lively to me most of the times when I bike, walk and drive through. I believe a grocery store/target and a 6screen movie theatre (that serve food/drinks) would be perfect to draw people there all times of the day.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by gt6974a

Well, I work at PeachTree Center, and if I leave after 7 the area is completely dead.

It's dead because the people wo live in the area have to go somewhere else to buy groceries and toilet paper. This developement, if it's done right, will change that and downtown will be a very different and much better place to live, work and visit.

[CityFan]

It's hard for something to survive in that building unless it sets it apart from Underground Atlanta and Peachtree center. In other words it has to be unique somehow in the area including Midtown, Buckhead and even in surrounding malls. Its strength is location and large space, however how it can attracts people from different walks is a challege to the company. Due to our limited population and mobility of people, a lot of choices are out there for people to choose from. To have a sustainable flourish, it's not any easy thing to do, IMO.

[masonbarge]

Originally Posted by gt6974a

There's a publix off of 8th street b/t west peachtree st and spring street. Before Tech put in Technology square and the publix went in, this is where all the drugs were sold.

Yeah, that was one of the worst neighborhoods in Atlanta. On top of all the drug trade, the area (especially Cypress Street) was the #1 spot for young/underage male street prostitutes. I imagine a lot of them were drug addicts.

As recently as 10 or 15 years ago, there were drug dealers in some of the grand old houses of Midtown, like on Myrtle Street and Argonne.

[onemanarmy]

Originally Posted by JPD

It's dead because the people wo live in the area have to go somewhere else to buy groceries and toilet paper. This developement, if it's done right, will change that and downtown will be a very different and much better place to live, work and visit.

You are correct, I have to either go to 8th St or North Ave Publix and although it's less than 2 miles away, I dread having to get in my car. There are thousands of residence who live in Downtown. This is less than a quarter mile from Allen Plaza, Healey, Rensaince Walk, Fairlie Popular lofts.

This is excellent news to me and I hope the developer gets it right.

[Iconographer]

I go with the argument that if downtown is going to be a viable residential area, then projects like this have to go forward...but they have to be geared to residents, not tourists.