CONDOS & TOWNHOMES

Desire to live near amenities spurs new development boom

By Kathy Dean

Before the global recession, condo developments were being built so quickly around Atlanta that it was nearly impossible to keep up with them. With real estate in full recovery mode, condos and townhomes are becoming desirable again as Intowners look for more city amenities.

Potential homeowners want to enjoy the shopping, restaurants, arts, culture, parks and the Atlanta BeltLine, which has spurred new high-end condos and townhomes in the city. Decatur is also getting in on the act, too.

Seventh Midtown, a new nine-story boutique condominium optimally situated at the corner of Peachtree & 7th, will offer residences that start in the $700s. Thirty percent are already under contract, although the ground breaking is scheduled this fall, with plans to begin closing in late October 2015.

Anne Schwall, Vice President SkyRise/New Homes Group, Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty said, “Interest in Seventh Midtown has been exciting. Midtown residents are eager to be part of such a cutting edge condominium building. With only 20 homes available, residents appreciate and understand the exclusive opportunity to own at Seventh, and buyers want to take advantage of the current presale pricing.”

She said that the build-out is almost complete for the temporary placement of the 7th Street Starbucks in the Shops at Viewpoint. Once Starbucks is relocated, the area will be cleared for construction to begin on Seventh Midtown. Starbucks will move back to become the building’s corner retailer after the building is completed.

“Our residents are looking for more square footage than Midtown condominium buildings generally offer, and they appreciate the luxury finishes and features Seventh Midtown will provide,” Schwall explained. “They also want a lock-and-go lifestyle and walkability to fine dining and shopping, with easy access to Piedmont Park, the Fox Theater and the High Museum.”

The spacious open floor plans feature top-of-the-line designer finishes, such as Italian custom-designed Pedini cabinetry, Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances, Silestone countertops and Waterworks fixtures throughout the home. The homes are also equipped with the latest smart home technology, including a Control4 home automation package.

It’s hard to imagine a more central, exciting location in Atlanta than 15th Street, just across the street from Piedmont Park. That’s just where development is underway for Ansley Green, a condo community of six homes. The project is a collaboration of Miller Lowry Developments and King Real Estate Advisors.

Excavation began in mid-August, and the condos will be finished in Spring 2015, according to Miller Lowry,

President of Miller Lowry Development. He said that people got excited about Ansley Green as soon as the project was announced.

“We have had interest from day one, at our preview party that was held at the Piedmont Driving Club,” Lowry reported. “Currently, four units are under contract and one unit is reserved.”

While the location is a huge draw, potential residents also respond to the exclusive, smaller building and low HOA fees. Lowry added that Ansley Green is particularly attractive to empty nesters and professionals -- sophisticated buyers who appreciate quality but are not interested in larger buildings.

Ansley Green will be surrounded by landscaping and existing hardwoods, which will frame gorgeous city views, all visible from the rooftop terrace, which also features a lounge and bar for residents. Floor plans are open and spacious with abundant natural light. Residents will be able to customize their homes, and the high-end finishes include items from vendors such as Circa Lighting and Renaissance Tile & Bath.

Linden Place Townhomes were designed to bring value and convenience to Intown residents. Currently under construction on Lavista Road near Emory University and the Center for Disease Control (CDC), Linden Place will be completed this fall, and will feature 26 townhomes priced from the high $300s to mid $400s.

“This is a very sought after real estate opportunity for young professional couples wanting to live near Intown neighborhoods and close to shopping, entertainment,

Left: One of the luxurious bathrooms, featuring spa tubs and hardwood floors, at Seventh Midtown.

Below left: SkyHill Townhomes on North Avenue in the Old Fourth Ward will be a short walk to the Atlanta BeltLine.

Opposite restaurants and work,” said Allen Snow, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, Midtown. “Sales have just started and we’re seeing extraordinary interest.”

Linden Place’s three-story townhomes range from 2,000 to 2,400 square feet with several different floor plan options, but all the plans are open with wonderful natural lighting. Other features include an oversized owner’s suite and exterior traditional/craftsman style with brick, stone and siding.

Snow pointed to the Atlanta-located developer, Minerva Homes USA, as a prime reason for the value that Linden Place offers. “They have over 30 years of experience building high-end housing with unique architectural elements for the Intown real estate market,” he said. “Linden Place Townhomes are competitively priced in the market, and have a triple protection home warranty.”

