Metro Atlanta Projects.

[ATLman1]

There is a nice apartment project going up off of Chamblee Tucker Road in the Embry Hills shopping center called Montage Embry Hills. It will be a 4 story deal with 225 units and a parking deck. You can see it off of I-285.

[Martinman]

Which reminds that there are some pretty nice new urbanist type projects going up outside the city, some of which I've just become aware of.

Downtown Woodstock is very similar to Glenwood Park

Seven Norcross is all residential but has nice walkability and is adjacent to the historic downtown.

A couple in Marietta

Manget

Metting Park

Renderings

[teshadoh]

Way to go May-retta!

[Martinman]

Another story on Triarc Cos. Inc.

If I'm not mistaken, the Wendy's acquisition will result in a new local Fortune 500 company with about $12 billion in revenue.

Triarc currently has a request for proposal seeking 150,000 sf of contiguous space for a consolidated support center for both Wendy's and Arby's with 1,000 employees.

Brokers say the building the company currently occupies and others in the Perimeter submarket don't have enough current vacancy to accommodate Triarc's proposed consolidation, raising the prospect that it might need to relocate to another part of the Atlanta area.

article

Edited July 8, 2008 by Martinman

[krazeeboi]

Do I smell a downtown relocation?

[Martinman]

Metro Atlanta gets another Fortune 500 HQ as Asbury Automotive Group will relocate from NY to Duluth. They are the parent company of locally based Nalley Automotive Group and will bring 70 jobs averaging $100,000 to the area.

ABC article

[Lady Celeste]

Two additional F500's in one month! That's great to hear. Anytime a Fortune 500 corporation picks your metro as it's new headquarters, it's a sign of great economic fundamentals for the area overall. I'm sure realtors in the Sugarloaf area are jumping for joy.

[Martinman]

GM has narrowed the field of potential developers of the 165-acre Doraville site to four - Hines, Jacoby Development, Sembler and Charleston based Broad Street Partners.

I really hope they don't "under-build" it by putting up a retail center with a couple of apartments on the side which is why I question the Sembler bid. Plus their projects are pretty bland architecturally, excluding Edgewood.

[Lady Celeste]

GM has narrowed the field of potential developers of the 165-acre Doraville site to four - Hines, Jacoby Development, Sembler and Charleston based Broad Street Partners.

I really hope they don't "under-build" it by putting up a retail center with a couple of apartments on the side which is why I question the Sembler bid. Plus their projects are pretty bland architecturally, excluding Edgewood.

It would be nice if there could be a joint venture between Hines, Sembler and Jacoby. This way, construction cost could be shared, designs could be different and start times more efficent. Joint ventures are difficult but not unheard of i.e., 3690 and 3630 Peachtree. This is such a valuable site and I would hate for the wrong type of development to occur. I know that some are happy for any development. In this case however, with the site's proximity to 285, 85 and MARTA's Doraville station, to do it wrong would be a tragedy.

I could have sworn though that I read in the AJC that Sembler had been awarded the bid alone.

[atlrvr]

The president of Broad Street Partners died about 6 weeks ago, and their website has been shut down since then. I don't think they will be moving forward on any large deals.

I agree that Sembler would not likely present an attractive option. Hines or Jacoby seem like decent choices. Does Doraville have an existing historic town center?

[Lady Celeste]

The president of Broad Street Partners died about 6 weeks ago, and their website has been shut down since then. I don't think they will be moving forward on any large deals.

I agree that Sembler would not likely present an attractive option. Hines or Jacoby seem like decent choices. Does Doraville have an existing historic town center?

That's very unfortunate to hear about the Broad Street Partner's president. It's also unfortunate to hear about the website being shut down. If I'm not mistaken, weren't they the developers with the proposal for the town center across the street from the Dunwoody MARTA Station?

Also, regarding Doraville. Unlike Chamblee to the immediate south, Doraville does not have a visible historic town center. Chamblee seems to have excaped the "knock it down" syndrome because of it's orginal town location. It's right on the railroad tracks which had historic significance long ago. Doraville's seem to be slightly away from the railroad tracks thus many of it's buildings were not deemed historic...or perhaps they didn't care...and therefore they were not preserved.

For Doraville this development could be there town center. It's right next to MARTA and thousands of suburban rail commuters as well as I-285. I know that the police station and the city hall are just to the east of the MARTA station...which would put them almost next to the development.

