Lady Celeste

This is a very solid proposal. SLS is yet another new-to-market hotel brand. I'm sure there will be another new-to-market hotel announced a few blocks away from this proposal in the not too distant future. I am glad to see that the 50 story Yoo on Peachtree in the second rendering. It has been quiet of late although Trillist is still marketing the building. The SLS proposal should be on the July Agenda for the Midtown DRC. I look forward to learning more about this exciting project. The developers want to start construction in Q1 of 2017 with a mid 2019 completion date. I am liking the architecture. It's in contrast to many of the taller post modern towers in the immediate area. I am also glad to see that this will have condos as opposed to apartments.

This is just a quick video of Qatar Airway's inaugural flight from Doha to Atlanta. Video here: Qatar A380 landing at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport And Qatar Airways own video: Qatar Airways promotional video.

An 18 story condominium building proposed for the Buckhead Village. Located in the heart of the Buckhead Village, this proposal will be condominiums. These should sell briskly being that this proposal is across the street from The Shops @ Buckhead Atlanta. It is also within walking distance to Whole Foods. Buckhead continues to transform.

Today marks the day that Qatar Airways starts service between Atlanta and Doha. In grand fashion, the inaugural flight will be done on an Airbus A380. How amazing it would be for Qatar's A380 and Korean Air's A380 to be in close proximity at the same time. It's great to add another carrier to the Hartsfield mix. Qatar Airways joins the recently added Turkish Airlines with flights (May 16) between Atlanta and Istanbul. On the heels of these additions, there is now talk that India Air may be joining the mix. Metro Atlanta has a very sizable Indian American community. It also has a sizable Korean American community...hence Korean Air's non-stop flight between Atlanta and Incheon on the Airbus A380. With the sizable Indian American community, as well as a growing Indian business community in metro Atlanta, there may be a great need for direct service between Atlanta and New Delhi. The potential flight now has a new champion. The Consul General of India in Atlanta, Nagesh Singh is now negotiating directly for a direct flight. Per his records, there are more than 120,000 people of Indian origin in Georgia. I would wager that a vast majority of those are in the metro Atlanta area. Only time will tell if Air India will join the vast list of carriers flying into Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Now with Delta having the lock on flights from the US to the African continent...via its hubs in Atlanta and New York, I wonder if Ethiopian Air would be interested in adding service to Atlanta.

Yoo on the Park has topped out. At 25 stories, Yoo on the Park just sort of blends in to its surroundings. It's great infill all the same...I suppose. No one will complain about the added density. With the re-purposing of Colony Square (complex on the far right) and the Whole Foods (currently under construction at 14th St and Spring), the residents in the area will have a plethora of added benefits.

I am really liking the proposed remodel of Colony Square. This will do wonders for that stretch of Peachtree Street. The additional retail and the heavy concentration will give this block a sense of place. I don't want to start guessing about what type of retail store will go into the two story glass space at the corner of Peachtree and 15th Streets. It's funny to think that Colony Square was a groundbreaking development when it first opened. This was Atlanta's first mixed-use development if my memory serves me correctly. Regarding the 98 14th Street development: I'm wondering which hotel flag will fill the lower portion of Tower C. The New York developers have great connections so the two brands that come to mind for me are Shangri-La and Waldorf Astoria. If they are aiming for a Six Star (Five Star S), new-to-market hotels, those two brands would be on the list. We already have a St. Regis, Mandarin Oriental, Solis and Four Seasons. Maybe a Conrad? Hilton has a large presence in the Atlanta market so it would make sense. I guess we will have more answers in June. @Emund: I'm not so sure that the three tower format has been abandoned. What I could gather from the article is that the developers were going with Tower C first...which technically wouldn't that make it Tower A? Also, Wood Properties bought in to the project and will be developers of note of the smallest tower (the one closest to 15th Street)...unless that has also changed.