Atlanta’s Historic Old Fourth Ward will become home to The Water Tower Stacks, a community of ten luxury townhomes. Epic Development plans to break ground on the project this month, and to deliver the units, eight attached and two detached, in the second quarter of 2015.

Jim LaVallee, Director of Marketing & Development with Epic Development, said: “Most of the units will be greater than 2,800 square feet, so we’re targeting the discriminating Intown buyer looking for the perfect combination of location, quality and style. The response has been overwhelming and we consistently have potential buyers adding their names to the VIP emails.

While we have not yet released any units for sale, we anticipate a rapid sell-out.”

Of course, location is the number one draw of The Water Tower Stacks. Being a half block from the Beltline and strategically located in the Old Fourth Ward at the edge of Inman Park places the project in the center of neighborhood activity. Residents will be able to reach over 30 restaurants with a half-mile walk.

The project boasts historic modern architecture, too. Epic Development worked with the creative professionals at Gamble and Gamble Architects to design historic exteriors that blend with Studioplex and other older buildings in the neighborhood. Modern elements come into play in the interiors with open floor plans and clean lines. Other interior features include elevator shafts, two-car garages, hardwood floors and custom chefs’ kitchens.

“In addition to the excellent location and compelling architecture, the units will have rooftop terraces facing downtown Atlanta,” said LaVallee, “offering views that have been described as everything from ‘dramatic’ to ‘fabulous’.”

LaValle added that the Old Fourth Ward and the Beltline’s Eastside Trail are the most dynamic and rapidly changing area in Atlanta right now, and have become a core market for Epic Development. The company has already acquired its next townhome site –adjacent to the restaurant and bar district that has emerged along Edgewood Avenue, and halfway between the Georgia State University and the Beltline’s Eastside Trail.

“Construction on that project will begin in 2015, and we continue to search for our other opportunities in the neighborhood,” he said. “To round out our offerings in the Old Fourth Ward, we also have a handful of single family lots where we are building semi-custom homes.”

Construction is now underway at Seven Twelve Oakview in the Oakhurst neighborhood of Decatur. The first homes will be completed in the coming months and people are lining up to get in the community.

“With only fifteen of these extraordinary townhomes available in Oakhurst Village, priced from the mid $400s, interest has been extremely high,” reported Kirstin Hobday, Chief Operating Officer at Thrive Homes.

“Seven Twelve Oakview is already a success. We’ve sold one-third of the homes thus far and will continue to offer pre-construction pricing on the remaining home sites.”

With its prime location in the highly sought-after Oakhurst Village, Seven Twelve Oakview is a community like none other in the area. The townhomes showcase a stunning blend of contemporary features with glass, metal, wood and textures that evoke rich character and sophisticated style. The homes also boast two-car garages, rooftop terraces and top-of-the-line finishes.

“Our buyers appreciate exceptional craftsmanship and fresh, inspirational architecture,” Hobday explained. “And people who love the walkable neighborhood lifestyle of Oakhurst Village in Decatur are also attracted to it.”

Seven Twelve Oakview is less than five miles from Emory and the CDC, and less than 1.5 miles to the Decatur Square. Residents can take a short stroll to the Oakhurst Community Garden, dog parks, coveted City of Decatur Schools, restaurants, boutiques, and various festivals and concerts in the neighborhood. Hobday also noted that the City of Decatur was recently named a “Great Neighborhood” by USA Today, and has been designated by the American Planning Association as a Top 10 Great Neighborhood in 2013.

The SkyHill Townhomes sit in the center of downtown Atlanta, at the corners of North and Bonaventure Avenues. The development has tended to attract urbanites seeking close proximity to the best restaurants and retail the City can offer, as well as Beltline access.

“SkyHill’s modern design includes open, spacious floorplans, features that are very attractive to buyers,” said Beth Fore, Vice President of Cablik Enterprises. “The entire building was presold before construction began, but one townhome has come back on the market and is currently for sale.”

Fore said that they anticipate closing six of the twelve units in 2014, and that Cablik Enterprises is working on developing additional modern townhomes to help satisfy the demand.