I hope that helps....

[MidtownThom]

Doraville never had much of a town center to begin with. Any historic buildings they DID have, were lost to eminent domain when the MARTA station in Doraville was built. As for a Town Center, the "town" was under a heavy-handed ruler who could not look to the future of Doraville. Hence, where you SHOULD of created a Town Center next to the MARTA station...heck no...we have a d*mn jail!!!

Probably of even bigger concern to anyone should not be WHOM is selected to develop the property, but if they will be able to navigate the hillbilly, back-country (no disrespect meant) Doraville City Council and Mayor. They are more concerned with who they can fire, that the entire future of their town/city. The City Council has know since 2006 that the Doraville GM Plant was going to close. I personally attended City Council meetings back then. To my knowledge, but would certainly stand corrected if need be, the City Council HAS YET TO PASS A ZONING ORDINANCE that covers developing the GM site. Now's that scary!

Let's hope it's NOT another Atlantic Station...I know many people that are very, very, very disappointed with that development. And the GM site is going to be a BIG challenge. Retail follows rooftops, so you are going to have to build housing (condos, lofts, townhomes, apts) FIRST, to get the number of people there before you can get retail to locate there. This site sits right between Perimeter Mall and Northlake Mall...so to draw any big retailers will be a challenge, since most of them have stores in one of these locations. (Case in Point...Outback Steakhouse will not open another store within 5 miles of an existing one!)

"General City, or Motors City or Town Doraville" or whatever you call it really has the potential to be a development that could be a model and talked about round the world. Mass Transit....all ready there. Freeway access....I-285 and I-85...all ready there. Highway access....Buford Highway and Peachtree Industrial....all ready there!

Time will tell....I just hope Doraville is ready!

Edited August 4, 2008 by MidtownThom

[Martinman]

Speaking of Sembler, here's the latest renderings of their Town Brookhaven project.

As a reminder the project is described as 600,000 square feet of retail space (some of it big box), 150,000 square feet of office space and 1,560 residential units.

Alexan Town Brookhaven

Also 55 townhomes will be built by the same developer that built those at Inman Park village.

Edited August 8, 2008 by Martinman

[Martinman]

Probably of even bigger concern to anyone should not be WHOM is selected to develop the property, but if they will be able to navigate the hillbilly, back-country (no disrespect meant) Doraville City Council and Mayor. They are more concerned with who they can fire, that the entire future of their town/city. The City Council has know since 2006 that the Doraville GM Plant was going to close. I personally attended City Council meetings back then. To my knowledge, but would certainly stand corrected if need be, the City Council HAS YET TO PASS A ZONING ORDINANCE that covers developing the GM site. Now's that scary!

Apparently they have recently written some zoning because there is a story in the paper today that says all large buildings will be required to be LEED certified. While it is certainly a great thing that the development will be environmentally sound, there is some concern about the market being able to support the increased cost particularly in the early stages.

[Martinman]

The president of Broad Street Partners died about 6 weeks ago, and their website has been shut down since then. I don't think they will be moving forward on any large deals.

I agree that Sembler would not likely present an attractive option. Hines or Jacoby seem like decent choices. Does Doraville have an existing historic town center?

I think you were right. The initial report apparently was innaccurate as Orlando based New Broad Street Cos is now reported by the Business Chronicle to be the fourth finalist. They did a similar redevelopment of a former Naval facility in Orlando into a development called Baldwin Park.

[Martinman]

In the worst possible scenario for the Doraville GM site, Sembler has emerged as the leading candidate to develop the property. ( WHY!?!?)

And to make matters worse, they are proposing building a $1 billion retractable stadium for the Alanta Falcons.

Article

Edited December 27, 2008 by Martinman

[A2]

In the worst possible scenario for the Doraville GM site, Sembler has emerged as the leading candidate to develop the property. ( WHY!?!?)

And to make matters worse, they are proposing building a $1 billion retractable stadium for the Alanta Falcons.

Article

Say it aint so...Bad Move IMO. Keep the stadium downtown, and use the Doraville land for dense multi use development (office, retail, and resedential). This is an outrage and should ousted immediately as a viable plan. Not to mention the fact that Sembler is the lead dog in the hunt for developing this land. Gimme a break !!!