I guess we will find out more specifics when they go before the DRC on June 7th. I'm still holding on to the previously mentioned 70 stories. Maybe this could get Tower C to 875'. This would give Atlanta a new second tallest. It's terribly greedy of me and I should be satisfied with the rumored 850 ft. That's still a substantial addition to the skyline. I am curious as to which hotel will be apart of this tower. Rumors have it potentially rated at a five star S level and new to market. That would be a wonderful addition to the Five Star Four Seasons across the street from this proposal. Hopefully the hotel will be completed by the time of the Superbowl.

It's ALIVE, it's ALIVEEEEE!!!! 14th Street tower could soar to 70 stories and tower 800+ feet above Midtown. Just when we thought this was not going to make it out of the ground this building cycle, we receive news that the 14th Street development known as 98 14th Street will possibly go before the Midtown DRC in June. There will be a big announcement coming sometime this month. From people in the know, there is rumor that a luxury hotel, high end movie theater, grocery store, apartments AND condo will be a part of the taller building. To accommodate all of this, it is being reported that the taller tower has grown from 60 stories to 70 stories. This is expected to push this tower to 800+ feet. That would make it as tall as neighboring One Atlantic Center. It would also give Atlanta its third building 800' or taller. *** Just an update, someone with a close relationship to the development team is saying that the building will be just shy of 900'. This would make it slightly taller than One Atlantic Center. *** If built, this will join Novare Group's 32 story Atlantic House, as well as Related Group's 39 story apartment tower. Both are currently under construction. The Related Group's development will also include a signature Whole Foods. If this comes to fruition, this will be an awesome exclamation point to this building cycle. Source:News on 98 14th Street (Midtown)

Permit update..... 880 West Peachtree Street's permit was approved yesterday for Land Development. This one will be officially called Alexan West Peachtree. Peachtree and Third is also ready to issue (needs fees paid) for land development.

Construction on 782 Peachtree is wrapping up. The development will now be official known as Trace Midtown. The infill going on in Midtown is totally changing the pedestrian experience for the better. Photo courtesy of Julia Sirb

Construction continues on One Museum Place. The condo building fits in well with its surroundings in the Arts Center District of Midtown. It's also a nice step down to the exclusive residential neighborhood of Ansley Park just off of Peachtree Street. The skyline of Buckhead stands proudly in the distance six miles away.

Atlanta and Delta have reached an agreement that will keep Delta and its HQ in Atlanta for 20 years. This is great news. This will keep Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport extremely competitive for at least the next two decades. On top of this amazing announcement, the city and Delta will embark on a $6 Billion expansion of the airport. In my post above, you can see the details of what this expansion will entail. As airports in Asia and the Middle East quickly gain on Atlanta airport's numbers, these improvements will be very necessary to keep the airport cost competitive as well as super efficient. Last year more than 101,000,000 customers passed through Hartsfield-Jackson. With Delta's strong business model and great governance of the airport, I will not be surprised to see the airport handle more than 150 million people in the near future. Mayor Reed and Delta CEO Anderson will hold a press conference tomorrow at 3pm sharing more details.

Plans move forward for Buckhead park over GA400. The Buckhead Community Improvement District announced this week a partnership with award-winning, New York City-based design firm Rogers Partners for a project now called "Park Over GA400."The business will oversee phase one of the project — a design and vision plan not to exceed $250,000 — which includes work on a schematic plan, funding strategy, engineering, and efforts to determine the park's management structure, officials said. The RFP made one thing clear: Project leaders are aiming for a signature attraction that can hold its own with the great urban parks of America. The preliminary vision drew inspiration from places like Chicago's Millennium Park, Union Square in New York City, and Klyde Warren Park, which capped a highway in Downtown Dallas but is only about half the size of Buckhead's nearly 10-acre proposal. This will be an amazing asset for the Buckhead Business District. I am so glad to see this plan moving forward. Read more here: Buckhead park over GA400

That part of Midtown overlooking Piedmont Park is really hot right now. The critical mass that is developing in that area is amazing. At this rate, that area will probably have a people per square mile amount close to 40,000. This will bode well for the retail spots along Juniper at the 12th and Midtown complex as well as a re-positioned Colony Square.