A2

[krazeeboi]

While I actually think that huge stadiums shouldn't be located downtown, in this case I support keeping the Falcons in the GA Dome downtown and just giving the stadium a good overhaul. But if the team is going to get a new home, then building a new stadium on the old GM site might not be a bad idea.

[Martinman]

Whether the stadium is downtown or not isn't that big a deal to me. A Doraville stadium would at least be served by Marta after all.

My biggest problem with it is that a stadium would consume the majority of this site that has so much potential to be one of the transit-oriented walkable urban centers that planners would like to create in metro Atlanta. With Sembler as the developer, with or without a stadium, the only way that will happen is if the city of Doraville has the same kind of vision for the property.

Edited December 27, 2008 by Martinman

[adelosky]

While I actually think that huge stadiums shouldn't be located downtown, in this case I support keeping the Falcons in the GA Dome downtown and just giving the stadium a good overhaul. But if the team is going to get a new home, then building a new stadium on the old GM site might not be a bad idea.

As a season ticket holder, I absolutely, positively DO NOT want the stadium relocated away from the downtown core.

[Lady Celeste]

The prospect of a new stadium being built at the GM Doraville location is WRONG WRONG WRONG!

Don't get me wrong. I would love to have a new state of the art retractable dome for the Falcons to play in. I would also like it for the potential bowl games, Superbowls and whatnot that could be played there. I do not however feel that the Doraville location is the best choice. Downtown is littered with MARTA Stations. There is a MARTA Station right across the street from the current dome location and one to the immediate east. If Sembler wants to gift a dome to the city of Atlanta then why not build it across Northside Dr from the current location. The GWCC can take over possession of the current dome for expansion space. Although I was hoping that they would stretch the GWCC to have a Marietta Street front.

The GM Doraville site is ripe for sensible living, retail and working options. This site has the one thing that Atlantic Station lacks...and that's direct access to MARTA rail. This location has so many chances to be everything Atlantic Station is and more. I think that a midrise...yes, I am calling for a height cap in the location (10 story max)...would be optimum for that location. This is a gateway location to inside the perimeter living. There should be a vast arrays of apartment offerings and condo offerings. A new grocery store, a movie theater, a drug store, a dry cleaners, barbershops and hair salons...you know, things that people need and use for everyday living. As Martinman said, a dome will take up too much of the potential and could possible wreck any chances of this location being a viable living option.

This location is between several employment nodes. The venerable Perimeter Center area is three exits to the west. Northlake is a mere 2 exits to the east. Gwinnett's employment nodules line I-85 and Buckhead, Midtown and Downtown are 3-8 stations away. The development is also surrounded by malls. You have Perimeter Mall to the west. Lenox Square and Phipps Plaza to the south and Northlake Mall to the east. Gwinnett Place Mall and the Mall of Georgia are to the north. I am no fan of Sembler....their development in Sandy Springs at the Parado is horrendous. I would have much rather they had Jacoby as a developer. Sembler is no master of the live/work/play environment. A stadium at this location would be all wrong on so many levels.

I would hope that the good people of Doraville will say thanks but no thanks to this stadium vision.

[Martinman]

NCR is moving its HQ to Duluth and will bring 1250 jobs to the metro area. In addition NCR will build a manufacturing operation in Columbus bringing 880 jobs to that city. Sonny Perdue is expected to make the official announcement Tuesday.

NCR moving HQ to Duluth, to bring 2,100-plus jobs to Georgia

Edited June 2, 2009 by Martinman

[ironchapman]

NCR is moving its HQ to Duluth and will bring 1250 jobs to the metro area. In addition NCR will build a manufacturing operation bringing 880 jobs to that city. Sonny Perdue is expected to make the official announcement Tuesday.

NCR moving HQ to Duluth, to bring 2,100-plus jobs to Georgia

Hey, I was just about to post something about that. It's great to hear that another company is moving to the Atlanta area. The jobs that will be created by this move will also help area out as well.

[krazeeboi]

The Atlanta area continues to demonstrate that it is still a huge magnet for industry. It's also good that some spinoff is going to another city in the state.

[Martinman]

Hey, I was just about to post something about that. It's great to hear that another company is moving to the Atlanta area. The jobs that will be created by this move will also help area out as well.

Its been a good few weeks for jobs locally. In May Research In Motion, developer of the BlackBerry, announced plans to add about 200 high-tech jobs and homegrown Cbeyond announced an expansion creating 600 jobs.