Three Alliance Center finally rising above GA 400..... This picture is courtesy of SunDevilGA

We love construction pics here......

Atlanta-based Equifax to bring 650 jobs to Midtown. Equifax will bring 650 jobs to Midtown from its suburban offices in Sandy Springs and Alpharetta. They will locate these jobs to two floors in the 820' tall One Atlantic Center tower on 14th Street. This will take up 100,000 square feet of office space. The 50-story building is not too far from the Equifax headquarters located at 1550 Peachtree St. I'm sure Novare Group (Atlantic House) and Related (22 14th Street) are dancing gigs because of this announcement. Both developers have 31+ story tall apartment buildings under construction across the street from OAC. I said years ago that it seems as if Atlanta is contracting inward. If you can't bring MARTA to the far flung suburbs, bring the jobs and people to MARTA. If just 1% of the metro area moved intown, that would be an increase of 60,000 people. With the city only encompassing only 133 square miles, that would be a nice bump in the density numbers. I look forward to more apartment building proposals breaking ground. Read more here: http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2016/04/14/equifax-to-bring650-jobs-to-midtown-atlanta.html

Here are updated renderings of the Peachtree @ 17th Street proposal... AS I have said previously, this will definitely make an impression on the upper Midtown skyline.

Construction has started on the 19-story Hilton hotel at the corner of West Peachtree and 15th Street. While not tall, it is good to see the added density and amenities. This particular hotel will have a large restaurant at the base of the building. This development is across West Peachtree from the 30-story Amli Arts Center apartment tower which is also currently under construction. Both developments are located across from the Arts Center MARTA Station. Thank you to Michael Kahn for the photos.

Construction continues on Buckhead's CityPlace development... The highrise portion: The midrise portion:

JPX Works LLC plans to break ground on its 22 story condo building in Buckhead in August 2016. The official name of the tower will be the Emerson. It will have 44 units that will start at $1.8 million. It is always good to see these proposals turn into actual buildings. The units in this building will surely sell out quickly as there is a pent up demand for condominiums in both the Midtown and Buckhead sub-markets. The architecture is unique for this stretch of Peachtree. It will contrast well with the traditional condo towers and striking Catholic and Episcopalian cathedrals in the immediate area.

A construction picture of the site taken on March 15th by GeorgiaPeanuts....

Hot off the press..... Georgia Power will be relocate 600 jobs from outlying location to their Downtown HQ building located at 133 Peachtree Street. The HQ building is located on top of the Peachtree Center MARTA Station. This is a boon for Downtown because the average salary for the 600 jobs is $100k/year, according to documents filed with Invest Atlanta. More news to follow......stay tuned.

I think Museum Place looks nice as well. The scale fits in nice with the surroundings. Being right across the street from the High Museum of Art will lend these an air of sophistication. Perhaps that's why sales of the condos have been so brisk...in spite of their $700k entry point. Many have already sold. If I'm not mistaken, the portion on the right is sold out. The only available units are in the portion to the left.

Visual evidence of Midtown's changing skyline..... This is a photograph from last month of the ongoing construction in the Midtown submarket. Cranes from left to right: Alta Midtown, Hanover Midtown and Post Millennium. Although not in, if you look in the distance (next to the Alta Midtown crane) you will see the numerous cranes for the new Mercedes Benz Stadium. This photo shows the construction site of the new HQ for NCR. Just across 8th Street is the construction site for Modera Midtown. It looks like one big construction site but it's actually two sites. Above: 60 11th Street topped off. The crane will be coming down soon. Above: Atlantic House..... Above: Yoo on the Park.... Above: Azure on the Park....